Titans Host Johnnies In Second Round Of NCAA Playoffs
Two of the top defenses in the country highlight a clash of highly ranked teams as UW-Oshkosh hosts two-time national champion Saint John's University (Minn.) during the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship on Saturday (Nov. 26). Kickoff for the first meeting between the programs is set for noon at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (10-1), ranked fourth in the nation by D3football.com, enters the contest sixth in the country by allowing just 12.1 points per game while ninth-ranked Saint John's University (10-1) lists eighth by yielding 12.5 points per contest.
The statistical similarities between the teams extend to the offensive side as Saint John's University scores 42.5 points per game and UW-Oshkosh 41.9 to rank 12th and 13th in the division, respectively. The visiting Johnnies' defense is second in the country by limiting opponents to 206.1 yards per game, and the Titans are 14th with 265.4 yards allowed per contest.
The Johnnies' 186.83 passing efficiency offense leads the nation while the Titans will counter with a passing efficiency defense that ranks 10th in the country at 95.34.
The Titans average 278.3 rushing yards per contest to rank seventh nationally while the Johnnies are fourth in the country by surrendering just 62.7 yards on the ground per game.
UW-Oshkosh also ranks among the statistical top 20 teams in the country with 3.36 tackles allowed for loss per contest (second), 0.64 sacks allowed per game (sixth), five interceptions thrown (14th) and a plus-1.27 turnover margin (16th).
Saint John's University also lists among the top 20 teams with an 88.16 passing efficiency rating defense (second), 124 first downs allowed (fifth), 15.81 yards per completion (10th), 33:56 time of possession per contest (10th), 143.4 passing yards allowed per game (11th), five interceptions thrown (14th), 28 turnovers gained (16th), a 23.44-yard kickoff return average (17th), a .283 conversion rate on third down (18th), a .652 completion percentage (18th), and 18 interceptions gained (18th).
Both UW-Oshkosh and Saint John's University finished second in their respective league standings. The Titans were one game behind second-ranked UW-Whitewater (11-0) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Johnnies one game behind third-ranked University of St. Thomas (11-0) in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
UW-Oshkosh, making its second straight and third overall NCAA postseason appearance, advanced to the second round with a 49-13 victory over Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) (8-3) last Saturday (Nov. 19). The Titans rolled up 410 rushing yards on the way to out-gaining the Bears, 608-314.
Saint John's University opened its third straight and 23rd overall NCAA postseason appearance with a 32-31 triumph over 12th-ranked UW-Platteville (8-3). The Johnnies erased an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit by scoring a 1-yard touchdown run on the final play of the game.
UW-Oshkosh has won 16 of its last 17 home games and outscored opponents by a combined 687-180 score in those contests. The Titans own a 6-2 record in NCAA postseason play, advancing to the quarterfinal round last season and to the semifinals in 2012.
Saint John's University, the 1976 and 2003 Division III champion, has a 37-20 record in NCAA postseason play. The Johnnies' 37 NCAA tournament wins are the third most in Division III history, trailing only the 92 by the University of Mount Union (Ohio) and the 47 by UW-Whitewater.
The Titans, who have trailed for less than 12 minutes the entire season, have produced 71 plays of at least 20 yards this season, including 24 on touchdowns, while the UW-Oshkosh defense has yielded just 17 plays of 20+ yards, including three scores.
The UW-Oshkosh rushing attack, which has scored 37 touchdowns and averages 6.9 yards per carry, features eight players with more than 100 rushing yards as 18 Titans have received carries.
Dylan Hecker paces the Titan backfield with 769 yards and 12 touchdowns. He ranks 213th in the nation with 6.99 yards per carry.
Devon Linzenmeyer has added 663 rushing yards on 8.2 yards per carry and nine touchdowns while Mitch Gerhartz follows with 445 yards and three scores, Chad Walton with 311 yards and four touchdowns, Dom Todarello with 203 yards, CJ Blackburn with 184 yards and two touchdowns, Beau Ash with 122 yards, and Riley Kallas with 115 yards and one score.
UW-Oshkosh quarterback Brett Kasper has completed 146 of 236 passes for 1,989 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Todarello leads UW-Oshkosh with 35 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns. Blackburn has 27 catches for 354 yards and two scores while Evan Thammahong has contributed 20 grabs for 169 yards and one touchdown.
