No. 6 Pioneers Come Up Short Against No. 16 Titans, 24-17

Photo by: Steve Frommell, Photographer, UW-Oshkosh Athletics

OSHKOSH, Wis. – The No. 6 nationally ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team (5-1, 2-1 WIAC) suffered its first loss of the season to No. 16 UW-Oshkosh on Saturday afternoon at Titan Stadium. The Pioneers led 10-3 at halftime, but a fourth quarter comeback fell short as UW-Platteville looked to recover after the Titans (4-2, 2-1 WIAC) scored 21 straight points to start the second half. 

UW-Oshkosh led 24-10 through much of the fourth quarter, but a 30-yard completion from senior Michael Priami to senior Ryan Doherty on 4^th and 20 kept the Pioneers' hopes alive with five minutes left in regulation. Priami hit junior Garrett Stare for a six-yard receiving touchdown to make it a seven-point game with 4:10 left on the clock. 

The Pioneers forced a three-and-out and miscue punt gifted UW-Platteville a starting point at the Titans' 24-yard line with 3:47 on the clock. On 4^th and one at the 15-yard line, senior Brandt Stare took the snap and passed it to Priami, but the trick play fell under heavy pressure and Priami was chased out before the line of gain. The Titans knelt out the remainder of the clock to capture the upset win. 

The Pioneers defensive playmakers started red-hot and tallied two forced fumbles and recoveries along with an interception, all in the first half of the game. Junior Elijah Krantz paced the Pioneers with 11 tackles and one of the fumble recoveries. 

Overall, the Pioneers totaled 328 yards of total offense while the Titans amassed 405 yards, including 366 yards in the air. 

Sophomore Zackary Bothun had a strong day and netted 127 yards on the ground, including a five-yard carry in the second quarter for the Pioneers' first touchdown of the game.  

Priami completed 23-of-35 attempts for 196 yards and was intercepted once. Brandt Stare led the receiving crew with eight receptions while brother Garrett Stare had a team-high 76 yards off six catches. 

Sophomore Trevor Schulz's 26-yard field goal got the Pioneers on the board at the end of their first possession of the game. 

The Titans were just about to go up 6-3 on the next drive, but sophomore Ollie Hughes punched the ball out of the receiver's hands just before he was about to cross the plane and Krantz recovered the ball in the endzone for a touchback. 

UW-Oshkosh tied the game 3-3 before the end of the first quarter. Senior Andrey Denson forced another fumble and sophomore Cormac Sammons recovered the ball at the Titan 43-yard line to start the second quarter. 

The Pioneers made the Titans pay for the turnover as Bothun's touchdown extended UW-Platteville's lead to 10-3 with 7:52 remaining in the half. 

An interception by Denson halted the Titan's next possession and the teams went into halftime with the Pioneers leading 10-3. 

The Titans responded by scoring three straight touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half. The Pioneers began to find their rhythm in the fourth quarter, but the comeback ultimately fell short in front of the Titan's homecoming crowd.

UW-Platteville will look to bounce back next Saturday, October 26 when the Pioneers host No. 19 UW-Whitewater at 1 p.m. in the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl.