Titans Improve To 3-0 After Shutting Down Scots
UW-Oshkosh posted a 555-75 edge in total yards during its 56-3 football victory over Alma College (Mich.) on Saturday (Sept. 28) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
The Titans (3-0), ranked eighth by D3football.com, held the Scots to just seven yards in the second half. UW-Oshkosh scored on one of its first five possessions, but the Titans then tallied three touchdowns in each of the second and third quarters to pull away.
Caleb Voss led the offensive attack with five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Olla completed 17-of-26 passes for 265 yards and three scores, while Cole Myhra added 69 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
On Alma's (0-4) first drive, Dexter Charles forced a fumble that Alex Smith recovered. Olla immediately capitalized, launching a 40-yard touchdown to Voss for a 7-0 lead.
The Scots pulled within 7-3 when Jack Pryde drilled a 45-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The score was set up by Sam Young's interception in Titan territory.
Myhra fueled UW-Oshkosh's next drive with runs of 12, 11 and seven yards. He then caught three straight passes, totaling 34 yards, to cross midfield. From the five-yard line, Myhra ran to his left and hurdled two defenders at the goal line for a touchdown that made it 14-3.
The Titans took a 28-3 lead into halftime after scoring runs of two yards by Myhra and one yard by Jake Dostalek.
UW-Oshkosh got another quick takeaway to begin the third quarter. Following a Beau Steffens interception, Olla lofted a 21-yard pass to Voss, who made an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone.
Zach Kasuboski, who marked four catches for 42 yards, got into the scorebook a few minutes later. He hauled in a 19-yard strike over the middle and held on after taking a big hit at the goal line. The touchdown made it 42-3 with 8:02 on the third-quarter clock.
Dylann Rauch came into the game and continued the offensive success. He turned a busted play into a three-yard touchdown run. Then in the fourth quarter, Ethan Steinhoff caught a screen pass and took off down the right sideline. Steinhoff followed a wall of teammates and raced 55 yards for the exclamation-point touchdown.
Alma reached UW-Oshkosh's side of the field three times, but never got within 27 yards of the end zone. The Scots were led by Jarrett Leister's 48 passing yards and 11 rushing yards, to go with 38 receiving yards by Ricky Roth. Tailback Grant Wilson carried 11 times for two yards.
The Titans booked 10 tackles for loss, including sacks by Kurt Beining and Ryan Stefaniak. Reese Dziedzic and Cody Huemmer topped the squad with five tackles each. UW-Oshkosh allowed just eight rushing yards on 33 attempts, while holding the Scots to 2-of-16 success on third down.
Alma received eight stops, two sacks and a forced fumble from Terry Calagon.
UW-Oshkosh begins conference play with a road game at UW-Stout on Saturday (Oct. 5).
By Jon Feyen