Titans Face First-Time Opponent In Home Opener
The highly ranked UW-Oshkosh football team looks to remain unbeaten when it conducts its home opener against first-time opponent Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday (Sept. 9). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (1-0) moved up one spot to third in the D3football.com poll after winning its season opener, 23-17, at then-eighth-ranked John Carroll University (Ohio) last Saturday (Sept. 2).
The Titans never trailed against John Carroll University as senior running back Dylan Hecker rushed for 186 yards and matched his career high with three touchdown runs. Clinging to a 23-17 lead and facing a fourth-and-2 with less than two minutes remaining, UW-Oshkosh junior punter Turner Geisthardt clinched the win with a 4-yard run out of the punt formation.
Last Saturday, the Titans held the Blue Streaks' potent rushing attack to a mere 51 yards on 28 carries. John Carroll University had rushed for more than 2,500 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2016.
UW-Oshkosh, which reached the national championship game last year, defeated John Carroll University for the third time since last September. The Titans also opened last season with a 33-14 win over the Blue Streaks in the first meeting between the teams and then slipped past John Carroll University, 10-3, during the semifinal round of the NCAA postseason.
Hecker, who notched his fifth career three-touchdown game during the season opener, increased his school-record total to 48 rushing scores. His three touchdowns against John Carroll University ranks sixth in the country this year while his 186 rushing yards were ninth-most during the first week.
Titans sophomore running back Riley Kallas racked up 74 rushing yards on just three carries, including a 65-yard run, and sophomore JP Peerenboom added 31 yards on the ground on six totes.
UW-Oshkosh quarterback Brett Kasper connected on 4 of 13 passes for 34 yards as the Titans attempted just 14 passes against the Blue Streaks.
Dom Todarello led Titan receivers with two catches for 21 yards.
The UW-Oshkosh defense, which returned one starter from last year's national championship game, produced a standout effort in the 2017 opener, notching a pair of sacks and allowing 1.8 yards per carry.
Titans Derrick Jennings Jr. had a career-high nine tackles to lead the Titans. Jon Kallas contributed eight tackles, Scott Skornicka five, and Trenton LaCombe and AJ Plewa four apiece.
LaCombe, Skornicka, James Kitscha and Jamier Szymanski each recorded one-half sack.
On special teams, Geisthardt's late-game heroics overshadowed a solid punting effort as he averaged 41.5 yards on six punts, including five inside the 20-yard line. Placekicker Greg Rand converted a 32-yard field goal and both of his extra-point attempts.
Virginia University of Lynchburg (0-2), a scholarship-granting member of the National Christian College Athletic Association, opened its season with a 41-10 home loss to Louisburg College (N.C.) and a 44-0 road setback to Florida Institute of Technology. Louisburg College has won its last 11 games as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association while Florida Institute of Technology played in the NCAA Division II postseason a year ago.
The Dragons, who compiled an 0-7 record in 2016, have been outscored by a combined 438-101 over their past nine games. During its two contests this year, Virginia University of Lynchburg has converted on 3 of 34 third-down opportunities and committed 32 penalties for 320 yards.
UW-Oshkosh held a 345-260 advantage in total yardage in its season opener, including 306-51 rushing.
Virginia University of Lynchburg has gained 155 yards in both games this year while surrendering an average of 405.5 yards per contest. The Dragons, who have reached the opponents' 20-yard four times this year, have dominated time of possession, averaging nearly 36 minutes per game on offense.
The Dragon offense is led by freshman quarterback Thomas Jones and senior running back Mohamed Khellah.
Against Florida Institute of Technology, Jones completed 5 of 23 passes for 21 yards and logged eight rushes for 43 yards, while Khellah had 18 carries for 52 yards. Full statistics for the Dragons' game against Louisburg College were not available.
Sophomore Javon Green and junior wideout Kevin McBride paced Virginia University of Lynchburg with two receptions last Saturday.
Defensively, Dragons senior defensive end Willie Holloway had a team-leading eight tackles against Florida Institute of Technology while sophomore defensive backs Marvin Grunshie and Malik Harris both added four stops.
On special teams, Dragons senior Christopher Vasquez handles both the placekicking and punting duties.
UW-Oshkosh has won five of its last six home openers by a combined 272-100 score.