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Titans Look To Finish WIAC Football Schedule Unbeaten

Titans Look To Finish WIAC Football Schedule Unbeaten

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UW-Oshkosh seeks to claim the outright WIAC football title when it hosts UW-Eau Claire in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday (Nov. 14). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

UW-Oshkosh (8-1, 6-0 WIAC) secured the program's ninth WIAC title and the league's automatic berth into the 32-team NCAA Division III Championship with last Saturday's 31-13 victory over UW-La Crosse. This weekend the Titans can extend their winning streak to nine games and clinch their second perfect conference record in four seasons.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked third in the nation by D3football.com, holds a one-game lead in the WIAC standings over sixth-ranked UW-Whitewater (8-1, 5-1 WIAC) heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Among UW-Oshkosh's eight previous WIAC titles, the Titans finished with unblemished league records in 1923 (5-0), 1935 (4-0), 1972 (8-0) and 2012 (7-0).

UW-Eau Claire owns a 41-25 record in a series with UW-Oshkosh that dates to 1937, but the Titans have won the last four meetings by a combined score of 167-56. UW-Oshkosh defeated UW-Eau Claire, 53-13, in Oshkosh last season.

Since losing its season opener, 23-21, at NAIA member Robert Morris University (Ill.), UW-Oshkosh has established new conference and school records, including its program-best No. 3 national ranking.

The Titans set a new school 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 eclipsed the WIAC record with 829 yards in a 69-14 victory in the WIAC opener over UW-Stout on Oct. 3. The Titans then defeated UW-Whitewater, the top-ranked team in the nation at the time, with a 10-7 triumph on Oct. 10.

In the last four contests, the Titans have grinded out a 21-10 homecoming win over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 17, cruised to victories of 63-28 over UW-Platteville on Oct. 24 and 57-12 over UW-River Falls on Oct. 31, and clinched the WIAC title by pulling away from UW-La Crosse last weekend.

During its eight-game skein, UW-Oshkosh also became the first WIAC team to post 60 or more points in a game three times in one season.

The Titans lead the conference and rank 15th in the Division III by scoring 43.7 points per game and list second in the league and 13th nationally by allowing 11.9 points per contest.

UW-Oshkosh has averaged a conference-leading 513.3 yards and 287.6 yards allowed. The Titans also average a WIAC-leading 236.3 rushing yards while allowing a league-low 178 passing yards per game.

The Titans' third-down conversion rate of 52.1 percent and red-zone defense (.552) both rank eighth in the country, while UW-Oshkosh also paces the WIAC in completion percentage (.654), turnovers gained (21), turnover margin (+10), third-down defense (.348), first downs allowed (145), and fewest penalties (38).

UW-Oshkosh quarterback Brett Kasper has completed 135 of 202 passes for 2,051 yards with 16 touchdowns against just three interceptions. His 175.3 passer efficiency rating tops the WIAC and ranks seventh in the country.

Dylan Hecker leads UW-Oshkosh's ground game with 136 carries for 749 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has added two passing touchdowns and 14 receptions for 162 yards and one score on his way to leading the conference in scoring at 10 points per contest.

Devon Linzenmeyer has contributed 63 rushes for 459 yards and five touchdowns for the Titans. He has compiled more than 100 yards on the ground and scored touchdowns during the last two games.

UW-Oshkosh's Zach Kasuboski has a team-high 34 receptions for 572 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 24 carries for 235 yards and two more scores. He had a career-high nine catches last Saturday and has reached the end zone in each of the last four games.

Sam Mentkowski owns 33 receptions for 741 yards and six touchdowns for the Titans. His 22.5 yards per catch rank 11th in the nation.

Craig Schommer and Joe Sommers have added 27 and 24 receptions, respectively. Schommer has scored four touchdowns and Sommers three.

Defensively, Reese Dziedzic's 59 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, lead UW-Oshkosh, which has won 26 of its last 29 WIAC games.

Branden Lloyd has added 44 tackles and a team-high three sacks for the Titans, who have also received 42 tackles from Matt Gasper and 35 stops, including 6.5 for loss, from Kevin MacCudden.

Twelve Titans have registered at least 21 tackles. UW-Oshkosh has also had eight players record an interception and seven recover a fumble.

Johnny Eagan leads the Titans with three of the team's 11 interceptions, while Trevor Fiegel, who has registered 6.5 tackles for loss, ranks seventh in the nation with three of UW-Oshkosh's 10 fumble recoveries.

UW-Oshkosh kicker Greg Rand has connected on 6 of 8 field goals and 32 of 33 extra points. His 75 percent field-goal accuracy is best in the WIAC while his 50 points rank fifth.

UW-Oshkosh punter Turner Geisthardt lists second in the conference by averaging 38.2 yards per boot.

UW-Eau Claire (0-9, 0-6 WIAC) is trying to avoid its first winless overall season since 1947. The Blugolds have won just three of their 29 games (3-17 WIAC) over the past three seasons.

The Blugolds opened the season by suffering three non-conference defeats at home, including two losses to teams currently ranked in the top five in the country. Fourth-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) downed UW-Eau Claire, 62-7, in the season opener on Sept. 5 before fifth-ranked Wheaton College (Ill.) defeated the Blugolds, 56-17, on Sept. 19.

UW-Eau Claire's losing streak has also included a 41-7 non-conference setback to Concordia College (Minn.) on Sept. 12 and WIAC losses by scores of 38-28 to UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 3, 10-7 to UW-River Falls on Oct. 10, 45-12 to UW-Stout on Oct. 17, 27-25 to UW-La Crosse on Oct. 24, 63-0 to UW-Whitewater on Oct. 31, and 50-26 to UW-Platteville last Saturday.

The Blugolds enter the contest averaging 14.3 and allowing 43.6 points per game. UW-Eau Claire, which ranks second in the WIAC by possessing the ball for more than 32 minutes per game, has been outgained by an average of 148.7 yards per contest.

UW-Eau Claire quarterback J.T. Denhartog has completed 131 of 239 passes for 1,422 yards with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has also contributed 423 yards and three scores rushing.

Toure Wallace leads UW-Eau Claire's ball carriers with 127 rushes for 583 yards and five touchdowns, while Gerald Childs has 71 totes for 209 yards and one score.

The Blugold receiving corps is led by Matthew Knapp's 43 catches for 544 yards and three touchdowns. Lucas Emmerich has 37 grabs for 360 yards and one score, while Tyler Korth and Daniel Brennan have tallied one touchdown apiece and chipped in 17 and 12 receptions, respectively.

Kaeleb Stangler highlights the UW-Eau Claire defense with 55 tackles, including five for loss.

Bo Casper and Brandon Luedke have notched 53 tackles apiece for the Blugolds, who have recorded seven sacks and five fumble recoveries.

UW-Eau Claire kicker Liam O'Malley has converted 7 of 10 field goals and 11 of 13 extra points. His 32 points lead UW-Eau Claire, while his seven field goals are second in the WIAC. Punter Ian Scott is averaging 34.9 yards per boot.

The NCAA will televise its selection show for the 2015 Division III Football Championship at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 15) at ncaa.com. UW-Oshkosh will be making its second NCAA postseason appearance, with the other being in 2012 when the Titans advanced to the semifinal round.