Titans, Purple Raiders To Play For Stagg Bowl Appearance
Two of the most prolific offenses in the country will be on display when UW-Oshkosh hosts 12-time national champion University of Mount Union (Ohio) during the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship on Saturday (Dec. 9). Kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. from J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (12-0), ranked third in the D3football.com poll, is seeking its second straight trip to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl – the Division III title game – while second-ranked University of Mount Union (13-0) is looking to reach the championship game for the 20th time.
The winner between UW-Oshkosh and University of Mount Union will play in the 45th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl next Friday (Dec. 15) in Salem, Va. The other semifinal matchup on Saturday features 10th-ranked The College at Brockport, State University of New York (13-0) traveling to top-ranked and defending national champion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) (13-0).
The Titans and the Purple Raiders both moved on to the semifinals with three consecutive home wins. UW-Oshkosh earned an automatic berth to the 32-team national tournament by producing a 7-0 record in the WIAC – the Titans' sixth perfect league season in program history – while University of Mount Union won its 25th Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) title in the last 26 years.
UW-Oshkosh won its opening-round contest, 63-0, over Lakeland University (8-3) on Nov. 18 before defeating ninth-ranked North Central College (Ill.) (10-2), 42-21, on Nov. 25 and 17th-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) (12-1), 41-27, last Saturday (Dec. 2).
University of Mount Union won its NCAA playoff contests by scores of 21-0 over Washington and Lee University (Va.) (8-3) on Nov. 18, 45-16 over 16th-ranked Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) (11-1) on Nov. 25 and 70-37 over 15th-ranked Frostburg State University (Md.) (11-2) last Saturday.
UW-Oshkosh reached the semifinals for the third time overall in four NCAA postseason trips. The Titans, who own a 12-3 record in the national tournament, also advanced to the semifinal round in 2012 and to the quarterfinals in 2015. The Titans' .800 winning percentage in NCAA postseason play ranks third all-time while University of Mount Union is the division leader with a .858 mark (97-16 record).
University of Mount Union, making its 23rd consecutive semifinal appearance, earned Division III titles in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2015. University of Mount Union also finished as the national runner-up seven times since 2003.
UW-Oshkosh fell in last year's national championship game by a 10-7 score to University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Virginia.
University of Mount Union won both of its two prior meetings with UW-Oshkosh, defeating the Titans by scores of 45-28 in Oshkosh on Sept. 11, 2010, and 41-17 in Alliance, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 2011.
The Titans enter Saturday's contest with 15 straight home wins by a combined 620-227 score. University of Mount Union boasts a 119-1 record in road games since 1995. The Purple Raiders' lone road loss during that span was a 14-12 setback at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor during last year's NCAA postseason semifinals.
UW-Oshkosh is ranked second in the division with a 194.29 passing efficiency rating, third with 3.75 tackles for loss allowed per game and sixth with four interceptions thrown. The Titans also list seventh nationally with 284 first downs, and 10th with 41.9 points per game and a .669 completion percentage.
University of Mount Union heads into this year's semifinals leading the country with 54.1 points per game. The Purple Raiders' offense also leads the division with a 238.47 passing efficiency rating, a .713 completion percentage and two interceptions thrown while listing eighth with 283 first downs and 10th with 488.2 yards per contest.
The balanced UW-Oshkosh offense, which has scored more than 40 points seven times this season, is averaging 245.4 rushing yards and 240.3 passing yards per contest. The Titans, who average 5.6 yards per carry, have notched 34 touchdowns through the air and 32 scores on the ground.
University of Mount Union, which has been held under 43 points just twice all year, averages 250.4 passing yards and 237.5 rushing yards per game. The Purple Raiders have 56 touchdown passes and 27 rushing scores while averaging 6.0 yards per carry.
UW-Oshkosh and University of Mount Union have combined for 173 offensive plays of 20 yards or more this season, including 94 by the Purple Raiders, who have produced 60 big plays through the air and 34 on the ground. The Titans have recorded 51 passes and 28 runs that have gained at least 20 yards.
University of Mount Union's offense has accumulated 31 touchdown passes and six scoring runs that have spanned at least 20 yards, while UW-Oshkosh has 22 big-play scores on passes and eight on touchdown runs.
