Triple-Overtime Win Gives Titans WIAC Second-Place Finish

CJ Blackburn broke out of a tackle and raced 23 yards for a touchdown to lift the UW-Oshkosh football team to a 30-27 triple-overtime victory at 15th-ranked UW-Platteville on Saturday (Nov. 15).

UW-Oshkosh (6-4, 6-1 WIAC) secured second place in the WIAC standings with its win in the regular-season finale, while UW-Platteville (7-3, 5-2 WIAC) finished third. The victory also kept the Titans in the hunt for one of six at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Selections to the 32-team tournament will be announced at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 16) on NCAA.com.

UW-Platteville took a 27-24 lead in the third overtime session on a 34-yard field goal by Pat Frio. On UW-Oshkosh's first play following the score, Dylan Hecker fumbled the football after a 2-yard run but was able to recover it. The very next play resulted in Blackburn's spinning, tackle-breaking run of 23 yards to the end zone.   

Tied at 10 after regulation, UW-Platteville opened the first overtime with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Corrigan to Dan Arnold. Frio's extra point gave the Pioneers a 17-10 lead.

UW-Oshkosh answered the Pioneer score with six straight runs by Hecker, including a 3-yard touchdown off the right side. Nate Ray's point after tied the score at 17.

The Titans began the second overtime with a 4-yard run by Hecker and a 17-yard pass from Brett Kasper to Joe Sommers. After a 1-yard run by Hecker on first-and-goal from the 4, Hecker leaped into the end zone from 3 yards out. Ray's extra point put UW-Oshkosh ahead, 24-17.

UW-Platteville responded three plays later with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Corrigan to Trevor Whitehead in the back of the end zone. Frio's kick knotted the score at 24 after two overtimes.

The Pioneers' third overtime drive commenced with a 3-yard run by Andy Puccini, the WIAC's leading rusher. A UW-Platteville holding penalty negated a 7-yard gain by Puccini on the next play to set up a second-and-17 from the Titan 32. The next snap featured UW-Oshkosh's John Eagan intercepting a Corrigan pass at the goal line, but the Titans were called for pass interference on the play. Given new life, the Pioneers tossed three consecutive incomplete passes to set up Frio's field goal and Blackburn's game-winning touchdown.

UW-Oshkosh took the opening possession of the game 64 yards, but UW-Platteville stopped the Titans by blocking a Ray 27-yard field goal attempt.

The teams alternated punts on the next three possessions before the Titans mounted a 52-yard drive that ended with Ray missing a 25-yard field goal attempt.

Following the Pioneers' fourth punt, UW-Oshkosh grabbed a 3-0 lead on Ray's 26-yard field goal with 7:17 left in the second quarter.

Frio slipped on the snow-covered surface while attempting a 43-yard field goal on the next UW-Platteville possession, but UW-Oshkosh lost a fumble on its own 25-yard line on first play of the ensuing drive.

Three straight runs totaling 15 yards by Puccini preceded Corrigan's 10-yard touchdown pass to Russell Martin that gave UW-Platteville a 7-3 lead with 2:25 left in the second period.

UW-Platteville took the second-half kickoff and marched to the Titan 29-yard line in 10 plays. UW-Oshkosh's Reese Dziedzic recovered a Corrigan fumble on the 11th play (5-yard loss on fourth-and-1) to stop the drive.

The Titans cashed in on the turnover with a 65-yard run by Craig Schommer on the very next play to take a 10-7 lead with 10:05 left in the third quarter.

Three punts by UW-Oshkosh and two punts and a turnover on downs by UW-Platteville followed on the next six possessions.

After a Ray punt pinned the Pioneers on their own 2-yard line with 8:47 left, UW-Platteville earned a first down at the UW-Oshkosh 12. The Titans limited the Pioneers to six yards on the first two downs before stuffing Puccini for no gain on third-and-4 from the UW-Oshkosh 6-yard line. Frio then split the uprights from 23 yards out to knot the score at 10.

Neither team advanced to opponent territory on the last three possessions of regulation, sending the contest to overtime for the first time in the 99-game series.

UW-Oshkosh outgained UW-Platteville, 463-380, including 253-150 on the ground. The Titans, who have won 20 of their last 23 WIAC contests, held the Pioneers to four third-down conversions in 16 attempts.

Schommer rushed four times for a UW-Oshkosh-best 66 yards, while Hecker added 60 yards and his eighth and ninth rushing touchdowns of the year. Blackburn finished with four totes for 45 yards and the last of UW-Oshkosh's fourth and final rushing touchdown of the game.

UW-Oshkosh's Kasper completed 21-of-30 passes for 210 yards, including eight connections to Sommers for 81 yards, four to Sam Mentkowski for 60 and three to Schommer for 30.

Dziedzic led the UW-Oshkosh defense with 12 tackles and his second fumble recovery of the season. Kevin MacCudden added eight tackles and Eagan and Beau Steffens seven apiece.

Corrigan, the WIAC's leading passer, completed 18-of-38 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Puccini gained 147 yards on 38 carries for his seventh 100+ game of the year.

Martin led the Pioneers with six catches for 131 yards and one touchdown. Whitehead, the WIAC leading receiver, was held to five receptions for 35 yards and one score.

Colin Griffin paced the UW-Platteville defense with 12 tackles, including three for loss and the game's only sack. Andre Cooper added nine tackles, followed by eight apiece by Marty McGrail and Tommy Demma.

Photo courtesy of Steve Frommell, d3photography.com.