Falcons Fly In For Titans' Homecoming Football Game
The UW-Oshkosh football team seeks to remain atop the WIAC standings when it hosts UW-River Falls on Saturday (Oct. 18). Kickoff for the Titans' homecoming game is 1:30 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titans Stadium.
The Titans (2-3, 2-0 WIAC) are looking to improve to 3-0 in conference for the fourth straight year while UW-River Falls (1-4, 0-2 WIAC) is seeking to avoid its fourth 0-3 WIAC start in five seasons.
UW-Oshkosh has won eight straight games over UW-River Falls, including a 41-13 victory last year. The Falcons won 13 consecutive games over the Titans from 1992-2003. UW-Oshkosh last played its homecoming game against UW-River Falls in 1999.
Last Saturday (Oct. 11), UW-Oshkosh scored 14 unanswered points in the last 2:30 of the fourth quarter to win, 21-18, at UW-La Crosse. Paired with its 2012 win in La Crosse, it marked the first time UW-Oshkosh had won consecutive games in La Crosse in a series that dates to 1919.
Trailing 18-7, freshman quarterback Brett Kasper, who was starting his first collegiate game, connected with Zach Kasuboski on an 8-yard touchdown pass to make the score 18-13 with 2:30 left. Freshman running back Dylan Hecker scored on a 2-yard run with 44 seconds remaining and Kasuboski tacked on a two-point conversion run to complete the comeback.
Kasper has completed 49-of-63 passes for 466 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for injured starter Dylann Rauch. The Titans' quarterbacking unit ranks 17th in the nation with a 66.2 completion percentage.
Hecker had his first career 100-yard rushing day at UW-La Crosse and leads the Titan ground game with 46 carries for 230 yards and four touchdowns. Ethan Steinhoff has added 44 rushes for 127 yards and one score.
Freshman Sam Mentkowski has 19 catches over the past two games and paces the UW-Oshkosh receiving corps with 22 receptions for 143 yards. Joe Sommers has 19 catches for a team-leading 312 yards, while Kasuboski has 17 grabs for 181 yards and three of the team's four touchdown receptions. UW-Oshkosh averages 19 points and 295.4 offensive yards per game. The Titans feature a balanced attack, averaging 180 yards through the air and 115.4 on the ground.
The UW-Oshkosh defense has created six turnovers while allowing 23.4 points and 347.6 yards per game, including 190 passing.
Reese Dziedzic leads the Titans with 36 tackles, followed by Beau Steffens with 31 and Branden Lloyd 29. Twelve Titans have been in on the team's 15 sacks. Cody Huemmer leads the way with three sacks. John Eagan has a team-high two interceptions.
Special teams could prove pivotal this week. UW-Oshkosh's Nate Ray averages 42 yards per punt to rank ninth nationally. He also averages a WIAC-best 1.4 field goals per contest. However, UW-River Falls is 10th in the country with four blocked kicks, while UW-Oshkosh is tied for seventh in the WIAC with three blocked kicks allowed. The Falcons have yet to attempt a field goal this season.
UW-Oshkosh has won its last two games after suffering non-conference defeats of 27-19 to NAIA Robert Morris University (Ill.), 24-20 to NAIA Marian University (Ind.) and 41-3 to NCAA Division I South Dakota State University. The Titans posted a 32-7 win over UW-Stout in their WIAC opener on Oct. 4.
UW-River Falls lost 24-14 at then-No. 17 UW-Platteville last Saturday and 17-14 at home in its WIAC opener against then-No. 17 UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 4.
The Falcons tied UW-Platteville at 7 late in the second quarter, but a field goal on the last play of the half gave the Pioneers the lead for good. UW-River Falls led UW-Stevens Point, 14-10, at halftime, but a touchdown pass by the Pointers midway through the fourth quarter spoiled the Falcons' upset bid.
UW-River Falls, which plays its fifth road game of the season this week, lost 27-8 at Saint John's University (Minn.) in the season opener and 22-6 at Simpson College (Iowa) the following week. The Falcons defeated NCAA Division II South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 43-28, on Sept. 20.
The Falcon offense averages 17 points per game and 336.6 yards, including 228.2 passing. UW-River Falls has committed 17 turnovers that have contributed to a minus-10 turnover margin, which ranks 236th out of 242 Division III teams. The Falcons' 10 lost fumbles are more than all but five Division III teams.
Quarterback Ryan Kusilek leads the Falcons through the air and on the ground. He has completed 81-of-144 passes for 941 yards with seven touchdowns while adding 54 rushes for 181 yards and one score. Kusilek has also averaged 35.4 yards on eight punts.
Rance Ashley led UW-River Falls in rushing last week with 71 yards on 18 carries. Kywon Cartwright led the Falcons two weeks ago with 57 yards on seven totes. Emmanuel Udeh, the Falcons' starting running back the first three games, has not played the last two weeks and has 27 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns. He is doubtful for Saturday's game.
Jordan Christianson leads UW-River Falls receivers with 23 catches for 343 yards and four touchdowns. Jake Ryan has added 22 receptions for 291 yards, while Charles Dixon has 17 grabs for 253 yards and one score.
Andy Lundgren paces the Falcon defense with 44 tackles. Cole Sirek has team-bests with three sacks and seven tackles for losses. Derek Tarter has two sacks and ranks fourth nationally with two blocked kicks. Tyler Ledbeter has registered a team-high two interceptions, and Robbie Flom has 25 tackles and eight pass breakups.
UW-Oshkosh defeated UW-La Crosse, 30-6, in last year's homecoming game.