Titans Journey To La Crosse For Final WIAC Road Game
UW-Oshkosh can clinch at least a share of its second WIAC football championship in the last four years and ninth in program history with a victory at UW-La Crosse on Saturday (Nov. 7). Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
The Titans (7-1, 5-0 WIAC) can also secure the WIAC's automatic berth into the 32-team NCAA Division III Championship with a win over UW-La Crosse (3-5, 2-3 WIAC). UW-Oshkosh needs to win one of its last two games of the regular season to clinch an NCAA berth.
UW-Oshkosh enters Saturday's contest with its highest national ranking in school history, polling third in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com. UW-Oshkosh's highest previous ranking was fourth in the final poll of 2012.
UW-La Crosse owns a 49-13-6 record against UW-Oshkosh, but the Titans have won the last four meetings with the Eagles and five of the last six. UW-Oshkosh snapped a 37-game winless streak against UW-La Crosse in 2010 and earned victories of 16-7 and 41-7 in 2012, 30-6 in 2013, and 21-18 last season.
Since losing its season opener, 23-21, at NAIA member Robert Morris University (Ill.), UW-Oshkosh has rattled off seven straight victories by a combined 341-71 score.
The Titans set a new program record for points with an 86-0 win over Finlandia University (Mich.) on Sept. 12 and recorded consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1996 with a 35-0 decision over North Park University (Ill.) on Sept. 19.
UW-Oshkosh surpassed the WIAC record with 829 yards in a 69-14 victory in the league opener at UW-Stout on Oct. 3 before knocking off the top-ranked team in the nation with a 10-7 triumph over UW-Whitewater on Oct. 10.
In the past three contests, the Titans have grinded out a 21-10 homecoming win over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 17 and cruised to victories of 63-28 at UW-Platteville on Oct. 24 and 57-12 over UW-River Falls last Saturday (Oct. 31). UW-Oshkosh became the first WIAC team to post 60 or more points in a game three times in one season.
The Titans' winning streak has UW-Oshkosh high among the national and conference leaders in the several statistical categories.
UW-Oshkosh's offense ranks ninth in the nation with 519.8 yards per game, a 171.7 passer efficiency rating and a .505 conversion rate on third down. The Titans also lead the WIAC with 45.3 points and 243.1 rushing yards per contest.
The Titan defense lists fourth in the country with four touchdowns and paces the WIAC by allowing 11.8 points and 178.1 passing yards per game. UW-Oshkosh has also ceded a conference-low 121 first downs and forced a league-best 21 turnovers while limiting teams to a .331 conversion rate on third down.
On special teams, UW-Oshkosh ranks sixth in the nation by averaging 25.9 yards on its 18 kickoff returns.
UW-Oshkosh, whose 30 penalties are the seventh fewest in the Division III, also leads the WIAC with a +10 turnover margin.
Titans quarterback Brett Kasper leads the country with 10.68 yards per pass attempts and lists fourth nationally with a 181.2 passer efficiency rating and 16.21 yards per completion.
Kasper has completed 112 of 170 passes for 1,815 yards with 15 touchdowns in seven games this season. He has thrown three touchdowns or more four times and passed for more than 300 yards in three games, including career highs of 448 yards and four scores at UW-Platteville.
UW-Oshkosh running back Dylan Hecker leads the conference by scoring 10.5 points per game and is tied atop the WIAC with 13 rushing touchdowns on the year.
Hecker has rushed 125 times for 686 yards this season. He has added 13 catches for 163 yards and one touchdown while recording at least 107 all-purpose yards in six of the Titans' eight games.
Three other UW-Oshkosh players have rushed for more than 100 yards this season.
Devon Linzenmeyer has 49 rushes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, Zach Kasuboski 21 carries for 220 yards and two scores, and Beau Ash 28 totes for 143 yards and one touchdown.
Sam Mentkowski leads the UW-Oshkosh receiving corps with 29 catches for 717 yards and six scores. His 24.7 yards per reception ranks seventh in the Division III.
Kasuboski has contributed 25 receptions for 456 yards and five touchdowns, while Joe Sommers has 21 grabs for 270 yards and two scores, and Craig Schommer 21 catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns.
The UW-Oshkosh defense is led by Reese Dziedzic's 51 tackles. He has recorded at least 11 tackles in two contests this season, including a season best 12 at Robert Morris University. Dziedzic is tied for the team lead with 6.5 tackles for loss and ranks third on the squad with two sacks.
Branden Lloyd has added 40 tackles for UW-Oshkosh, followed by 39 stops from Matt Gasper, 32 from Cameron Brown and 29 from Kevin MacCudden. A total of 12 Titans have recorded 20 or more tackles on the year.
Johnny Eagan leads UW-Oshkosh with three interceptions, while Trevor Fiegel ranks fifth in the country with three fumble recoveries.
UW-Oshkosh kicker Greg Rand has converted 5 of 7 field goals and 28 of 29 extra points, while punter Turner Geisthardt is averaging 37.4 yards on 27 boots.
Three Titans are averaging at least 25.8 yards per kickoff return. Dom Todarello averages 27.6 yards on seven returns, CJ Blackburn 26.8 on six returns and Linzenmeyer 25.8 on four returns.
UW-La Crosse enters the 69th meeting between the teams averaging 16.6 and 266.3 yards per contest while allowing 30.1 points and 455.9 yards per game. The Eagles rank seventh in the WIAC in both offensive yards and yards allowed.
The Eagles won their season and home opener, 26-19, over Luther College (Iowa) before falling on the road to a pair of nationally ranked teams – 51-7 at then-No.12 University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Sept. 12 and 43-10 at then-No. 4 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) on Sept. 19.
UW-La Crosse has alternated wins and losses during its conference slate, losing road contests of 21-20 in overtime at UW-River Falls on Oct. 3, 30-12 at then-No. 6 UW-Whitewater on Oct. 16, and 31-3 at UW-Stevens Point last Saturday.
The Eagles improved their season home record to 3-0 with victories of 28-21 over UW-Stout on Oct. 10 and 27-25 over UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 24.
UW-La Crosse has been forced to start four different quarterbacks due to injuries. Trent Cummings started three games, John Tackett and Andrew Thompson have started twice apiece and Drew David once.
Thompson, who was under center in last Saturday's game, has completed 21 of 40 passes for 206 yards.
The Eagles ground game averages 80.9 yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry.
Tyler Jenkins leads UW-La Crosse with 73 rushes for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Austin Mancosky and Eric Rahman have added 244 and 186 rushing yards, respectively.
Joel Oxton paces the Eagles with 45 catches for 574 yards and seven of the team's 14 receiving touchdowns. Samuel Zwieg has 25 grabs for 250 yards and two scores Mike Santucci 21 receptions for 213 yards and one touchdown.
Ryan Weber highlights the UW-La Crosse defense by leading the WIAC with 11.5 total tackles and 6.9 solo stops per contest. His solo tackles rank 12th in the country and his total tackles 14th. Weber also has a team-best five tackles for loss and his two interceptions are tied team lead.
UW-La Crosse's Nicholas Peters and Jon Becker have added 57 and 53 tackles, respectively. Peters is tied for the team lead with two sacks, while Matt Williquette has two interceptions.
Eagles kicker Matt Van Druten has connected on 3 of 5 field goals and 13 of 17 extra points, and while Matthew Salerno averages 35.5 yards on his 47 punts.
UW-Oshkosh, which was picked to finish third in this season's WIAC standings, won WIAC championships in 1920, 1923, 1928, 1935, 1968, 1972, 1976 and 2012.