Titans Ranked Fourth By D3football.com, Have Five Preseason All-Americans
The UW-Oshkosh football team boasts a nation-leading five preseason All-Americans as it enters the 2018 campaign ranked fourth in the country by D3football.com.
Seniors Derrick Jennings Jr., Tyler Powers, Dom Todarello, Alex Wendorf and Cole Yoder each received preseason All-America accolades after helping the Titans to a 12-1 record and an appearance in last year's NCAA Division III Championship semifinals.
Jennings Jr. and Powers were selected to the first team at linebacker and offensive guard, respectively. Todarello was named to the second team at return specialist while Wendorf collected second team recognition at offensive guard. Yoder was chosen to the third team at safety.
UW-Oshkosh, which has won three of the last six WIAC titles, enters the 2018 season among the national top 10 for the third consecutive year. The Titans were also ranked fourth heading into last season and sixth in the 2016 preseason poll.
Reigning national champion University of Mount Union (Ohio) (15-0 record in 2017) tops the D3football.com preseason poll. The Purple Raiders, who slipped past UW-Oshkosh by a 43-40 score in last year's semifinals, received 24 of 25 first place votes from a panel of coaches, sports information directors and media members from around the country.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), ranked second in the preseason poll, received the remaining first place vote. The Crusaders (14-1), last year's national runner-up, were followed in the poll by third-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) (11-2), fourth-ranked UW-Oshkosh and fifth-ranked Linfield College (Ore.) (9-2).
Rounding out the preseason top 10 listings were sixth-ranked The College at Brockport (N.Y.) (13-1), seventh-ranked North Central College (Ill.) (10-2), eighth-ranked Frostburg State University (Md.) (11-2), ninth-ranked Wesley College (Del.) (10-2) and Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) (9-2).
Joining UW-Oshkosh in the preseason poll were a pair of WIAC rivals – 12th-ranked UW-Whitewater and 16th-ranked UW-Platteville. Both teams compiled 7-3 records a year ago.
UW-Oshkosh has been listed among the D3football.com top 25 in each of the last 42 polls and 66 of the past 75 ballots since 2012. The Titans, who reached the Division III title game in 2016, have been ranked in the top 10 50 times over the last 59 polls, including each of the last 34.
The Titans finished the 2017 season ranked third in the country while setting a school record with 36 touchdown passes. UW-Oshkosh ranked second in the nation in passing efficiency rating (189.11), tackles for loss allowed per game (3.69) and kickoff return average (26.56). The Titans also ranked seventh nationally in first downs (302) and 10th in both scoring (41.8) and interceptions gained (21).
Powers and Wendorf return to an offensive line that paced the WIAC with 239.8 rushing yards per game and 34 touchdowns on the ground while allowing just 14 sacks. Powers was named a 2017 D3football.com First Team All-America selection. Wendorf received All-West Region second team honors a year ago.
Jennings Jr. and Yoder combined for nine of the Titans' 21 interceptions last season as Jennings Jr., a 2017 First Team All-American, snared a team-leading five. Yoder, who was named to the All-West Region Third Team last year, returned one of his four interceptions for a 42-yard touchdown against University of Mount Union in the national semifinals.
Todarello was a Third Team All-American a year ago after finishing sixth in the country with 946 combined kick return yards. He returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against UW-River Falls and a punt for a 61-yard score against Virginia University of Lynchburg.
The College at Brockport also had a nation-leading five players on the preseason All-America Team.
D3football.com announced three preseason All-America teams, which featured one player at each of the 11 offensive and defensive positions along with one kicker, punter and return specialist.