UW-Eau Claire scored on its first five possessions of the game as it registered a 34-0 homecoming victory over the UW-Oshkosh football team on Saturday (Oct. 4) in Eau Claire.

Kyle Paulson threw for threw first-half touchdowns and finished with 220 yards on 15-of-20 passing to lead the Blugolds’ (3-1/1-1 WIAC). UW-Eau Claire, ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com, bolted out to a 27-0 lead at halftime on its way to a 414-165 advantage in total yards. The loss snapped the Titans (2-1/0-1 WIAC) five-game winning streak, which dated back to last season.

On the opening drive of the contest, Paulson connected on six passes of nine yards or less to lead the Blugolds down the field on an 11-play, 51-yard drive. Brett Schreiner reeled in three receptions for 21 yards to set up Craig Kolb, who drilled a 30-yard field goal to put UW-Eau Claire up 3-0.

After forcing a three-and-out by the Titans’ offense, the Blugolds took over on their own 29-yard line. Cory Sartorelli rushed three times before catching a short pass on the sixth play of the possession. He eluded several UW-Oshkosh defenders on his way to a 61-yard score, making it a 10-0 ballgame with 4:47 to play in the first quarter.

UW-Oshkosh punted following three plays once again, sending the ball back to Paulson and the Blugolds’ offense. He found David Goodman for an 8-yard gain before Sartorelli carried for 13 yards. Nils Dillon tallied a 24-yard catch on the next snap as part of a four-play, 78-yard march. Paulson capped it off by hitting Spencer Kehoe for a 33-yard touchdown and a 17-0 lead at the end of one period.

Craig McClelland (So. • Union Grove) got the UW-Oshkosh offense going with a 25-yard completion to Paul Coburn (So. • Sussex) early in the second quarter. A first-down run by Steve Levonowich (Jr. • Kenosha) put the Titans into UW-Eau Claire territory, but the drive stalled at the Blugolds’ 32-yard line after four straight plays of negative yardage. Sartorelli ran for 15 yards and Ethan Turriff had a 26-yard rush as the Blugolds continued to click with a five-play, 68-yard drive. Schreiner snatched an eight-yard touchdown with 7:41 left in the half to post a 24-0 margin.

Sartorelli ran five times after the Blugolds forced a three-and-out to regain possession. A 17-yard catch by Schreiner highlighted the drive, which ended in a 27-yard field goal by Kolb. Facing a 27-0 deficit, UW-Oshkosh moved the ball before halftime. McClelland accounted for a 12-yard pass and a 13-yard run in the final minute of the second quarter. Jeremy Roach (So. • Deerfield) tallied a 21-yard reception, but time ran out as the game went to intermission.

The Titans’ first offensive turn of the third period didn’t go any better when Craig Polifka intercepted McClelland on the fifth play of the half. Polifka took the pick 35 yards to the endzone for a 34-0 Blugolds’ advantage.

The game’s next five possessions ended in punts before UW-Eau Claire started driving in the fourth quarter. Seven carries for 29 yards by Turriff led the Blugolds into field goal range. This time, Kolb’s 36-yard try was blocked to keep the score at 34-0.

UW-Oshkosh totaled just nine first downs in the contest, as it ran for 62 yards and passed for 103. Levonowich finished with 13 rushes for 48 yards while Roach added four carries for 13 yards. The passing game featured McClelland’s 11-of-16 effort with one interception while being sacked three times. Charlie Weissman (Fr. • Colgate) hauled in three passes for 12 yards and Juston Wara (So. • Oshkosh) chipped in with two gr abs for 28 yards to lead the receiving core.

A balanced rushing attack by the Blugolds totaled 165 yards, including 62 on 12 rushes by Sartorelli and 60 on 13 attempts from Turriff. Schreiner recorded five catches for 46 yards and one touchdown to lead UW-Eau Claire, which converted 7-of-13 third down opportunities. Kehoe was second on the squad with three catches for 56 yards.

The Blugolds’ defense allowed UW-Oshkosh to convert just 2-of-13 third downs on its way to a shutout. Ryan Leis topped the team with five stops, including two for a loss and one sack. Polifka, Dave Wicklund and Matt Ebner each turned in four tackles, with Ebner registering two sacks, to complete the performance. Eric Hebel (Jr. • Howard) posted seven tackles to pace all Titans.

