CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa- Although the final score didn't show it, Saturday's (Sept. 19) UW-Oshkosh-Coe College (Iowa) football game was just a 1-point contest for over 27 minutes until the Titans scored 22 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to collect a 28-7 victory at the Kohawks' Clark Field.
The Kohawks (1-2) jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter and the Titans (2-1) responded with a 43-yard
Ben Vallafskey (Appleton/Appleton West) touchdown but missed the extra point. The score remaining at 7-6 in favor of Coe from 2:40 left in the first quarter until
Demir Ashiru (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) capped off a 55-yard drive with a 2-yard run to the end zone at 8:54 in the fourth quarter. Oshkosh added scores on a 58-yard passing touchdown from Ashiru to
LJ Kerr (Elgin, Ill./Burlington Central) and another short rushing touchdown for Ashiru before the clock reached zero.
The time of possession was separated by just 10 seconds, however Oshkosh converted 21 first downs to the Kohawks' 15, totaling 500 offensive yards (230 rushing, 270 passing). Saturday's game was Oshkosh's first reaching the 500-yard milestone since a 66-28 home victory over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 28, 2023, when it totaled 565 yards. The Titans averaged 8.1 yards per offensive play.
Coe was held to 203 offensive yards, including only 88 yards on the ground. While the Kohawks converted 4 of 16 third-down tries against the Titans' 1 of 9, Oshkosh went 2-for-3 on fourth down against 2-for-4 and sacked Coe's quarterback seven times while its line allowed none. The seven sacks were the most in 31 games, dating back to an 8-sack performance against East Texas Baptist University at home on Sept. 16, 2023, and the most away from Oshkosh since recording nine at UW-La Crosse on Oct. 27, 2012.
Ashiru went 14-for-23 for 270 yards with a touchdown on the day and added 52 yards on the ground on 12 attempts, adding two rushing touchdowns.
Vallafskey eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the first time in his career, tallying 137 yards on 19 attempts which was good for a 7.2-yards per rush average. His longest rush of the day was the 43-yard score in the first quarter.
Pacing the Titans' receiving corps was again
Jackson Brush (Franktown, Colo./Legend), who accumulated 86 yards on five catches.
Ryan Sims (Chicago, Ill./Marist) was next, catching two passes for 62 yards.
LJ Kerr (Elgin, Ill./Burlington Central) continued his run of games with one catch for a touchdown, this week for 58 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball,
Kellen Wright (West Salem/West Salem) led the Oshkosh defense with eight tackles (seven solo), adding one of the Titans' sacks.
Dayshawn Henry (Oshkosh/Oshkosh North),
Bryce Manders (Brown Deer/Brown Deer) and
Tristian Taylor (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers) all followed with five solo tackles and Manders had a career-high three sacks.
CJ Relias (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove),
Michael Wind (Downers Grove, Ill./Montini Catholic) and
Cade King (Mountain Home, Idaho/Mountain Home) rounded out Oshkosh's sacks with one apiece.
In a defense-heavy first three quarters,
John Abernathy (Valdese, N.C./Draughn) punted four times for 138 yards, averaging 34.5 yards per try.
The Kohawks received the opening kickoff and marched 78 yards to the end zone in 13 plays, culminating their only scoring drive with a 6-yard pass from quarterback Brady Kelly to Cole Barnes in the endzone.
Following a pair of punts, Oshkosh got on the board with 2:40 left in the opening period. Starting the drive on their own 36, the Titans rushed three times before handing the ball off to Vallafskey at Coe's 43, who took the ball all the way to the end zone.
Cooper Winslow (Montgomery, Ill./St. Francis) missed the extra point to keep the Kohawks ahead, 7-6.
Neither team reached the end zone for the rest of the half until the final play before halftime. With the line of scrimmage just past midfield, Ashiru threw a Hail Mary to Sims as time expired. Sims caught the 48-yard pass at the 1-yard line but was tackled just short of the goal line by Ryker Dengler to keep Coe ahead.
The Titans received the kickoff to open the third quarter but turned the ball over on downs and the following three possessions ended on punts to take the game to the fourth quarter.
After two early punts in the fourth quarter, Oshkosh took possession at its own 45 and ate 4:18 from the clock before Ashiru found the end zone on a 2-yard run. He then threw to Brush for the 2-point conversion to make the score 14-7.
Two pass breakups and a tackle-for-loss made quick work of Coe's succeeding possession, and the Titans extended their edge to 21-7 on the 58-yard Ashiru-Kerr connection.
Michael Wind (Downers Grove, Ill./Montini Catholic) ended the Kohawks' next possession when he sacked Kelly for a loss of six on a 4th-and-4 attempt. Oshkosh took over in the red zone and Ashiru found paydirt six plays later with his second rushing touchdown of the game.
Oshkosh's defense recorded its seventh sack in Coe's first play with 1:49 left on the clock when King sacked Kelly for nine yards.
Johnny Spallasso (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) and
Kaleb Brooks (Brillion/Brillion) wrapped up the win with a combined tackle.
The Titans return to J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium following the bye week, hosting UW-La Crosse (1-2), ranked 21st in the D3football.com poll and 23rd by the American Football Coaches Association, on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. UW-Oshkosh will also recognize the 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class at halftime ahead of its induction as the 52nd class at the Culver Family Welcome Center on Sunday, Oct. 4. The Eagles hold a 54-18-6 advantage in the all-time series and have won five of the last six matchups.
