Titans To Host Purple Raiders In NCAA Postseason Semifinal
UW-Oshkosh will host 12-time national champion University of Mount Union (Ohio) during the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship on Saturday (Dec. 9). Kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (12-0), which advanced to the national title game last season, enters this year's semifinal round ranked third in the country by D3football.com while University of Mount Union lists second (13-0).
The Titans and the Purple Raiders both moved on to the semifinals with three consecutive home wins.
UW-Oshkosh won its opening-round contest, 63-0, over Lakeland University (8-3) on Nov. 18 before defeating ninth-ranked North Central College (Ill.) (10-2) by a 42-21 score on Nov. 25 and 17th-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) (12-1) by a 41-27 count last Saturday (Dec. 2).
University of Mount Union won its NCAA playoff contests by scores of 21-0 over Washington and Lee University (Va.) (8-3) on Nov. 18, 45-16 over 16th-ranked Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) (11-1) on Nov. 25 and 70-37 over 15th-ranked Frostburg State University (Md.) (11-2) last Saturday.
The winner between UW-Oshkosh and University of Mount Union advances to play next Friday (Dec. 15) in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game, in Salem, Va. The other semifinal matchup features 10th-ranked The College at Brockport, State University of New York (13-0) traveling to top-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) (13-0).
UW-Oshkosh reached the semifinals for the second straight season and the third time overall in four NCAA postseason trips. The Titans, who own a 12-3 record in the national tournament, advanced to the semifinal round in 2012 and to the quarterfinals in 2015.
The Titans' .800 winning percentage in NCAA postseason play ranks third all-time while University of Mount Union is the division leader with a .858 mark (97-16 record).
University of Mount Union, making its 23rd consecutive semifinal appearance, is seeking the program's 20th trip to the national championship game. The Purple Raiders earned Division III titles in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2015. University of Mount Union also finished as the national runner-up seven times since 2003.
UW-Oshkosh fell in last year's national championship game by a 10-7 score to University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Virginia.
University of Mount Union won both of its previous two meetings with UW-Oshkosh, defeating the Titans by scores of 45-28 in Oshkosh on Sept. 11, 2010, and 41-17 in Alliance, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 2011.
UW-Oshkosh enters Saturday's matchup with 15 straight home wins by a combined 620-227 score. University of Mount Union has a 119-1 record in road games since 1995. The Purple Raiders' lone road loss during that span was a 14-12 setback at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor during last year's NCAA semifinals.
University of Mount Union is averaging a division-leading 54.1 points per game this season while ranking sixth nationally by yielding 11.8 points per contest.
UW-Oshkosh is 10th in the country with 41.9 points per game and 25th with 15.3 points allowed per contest.
Ticket prices for Saturday's game are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens (55 or older) and $6 for students (K-12 & College). Children under the age of 5 will be admitted free. Tickets will be sold from the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Office in Kolf Sports Center on Friday (Dec. 8) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
University Books & More will distribute 250 free tickets to UW-Oshkosh students. Tickets can be picked up from the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Office in Kolf Sports Center through Friday. UW-Oshkosh students must present a valid TitanCard to obtain a ticket.
Saturday's semifinal contest will be streamed live on ESPN3. Shawn Kenney will handle the play-by-play and former college and NFL head coach Al Groh will provide color commentary.