Titans Host Pioneers In Long-Awaited Home Opener

After five consecutive road games to begin the year, the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh football team will host its home opener against UW-Platteville on Saturday (Oct. 13). Kickoff for the 103rd meeting between the teams is set for 2 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

UW-Oshkosh (3-2,1-1 WIAC), ranked 13th in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, is vying for its fifth straight win over the Pioneers and ninth victory in the past 10 matchups. The Titans, who own a 50-48-4 record in the series that began in 1911, have not won five in a row over UW-Platteville since an eight-game streak between 1923-30.

The reigning WIAC champion Titans' lone loss to the Pioneers over the last nine meetings was a 17-16 decision on Nov. 13, 2013, in Oshkosh. UW-Oshkosh has since defeated UW-Platteville by scores of 30-27 in triple overtime in 2014, 63-28 in 2015, 22-13 in 2016 and 28-14 last season. The Titans have won their last three home openers and each of their past 14 WIAC regular season home contests.

UW-Platteville (4-1, 2-0 WIAC), which has finished among the top four league teams each of the past eight years, is seeking its first 3-0 conference start since 2014. With their one-point victory in 2013, the Pioneers remain the last WIAC team to win a regular season game over the Titans in Oshkosh.

UW-Oshkosh, which has appeared in D3football.com's top 25 each of the past 48 national weekly polls, is seeking to remain in the running for its fourth WIAC title since 2012. The Titans reached the 2016 Division III championship game and advanced to the national semifinals in both 2012 and 2017, and to the quarterfinals in 2015.

This season the Titans' five road games to begin the year resulted in wins by scores of 20-9 over Carthage College on Sept. 1, 17-7 over Lincoln University of Missouri on Sept. 15 and 48-14 over UW-River Falls on Sept. 29. The triumph at NCAA Division II Lincoln University was UW-Oshkosh's first win over an upper-division program since 2004. UW-Oshkosh also suffered setbacks of 7-3 at Division II Davenport University (Mich.) on Sept. 8 and 20-0 at eighth-ranked UW-Whitewater last Saturday (Oct. 6).

UW-Platteville, which has been ranked as high as 16th in the country this season, opened the year with a 59-44 road win over East Texas Baptist University on Aug. 30. The Pioneers then lost, 35-28, at Thomas More College (Ky.) on Sept. 30 before winning their home opener by a 49-12 score over Lakeland University on Sept. 22. UW-Platteville's three-game winning streak also includes a 20-6 road victory over UW-Stevens Point in the WIAC opener on Sept. 29 and a 52-27 home decision over UW-River Falls last Saturday.

The Pioneers will bring one of the best offenses in the conference to Oshkosh as UW-Platteville leads the league in scoring (41.6), offensive yards (369.4) and rushing yards (182.6) per game. The Pioneers also pace the WIAC with 127 first downs gained and 7.8 tackles for loss per contest while leading the country with four blocked kicks and zero fumbles lost.

UW-Oshkosh will attempt to counter the Pioneers with a squad that ranks third nationally with 12 interceptions gained. The Titans are also the WIAC leaders in interceptions thrown (3), average turnover margin (1.20), red zone defense (.500) and kickoff return average (22.36).

The Titans are averaging 17.6 points and 270.8 yards per game on the year while allowing 11.4 points and 309 yards per contest.

UW-Oshkosh sophomore quarterback Kyle Radavich has completed 62 of 110 passes for 739 yards with six touchdowns and one interception this season.

Junior running back Mitch Gerhartz leads the UW-Oshkosh backfield with 87 carries for 299 yards and one of the team's four touchdowns on the ground.

UW-Oshkosh's starting offensive line of senior center Tyler Powers, senior guards Alex Wendorf and Jason Wright, senior tackle Austin Summers, junior tackle Alex Wipperfurth and sophomore tight end Tommy Noennig anchor a unit that has paved the way for the Titans to average 117 rushing yards per game. Powers was a First Team All-American a year ago, and Wendorf was named All-West Region.