The UW-Oshkosh football team looks for its longest winning streak since 1977 when it travels to nationally-ranked UW-Eau Claire on Saturday (Oct. 4). The start time for the Homecoming contest is set for 1 p.m. at Carson Park.

The Titans, unbeaten in their first two games of this season, will try for their sixth consecutive victory after ending the 2007 season with three straight wins. The Titans have not had a six-game winning streak since winning seven contests in a row from 1976-77. UW-Oshkosh, which last won five straight games in 2003, is looking for its fourth win in the last 13 meetings with UW-Eau Claire.

Before an open date last week, UW-Oshkosh pulled out a dramatic 17-16 win at the NAIA's fifth-ranked team, Ohio Dominican University. The Titans’ James Taraboi (Jr. • Grafton) knocked through a 26-yard field goal with no time on the clock to capture the victory after a penalty extended the contest. UW-Oshkosh held the Panthers’ high-powered offense to 44 points less and 147 yards below their season averages. Juston Wara (So. • Oshkosh) accounted for both Titan touchdowns and finished with four catches for 37 yards. Kevin Bahl (Jr. • Muskego) notched 11 tackles and Taraboi 10 to pace the defensive effort.

In the 2008 season opener, the Titans stopped Ripon College’s two-point conversion try short in the final minute to hold on for a 14-13 win. Through two games this season, Steve Levonowich (Jr. • Kenosha) leads the team in rushing with 38 carries for 143 yards. Craig McClelland (So. • Union Grove) has taken over at quarterback and thrown for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-24 passing.

UW-Eau Claire, ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III by D3foorball.com, enters the contest with a 2-1 overall mark and a 0-1 tally in WIAC play. The Blugolds went to the NCAA Division III playoffs last season, defeating St. Norbert before falling to Bethel (Minn.) in the second round, on their way to a 9-3 record.The Blugolds opened 2008 with an 11-6 win over Bethel College (Tenn.) before falling, 16-14, to defending Division III national champion UW-Whitewater. A 28-6 victory over Hope College (Mich.) was highlighted by 285 yards rushing and four touchdowns from Cory Sartorelli. The remainder of the Blugolds’ offense is led by Kyle Paulson, who has 360 yards and two touchdowns passing, and Spencer Kehoe, who leads the squad with seven catches for 77 yards and one touchdown.

In the 2007 meeting, Mitch Schaeuble threw for 348 yards and a pair of scores to lead UW-Eau Claire to a 21-20 victory. Dave Wicklund, who leads the Blugolds with 27 tackles in 2008, topped all defensive players with 15 stops. The Titans’ Andy Moriarty rushed for 225 yards while Joe Patek passed for 279 in defeat. UW-Eau Claire extended its advantage in the all-time series with UW-Oshkosh to 38-21.

UW-Oshkosh placekicker James Taraboi (Jr. • Grafton) has been named the WIAC Special Teams Football Player of the Week after booting the game-winning field goal in the Titans' 17-16 victory over nationally-ranked Ohio Dominican University on Sept. 20 in Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio Dominican University (2-1), which entered the contest ranked fifth in the NAIA, blocked Taraboi's potential game-winning, 35-yard field goal attempt with four seconds remaining. But, before the play ended, an Ohio Dominican University player ran onto the field from the sideline to draw an illegal participation penalty.

Taraboi then lined up to kick again with no time remaining and he delivered by making a 26-yard boot that would send the Titans (2-0) to their fifth straight victory and snap the Panthers’ 16-game, regular season winning streak. Taraboi’s field goal came on his first collegiate attempt.

Taraboi, who also made both of his extra point kicks, totaled 10 tackles, including three solo, as one of UW-Oshkosh’s three starting linebackers.

James Taraboi (Jr. • Grafton) got a second chance and took advantage of it, hitting a 26-yard field goal with no time remaining to give the UW-Oshkosh football team a 17-16 victory over Ohio Dominican University on Saturday (Sept. 20) in Columbus, Ohio.

The Panthers (2-1) blocked UW-Oshkosh’s potential game-winning, 35-yard attempt with four seconds remaining. Before the play ended, an Ohio Dominican player came off the sideline to draw an illegal participation penalty. Taraboi then lined up to kick again on the game’s final play and sent the Titans (2-0) to their fifth straight victory.

