Titans, Polar Bears Clash In Round Two Of NCAA Championship
UW-Oshkosh continues its participation in the NCAA Division III Football Championship by hosting first-time opponent Ohio Northern University in the second round on Saturday (Nov. 28). Kickoff is set for noon (CST) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (10-1) enters the contest riding a 10-game winning streak and ranked third in the country by D3football.com. The Titans, who gained automatic entry into the NCAA postseason by winning their second outright WIAC title in four seasons with a 7-0 record, are making their second national playoff appearance and first since advancing to the semifinals in 2012.
Ohio Northern University (9-2), which received one of seven at-large berths into this year's 32-team tournament, is making its fourth NCAA postseason appearance and first since 2010. The Polar Bears' 7-2 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) tied for second in the league standings behind unbeaten University of Mount Union (Ohio) (9-0).
The Titans secured a place in the second round with a 48-0 home triumph over The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) last Saturday (Nov. 21), while the Polar Bears came from behind to win their opening-round game, 27-22, at Franklin College (Ind.).
Last Saturday Ohio Northern University erased a 16-0 halftime deficit behind Justin Magazine's 36 carries for 153 yards and two touchdowns, while UW-Oshkosh outgained The College of St. Scholastica, 560-225, en route to its fourth shutout of the season.
Both offenses have thrived on big plays. UW-Oshkosh has 70 plays of 20 yards or more this season while Ohio Northern University has 68. The Titans had seven plays that gained at least 20 yards in their win over The College of St. Scholastica, including touchdown passes of 60, 54 and 25 yards. In their victory over Franklin College, the Polar Bears hit on four big plays, including a 79-yard scoring pass and a 24-yard touchdown run.
The Titans are ranked 10th in the country with 512 yards per game and 12th with 43.5 points per contest. The UW-Oshkosh defense lists fifth in the nation by allowing 9.7 points per game and 15th by ceding 271.8 yards per contest.
The Polar Bears list 52nd nationally with 439.1 yards and 42nd with 37 points per game. Their defense ranks 114th of 241 teams by allowing 373.1 yards and 94th by yielding 23.6 points per contest.
UW-Oshkosh has not lost since suffering a 23-21 setback at NAIA member Robert Morris University (Ill.) on Sept. 5. The Titans rebounded from the loss to score 57 or more points in four games while posting four shutouts.
Since losing the opener, UW-Oshkosh 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 their last five regular-season contests, the Titans 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, clinched the WIAC title by pulling away for a 31-13 decision at UW-La Crosse on Nov. 7, and notched its third shutout of the year by downing UW-Eau Claire, 38-0, on Nov. 14.
UW-Oshkosh ranks second in the country in red-zone defense (.516) and eighth in red-zone offense (.891). The Titans are also third in the nation with a 26.19 average on kickoff returns, 10th by averaging 4.18 penalties per contest, and 14th with a +15 turnover margin.
UW-Oshkosh quarterbacks rank 11th in the nation with a 170.21 passing efficiency rating and led the team to 267 first downs, the 12th-best total in the country.
The UW-Oshkosh defense has recorded four defensive touchdowns – fifth-most in the nation – and ranks 13th by limiting opponents to a 94.73 passing efficiency rating.
UW-Oshkosh quarterback Brett Kasper, the 2015 WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, has completed 168 of 255 passes for 2,535 and 21 touchdowns against four interceptions. He threw for 336 yards and two scores in just over three quarters of action last week against The College of St. Scholastica.
Kasper ranks fifth in the country with 9.94 yards per pass attempt, 11th with a 173.4 passer efficiency rating, 12th with 15.09 yards per completion, and 18th with a 65.9 completion percentage. He has tossed three or more touchdowns five times and surpassed 300 passing yards four times this season, including career highs of 448 yards and four scores against UW-Platteville.
Dylan Hecker leads the UW-Oshkosh ground attack with 150 carries for 815 yards and 17 touchdowns, which rank 17th in the nation. He has added two touchdown passes and 17 catches for 177 yards and one score. Hecker logged 14 rushes for 66 yards and three touchdowns in last Saturday's win over the Saints.
Hecker, a 2015 All-WIAC first team honoree, needs three rushing touchdowns to break the program record of 19 established by Cole Myhra in 2013.
Backup running back Devon Linzenmeyer has contributed 85 rushes for 619 yards and seven touchdowns for the Titans.
The UW-Oshkosh receiving corps is led by the quartet of Zach Kasuboski, Sam Mentkowski, Craig Schommer and Joe Sommers. Kasuboski and Sommers earned All-WIAC first team accolades this fall.
Kasuboski has a team-leading 45 catches for 819 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 31 rushes for 292 yards and two scores. He has tallied touchdowns in the past six games and nine games overall this season. Kasuboski recorded five grabs for 165 yards and two long scores in last Saturday's victory over the Saints.
Mentkowski has contributed 38 catches for 773 yards and seven scores, Schommer 31 receptions for 301 yards and four touchdowns, and Sommers 24 catches for 325 yards and three scores.
The UW-Oshkosh defense has recorded 25 sacks, 16 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. The Titans created five turnovers and ceded just 32 rushing yards in the playoff opener last Saturday.
