6-1 Pioneers play host to 5-2 Eagles
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, tied for the second-best start in school history, plays host to UW-La Crosse Saturday at 1 p.m. in Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.
The game: The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, tied for the second-best start in school history, plays host to UW-La Crosse Saturday at 1 p.m. in Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.
The records: UW-Platteville is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while UW-La Crosse is 5-2, 2-2.
The rankings: UW-Platteville is ranked ninth in the latest d3football.com rankings and 12th in the American Football Coaches Association poll. UW-La Crosse is receiving votes in both polls.
The coaches: Mike Emendorfer is UW-Platteville's all-time winningest coach, compiling a 96-93 record in his 19th season. He has taken the Pioneers to their only two NCAA III playoff berths in school history, in 2013 and 2016. Emendorfer is the WIAC's active leader in victories. Former Pioneer assistant Mike Schmidt is in his second year leading UW-La Crosse. He guided the Eagles to a 5-5 record in his first year and has a career mark of 10-7.
The Pioneers: UW-Platteville is off to a 6-1 start or better for the ninth time in school history and the first since 2014. The Pioneers reached that 6-1 record by beating host UW-Eau Claire 34-14 Saturday. Jack Eddy passed for five touchdowns, with three to Tim Jensen and two to Mark Johnson.
The Pioneers raced out to a 21- 0 halftime lead and out-gained the Blugolds 442-263. Eddy threw for 351 yards, with Johnson, the WIAC's leading receiver, catching 11 passes for 225 yards. Johnson now has 61 receptions in seven games. Three of Jensen's four receptions went for scores, as he finished with four catches for 98 yards. Chandler Crary had 10 tackles for the Pioneer defense, which stopped UWEC three times on fourth down.
UW-Platteville is 10-3 over the last three seasons at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium and 128-97-1 since the facility opened in 1972.
Saturday will mark the seventh time in eight games the Pioneers have faced a team with a .500 or winning record at kickoff time.
The Eagles: UW-La Crosse gave third-ranked UW Oshkosh a run for its money last Saturday before falling 42-28. (The Pioneers also dropped a 14-point home game to the Titans.) Nick Holcomb was a one-man wrecking crew at receiver, tying an Eagle record with 15 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Drew David, in place of injured starter Tarek Yaegi, threw for 414 yards as UW-L recorded 514 total yards. Yaegi, who threw for 516 yards last year against the Pioneers, leads the WIAC in passing yards with 251.7 per contest, while Holcomb is tops in receiving yards per contest at 130.3.
|
Per Game Averages |
UW-Platteville |
UW-La Crosse |
|
Points |
32.9 |
33.6 |
|
Points Allowed |
23.1 |
16.7 |
|
Rushing Yards |
117.0 |
130.4 |
|
Rushing Yards Allowed |
114.6 |
184.4 |
|
Passing Yards |
277.6 |
301.0 |
|
Passing Yards Allowed |
222.9 |
116.6 |
|
Total Yards |
394.6 |
431.4 |
|
Total Yards Allowed |
337.4 |
301.0 |
The 6-1 starts:
|
Year |
7-Game Record |
Final Record |
|
1956 |
6-1 |
6-1 |
|
1968 |
6-1 |
8-1 |
|
1969 |
6-1 |
8-1 |
|
1970 |
7-0 |
10-1 |
|
1971 |
6-1 |
9-1 |
|
1974 |
6-1 |
8-2 |
|
1976 |
6-1 |
8-2 |
|
2014 |
6-1 |
7-3 |
|
2017 |
6-1 |
? |
The Next Game: UW-Platteville plays at UW-Whitewater Saturday at 1 p.m. before closing the regular season at home against UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 11 at 2 p.m.
The WIAC: The WIAC weekly release is now available.
Preview by Paul Erickson, Director, UW-Platteville Communications, 608.342.1194, pr@uwplatt.edu.