Ohio Dominican University entered the contest ranked fifth in the NAIA and had won 15 consecutive regular season games. The Panthers, who won their first two games by an average score of 60-10, came out of halftime with a 13-7 advantage. After punts on the third quarter’s first two possessions, the Titans marched 58 yards on nine plays to take the lead. Craig McClelland (So. • Union Grove) found Garrie Fox (Fr. • Madison) for 16 yards on third down and Justin Budiac (So. • Mukwonago) added a 17-yard run to highlight the drive. A nine-yard touchdown catch from Juston Wara (So. • Oshkosh) tied the score at 13 with 5:06 to play in the third period.

After Taraboi’s extra point put UW-Oshkosh ahead, 14-13, the Panthers returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 46-yard line. Cris Reisert hit Joe Farfsing for a 13-yard completion as part of a 10-play, 42-yard scoring drive. Mitch Cory knocked through a 29-yard field goal at the 2:11 mark of the third quarter for a 16-14 lead.

The Titans punted on their next two possessions before making a defensive stand in the contest’s final minutes. Ohio Dominican went for it on fourth-and-one from the UW-Oshkosh 39-yard line with three minutes remaining. Chris DeBlois (Jr. • Kimberly) and Spencer Schulz (Sr. • Menomonee Falls) teamed up to stuff Reisert’s quarterback keeper for no gain to take the ball away.

UW-Oshkosh’s game-winning drive featured a three-yard reception by Wara on fourth-and-two, along with an 11-yard run by Budiac to enter Panthers’ territory. Paul Coburn (So. • Sussex) then pulled in a 19-yard catch in the last minute to put the Titans in field-goal range.

Ohio Dominican University’s opening drive ended with a failed fourth-down attempt inside the UW-Oshkosh 15-yard line. Following a Titans’ punt, the Panthers missed a 37-yard field goal to keep the game scoreless. Reisert finally connected with B. Robinson on the first play of the drive for a 53-yard touchdown. The score gave Ohio Dominican a 7-0 lead with 1:23 to go in the first quarter.

Reisert completed five consecutive passes of the short-range variety to move the Panthers down the field in the second quarter. Cory made a 20-yard field goal attempt to make it a 10-0 score with 6:25 remaining in the half. 

The Titans answered with a pair of 11-yard receptions by Steve Levonowich (Jr. • Kenosha) on a 60-yard touchdown drive. The seven-play stanza concluded with a 25-yard hook-up from McClelland to Wara that cut UW-Oshkosh’s deficit to 10-7 with 2:04 left in the second quarter.

Ohio Dominican continued with the intermediate passing game, hitting six pass plays for eight yards or less. A 15-yard catch by Robinson converted a 3rd-and-13 to keep the Panthers’ drive alive. With seven seconds left on the first-half clock, Cory nailed a 42-yard field goal to take a 13-7 lead into the break. 

UW-Oshkosh prevailed despite being outgained in total yards, 367-208. The Titans picked up 96 yards on the ground, including 51 on six carries by Budiac. Levonowich chipped in with 17 carries for 31 yards. McClelland was quite efficient through the air, completing 12-of-16 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. 

Wara paced UW-Oshkosh’s receivers with four catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns. Levonowich added two grabs for 29 yards while Coburn and Fox each pulled in two receptions. UW-Oshkosh was successful on its only fourth-down try and achieved first downs on 5-of-12 third down attempts. The Titans’ defensive performance featured 11 tackles from Kevin Bahl (Jr. • Muskego), 10 stops by Taraboi and a quarterback sack from DeBlois.

The Panthers came in averaging 514 yards of offense per game, including 410 in the passing department. Reisert threw 51 times, connecting on 35 for 268 yards and one touchdown. Robinson pulled in 12 catches for a game-high 144 yards and a score while Steven Williams and Josh Smart each grabbed five receptions.

Justin Brantley gained 62 yards on 14 attempts, to go along with six carries for 19 yards by Reisert, to lead the Ohio Dominican rushing attack. The Panthers converted 11-of-19 third-down attempts while failing all three times on fourth down. Ohio Dominican University’s defense received nine tackles from Michael Wright and one sack by Miguel Davis.

The UW-Oshkosh football team looks to extend its four-game winning streak when it takes on Ohio Dominican University for the first time in school history on Saturday (Sept. 20) in Columbus, Ohio. The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. (ET) and is the home opener for Ohio Dominican University at Panther Field.