Todarello also averages a team-leading 16.8 yards on punt returns while Blackburn leads the Titans by averaging 22 yards per kickoff return.
The UW-Oshkosh defense is spearheaded by linebackers Reese Dziedzic, Steve Forner and Branden Lloyd.
Dziedzic has a team-leading 66 tackles with two sacks, one fumble recovery and one interception. Forner has tallied 54 tackles, including two sacks, while Lloyd has made 48 stops, including 2.5 sacks, to go along with one fumble recovery and one interception.
The UW-Oshkosh secondary is headlined by Cameron Brown and Johnny Eagan. Brown has 41 tackles and one interception, and Eagan has 37 tackles and four of the team's 16 interceptions.
Cole Yoder has added 40 tackles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery for the Titans, who have also received two interceptions apiece from Rajon Hall and AJ Plewa, 2.5 sacks from Justin Watson and two fumble recoveries from Matt Rucynski.
On special teams, UW-Oshkosh placekicker Eli Wettstein has connected on 12 of 16 field goal attempts, including a long of 50 yards, and 53 of 58 extra point tries. Punter Turner Geisthardt is averaging 40.2 yards per boot, including a long of 62 yards, and has placed 11 of his 29 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
UW-Oshkosh had eight selections on this year's All-WIAC First Team, including Dziedzic and Lloyd at linebacker and Brown and Eagan at defensive back. Other Titans named to the first team were Hecker at running back, Blackburn at all-purpose back, Todarello at special teams, and Vincent Basile at offensive line.
Saint John's University has two quarterbacks with more than 1,000 passing yards. Starter Jackson Erdmann has completed 81 of 131 passes for 1,246 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions while backup Ben Alvord is 70-for-93 passing for 1,123 yards with 11 scores and one interception.
The Saint John's University running game, which has recorded 32 touchdowns and averages 4.4 yards per carry, features nine players with more than 100 yards on the ground.
Dusty Krueger leads the Johnnies with 571 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
The Saint John's University backfield has also received 336 rushing yards and six touchdowns from Adam Essler, 323 yards and two scores from Antoine Taylor, 296 yards and four touchdowns from Zack Sundly, 159 yards and three scores from Alvord, 149 yards and one touchdown from Derek McLaughlin, 130 yards from Sam Marshall and 126 yards and two scores from Evan Clark.
Clark is the Johnnies' leading receiver, amassing 41 catches for 889 yards and 13 touchdowns. His touchdown total ranks 11th in the country while his 21.68 yards per reception lists 17th nationally. Clark also leads the team by averaging 31.9 yards per kickoff return.
Sundly has chipped in 25 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns out of the Johnnies' backfield while Will Gillach has 22 catches for 284 yards and four scores and Tommy Auger 16 grabs for 268 yards.
The Johnnies' stout defense is led by Carter Hanson' 73 tackles. Hanson, one of 10 semifinalists for the 2016 Gagliardi Trophy, has eight tackles for loss, including one sack, and two interceptions.
Parker Anderson is second on the team with 62 tackles. He has amassed nine tackles for loss, including two sacks, and two interceptions.
Jack Pietruszewski has 52 tackles for the Johnnies, including 12.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks, while Nathan Brinker leads the team with 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks among his 47 tackles.
Ted Kalina has contributed 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks, and Leonard Gutierrez leads the Johnnies with five interceptions.
Overall, Saint John's University has registered 84 tackles for loss and 34 sacks.
Saint John's University placekicker Alexi Johnson has converted each of the team's four field goal attempts, including a long of 37 yards, and 60 of 63 extra point tries. Punter Griffin Toomey is averaging 41.1 yards per boot, including a long of 58 yards, while placing 11 of his 30 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
UW-Oshkosh is outscoring opponents by a combined 286-40 score during the first half this season while Saint John's University owns a 248-50 scoring advantage in the same 30-minute session.
Saint John's University had eight players selected to this year's All-MIAC First Team, including Brinker and Peyton Thiry at defensive line, Hanson and Pietruszewski at linebacker, and Garrett Ackerman at defensive back. Other Johnnies named to the first unit were Clark at wide receiver, Johnson at placekicker, and Ben Eli at offensive line.
The winner of Saturday's game in Oshkosh will play 16th-ranked Coe College (Iowa) (11-0) or the University of St. Thomas in the quarterfinal round of the 32-team tournament on Dec. 3.
2016 NCAA Division III Football Championship Interactive Bracket