Titans Visit UW-Stout For Regular-Season Finale

UW-Oshkosh tries for a perfect regular season when it battles UW-Stout on Saturday (Nov. 10) in Menomonie. The Titans enter the football game ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III and with an outright WIAC championship in their possession.

Starting fast has been a trend for UW-Oshkosh (9-0, 6-0 WIAC) this year, as it holds a 239-36 scoring advantage in the first half. Last Saturday, the Titans scored 42 second-quarter points en route to a 56-31 victory over UW-Stevens Point. Nate Wara (Sr. • Oshkosh) accounted for four touchdowns against the Pointers, while Cole Myhra (Jr. • Menomonee Falls) ran for three scores.

Both Wara and Myhra are approaching significant milestones. Wara is 120 total yards away from 10,000 for his career – a mark that just three players achieved in WIAC history. He's completed 149-of-225 passes for 2,176 yards and 20 touchdowns this season while rushing 115 times for 514 yards and six scores. Myhra, with 913 rushing yards this year, can become the fifth Titan to crack 1,000. He has 11 touchdowns during 2012.

UW-Oshkosh has had 15 players catch passes this season, including wide receiver Caleb Voss (Jr. • Van Dyne), who grabbed 38 for 796 yards and eight touchdowns. Wide receiver Zach Kasuboski (So. • Wautoma) has caught 38 passes for 442 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 41 times for 284 yards and one score.

UW-Oshkosh ranks 10th in the country in total offense, 12th in scoring offense and 17th in rushing offense. The Titans have committed just three turnovers in 685 plays.

On the defensive side, UW-Oshkosh is led by 64 tackles from linebacker Taylor Goodman (Sr. • South Wayne) and seven interceptions by cornerback Tim Filter (Sr. • New Berlin). The Titans rank seventh nationally with a +15 turnover margin, 17th in scoring defense and 21st in total defense.

UW-Oshkosh has won its last 11 games for the second-longest active streak in the NCAA Division III. The Titans own a 16-3 record in their last 19 games.

UW-Stout (3-6, 1-5 WIAC) has lost four straight games since its 31-14 triumph over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 6. Last Saturday, the Blue Devils fell by a 62-20 score to UW-Platteville. Eric Brown led the Blue Devils with 95 yards and one touchdown rushing. On the season, Brown ranks fourth in the WIAC with 591 yards.

Michael Blizel has completed 130-of-256 passes for 1,534 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Josh Peterson leads the squad with 41 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns.

UW-Stout's defense features the 75 tackles of free safety Tyler Naatz and the 69 of strong safety Collin Laursen. The Blue Devils allow nearly 27 points and 351 yards per game.

Saturday's contest is the 57th between the teams. UW-Oshkosh prevailed in last year's meetings, 56-10 and 35-3, to increase its advantage in the all-time series to 32-23-1.

UW-Oshkosh will discover its opponent in the first round of the 32-team NCAA Division III Championship on Sunday (Nov. 11).