OSHKOSH, Wis.- As UW-Oshkosh wrapped up its 100th homecoming celebration on Saturday (Oct. 18), the Titan football team defeated UW-Eau Claire, 28-21, at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
 
The win was UW-Oshkosh's fifth straight over the Blugolds, the 13th straight homecoming victory, and the fifth in a row over Eau Claire on homecoming. In 10 homecoming meetings, the Titans are 8-2 against the Blugolds, last losing 24-21 on October 13, 1979.
 
Since the first homecoming game in 1921, UW-Oshkosh is 48-43-9 all time. The 1942-45 celebrations were canceled due to World War II, and the entirety of the 2020 season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
UW-Oshkosh (4-2, 2-1 WIAC), ranked 18th in NCAA Division III by D3football.com and 24th in the American Football Coaches Association coaches' poll, totaled a season-best 479 yards of offense, acquiring 399 passing yards on 33 attempts and 80 rushing yards on a matching 33 rushes. With 21 first downs, the Titans averaged 7.3 yards per play, converted seven of 13 third downs, and had possession of the ball for nearly 10 more minutes that the Blugolds with a total time of 34:50.
 
Quentin Keene (Waunakee/Waunakee) completed 23 of 30 passing attempts, including nine straight to open the game and 13 of his first 14 for a career best 361 yards and a touchdown. AJ Korth (Menasha/Menasha) added three completions on three attempts for 38 yards.
 
Hunter Gibson (Chicago, Ill./Glenbard South) added a career day with 122 receiving yards and a touchdown on four receptions while Jackson Brush (Franktown, Colo./Legend) had seven receptions for 90 receiving yards.
 
Leading Oshkosh's ground attack on Saturday was Ben Vallafskey (Appleton/Appleton West), who scored his fourth touchdown of the season with 73 yards on 16 rushes.
 
In a balance defense, four Titans had seven tackles, led by Curtis Jaskulke (Stoughton/Stoughton) who recorded a team-best four tackles-for-loss including a sack and two quarterback hurries. Ben Wellhoefer (Omro/Omro), Kellen Wright (West Salem/West Salem), and Kyle Dietzen (Omro/Omro) also registered seven tackles.
 
John Abernathy (Valdese, N.C./Draughn) averaged 31.7 yards on three punts and Axel Vera Trejo (Appleton/Appleton East) connected on each of his four point-after tries.
 
After UW-Eau Claire received the opening kickoff, the teams traded three punts before UW-Oshkosh took possession on their 37-yard line with 8:41 left in the first quarter. Gibson registered his first double-digit yard catch on third-and-10, going 23 yards before being tackled at Eau Claire's 40. The Titans grinded their way downfield, entering the red zone on a 14-yard catch by Jackson Brush (Franktown, Colo./Legend), scoring with 1:38 to go on a 1-yard carry by Keene.
 
UW-Oshkosh recovered a Blugold fumble at their 17 but turned the ball back over on downs at the other 18.
 
The Blugolds got on the board with less than five minutes to go in the first half on an interception that was run back for a score, but Oshkosh responded with an eight-play, 69-yard drive that Kellan Mella (Plymouth/Plymouth) finished off with a 1-yard push through the line of his own, putting Oshkosh up, 14-7, at the half.
 
Oshkosh and Eau Claire opened the second half with another pair of turnovers. The Titans passed into Eau Claire territory when Keene connected with Brush for a 39-yard reception, then Vallafskey took the ball in three consecutive plays – four yards, eight yards, and 19 yards. He took the ball to the end zone on his third carry, making the score 21-7 with 4:43 left on the third quarter clock.
 
UW-Eau Claire scored in back-to-back possessions to tie the score at 8:52 in the fourth quarter, but it took one play for the Titans to reclaim the edge. Keene threw a deep ball to Gibson at the Eau Claire 41-yard line and he took it the rest of the way for an 80-yard score.
 
The Blugolds reached the red zone in the following drive, running 16 plays and moving 62 yards before an incomplete pass turned the ball over for the final time. Korth threw a 31-yard pass to Mella for a first down and Keene kneeled out the clock to seal the win.
 
The Titans will head on the road for the next two weeks, facing No. 4/4 UW-La Crosse (4-1, 2-1 WIAC) on Saturday, October 25 at 2 p.m. and No. 13/14 UW-Platteville (5-1, 2-1 WIAC) on Saturday, November 1 at 1 p.m.