UW-Oshkosh junior wide receiver Riley Kallas has a team-leading 20 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Dom Todarello has added 16 receptions for 212 yards and a pair of scores while sophomore Mitchell Gerend has 11 grabs for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

Todarello, the 2017 WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year, leads the WIAC by averaging 24.6 yards per kickoff return. He has also chipped in 31 carries for 135 yards as he surpassed 4,000 career all-purpose yards (4,093) at UW-River Falls two weeks ago.

The Titan defense is spearheaded by senior linebacker Derrick Jennings Jr. and senior defensive back Cole Yoder. Yoder, a 2017 All-West Region selection, leads the team with 36 tackles and four interceptions on the year. Yoder lists ninth in the nation with 0.8 interceptions per game this season and is tied for third in program history with 16 career interceptions. Jennings Jr., a First Team All-American a year ago, leads the country with three blocked kicks. He has 26 tackles, including a team-leading eight for loss and 2.5 sacks, and ranks second on the squad with three interceptions on the year.

Six Titans have amassed at least 20 tackles this season, including junior defensive back Calvin Shilling with 25, senior linebacker Scott Skornicka with 22, sophomore linebacker Justin Kasuboski with 21 and freshman linebacker Tory Jandrin with 20. Shilling, sophomore linebacker Nick Noethe, senior defensive back AJ Plewa, freshman linebacker Tyler Staerkel and freshman defensive back Connor Zirpel have each added an interception for the Titans.

UW-Oshkosh senior punter Turner Geisthardt is averaging 40.7 yards on his 34 punts, which include 15 inside the opponents' 20-yard line. An All-West Region selection a year ago, Geisthardt is among 29 Division III players averaging better than 40 yards per punt this season.

UW-Oshkosh junior placekicker Peyton Peterson has converted 4 of 5 field goals, including a long of 37 yards, and each of his 10 extra points. Peterson's .800 field goal percentage leads the WIAC.

The UW-Platteville offense is directed by sophomore quarterback Colin Schuetz, who has completed 102 of 181 passes for 1,402 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. He's the WIAC leader with 20.4 completions and 280.4 passing yards per game.

The Pioneer rushing attack, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 182.6 yards per game, has scored 21 times on the ground this season. Three Pioneers have at least five rushing touchdowns, including senior Sean Studer with a team-high six.

Studer has rushed 70 times for 441 yards. His 110.3 rushing yards per game leads the WIAC after running for 217 yards and five scores last Saturday against UW-River Falls.

UW-Platteville sophomore running back Bo Babish had 25 carries for 130 yards and five touchdowns through the first two games of the year, but has not played since Sept. 15. Freshman Evan Gates has added 26 rushes for 83 yards and five scores.

UW-Platteville senior wide receiver Mark Johnson has a team-best 30 catches for 502 yards and four touchdowns while senior Tim Jansen has contributed 25 grabs for 311 yards, sophomore Donald Allender 20 receptions for 325 yards and a pair of scores, and junior Tyler Knigge 15 catches for 171 yards and one touchdown.

The UW-Platteville defense is surrendering 24.8 points and 398.2 yards per game.

Sophomore linebacker Eric Siedenburg leads UW-Platteville with 50 tackles and one of the team's eight interceptions by eight different players.

Four Pioneers have amassed at least 30 tackles on the year, including senior linebackers Ben Mogilevsky and Clayton Becker with 46 and 38, respectively. Becker, who has recorded a team-high three sacks, and senior defensive lineman David Lindstrom pace UW-Platteville with 4.5 tackles for loss apiece.

Senior Michael Pratl and junior Samuel Herkert have combined to make 2 of 5 field goals and 28 of 29 extra points while sharing placekicking duties this year for UW-Platteville. Senior punter Connor Foley averages 39.4 yards per punt.

UW-Oshkosh and Gallaudet University (D.C.) are the last two among the 247 Division III football programs to conduct home openers this season. Gallaudet University, which also plays at home this Saturday, had its originally scheduled Sept. 15 home opener canceled due to Hurricane Florence.