The UW-Oshkosh football team gave UW-Whitewater all it could handle for 60 minutes on Saturday – in the end the two-time defending national champions found a way to win.
Eric Kindler drilled a 17-yard field goal with 1:18 remaining for the deciding point to give the Warhawks a pulsating 20-17 victory over the Titans in a battle of conference unbeatens.
The game marked closest margin of victory for the Warhawks since a 16-14 win at Eau Claire on Sept. 13, 2008 – a span of 48 wins.
The game-winning drive started at the UW-Whitewater 20-yard line with 5:51 on the clock. Levell Coppage or Matt Blanchard shared carries on each of the drive’s 10 plays. From midfield, Coppage busted through the left side and zigzagged his way for 47 yards. The Titan defense then stuffed three runs at the goal line to force a field goal.
UW-Oshkosh made things interesting by moving to the UW-Whitewater 37-yard line with about 20 seconds left. Casey Casper came up with a sack on the next play to force a Hail Mary, which was intercepted by Ryan Wenkman in the end zone with one second remaining.
Oshkosh scored first on a 29-yard field goal by Nate Becker with 9:01 in the first quarter. A 53-yard pass from Nate Wara to Cole Myhra set up the field goal. The 7-0 score did not change the rest of the period.
Whitewater did not put any points on the board in the first quarter, marking the first time since October 9, 2010 against UW-Stout in Whitewater, a span of 16 games.
In the second quarter Whitewater senior quarterback Matt Blanchard's 23-yard run at 14:52 put gave the Haws a 7-3 lead.
Oshkosh regained the lead on a Charlie Weissman 1-yard run with 12:11 left in the half. The Titan drive was aided by pass interference and personal foul penalties on the Warhawks.
Whitewater's Eric Kindler knotted the score at 10-10 with a 47-yard field goal at 4:49 of the second quarter.
Oshkosh regained the lead on a Jeremy Roach 14-yard touchdown run with just 1:18 left in the half.
The last time the Warhawks went into halftime behind in the score, was the 2008 Stagg Bowl, where the Warhawks trailed Mount Union 24-10.
In the third quarter, with Whitewater facing 1st and ten at the Oshkosh 20, UWO’s Charlie Stueck intercepted a Matt Blanchard pass in the end zone and returned it to the 12.
Not dissuaded, Whitewater came back to tie the game late in the third quarter when Blanchard fired an 8-yard scoring pass to tight end Jason Ford.
The scoring play was set up by a Blanchard to Tyler Huber 62-yard pass to the UWO four yard line.
The Warhawks compiled 20 first downs and 429 yards of offense. Coppage finished with a game-high 131 yards rushing with quarterback Matt Blanchard adding 91 yards on the ground.
The Hawks’ senior quarterback completed 17-of-25 through the air for 209 yards,. Tyler Huber had another big day on the receiving end of Blanchard’s passes by catching seven passes for 127 yards.
UWO quarterback Nate Wara finished the game 17-33 through the air for 148 yards.
Cole Myra paced the Titan’s rushing attack. Myra led the way with 66 yards including a 53 yard burst on the third play of the game to set up a 29 yard Nate Becker field goal to give UWO an early 3-0 lead.
Saturday’s game had an announced attendance of 3,863 for its largest crowd since 1998.
The hard-earned win gives UW-Whitewater a one-game lead in the WIAC standings with three games remaining in the regular season. Oshkosh is all alone in second place with a 3 & 1 conference record and 5 & 2 overall. The Titans only two losses this season have been to No. 2 ranked Mount Union (41-17 in week-two) and to No. 1 ranked Whitewater.
The Warhawks return home to host UW-Stevens Point it the 2011 Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day game. Oshkosh will welcome UW-La Crosse to Titan Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
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