UW-Oshkosh 28, UW-La Crosse 17

Oshkosh, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team fell to 0-4 on the season with a 28-17 loss at UW-Oshkosh Saturday night at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. The Eagles drop to 0-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). UW-Oshkosh improves to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference with the win. 

It marks the Titans' first win over UW-L since a 24-14 victory in 1972. The Eagles had won 24 straight meetings with the TItans and 35 of the last 37 overall with ties coming in the other two contests.

UW-L took the lead on the first drive of the game Saturday night as Lee Lauters scored on a two-yard run with 8:57 left in the first quarter. Justin Huinker's extra-point made it 7-0 as the Eagles went 69 yards on 12 plays. UW-Oshkosh came right back to tie the game as Nate Wara hit Charlie Weissman with a 30-yard touchdown pass. Andy Lindsay made the extra-point to make it 7-7. The Titans went 67 yards on three plays.

The Eagles took a 14-7 lead on the ensuing possession, going 80 yards on 12 plays with Travis Bordeau catching a five-yard pass from Nick Anker with 2:56 remaining in the first quarter. The Titans went 29 yards on five plays to tie the game at 14-14 with 2:23 left. The drive was set-up by Weissman's 58-yard kickoff return. 

Huinker hit a 32-yard field with 9:43 remaining in the second quarter to give UW-L a 17-14 halftime lead. The Eagles used 10 plays to drive 68 yards for the field goal. 

UW-Oshkosh opened the third quarter with a 17-play, 67-yard drive to take its first lead of the night at 21-17 with Wara hitting Paul Coburn on a two-yard touchdown pass with 7:53 left in the quarter. 

Early in the fourth quarter, UW-L drove to the UW-Oshkosh 23-yard line with 13:06 left, but turned the ball over on downs. The Titans followed with an 80-yard drive on 10 plays to lead 28-17. Wara threw his third touchdown pass of the game, connecting with Garrie Fox on a 14-yard play, with 9:49 remaining. 

UW-L turned the ball over on downs with 4:03 left in the game at the UW-Oshkosh 14-yard line and then fumbled a punt with 1:51 remaining. The Titans then ran out the clock to earn the victory. 

UW-L finished with 399 yards of offense Saturday night, including 188 rushing and 211 passing. Lauters had 152 yards rushing on 29 carries and one touchdown while Anker was 24-of-36 passing for 211 yards with one touchdown and one interception. 

Bordeau caught 11 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown while Alex Maxinoski finished with six receptions for 76 yards. The Eagles had 24 first downs in the game, finished seven-of-13 on third-down and won the time of possession, 33:51 to 26:09. 

UW-Oshkosh had 338 yards, including 108 rushing and 230 passing. Wara finished 20-of-28 passing for 230 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed 11 times for 70 yards. Weissmann had 18 rushing attempts for 37 yards and a touchdown and also caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. Fox had six receptions for 72 yards and a score for UW-Oshkosh.

The Titans finished with 20 first downs and were five-of-12 on third-down. 

Jim Litscher, Phillip Minja and Jason Church led UW-L with seven tackles each while Billy Niggemann recorded an interception.

Logan Heyden finished with 12 tackles for UW-Oshkosh.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, October 9 hosting UW-River Falls. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Stadium.