MADISON, Wis.- UW-Oshkosh football was predicted to take fifth in the WIAC in 2026 in a poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
The Titans finished 5-5 overall with a 3-4 record against league opponents in 2025, marking the 14th consecutive season with a record at least at the .500 mark. They defeated nonconference opponents Linfield University (Ore.) and NCAA Division II Roosevelt University (Ill.), and upset eventual national champion UW-River Falls, 21-17, for a 3-1 start to the season. Oshkosh picked up additional league wins over UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point, both at home.
Head coach
Peter Jennings enters his fifth season leading the Titans sporting a 23-17 overall record and a 15-12 mark against conference programs.
Jennings returns 45 letterwinners this fall including 20 on offense, 23 on defense and two kickers. Among the returning letterwinners are three offensive starters and five defensive starters.
Junior defensive back
Trevor Bahrs (Evansville/Evansville) and junior quarterback
AJ Korth (Menasha/Menasha) highlight Oshkosh's returning letterwinners as All-WIAC Honorable Mention selections a year ago.
Other notable returners include junior tight end
Nate Branch (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), senior wide receiver
Jackson Brush (Franktown, Colo./Legend), junior offensive line
Chris Haag (Slinger/Slinger) and junior running back
Ben Vallafskey (Appleton/Appleton West) on offense, sophomore defensive back
Ty Adams (Fort Doge, Iowa/Fort Dodge), junior linebacker
Dayshawn Henry (Oshkosh/Oshkosh North), senior defensive line
CJ Relias (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) and senior linebacker
Kellen Wright (West Salem/West Salem) on defense, and junior punter
John Abernathy (Valdese, N.C./Draughn) on special teams.
UW-Platteville (9-3, 5-2 WIAC) was voted to win the conference crown this season, followed by UW-La Crosse (8-3, 5-2) in second, UW-River Falls (14-1, 6-1) in third, UW-Whitewater (8-3, 5-2) in fourth, UW-Oshkosh (5-5, 3-4) in fifth, UW-Stout Polytechnic (6-5, 3-4) in sixth, UW-Stevens Point (4-6, 1-6) in seventh and UW-Eau Claire (3-7, 0-7) in eighth.
Oshkosh kicks off its season at home on Sept. 5, hosting Linfield for the second time in three seasons, before concluding its nonconference schedule at Alma College (Mich.) on Sept. 12 and at Coe College (Iowa) on Sept. 19.
The Titans also begin their WIAC slate at home with UW-La Crosse coming to J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium on Oct. 3. UW-Oshkosh will also recognize the
2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class at halftime. Oshkosh hosts UW-Platteville on Oct. 24 during homecoming weekend and closes out the regular season hosting UW-Stout Polytechnic on Nov. 14.
Road WIAC games for Oshkosh include at UW-River Falls on Oct. 10, at UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 17, at UW-Whitewater on Oct. 31 and at UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 7.
The WIAC will be represented in the Culver's Isthmus Bowl for the sixth straight year against an opponent from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The game will feature the highest-placing team in each conference's standings that does not secure an NCAA bid. This year's event will be held at Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field in Sun Prairie, Wis., Nov. 21.
The Titans, 11-time WIAC champions (1920, 1923, 1928, 1935, 1968, 1972, 1976, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019), have qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship five times. They reached the first round in 2019, the quarterfinal round in 2015, the semifinal round in 2012 and 2017 and finished as the national runner-up in 2016.
