The UW Oshkosh football team survived a tough battle against the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds at Carson Park on Saturday Nov. 2. The Titans, who were ranked No. 9 in the latest D3football.com top 25, beat the Blugolds 42-31.
UWO won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half which meant the Blugolds started the game on offense. The Titans defense had the Blugold offense at third down three times on their first drive, but UWEC was able to convert all three times on the way to scoring the first touchdown of the game.
Down 7-0, the Titans were able to put up a quick response and set up with a great field position thanks to a 63-yard kickoff return from wide receiver Londyn Little. Quarterback Brooks Blount found tight end Clayton Schwalbe open for a 29-yard reception that Schwalbe took to the UWEC three-yard-line. Those big plays set up a three-yard touchdown run from running back Justice Lovelace to tie the game.
The Titan defense held the Blugolds to a three-and-out on their next drive. Which led to the Titan offense being able to take the lead at 14-7 thanks to a 31-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver Trae Tetzlaff.
The second quarter was a back-and-forth battle between both teams. UWEC scored another touchdown on their first drive to tie the game back up at 14-14. In the immediate drive for the Titans, a deep 35-yard completion from Kellan Mella set up a 12-yard touchdown catch from Tetzlaff for the Titans to regain the lead at 21-14. The second touchdown catch from Tetzlaff was his 28th career touchdown reception, breaking a record set by Sam Mentowski in 2017.
UWEC put together a long drive that lasted 7:03, as they were able to punch it into the endzone and tie the game back at 21-21. Again, the Titans were able to respond as they put together a drive that lasted just over one minute. Schwalbe hauled in a touchdown to give the Titans the lead back at 28-21. Only this time, the Titans held the lead for good. UWO held the Blugolds to a field goal to end the half at 28-24.
In the second half, Blount scored a touchdown with a 6-yard run to extend the lead to 35-24. Then Lovelace scored a touchdown in the fourth to put the game away at 42-24. The Blugolds did score a touchdown with six minutes left in the game to make it 42-31 but it was too little, too late as UWO held the Blugolds to a quick drive to end the game.
The Titans will return home to J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium for one final time this season as UWO will host the UW-Stout Blue Devils this Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff will take place at 2 p.m. at Titan Stadium.