The Panthers (2-0) won the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Mideast League title last year after posting an 11-0 record during the regular season. They defeated the University of the Cumberlands, 62-35, in the first round of the NAIA Playoffs before falling to Missouri Valley College, 48-34, in the second round.

Ohio Dominican University finished the 2007 season with the highest scoring offense in all of college football at 50 points per game. Quarterback Cris Reisert led the Panthers attack with NAIA records of 5,434 yards and 54 touchdown passes. Ohio Dominican also had three players who achieved at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving. In the first two games of 2008, Reisert threw for 725 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to victories of 70-7 over Marian College (Ind.) and 50-14 over Campbellsville University (Ky.). Josh Smart leads the receiving core with 13 catches for 191 yards and four touchdowns in the first two games.

The Titans are coming off one of the best seasons in program history after posting a 7-3 mark in 2007. UW-Oshkosh’s 4-3 conference record placed third in the WIAC for the team’s best league finish since 1976. The Titans have also won 24 games in the past four years, which is the second-best run in school annals. UW-Oshkosh lost 10 starters on offense from last year, including Andy Moriarty, the school’s all-time leader with 4,496 yards rushing and 262 points scored.

UW-Oshkosh (1-0) goes on the road for the first time after earning a 14-13 win against Ripon College on Sep. 6. It was the Titans’ 26th win in their last 28 season openers. UW-Oshkosh took a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter before the Red Hawks tied the contest with 8:59 to play. Joey Fisher’s (Jr. • Fond du Lac) one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal put UW-Oshkosh back in front with 2:05 remaining. After the Red Hawks’ Scott Perkins scored a touchdown with 44 seconds on the clock, the Titans stopped Ripon’s two-point conversion attempt inches short of the goal-line to preserve the victory.

Three interceptions, a fumble recovery and a stop on fourth down by the Titans’ defense were vital in the contest. UW-Oshkosh took the ball away from Ripon three times inside its own 30-yard line, including twice inside the 10. Jon DeVillers (Sr. • Menomonee Falls) paced the squad with 10 solo tackles and an interception while Chris Lins (Jr. • Madison) recorded nine stops. The Titans’ offense was led by Steve Levonowich (Jr. • Kenosha), who rushed for 97 yards on 21 carries.

The WIAC has named UW-Oshkosh free safety Jon DeVillers (Sr. • Menomonee Falls) as its Defensive Football Player of the Week for games played Sept. 1-7.

DeVillers totaled 13 tackles, including 10 solo, and one pass interception as UW-Oshkosh edged Ripon College, 14-13, in its season opener on Sept. 6 in Oshkosh.

DeVillers, who was making his first career start, had five solo tackles in the second quarter and two in both the second and fourth. His first-quarter pass interception came at the UW-Oshkosh 28-yard line and helped set up the Titans' first score.

UW-Oshkosh allowed 287 yards rushing and 44 yards passing to Ripon College. The Titans yielded all of their points in the final nine minutes of the game.

Also receiving player of the week citations were UW-Platteville wide receiver Aunton Terry on Offense and UW-Stevens Point punter Luke Frisch on special teams.

UW-Oshkosh linebacker Nick Craft (So. • Milwaukee) stopped Ripon College quarterback Tygh Walters inches short of the goal line on a two-point conversion with 44 second left to preserve the Titans' 14-13 season-opening football victory over the Red Hawks on Saturday (Sept. 6) at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

Ripon College (0-1) elected to go for the potential game-winning extra point after finishing off an eight-play, 41-yard scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge by Scott Perkins. Walters kept the football on the extra-point try, but Craft played strong and tackled him just before he could enter the end zone.

UW-Oshkosh (1-0), which won its season opener for the 26th time in 28 years, took a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Following a UW-Oshkosh punt, Ripon College used a Jon Larsen 14-yard run as part of a 46-yard scoring drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:59 remaining. Walters capped the eight-play march with a 12-yard touchdown run.

After Ripon College booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, UW-Oshkosh converted two critical third-down plays to move the football down the field and into the end zone. Craig McClelland (So. • Union Grove) found Juston Wara (So. • Oshkosh) and Paul Coburn (So. • Sussex) for nine-yard gains on successive third downs to keep the drive alive, On fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, Joey Fisher (Jr. • Fond du Lac) bowled his way into the end zone to give the Titans a 14-7 lead with 2:05 remaining.

