Titans Look To Finally Bring Down Eagles

UW-Oshkosh guns for its first 2-0 WIAC start since 1991 when it battles UW-La Crosse in a nighttime showdown on Saturday (Oct. 2) at 6 p.m. in Oshkosh.

A victory over the Eagles (0-3) would also be the Titans' first triumph in the series since 1972. UW-Oshkosh (1-2/1-0 WIAC) is coming off its largest winning margin in four years after taking down UW-River Falls, 43-15, last week. Nate Wara (So. • Oshkosh) continued his stellar play, throwing for four touchdowns and 246 yards on just 19 attempts. The defense also contributed six sacks and a blocked field goal.

Wara, the conference's reigning Offensive Player of the Week, has fired nine touchdowns without an interception this year. In addition to his 663 yards through the air, Wara leads the Titans with 175 rushing yards. That passing attack lists second in the WIAC, while UW-Oshkosh tops the league with 12 touchdowns in 14 red-zone visits. Garrie Fox (Jr. • Madison) is the squad's leading receiver with 12 grabs for 189 yards and three scores.

UW-La Crosse dropped its first two games of the season at home, a 33-20 decision against East Texas Baptist University and a 24-19 defeat to sixth-ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. In last week's contest, Missouri University of S & T overcame a 10-point deficit to earn a 31-24 victory. The Eagles started 4-0 during 2009 before finishing with a 5-5 mark.

One week after facing the league's leading rusher in Taylor Edwards, the Titans look to slow down the WIAC's second-best tailback, Lee Lauters. In the season opener, Lauters compiled 214 yards, and he now has 365 yards and three touchdowns on the year. Nick Anker has guided the aerial game with 639 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. UW-La Crosse's leading receiver is Travis Bordeau (139 yards), while safety Phillip Minja tops the conference with nearly 11 tackles per game.

The Titans' top defensive playmaker has been Frank Martin (Jr. • Greenleaf), who lists third in the league with 25 stops. Jeremy Roach (Sr. • Deerfield) paces the WIAC with 25.2 yards per kick return, and with one more average runback, he will stand first in conference history for total yardage.