The UW Oshkosh football team returned home to J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium last Saturday for their second clash versus a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent. The Titans, who were ranked No. 20 in the D3football.com top 25 poll before the game, faced off against the UW-La Crosse Eagles, then ranked No.12. UWO not only was trying to break a two-game skid in the 2024 season, but they were also trying to break a four-game skid against the Eagles.
The game started out well for the Titans as just like last week, UWO marched down the field and scored a touchdown to open the game. Despite starting the game with a scare by fumbling the opening kickoff, nearly losing their possession. The Titans put together a long drive that lasted nearly five minutes and ended it with a 13-yard touchdown rush by quarterback Cole Warren. The touchdown came after a play where Warren converted a fourth-and-10 with an 11 yard scramble run.
However, the Eagles responded quickly. On their first drive UWL tied the game at 7-7. The Titans’ next drive foreshadowed how the first half was going to go for them. It started with wide receiver Londyn Little dropping the kickoff but recovering it. The Titans found themselves at second-and-29 after an intentional grounding penalty and a holding penalty given to UWO. The rough start to the drive, a deficit too insurmountable to overcome for the Titans.
When UWL got the ball back, it looked like the Titans had them stopped, but on fourth-and-two at the UWO 20-yard line, The Eagles completed a short pass from quarterback Kyle Haas, which bounced off the hands of a Titan defender to Zackary Watson. The Eagles were able to take advantage of the huge gift and scored the go-ahead touchdown with a three-yard run from Haas to go up 14-7.
Chaos ensued for both teams on the Titans immediate drive. When the Eagles held UWO to a three-and-out deep in Titan territory, UWO punter Walleye Ratliff not only fumbled the ball, but got sacked in the endzone after he recovered it, resulting in a safety and a 16-7 UW-La Crosse lead. UWL added onto the Titans misfortunes by scoring another touchdown on their ensuing drive to make it 23-7.
Although the Titans were held scoreless on their immediate drive, they got the benefit of a special teams error this time by UWL. Titan Kenny Satori recovered the muffed punt, which bounced off the leg of an Eagle punt returner. The Titans took advantage of this, scoring their second touchdown of the day thanks to a 26-yard touchdown pass from Warren to Trae Tetzlaff to make it 23-14. The Eagles were able to get another touchdown to regain their 16 point lead at 30-14 to end the half.
Despite the rough first half, the Titans didn’t give up on the game and each other. “You looked to your left and right in the locker room, and everyone had each other’s backs. No one was really pouting,” Tezlaff said. That mindset showed in the second half for the Titans, UWL started the second half on offense and the Titans held the Eagles to a field goal on the opening drive to make it 33-14.
UWO responded with their first drive of the second half. They marched down the field and got a touchdown to make it 33-20 Eagles. The Titans failed on the two-point conversion, but they still put themselves in a position where the game was still very well alive.
On the Eagles’ first drive of the fourth quarter, it looked like UWL was getting close to scoring a touchdown and putting the game away. On third-and-eight at the UWO 41-yard line, linebacker Connor Lund intercepted a pass from Haas and set up the Titans with new life again. UWO took advantage of that opportunity and put together a long solid drive. The Titans got all the way down to the UWL 28-yard line, but a pair of penalties set the Titans back to a fourth-and-20 situation with the game on the line.
Just like when the Titans converted a fourth- and-10 back in the first quarter, this one was no problem for them as Warren found running back Justice Lovelace for a 28-yard first down conversion. UWO was then able to punch it in with a four-yard touchdown catch from Dan Fynaardt to give the Titans their lowest deficit of the game at 27-33.
With 6:19 left to go in the game, the Titans defense was tasked with keeping the Eagles off the scoreboard and giving the offense one last chance to win it. That is exactly what the defense did, UWO held the Eagles to a three and out and the UWL drive only lasted 1:11.
The Titan offense had 4:08 to march down and get the lead. Just like the defense, the offense lived up to their challenge. The Titans marched down the field and bled much of the clock as they could. They were also met with more challenges as on second-and-10 on the UWL 22, it looked like Warren found Fynnardt for a first down conversion only for it to get called back from a questionable holding call on the Titans. Another false start set the Titans back more and it looked like the Titans were in trouble. That was until fourth-and-4 at the UWL 16 with the game on the line. Warren found Tetzlaff in the endzone for the go ahead touchdown to make it 34-33 Titans.
For the first time since the start of the game, the Titans were in control of the game. The defense was once again assigned to simply keep the Eagles off the scoreboard for the last 1:01. UWO had UWL backed up on a fourth-and-10 on the Eagle 37-yard line. Only for UWL to convert it with a deep 21-yard pass. UWL found themselves in field goal territory for their kicker Michael Stack who was one of the nations best kickers in DIII last season.
It was looking like the Titans comeback was gonna be for nothing. On his second field goal attempt, Stack’s kick went wide to the left and the Titans survived for the 34-33 win. The game was not only the Titans’ third win of the season, it was also their third ranked win of the season. With the win, UWO snapped a four-game losing streak to UWL dating back to 2018.
“We’ve been in so many games where we’ve lost to them by one possession, so it feels great,” Tetzlaff said. “It was awesome to see the seniors happy.”
Coach Peter Jennings knows that not only with the conference the Titans play in, but with the schedule they currently have in 2024, the opportunities are massive for this season as well as future seasons
“We’ve had six games dating back to last year that have been a springboard for this season,” he said. “We’ve had four ranked wins going back to the River Falls game last season, but it is always about the next week. We have to always improve ourselves for the next challenge.”
The Titans will have another test this week. No.6 nationally-ranked UW-Plateville, who not only beat the Titans 22-7 last season, but is undefeated and coming off of back-to-back top five wins (then No. 3 UWL on Oct. 5 and No. 4 UW-River Falls on Oct. 12) will be coming to Titan Stadium. The Titans game versuss the Pioneers will be part of the 2024 Homecoming week for UWO.
Kickoff on Saturday will be at 1:30 p.m. at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
