La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team claimed a share of its 34th Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title with a 31-10 win over UW-Platteville Saturday afternoon at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Eagles, ranked seventh on D3football.com, improve to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC while the Pioneers end their season at 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
It is UWL's first league title since 2004. Head coach Matt Janus is in his third season as the Eagles' head coach, compiling a 18-4 record over two seasons. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat.
The nine regular-season wins for UWL are the most since 2003.
UWL will await word if its has earned an at-large bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. The 32-team field will be announced Sunday, November 13 at 4:30 p.m. on ncaa.com.
UWL took the opening kickoff Saturday and drove 75 yards in five plays and 2:45 with Cade Garcia throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Bartol with 12:15 remaining in the first quarter to make it 7-0. Ryan Beirne converted the extra-point. Garcia hit Cameron Sorenson with a 44-yard pass on the second play of the drive.
UW-Platteville was forced to punt on its first drive and UWL took a 14-0 lead as Garcia and Matthijs Enters combined a three-yard touchdown pass with 6:31 left in the opening quarter. The Eagles went 75 yards in eight plays and 4:16. The Eagles took a 17-0 lead with 9:53 remaining in the second quarter on Ryan Beirne's 21-yard field goal. The drive went 76 yards in 13 plays and 7:45. It was Beirne's 32nd career field goal, breaking Jedediah Jensen's (2000-04) school record of 31.
UWL maintained its 17-0 lead at halftime.
The Pioneers got on the scoreboard on their first drive of the third quarter, going 45 yards in nine plays and 4:11 as Andrew Schweigert hit a 43-yard field goal to make it 17-3. After forcing a UWL punt, UW-Platteville only needed two plays to cut the lead to 17-10. Michael Priami hit Garrett Stare with a 42-yard pass on the first play and followed with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Durocher with 7:14 left in the third quarter. The Pioneers went 76 yards in two plays and :39.
The Eagles responded on the ensuing drive to regain a 14-point lead. UWL went 75 yards in 11 plays and 5:49 with Joey Stutzman scoring on a four-yard run with 1:32 left in the quarter. Garcia completed three third-down passes for first downs on the drive. UW-Platteville drove to UWL's 41-yard line on the next drive, but Will Lawrence fumbled with AJ Spychala recovering at the Eagles' 40-yard line. It was Spychala's second fumble recovery of the game. Aaron Schmitz forced the Lawrence fumble on fourth-and-one.
After UWL missed a 32-yard field goal, UW-Platteville took over at its own 20-yard line. After a Priami completion for four yards to Lawrence, Jack Kelly recorded a sack for UWL to put the ball at the six-yard line. Ryan Daines and Kelly combined on another sack on the next play with Josh Dorschner recovering in the end zone for a touchdown. Daines forced the fumble as UWL took a 31-10 lead with 7:42 left in the game. UW-Platteville drove to UWL's 11-yard line on the next drive, but Priami was intercepted by Tate Pitcher in the end zone.
UWL finished with 409 yards of offense, including 120 rushing and 289 passing. The Eagles totaled 20 first downs while going eight-of-14 on third-down. UWL won the time of possession, 35:38 to 24:22, and were four-of-five in the red-zone.
Garcia went 16-of-254 for 289 yards with two touchdowns while Enters finished with seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Sorenson totaled five catches for 139 yards. Stutzman finished with 95 yards rushing on 31 carries and a touchdown.
UW-Platteville totaled 301 yards with 40 rushing and 261 passing. The Pioneers finished with 17 first downs and went two-of-10 on third-down.
Priami finished 26-of-33 for 261 yards with one touchdown and one interception while being sacked five times. Garrett Stare led UW-Platteville with nine catches for 92 yards while Will Lawrence finished with 59 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Spychala led UWL with eight tackles, including six unassisted, while finishing with two fumble recoveries. Kelly had six tackles, five unassisted, 3.5 quarterback sacks and one forced fumble. Daines, Dorschner, Cade Osborn and Jack Anderson each finished with five tackles.
Sam Smith led UW-Platteville with 13 tackles, including 4.0 for loss. Samuel Tausz had nine tackles.