Random Thoughts On Week-Two In the WIAC

• UW-Oshkosh is 0-2 this season but are the BEST 0-2 team in the country. On Saturday the Titans hosted perennial Division III powerhouse Mount Union. Despite falling 45-28, UW-O through a huge scare into a Tip-10 ranked team. In week-one, the Titans lost a 35-28 heartbreaker at No. 7 Central Iowa. UW-O’s 2010 schedule is teaching the Titans what it takes to challenge the “big boys.” The 28 points was the most points MUC has given up in 123 regular season games!

• No huge surprise in Eau Claire’s 23-20 overtime win over St. Johns at Carson Park Saturday night. The two teams have had a history of competitive games. Last year SJU scored a late touchdown for a 35-28 win in Collegeville. Last time at Carson Park, the Blugolds fell by the same score – 35-28. The Blugolds have won a very respectable 5 of the 12 games vs. the intrastate rivals.

• Congratulations to UW-Eau Claire fans for flocking in droves to beautiful Carson Park the first two weeks of the season. 4527 were in the stands for last night’s pulsating overtime win over St. Johns. 3218 turned out for the season-opener vs Bethel (Tennessee). Eau Claire trails only UW-Whitewater in attendance through two weeks of the season.

• As a result of its 24-19 loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor, the UW-La Crosse football team has now lost six straight, going back to the four losses to end last season, for the first time since 1963.

• “There are no moral victories,” La Crosse coach Larry Terry said. “We’re an 0-2 ballclub, that’s what we are, but you know what, I like our guys and we’ve got a lot of football to play.”

• There has been a lot of Dakota Athletic Conference bashing following Whitewater’s 70-7 win over Dakota State (SD) yesterday at Perkins Stadium. ACTUALLY, the DAC has had remarkable success against teams from the WIAC this season. Black Hills State (SD) stunned UW-Stout 14-13 in overtime in week-one in Spearfish, South Dakota. Yesterday Stout needed to score field goal for a 27-24 win over the Jimmies out of the DAC. Isn’t Stout predicted to be a challenger to Whitewater in the WIAC this season?

• UW-Platteville sophomore quarterback Nick Anderson connected with Darin Blaser for a 17-yard scoring pass with 1:12 remaining, lifting the orange-clad Pioneers to a 21-17 win over the University of Dubuque Saturday evening in Platteville.

• I wonder how much UD head coach Stan Zweifel wants to beat a team out of the WIAC?

• It appeared the Dakota State Football team was a little intimidated by the size and atmosphere of Perkins Stadium. The Trojans came out of the locker room 12 minutes prior to kickoff and lined up along the sidelines for the National Anthem. Unfortunately, the Anthem wouldn’t happen until the six minute mark. It reminded me a little of the scene from Hoosiers when Hickory arrived at Hinkle Field House back in 1954.