Titans To Visit Falcons' Home Nest

UW-Oshkosh will attempt to hand UW-River Falls its first home football loss of the season when the Titans face the Falcons on Saturday (Oct. 29). Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at Smith Stadium at Ramer Field in River Falls.

UW-River Falls (3-4, 2-2 WIAC) has scored at least 41 points in each of its three home games, winning by a combined score of 133-71 over Southwestern University (Texas), UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout.

UW-Oshkosh (6-1, 3-1 WIAC), ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, will oppose the high-scoring Falcons with the sixth-best scoring defense in the nation at 10.1 points per contest.

The Titans are seeking their 11th consecutive win over UW-River Falls. The Falcons maintain a 34-25-1 record in the series that began in 1920, but UW-Oshkosh has outscored UW-River Falls, 330-122, over the past 10 meetings. The Titans downed the Falcons, 57-12, in Oshkosh last season.

UW-Oshkosh, winner of 30 of its last 34 WIAC contests, enters the 61st meeting with UW-River Falls leading the conference in several statistical categories.

Offensively, the Titans pace the WIAC in per-game points (38.9), rushing yards (261.6), tackles for loss allowed (4.14), sacks allowed (0.86) as well as passing efficiency (145.77), passing yards per completion (14.16) and turnovers (7).

On defensive side, UW-Oshkosh also leads the conference in yards allowed per game (244.3), third down conversion rate (.252) and opponent passing efficiency (93.29).

UW-River Falls is leading the league with 3.4 sacks per game and four blocked kicks.

UW-Oshkosh, which is outscoring its opponents by a 191-12 count during the first half this season, has not allowed a first-half touchdown.

The Titans have registered 46 offensive plays of 20 yards or more this season while their defense has allowed just 10 big plays. UW-Oshkosh did not allow a single offensive play longer than 19 yards against any of its three nationally ranked opponents – UW-Whitewater, UW-Platteville and John Carroll University (Ohio).

Last Saturday (Oct. 22), UW-Oshkosh recorded a 22-13 home victory over UW-Platteville, then ranked seventh in the country, while UW-River Falls rolled to a 50-28 win over UW-Stout. The Titans received three field goals from Eli Wettstein and two fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns from Dylan Hecker to fend off the Pioneers. The Falcons scored 28 points in less than nine minutes during the final period to pull away from the Blue Devils.

UW-Oshkosh opened the season with comfortable wins of 33-14 over then-No. 18 John Carroll University (Ohio), 68-7 over Finlandia University (Mich.), 77-0 over Morthland College (Ill.) and 45-17 over UW-Stout. The Titans then suffered a 17-14 setback at UW-Whitewater in front of an NCAA Division III-record 17,535 fans on Oct. 8 before bouncing back with a hard-fought, 13-3, decision over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 15.

UW-River Falls began the season with a pair of road losses by scores of 35-20 at Coe College (Iowa) on Sept. 3 and 24-21 at Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Sept. 10. The Falcons secured a 42-22 win over Southwestern University (Texas) in their home opener on Sept. 24 before falling, 35-14, to UW-La Crosse to start league play on Oct. 1. UW-River Falls then scored a 41-21 win over UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 8 and lost, 45-14, to UW-Platteville on Oct. 15.

UW-Oshkosh quarterback Brett Kasper, the reigning WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, has completed 82 of 138 passes for 1,134 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He leads the conference with 13.83 yards per completion and 8.22 yards per pass attempt.

UW-Oshkosh's WIAC-leading rushing attack, which has recorded 22 touchdowns and averages 7.2 yards per carry, is led by Devon Linzenmeyer and Dylan Hecker. Linzenmeyer, who leads the nation with 9.19 yards per carry, has 62 rushes for 570 yards and seven touchdowns while Hecker has 69 carries for 462 yards and seven scores. Linzenmeyer has added 11 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown.

The Titan backfield also features three additional ball carriers with more than 100 rushing yards. Dom Todarello has 152 yards on 13 rushes, Mitch Gerhartz 115 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries, and Beau Ash 111 yards on 13 totes.

Todarello paces Titan receivers with 21 catches for 354 yards and four touchdowns. CJ Blackburn follows with 14 grabs for 197 yards and one score while Chad Redmer has contributed 13 receptions for 146 yards, Evan Thammahong 12 catches for 82 yards and one score, and Sam Mentkowski 10 grabs for 184 yards and one touchdown. Todarello also leads the WIAC with an 18-yard punt return average.

The UW-Oshkosh defense, which has yielded just two rushing touchdowns and 2.4 yards per carry this season, is highlighted by the 43 tackles from Reese Dziedzic and 32 from Steve Forner. Dziedzic had a career-high 16 tackles last Saturday while Forner has two of UW-Oshkosh's 16 sacks.

UW-Oshkosh has eight players with at least 25 tackles, including Cameron Brown, Branden Lloyd and Jake Thein with 29 each. Lloyd and Justin Watson are tied for the team lead with 2.5 sacks.

Nine different Titans have registered fumble recoveries, and Johnny Eagan and AJ Plewa both have a team-leading two interceptions. UW-Oshkosh's Cole Yoder has recorded 27 tackles, one fumble recovery and one interception.

Wettstein, who has converted five field goals over the past two games, has connected on 9 of 12 field goals and 29 of 32 extra points. UW-Oshkosh's Turner Geisthardt is averaging 40.6 yards on his 22 punts, including a long of 62 yards and nine boots inside the 20-yard line.

The UW-River Falls offense is sparked by a ground attack that features three players with more than 200 rushing yards. Michael Diggins leads the team with 100 carries for 450 yards and seven touchdowns, and Rance Ashley has added 45 rushes for 318 yards and two scores. Diggins is third on the team with 16 receptions for 153 yards and three scores, followed by Ashley with 12 grabs for 11 yards and one touchdown.

Sawyer Moon, a dual threat at quarterback for the Falcons, has completed 102 of 227 passes for 1,386 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has also chipped in 33 carries for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

Trenton Monson and Tyler Halverson lead the UW-River Falls receiving corps. Monson has 32 catches for 559 yards and Halverson 23 receptions for 334 yards. Both receivers have scored two touchdowns.

Defensively, UW-River Falls is spearheaded by the 42 tackles from Albert Itula, 37.5 from Queety Badio and 35.5 from Tyler Ledbeter. The Falcons' Kyle Hunter leads the WIAC with 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks, and Matt Ekman has 32.5 tackles, including five of the squad's 22 sacks.

UW-River Falls' Robbie Flom is ranked second in the country with three of the Falcons' seven fumble recoveries while Itula has two of the team's three interceptions.

The Falcons have missed all four of their field goal attempts this season. Francisco Perez has missed three field goal tries while connecting on 11 of 14 point-after attempts. UW-River Falls punter Owen Schommer is averaging 38 yards per kick with a long of 62 yards and 10 boots inside the 20-yard line.

UW-River Falls, which won 13 consecutive meetings with UW-Oshkosh from 1992-2003, has not won a home game against the Titans since eking out a 13-12 decision on Nov. 9, 2002.