Titans Run Away From Lions

Dylan Hecker rushed for a 65-yard touchdown on the game's first offensive play, Dom Todarello had a school-record 87-yard punt return for a score just over three minutes later and the UW-Oshkosh football team cruised to a 68-7 victory at Finlandia University on Saturday (Sept. 17) in Hancock, Mich.

UW-Oshkosh (2-0), ranked sixth in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, held a 582-135 advantage in total yards, including 450-37 rushing as 11 Titans received carries.

The Titans scored on 10 of 12 offensive possessions, including their first six drives en route to a 44-0 lead at halftime.

UW-Oshkosh found the end zone five times on the ground, twice in the air, once on a punt return and another on a blocked punt. The Titans also added a pair field goals.

In their two meetings, UW-Oshkosh has outscored Finlandia University, 154-7. The Titans established a school record for points in a game during last year's 86-0 win over the Lions in Oshkosh.

UW-Oshkosh held a 22-9 advantage in first downs by limiting Finlandia University, which is playing its second season as an NCAA program, to 1 of 13 conversions on third down.

Hecker's game-opening run – his first carry of the season – went for his 29th career rushing score and 30th total touchdown. He finished the contest with two rushes for 76 yards in one quarter of action.

Todarello's record-setting punt return eclipsed the previous school mark of 81 yards established by Garrie Fox in 2009. Todarello later added an 18-yard touchdown catch near the end of the first period for his first multiple-score game of his career.

Riley Kallas added a game-high 91 rushing yards with one touchdown on just five carries while Beau Ash contributed 88 yards on 10 rushes, Connor Senger 69 yards with a score on three totes and Mitch Gerhartz 53 yards with a touchdown on seven carries.

Four Titan quarterbacks saw playing time as starter Brett Kasper completed all three of his passes for 52 yards with one touchdown in one quarter of action. Senger went 2-for-5 passing for a game-best 65 yards with one score while Jayden Essman and Connor Patty also played under center.

Andy Jones and Matt Misiewicz paced UW-Oshkosh with two receptions apiece. Jones compiled 34 yards and Misiewicz 24 while Brady Jansen hauled in one catch for a game-leading 50 yards.

A 22-yard field goal by Eli Wettstein extended the UW-Oshkosh lead to 17-0 before Kasper connected with Todarello for a touchdown with 51 seconds left in the first quarter.

Gerhartz notched his first career touchdown with a 15-yard reception from Senger on the Titans' first possession of the second quarter. The scoring strike was Senger's first of the season and second in his career.

Finlandia University's first punt of the game was returned for a touchdown and its fifth punt in five possessions was blocked by Kallas and scooped up in the end zone by Brad Walovitch, who scored his first career touchdown, to give UW-Oshkosh a 38-0 lead at the 9:10 mark of the second quarter.

Following a blocked punt and recovery by Christian Bettin on the Lions' sixth possession, Gerhartz punctuated the Titans' sixth straight scoring drive with a 19-yard rushing touchdown.

The Lions broke up the shutout on a 26-yard scoring pass from Ryan Rivera to Corey Dunn midway through the third quarter before UW-Oshkosh closed out the scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Steve Forner for a 58-7 lead with 2:59 remaining in the third period, a 32-yard field goal by Greg Rand with 8:59 left to play and a 37-yard scamper to the end zone by Kallas with 4:09 to go.

The touchdowns were the first in both Forner's and Kallas' careers while Rand's boot was his first field goal attempt of the year after making 10 of 13 a year ago.

The UW-Oshkosh defense was highlighted by a career-best seven tackles (six solo) from Matt Rucynski and six tackles (three solo) from Cole Yoder, who also recovered a fumble.

UW-Oshkosh's Scott Skornicka recorded four tackles, including two for loss and 1.5 sacks, while Aaron Cramer, Brady Heimer and Matt Kahn were each credited with half of a sack. Finlandia University (0-3) had not allowed a sack during its first two games this season.

Finlandia University starting quarterback Eddie Yearby completed 4 of 12 passes for 34 yards while Rivera went 4-for-9 passing for 64 yards with the Lions' first touchdown pass of the season.

Cameron Copeland led the Lions' ground attack with 18 carries for 32 yards.

The Finlandia University receiving corps was paced by four catches for 31 yards from Tyler Kangas and three grabs for 44 yards and a score from Dunn.

The Lions' Sage Owens registered a game-leading nine tackles (five solo), and Josh Holmes and Jaavid Love chipped in seven stops apiece.

UW-Oshkosh has won its last seven games against Michigan opponents by a combined 381-35 score. In addition to the pair of wins over Finlandia University, UW-Oshkosh also defeated Albion College in 2004 (40-0) and 2005 (27-13), Alma College in 2012 (70-9) and 2013 (56-3), and Michigan Technological University in 1987 (34-3). The Titans last lost to a team from the Wolverine State in 1972, when Eastern Michigan University bested the Titans, 26-14, in Oshkosh.

The Titans, who have won 42 of their last 51 games, travel to play Morthland College in Marion, Ill., next Saturday (Sept. 24).