UW-Oshkosh has surrendered 27 plays of 20+ yards on the year, including just three for touchdowns, while University of Mount Union has given up 35 total big plays, including five scores. Neither team has ceded a touchdown run of at least 20 yards this season.
The Titans have compiled 39 plays of 20 yards or more over their last five games while giving up five big plays during that span. UW-Oshkosh has not allowed a touchdown of 20+ yards since the first quarter against UW-River Falls on Oct. 28.
The UW-Oshkosh defense is allowing 15.2 points, 210.8 passing yards and 107.8 rushing yards per game this season. The Titans have yielded 10 touchdowns via the air and 14 scores on the ground.
University of Mount Union's defensive unit ranks third in the nation with seven touchdowns while listing sixth with 11.8 points and 234.8 yards allowed per game. The Purple Raiders are also sixth nationally by limiting opponents to a 90.60 passing efficiency rating and ninth by allowing 75.5 rushing yards per contest. University of Mount Union, who holds opponents to 2.2 yards per carry, has given up just one rushing touchdown and 17 passing scores on the year.
On special teams, UW-Oshkosh ranks third in the country by averaging 26.09 yards per kickoff return. The Titans, who have returned one kickoff and one punt for scores this year, average 14.3 yards per punt return.
University of Mount Union averages 22.5 yards on kickoff returns and 9.9 yards on punt returns. The Purple Raiders, who rank seventh by holding teams to 1.67 yards per punt return, have returned three punts and one kickoff for scores this year.
The UW-Oshkosh offense is led by Brett Kasper, a Gagliardi Trophy finalist and D3football.com West Region Offensive Player of the Year.
Kasper has completed 169 of 254 passes for 2,728 yards with a school-record 32 touchdown passes and four interceptions. Kasper, a two-time WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, ranks second in the country with a 195.2 passing efficiency rating while listing third in yards per pass attempt (10.74) and sixth in yards per completion (16.14).
Kasper, the program record holder with 9,489 passing yards and 87 touchdown passes, tied the school record with six touchdown tosses against North Central College. He ranks third among active Division III players in passing yards and fourth in touchdown passes.
The UW-Oshkosh offensive line, led by All-West Region performers Tyler Powers, Ty Summers and Alex Wendorf, has yielded just 12 sacks on the year while paving the way for 15 Titans to combine for 2,945 rushing yards.
Dylan Hecker, an All-West Region selection, leads UW-Oshkosh with 151 carries for 896 yards and 15 touchdowns. The school record holder with 372 points and 60 rushing touchdowns, Hecker had five total scores, including four rushing touchdowns, last Saturday against Wartburg College.
Five Titans have rushed for more than 300 yards this season, including Mitch Gerhartz with 719 yards, JP Peerenboom with 372, Chad Walton with 361 and Dom Todarello with 312. Gerhartz has registered six rushing touchdowns while Walton has added four ground scores and Peerenboom three.
UW-Oshkosh's Sam Mentkowski was named to the All-West Region Team for pacing the squad with 60 receptions for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns. He holds the program career records with 173 catches, 2,951 receiving yards and 26 touchdown receptions. Mentkowski, who has scored touchdowns in nine games this season and surpassed 100 receiving yards seven times, also established a new school record with a 96-yard touchdown catch against UW-Whitewater this season.
Todarello has added 28 receptions for 354 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named All-West Region as a return specialist by averaging 25.1 yards per kickoff return and 14 yards per punt return. Todarello, the WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year, is one of four Division III players to return at least one kickoff and one punt for touchdowns this season. He set a UW-Oshkosh record with a 98-yard kickoff return for a score against UW-River Falls and returned a punt 61 yards to the end zone against Virginia University of Lynchburg.
The UW-Oshkosh defense is headline by All-West Region picks Derrick Jennings Jr. and Cole Yoder.
Jennings Jr. ranks third on the squad with 57 tackles while pacing the team with 11 pass breakups, five interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Yoder leads the Titan defensive backfield with 50 tackles while adding three of the team's 20 interceptions.
Jon Kallas and Scott Skornicka are the top two UW-Oshkosh tacklers with 79 and 73 stops, respectively. Kallas has chipped in a pair of interceptions, and Skornicka leads the team with 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
UW-Oshkosh's Jamier Szymanski has produced 57 tackles, including 12 for loss, while Brady Heimer has four sacks and AJ Plewa is tied for the team lead with 11 pass breakups.
