UW-Oshkosh will attempt to keep its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title hopes alive when the Titans host UW-Whitewater for a battle of nationally ranked football teams Saturday (Oct. 16). UW-Oshkosh's home opener is set to begin at 1 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

UW-Oshkosh (3-1, 1-1 WIAC), ranked 18th in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, and third-ranked UW-Whitewater (5-0, 2-0) shared the league championship in 2019 and have combined to secure each of the past 15 WIAC titles. UW-Oshkosh has accounted for four WIAC championships since 2005 while UW-Whitewater claimed at least a share of 12 league titles in the last 15 seasons.

The Titans and UW-Whitewater have turned their recent WIAC successes into long Division III postseason runs as UW-Oshkosh reached the national championship game in 2016, the semifinals in both 2012 and 2017, and the quarterfinals in 2015. UW-Whitewater, the 2019 Division III runner-up, has advanced to the national title game 10 times since 2005, winning championships in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

UW-Oshkosh has won two of its last three meetings with UW-Whitewater, including a 27-20 decision during the 2019 regular season finale in Oshkosh that clinched the WIAC's automatic berth into the Division III Championship field. The Titans also downed the Warhawks, 37-20, in Oshkosh during the 2017 campaign before UW-Whitewater won by a 20-0 score in 2018 in Whitewater. The 2020 WIAC campaign was canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Titans' victory over UW-Whitewater in 2019 extended their regular season home winning streak to 27 games since a 24-20 setback to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics member Marian University (Ind.) on Sept. 13, 2014. UW-Oshkosh's last regular season home loss to an NCAA Division III program was a 17-16 setback to UW-Platteville on Nov. 16, 2013. UW-Whitewater has not won a regular season game at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium since a 17-14 victory Oct. 26, 2013.

UW-Whitewater owns a 77-30-5 record against UW-Oshkosh in a series that began in 1897. UW-Oshkosh is seeking to win back-to-back games over UW-Whitewater for the first time since the 1972-73 seasons.

UW-Oshkosh hopes to rebound from a 30-21 loss at UW-La Crosse last Saturday (Oct. 9). The Titans, who built a 21-7 halftime lead until UW-La Crosse scored 23 unanswered points during the second half, opened the season with road victories of 28-24 at Huntingdon College (Ala.), 28-10 at NCAA Division II member Northern Michigan University and 35-32 at UW-Platteville.

UW-Whitewater's unbeaten start to the 2021 campaign has featured wins of 46-7 over Carthage College, 31-14 at Salisbury University (Md.), 39-7 against Berry College (Ga.), 37-6 over UW-Stout and 65-21 last Saturday versus UW-Platteville. The Warhawks are playing on the road for the first time since Sept. 11 at then eighth-ranked Salisbury University.

UW-Oshkosh is averaging 28 points and 370 yards per game this season while allowing 24 points and 349.8 yards per contest. The balanced Titans offense is gaining 198.3 yards through the air and 171.8 yards on the ground per game. UW-Oshkosh ranks fifth in the country by committing 2.75 penalties for 28.5 yards a game.

UW-Whitewater enters Saturday averaging 43.6 points and 457.8 yards per contest while yielding a WIAC-best 11 points and 275.4 yards per game. The Warhawks rank fourth nationally with a 201.03 passing efficiency, sixth by limiting opponents to 53.2 rushing yards per game and eighth with a .721 completion percentage.

UW-Oshkosh quarterback Kobe Berghammer has completed 63 of 105 passes for 793 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Berghammer has added 167 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.

Peter MacCudden paces the Titans with 44 carries for 260 yards to go along with one rushing touchdown and one more score on four receptions through the air. Mitch Gerhartz and Mac Winkler have combined to rush for 201 yards and four touchdowns for UW-Oshkosh, including 108 yards and three scores from Gerhartz.

Tony Steger leads the Titans with 14 receptions for 231 yards and one touchdown. UW-Oshkosh's Trae Tetzlaff has contributed 11 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown while Justin Kasuboski has 10 grabs for 116 yards and two scores, Jimmy DuVal has eight receptions for 60 yards, and Stephan Flores six catches for 107 yards and one touchdown.

Carson Raddatz's 33 tackles, including a WIAC-best 25 solo, and one interception spearhead the UW-Oshkosh defense that also features Tory Jandrin and Kyle Scharenbroch with 24 tackles apiece, and Nick Noethe with 21 stops. Noethe and Brandon Kolgen lead the way with two sacks as seven different Titans have contributed quarterback takedowns this year. Kolgen has a team-leading 4.5 tackles for loss while Noethe has chipped in four pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

UW-Oshkosh placekicker and punter Jaydon Haag has gone 0-for-3 on field goals this season and 16 of 16 on extra points while averaging 34 yards on his 15 punts. Jaylen Grant has been a highlight on the Titans special teams, ranking ninth in the country by averaging 31.1 yards per kickoff return.

UW-Whitewater quarterback Max Meylor has completed 81 of 110 passes for 1,230 yards with a WIAC-high 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Meylor, who also has one rushing score this year, ranks third nationally with a 215.5 passing efficiency, and sixth with a .736 completion percentage and 11.17 yards per pass attempt.

Alex Peete headlines the UW-Whitewater rushing attack, gaining 370 yards on 73 carries. Peete's 10 rushing touchdowns rank fifth in the country while his 13.2 points per game list sixth nationally. The Warhawks offensive backfield also includes Tamir Thomas with 139 rushing yards on 10 carries, Preston Strasburg with 110 yards on 27 totes and Jaylon Edmonson with 98 yards on 17 rushes.

The UW-Whitewater aerial attack includes four receivers with at least 13 catches. Ryan Wisniewski leads the way with 20 grabs for 357 yards and six touchdowns. Tyler Holte, averaging a WIAC-best 20.5 yards per reception, has added 16 catches for 328 yards and four scores. Sam DeLany has 13 receptions for 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Derek Kumerow rounds out the Warhawks quartet of leading receivers with 14 grabs for 179 yards.

UW-Whitewater's defense, which has forced six turnovers and collected 14 sacks, is comprised of 10 different players with at least 11 tackles as Egon Hein leads the way with 22 stops while Aaron Sturdevant follows with 21, and Shane McGrail and Mark McGrath have made 20 tackles apiece. Mackenzie Balanganayi paces the WIAC with four sacks for the Warhawks, who have also received 3.5 sacks from Niko Lemke and three sacks from Reed Farrington.

Matt Maldonado and Kacper Lupa have shared Warhawks placekicking duties this season. Maldonado has gone 3-for-3 on field goals, including a long of 39 yards, and 10 of 11 on extra points. Lupa is 2-for-3 on field goals, including a long of 36 yards, and 15 of 18 on extra points. UW-Whitewater punter Nate Custer has averaged 34.5 yards on his eight boots. The Warhawks' Dain Hudson is third in the country by averaging 24.8 yards per punt return.

The 2019 meeting between the teams in Oshkosh had five lead changes. UW-Oshkosh, which intercepted five UW-Whitewater passes during the regular season finale in 2019, took the lead for good at 21-20 on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter. The Titans went on to pick off each of the Warhawks' final four pass attempts to clinch the victory.

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