Titans, Blugolds Clash In Halloween Spectacle

A pair of quick-strike offenses will square off when UW-Oshkosh faces UW-Eau Claire on Saturday (Oct. 31) at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. The Titans kick off their only night home game of the year at 7 p.m.

UW-Oshkosh (4-3/2-2 WIAC) and UW-Eau Claire (3-4/1-3 WIAC) own the two lowest time of possession totals in the league. The Blugolds boast a pass/rush combo that rivals any other in the WIAC. Kyle Paulson has a conference-best 15 touchdown passes in addition to his 253 yards per game. Cory Sartorelli has hit paydirt 11 times while rushing for 96 yards per contest. The receiving group is led by Spencer Kehoe, who has 464 yards, and Brett Schreiner, who has six scores. Ryan Leis tops the UW-Eau Claire defense with 45 tackles.

The Blugolds fell behind, 22-0, as they dropped last week's (Oct. 24) contest to UW-Stout by a score of 36-15. UW-Eau Claire had just 40 rushing yards in the loss. After opening conference play with defeats to UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, the Blugolds topped UW-Platteville, 34-26, on Oct. 17. They went 1-2 before WIAC action, including a 52-45, double-overtime win at Hope College (Mich.).

Jeremy Roach (Jr. • Deerfield) scampered in for a four-yard touchdown with 35 seconds to play as the Titans won, 23-20, at Platteville last Saturday (Oct. 24). UW-Oshkosh also got a fourth-down rushing score by Nate Wara (Fr. • Oshkosh) in the final period. Including that victory, the Titans' last five WIAC wins have come by a combined 11 points. UW-Oshkosh earned a 31-29 triumph over UW-River Falls on Oct. 10 for its first league victory.

The Titans' running attack includes Charlie Weissman (So. • Colgate), who has 410 yards and a 6.2-yards-per-carry average. Roach also contributes in the backfield as he posts 145 all-purpose yards per game, ranking first in the WIAC. Completing 62 percent of his passes, Wara owns 950 yards and six touchdowns through the air. Justin Budiac (So. • Mukwonago) tops the squad with 22 catches on the season.

UW-Oshkosh has been able to win some tight games because of its conference-leading +8 turnover margin. Nate Heard (Jr. • Milwaukee) lists first in the league with four interceptions, as does James Taraboi (Sr. • Grafton) with 99 tackles. Taraboi's average of 14 stops per game is the best mark in all of the NCAA Division III. The Titans look to improve in the penalty department, where they have been charged with a WIAC-high 72 yards per game.