Titans Host UW-Stout In WIAC Opener
The UW-Oshkosh football team faces its first NCAA Division III opponent of the season when it hosts UW-Stout in the WIAC opener for both teams on Saturday (Oct. 4) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
Following three scholarship-granting opponents and a bye last week, UW-Oshkosh gets back to Division III play against UW-Stout in Week 5. The Titans, who were predicted to finish third in this year's WIAC race, have won 17 of their last 21 league games. UW-Stout, which was voted sixth the WIAC preseason poll, has won just three of its last 12 road games against league opponents.
The Titans have won their last four meetings with the Blue Devils, including a 28-26 decision in last season's WIAC opener. UW-Oshkosh holds a 34-23-1 advantage in the all-time series. The teams first met in 1947, a 19-12 UW-Oshkosh win. The Titans are 9-2 at home against the Blue Devils since 1991.
UW-Oshkosh (0-3) has lost all three of its games this season, suffering setbacks of 27-19 to NAIA Robert Morris University (Ill.), 24-20 to NAIA Marian University (Ind.) and 41-3 to NCAA Division I Football Championship Series opponent South Dakota State University. The Titans lost their game to Marian University on a last-second touchdown.
The UW-Oshkosh offense has averaged 14 points and 226.3 yards per game, including 153 passing. First-year starter Dylann Rauch has completed 39-of-68 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns. Ethan Steinhoff leads the ground game with 28 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown. Joe Sommers has team-highs with 10 catches and 186 yards receiving. Zach Kasuboski has contributed seven pass receptions for 102 yards and one score.
The Titan defense has allowed an average of 30.7 points and 419.3 yards per game while forcing four turnovers and earning seven sacks. Branden Lloyd paces UW-Oshkosh with 20 tackles, including 13 solo and 2.5 for loss. Reese Dziedzic has added 18 tackles, while Cody Huemmer has a team-best two sacks. John Eagan and Kevin MacCudden have registered interceptions. MacCudden and Corey Sigler have the Titan fumble recoveries.
UW-Oshkosh's Nate Ray leads the WIAC with an average of 42.1 yards per punt. He also is tied for the league lead with 1.67 field goals per contest. Eagan ranks second in the WIAC with an average of 26.2 yards on kickoff returns.
UW-Stout (1-2) opened its season with a 23-19 loss at NAIA Dakota Wesleyan University (S.D.). The Blue Devils led 12-0 at halftime and 19-7 after three quarters.
The Blue Devils won their Week 2 home opener, 21-17, over Loras College (Iowa). UW-Stout took a 13-0 lead, but had to rally from a 14-13 deficit early in the third quarter.
UW-Stout never led in a 45-14 loss in Week 3 at ninth-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa). The Blue Devils were tied at 7 after one quarter, but Wartburg College cruised after scoring 21 unanswered points in the second period.
Like the Titans, and all but one WIAC team (UW-Stevens Point), UW-Stout had Week 4 off.
The UW-Stout offense averages 18 points and 260 yards per game. Of the Blue Devils' 218 total plays, 127 have been rushes that have gone for an average of 2.7 yards. Adolpho Pacheco leads the Blue Devils with 70 carries for 261 yards and one touchdown. Tanner Kuehn has added 26 rushes for 101 yards and one score.
Hank Kujak started at quarterback for UW-Stout in the opener, but was lost for the game when he slipped in the end zone for a safety early in the fourth quarter. Kujak completed 12-of-28 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown before being forced to exit. He has not played since. Last season, Kujak threw for more yards (2,813) than any UW-Stout quarterback since 1998.
The Blue Devils have turned the quarterback position over to Aaron Koerner, who has completed 22-of-60 passes for 224 yards and four touchdowns. He had three touchdown passes against Loras College.
Cody Rosemeyer leads UW-Stout with 14 pass receptions for 174 yards. Aaron Jenny has 11 catches for 118 yards and four of the five Blue Devil touchdown receptions.
The UW-Stout defense has allowed 28.3 points and 438.3 yards per game while forcing five turnovers and compiling 11 sacks. The Blue Devils rank second in the WIAC with 135.7 rushing yards allowed, but last in allowing 302.7 yards through the air.
Luke Bakkum leads the UW-Stout defense with 27 tackles, including 4.5 sacks. Tyler Naatz has 22 tackles.
UW-Oshkosh travels to UW-La Crosse next Saturday (Oct. 11).