The nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh football team will seek to even its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record when the Titans hosts UW-Eau Claire on Saturday (Oct. 23). The Titans' homecoming contest begins at 1:30 p.m. at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
UW-Oshkosh (3-2, 1-2 WIAC), ranked 23rd in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, and UW-Eau Claire (3-3, 1-2) both enter Saturday's meeting – the 72nd between the programs – on two-game losing streaks and tied for fifth in the league standings.
The Titans, the defending conference co-champions, opened the season with three road wins by scores of 28-24 at Huntingdon College (Ala.), 28-10 at NCAA Division II member Northern Michigan University and 35-32 at UW-Platteville during the WIAC opener. However, UW-Oshkosh suffered a pair of defeats to nationally ranked league rivals the past two weekends, falling by scores of 30-21 at UW-La Crosse and 32-13 at home against fellow co-defending WIAC champion UW-Whitewater last Saturday (Oct. 16). UW-Whitewater is currently ranked third in the country and UW-La Crosse 14th.
UW-Eau Claire began the year with a pair of nonconference victories against Iowa teams, defeating Luther College, 45-14, and Loras College by a 28-6 score. The Blugolds have since lost three of the last four games, dropping decisions of 23-20 at Albion College (Mich.), 38-34 to UW-Stout and 41-24 against UW-River Falls last Saturday. UW-Eau Claire's lone victory since Sept. 11 was a 25-15 triumph at UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 2.
UW-Oshkosh has not lost three consecutive games since suffering three straight setbacks to conclude the 2010 season. UW-Eau Claire has lost at least three games in a row each year since 2010.
The Blugolds own a 42-29 record in the series with UW-Oshkosh that commenced in 1937, but the Titans have won eight of the last nine meetings, including a 31-3 victory during their most recent matchup in 2019.
UW-Oshkosh averages 25 points and 339.4 yards per game while yielding 23 points and 320.3 yards per contest. The Titans rank sixth nationally in both third down conversion rate (.562) and penalties per game (3.25), and seventh with three turnovers lost.
UW-Eau Claire is averaging 29.3 points and 370.7 yards per game while surrendering 27.7 points and 343 yards per contest. The Blugolds rank fifth in the country with a .947 offensive red zone rate and lead the WIAC with 187.3 passing yards allowed per game, a 111.69 defensive passing efficiency rating and by averaging 16.4 yards per punt return.
UW-Oshkosh quarterback Kobe Berghammer has completed 77 of 127 passes for 890 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Berghammer has added 45 carries for 204 yards and four scores.
The Titans rushing attack, averaging 157 yard per contest and 4.4 yards a carry, features Peter MacCudden, Mitch Gerhartz and Mac Winkler. MacCudden has a team leading 52 rushes for 303 yards and one touchdown. Gerhartz has contributed 136 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 29 totes while Winkler has chipped in 26 rushes for 93 yards and one score.
Six different Titans have caught at least seven passes, including Tony Steger with a team best 16 grabs for 241 yards and one touchdown. Justin Kasuboski has with 14 receptions for 144 yards and a team high three touchdowns, followed by Trae Tetzlaff with 13 catches for 167 yards and two scores, Jimmy DuVal with nine grabs for 72 yards, and Stephan Flores with eight receptions for 132 yards and one touchdown.
Carson Raddatz's 45 tackles, including 6.8 solo stops per game to rank eighth nationally, spearheads the UW-Oshkosh defense, which has also received 31 tackles from Tory Jandrin and 26 stops apiece from Nick Noethe and Kyle Scharenbroch. Raddatz has also snared the unit's lone interception. Noethe and Scharenbroch have both broken up four passes.
Brandon Kolgen has accounted for a team leading 7.5 tackles for loss and four of UW-Oshkosh's 11 sacks.
UW-Oshkosh placekicker and punter Jaydon Haag has gone 0-for-4 on field goals this season and 17 of 17 on extra points while averaging 34.5 yards per punt. UW-Oshkosh's Jaylen Grant is averaging a WIAC leading 28.3 yards on kickoff returns.
The UW-Eau Claire offense is highlighted by running back Austin Belot, who has rushed 132 times for 947 yards and seven touchdowns. Belot's 154.5 rushing yards per game rank fifth nationally while his 7.0 yards per carry is best in the WIAC.
Blugolds quarterback Harry Roubidoux has started the past two games after taking over for Jonathan Malueg. Roubidoux is 47 of 85 passing for 674 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Malueg has completed 32 of 58 passes for 296 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions.
Joe Swanson leads the UW-Eau Claire receivers with 15 catches for 206 yards and four touchdowns. Darius Jones and Nicholas Kudick have combined for another 23 receptions for 311 yards and three scores.
Ten different Blugolds have made at least 20 tackles this season as Alex Mashak leads the way with 48, followed by Spencer Van Pietersom with 41 and Sam Burzynski with 35. Van Pietersom and Vic Martinelli have 6.5 and 6.0 tackles for loss, respectively, for the Blugolds, including four sacks by Van Pietersom. Burzynski and Carmelo Rosado both have two of UW-Eau Claire's five interceptions.
UW-Eau Claire placekicker Brady Frantal is one of seven players in the division with a 1.000 field goal percentage, connecting on each of his seven attempts with a long of 45 yards while going 21 of 21 on extra points. Blugolds punter Nate Baranek is averaging 35.5 yards per boot.
UW-Oshkosh, which has won 27 of its last 28 regular season games at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium, has not lost at home to UW-Eau Claire since a 44-35 setback Oct. 31, 2009.
UW-Oshkosh Homecoming Schedule of Events
UW-Oshkosh Homecoming Celebrates 100 Years
Purchase of UW-Oshkosh Football Tickets
UW-Oshkosh Football Game Day Shuttle Bus
UW-Oshkosh Football Tailgating Policies
UW-Oshkosh Football Game Security Screening
