OSHKOSH, Wis.- In a battle between a pair of teams receiving votes in both the
D3football.com and
American Football Coaches Association polls, Linfield University (Ore.) defeated UW-Oshkosh, 41-15, at J. J . Keller Field at Titan Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 5).
UW-Oshkosh lost its season opener for the first time in 11 seasons, marking the first 0-1 start to a season since dropping a 23-21 decision to National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics member Robert Morris University (Ill.) on Sept. 5, 2015.
The Wildcats (1-0) also secured their first win over the Titans. Oshkosh won the programs' first meeting during the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship Quarterfinal Round and both the 2024 and 2025 regular season games.
Oshkosh totaled 390 offensive yards and led 287-231 in passing yards but managed 19 first downs to Linfield's 21. While Oshkosh committed five penalties to three for Linfield, both teams gave up 35 penalty yards.
The Wildcats owned leads in time of possession (33:48 to 26:12), third down conversions (9 of 15 to 0 of 9) and fourth down conversions (1 of 1 to 1 of 4).
In his Oshkosh debut,
Demir Ashiru (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) completed 19 of his 30 passing attempts for a game high 287 yards and a touchdown. He also paced the Titan rushing attack with 64 yards and another score on 16 rushes.
Jackson Brush (Franktown, Colo./Legend) and
Nick Hermansen (DeForest/DeForest) both caught five passes. Brush totaled 87 yards and Hermansen had 78.
Boden Frosch (Prairie du Sac/Sauk Prairie) tallied Oshkosh's lone receiving touchdown, catching his only pass for 24 yards and a touchdown.
Dayshawn Henry (Oshkosh/Oshkosh North) led Oshkosh's defense with six tackles (four solo) and a 9-yard sack while
Kaleb Brooks (Brillion/Brillion) intercepted Wildcat quarterback Luke McNabb to go with his four tackles (two solo).
The Wildcats received the opening kickoff and got inside Oshkosh's 25-yard line in their first offensive play with a 49-yard pass. Brooks forced McNabb to fumble the ball at the 1 five plays later, but another Wildcat recovered the ball in the end zone to open the scoring.
After a quick Titan possession, Linfield added seven more points on a 6-yard rush.
Despite a lost fumble at the Linfield 3-yard line, Henry sacked McNabb in the end zone for a rare safety, cutting the deficit to 14-2.
The Titans marched 45 yards down the field in the following possession after the kick return was moved up to the Titan 45-yard line on a Linfield penalty. Ashiru dashed a yard into the end zone to wrap up the drive and bring the score within five points with under a minute remaining in the quarter.
Linfield scored 24 consecutive points between the second and fourth quarters on a 44-yard pass, a 7-yard pass, an 8-yard pass and a 35-yard field goal.
Ashiru put the Titans on the board again with 10:24 remaining in the fourth quarter when he found Frosch in the end zone for six. The two-point conversion was stopped short.
The Wildcats tacked on another field goal, this time from 37 yards, in their next possession.
The Titans hit the road next week, traveling to face off with Alma College (Mich.) (0-1), which is receiving votes in both polls. The Scots fell to UW-Eau Claire, 23-15, on Saturday in their season opener.