The unit is headlined by 2015 All-WIAC first team selections Reese Dziedzic, Johnny Eagan, Trevor Fiegel and Branden Lloyd.
Dziedzic paces the team with 63 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks. Eagan has registered 33 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions, while Fiegel has 32 stops and ranks 10th in the country with three fumble recoveries.
Lloyd is second on the squad with 54 tackles, including a team-best 12 for loss and 5.5 sacks. He had a team-high eight tackles, including 4.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks, last Saturday against The College of St. Scholastica.
UW-Oshkosh kicker Greg Rand has converted 9 of 12 field goals and 43 of 44 point-after attempts, while punter Turner Geisthardt has averaged 38.4 yards on 37 his boots. Rand lists 19th in the country with one field goal per game.
Titan Dom Todarello is averaging 27.6 yards on 10 kickoff returns and 15.8 yards on five punt returns.
Ohio Northern University, which played in rain during the first half of its NCAA first-round contest and heavy snow in the second, is seeking to reach the third round for the second time in program history. The Polar Bears have won each of their four first-round games in program history and are 1-3 in the second round.
The Polar Bears have won six straight games after starting the season with a 3-2 record.
Ohio Northern University won its only non-conference game of the regular season, 29-22, over Utica College (N.Y.) in the season opener on Sept. 12 before falling, 28-27, to Baldwin Wallace University (Ohio) in the first game of the OAC schedule.
The Polar Bears responded with a 34-20 win over Heidelberg University (Ohio) on Sept. 26 and a 30-27 victory at then-No. 11 John Carroll University (Ohio) on Oct. 3.
Top-ranked University of Mount Union downed Ohio Northern University by a 50-7 score before the Polar Bears capped their league slate with comfortable wins over Ohio brethren Capital University (52-31) on Oct. 17, Muskingum University (42-7) on Oct. 24, Marietta College (62-21) on Oct. 31, Wilmington College (55-21) on Nov. 7, and Otterbein University (42-10) on Nov. 14.
Ohio Northern University's balanced offense has produced 2,664 passing yards and 2,166 rushing.
Polar Bears quarterback Ricardo Johnson has started the last five games, completing 68 of 100 passes for 1,040 yards with nine touchdowns against four interceptions. Will Freed started the first six contests under center, completing 105 of 186 passes for 1,584 yards with 10 scores and seven interceptions.
Johnson completed 13 of 17 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception last Saturday against Franklin College. He also rushed nine times for 49 yards and another score against the Grizzlies.
Magazine, the 2015 OAC Most Outstanding Offensive Back, spearheads the Polar Bears with 261 carries for 1,474 yards and 24 touchdowns to go along with 20 receptions for 206 yards and three more scores. He has topped 100 scrimmage yards in 10 of 11 games this year. Magazine, who has reached the end zone in all 11 games this year, notched a season-high 204 rushing yards and a school record-tying six touchdowns against Otterbein University.
Magazine's rushing touchdowns rank second in the country, while his 14.7 points per game list fourth and his rushing yardage total 13th.
Ohio Northern University's receiving corps is led by Devon Price, whose 84 catches rank ninth in the country, while his 1,184 yards rank 12th in the nation and his six touchdowns lead the team. He has logged 100 receiving yards in a game seven times this season, including 10 grabs for 182 yards and three touchdowns against Marietta College. Price, the OAC's Most Outstanding Receiver in 2015, recorded six catches for 117 yards with one score in the NCAA opener last Saturday.
Reed Allen has chipped in 29 grabs for 593 yards and five touchdowns for Ohio Northern University. He was also named a 2015 All-OAC first team player on special teams by averaging 22.5 yards on 24 kickoff returns and 8.2 yards on 15 punt returns.
Allen, who returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown, is one of eight Division III players to return a kickoff for a score this season.
The Ohio Northern University defense has registered 23 sacks, nine interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Zach Schmerge, Ohio Northern University's lone defensive player on the 2015 All-OAC First Team, has 105 tackles to lead five Polar Bears with at least 67 stops.
Dan Eller has 87 tackles for Ohio Northern University, followed by Justin Tello with 76 stops, Trent Stout with 73 and Scott Rapps with 67.
Darnell Bloom and Will Bodden pace the Polar Bears with three interceptions apiece, while Rapps has a team-leading 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Polar Bears kickers Matt Chaney and Andrew DiMario have combined to make 7 of 16 field goals and 48 of 52 extra points. Chaney has converted 3 of 7 field goals and his only extra point, while DiMario is 4-for-9 on field goals and 47-for-51 on point-after tries.
Ohio Northern University's Kyle Bergman is averaging 38.1 yards on his 43 punts.
The winner between UW-Oshkosh and Ohio Northern University will meet the victor of fifth-ranked UW-Whitewater (10-1) and sixth-ranked Wheaton College (Ill.) (11-0) next Saturday (Nov. 28).
UW-Whitewater, which finished second to UW-Oshkosh in the WIAC standings, received an at-large bid into the championship. Wheaton College gained automatic entry into the NCAA postseason by winning the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title.
Ticket prices for Saturday's game between UW-Oshkosh and Ohio Northern University are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens (55 or older) and $6 for students (K-12 & College).
Fans can also follow the game on the Internet through Titan TV, WRST 90.3 FM, and via Live Stats.