Titans placekicker and punter Turner Geisthardt has scored 75 points on six field goals and 57 extra points. He has connected on 6 of 9 field goals, including a long of 43 yards, and 57 of 59 extra points. Geisthardt earned All-West Region recognition as a punter by averaging 40.9 yards on 35 punts, including a long of 55 yards and 13 inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
University of Mount Union's offense is led by D3football.com All-North Region selections D'Angelo Fulford at quarterback, Justin Hill at wide receiver, and offensive lineman Cole Parrish and Matt Fitchet. Parrish was named the OAC's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.
Fulford, who sat out the Purple Raiders' quarterfinal victory last Saturday, leads the nation with 48 touchdown passes, a 241.7 passing efficiency rating and 12.0 yards per attempt. He also lists third nationally with a .703 completion percentage and 17.07 yards per completion.
Fulford, the OAC's Co-Most Outstanding Offensive Back, has completed 154 of 219 passes for 2,629 yards with two interceptions on the year. He threw for at least two touchdown passes in each of the Purple Raiders' 12 games of the year, including six scores against OAC foes Capital and Wilmington universities.
Fulford has added 100 rushes for 380 yards and seven touchdowns this year.
Luke Poorman, Fulford's backup, threw for 355 yards on 12-for-16 passing with six touchdowns in the Purple Raiders' win last Saturday.
The University of Mount Union tandem of Jawanza Evans-Morris and Josh Petruccelli have combined to rush for more than 1,900 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Evans-Morris, who ranks seventh in the country with 7.48 yards per carry, has logged 135 totes for 1,1010 yards and nine touchdowns while Petruccelli has added 118 rushes for 902 yards and four scores. Evans-Morris has scored rushing touchdowns in six contests this season and run for more than 100 yards on five occasions.
Braeden Friss leads University of Mount Union with 46 receptions for 669 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Hill, the Co-Most Outstanding Receiver in the OAC, has 45 catches for a team-leading 1,027 yards and 19 scores while Jared Ruth has contributed 34 grabs for 686 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Hill, whose touchdown total ranks second in the nation, has scored in 10 games this year, including seven contests with at least two scores. He had 196 receiving yards and three scores during last Saturday's quarterfinal-round victory.
University of Mount Union's defense is headlined by All-North Region selections Elijah Berry, Gabe Brown, Charlie Dear, Brian Groves and Michael Vidal. The Purple Raiders have registered 40 sacks, 20 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries on the year.
Dear has made a team-high 85 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, while Elijah Berry has a team-best 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks among his 40 stops.
Vidal has 42 tackles, including 11 for loss and seven sacks. Brown paces the squad with 17 pass breakups, and Groves has 35 tackles and one interception. Louis Berry and Trevor Cox share the team lead with five interceptions apiece for University of Mount Union.
The University of Mount Union special teams are averaging 22.5 yards on kickoff returns and 9.9 yards on punt returns. The Purple Raiders have returned three punts and one kickoff for scores this season.
Ruth was tabbed to the All-North Region Team as a return specialist by averaging 10.2 yards on 16 punt returns. Ruth returned two punts for touchdowns in the season-opener against North Carolina Wesleyan College. Richard Morris leads the Purple Raiders with 10 kickoff returns for a 26.7-yard average.
University of Mount Union All-North Region placekicker Alex Louthan leads the team with 134 points on 15 field goals and 89 extra points. He has converted 15 of 20 field goals, including a long of 45 yards, and 89 of 90 extra points.
Purple Raiders punter Adam Snyder is averaging 37.1 yards on his 40 punts, including a long of 58 yards and 14 inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
UW-Oshkosh 11th-year head coach Pat Cerroni was named D3football.com's West Region Coach of the Year while University of Mount Union's Vince Kehres, in his fifth season, was tabbed North Region Coach of the Year.
Cerroni has led the Titans to each of their four NCAA postseason appearances and three WIAC titles. Cerroni, the program's winningest coach, owns an 89-34 record, including marks of 13-1 in 2012, 11-2 in 2015 and 13-2 last season.
Kehres, who guided the Purple Raiders to the 2015 national title, sports a 68-4 record to go along with four OAC championships.
2017 NCAA Division III Football Championship Interactive Bracket