Ripon College fought right back as Joshua Kraemer returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to put the Red Hawks at the UW-Oshkosh 41-yard line. Walters completed a 25-yard pass to Josh Pasek to put Ripon College into scoring position at the UW-Oshkosh 17-yard line. Perkins later bolted into the end zone from one-yard out to cut UW-Oshkosh's lead to 14-13.

UW-Oshkosh's Jon DeVillers (Sr. • Menomonee Falls) helped set up the first score of the game when he intercepted a Walters pass late in the first quarter. A pair of 10-yard runs by Steve Levonowich (Jr. • Kenosha) keyed the Titans' 12-play, 72-yard scoring march that spanned 5:48. McClelland ended the drive with a five-yard touchdown run to put UW-Oshkosh up 6-0. James Taraboi (Jr. • Grafton) then kicked the extra point to make the score 7-0. Taraboi's point was the 13,000th in the 114-year history of the UW-Oshkosh football program.

The Titans' defense came up big on four other occasions to stifle scoring opportunities for Ripon College. DeViller's pass interception came at the UW-Oshkosh 28-yard line, while Kris Straughter’s (Jr. • West Springfield, Mass.) second quarter pass interception occurred near midfield. Cameron Heilman (So. • Port Washington) added a fumble recovery at the Ripon College 47-yard line to stop another drive.

With less than two minutes to go in the first half, the Titans stuffed Walters on fourth-and-two to take the ball away at the UW-Oshkosh eight-yard line. A fourth-quarter pass interception by Taraboi halted a Ripon College drive at the Titans’ 10-yard line.

Thanks to 166 yards on 30 carries by Walters, Ripon College out-gained UW-Oshkosh, 331-248, in total offensive yards. The Red Hawks also received 69 yards on seven rushes by Andrew Fink and 43 yards on 13 rushes by Perkins. Walters threw three interceptions on his way to 3-of-10 passing for 39 yards. Robert Bergfeld led Ripon College with two pass receptions for 14 yards.

Levonowich, who missed the 2007 season due to an injury, paced UW-Oshkosh with 97 rushing yards on 21 attempts. The Titans also got 40 yards on nine carries from McClelland and 37 yards on six attempts from Justin Budiac (So. • Mukwonago). McClelland completed four of his eight passes for 31 yards, while Dieter Juedes (Sr. • Sheboygan Falls) connected on two of his six passes for 19. Taylor Porter (Jr. • New London) led UW-Oshkosh by catching four passes for 32 yards.

DeVillers sparked UW-Oshkosh's defensive effort by totaling 13 tackles, including 10 solo, and one pass interception. Chris Lins (Jr. • Madison) recorded 10 tackles, while Kevin Bahl (Jr. • Muskego) tallied eight and Justin Viste (Jr. • Grafton) five. Ripon College received nine tackles, all solo, from Vince Spratte and seven from Jeff Trinka and six from Chris Kellett.

Saturday's victory was UW-Oshkosh's ninth straight over Ripon College. The Titans own a 17-12-6 advantage in the all-time series with the Red Hawks.

UW-Oshkosh kick returner Jeremy Roach (So. • Deerfield) has received preseason NCAA Division III All-America second team honors by Consensus Draft Services.

Roach was named to the 2008 squad after ranking second in the NCAA Division III with an average of 32.1 yards per kickoff return a year ago. He brought back 12 kicks for a total of 385 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown return in UW-Oshkosh's 26-14 loss to eventual NCAA Division III champion UW-Whitewater. Roach also recorded kickoff returns of 34 yards against UW-Whitewater, 33 against UW-River Falls and 31 against UW-La Crosse.

Playing behind All-America running back Andy Moriarty, Roach carried the football 47 times for 355 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed nine times for 139 yards and two scores in UW-Oshkosh's 34-3 win over Huntingdon College (Ala.). Roach also rushed 13 times for 96 yards and one touchdown against Lakeland College and 13 times for 88 yards and one score against Ripon College.

Roach was one of only three WIAC players named to the 93-member team. Earning honorable mention recognition were junior placekicker Jeff Schebler of UW-Whitewater and sophomore wide receiver Michael Zweifel of UW-River Falls.

UW-Oshkosh won its last three games to end the 2007 campaign with a 7-3 record. The Titans placed third in the WIAC with a 4-3 record. UW-Oshkosh opens its 2008 season with a home game against Ripon College on Sept. 6.