The No. 2 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team hosts its final regular season game this Saturday at 2 p.m. against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe UW-River Falls on Senior Day, Shriners Day and Military Appreciation Day at Perkins Stadium.


Saturday's game will be broadcast live by UWW-TV on campus channel 100.1, for Charter customers in Southern Wisconsin on channel 989 and online. The contest can also be heard locally on KOOL 106.5 FM WKCH, or online at 940wfaw.com. Fans can also follow live statistics.


UW-Whitewater will recognize its 19-player senior class prior to Saturday's game. Over the last four years, the Warhawks have recorded two WIAC championships, two NCAA Division III national titles and one appearance in the NCAA Division III national semifinals. UW-Whitewater has compiled a 50-2 record, including a 25-1 mark against conference opponents. The team has won an incredible 96 percent of its games over that span. This year's class includes QB Chris Nelson (Twin Lakes/Wilmot Union), TEs Brent Campbell (Rockford, IL/Winnebago) and Jordan Gruettner (Muskego, Wis./Muskego), OLs Pat Costello (Mount Prospect, IL/Prospect), Austin Jones (Madison, Wis./Memorial), Tony Koepnick (Sussex/Hamilton) and Spencer Shier (Pardeeville/Portage), DBs Colin Buck (Greendale, Wis./Franklin), Vince Mason (Green Bay, Wis./Green Bay Southwest), Mickey Morgan (Wauwatosa/Wauwatosa West) and Bennett Young (Madison/Edgewood), LBs Paul Foster (Janesville/Craig), Kyle Schiedemeyer (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) and Jordan Strasburg (Fort Atkinson/Fort Atkinson), and DLs Todd Campbell (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago), John Flood (Spring Grove, IL/Richmond-Burton Community), Yuri Pogosyan (Mequon/Homestead), Tim Regan (Algonquin, IL/HD Jacobs) and Brandon Tamsett (Waterford/Waterford-Union).


All current and former military personnel will receive two free tickets. Tickets can be picked up at the Perkins Stadium ticket window.


With a victory Saturday against UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater would clinch at least a share of its 35th conference championship. The Warhawks entered the 2016 season having won nine of the last 11 WIAC titles. The program's 34 championships are the most in conference history just ahead of UW-La Crosse, which has 33.

Last Saturday, the Warhawks (8-0 overall, 5-0 WIAC) jumped out to a big lead and added 21 points in the third quarter in a 48-6 triumph at UW-Eau Claire. Sophomore running back Drew Patterson (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) scored four touchdowns (three rushing), and the Warhawk defense forced three turnovers and totaled 16 tackles for loss.

UW-Whitewater remained at No. 2 in both the D3football.com Top 25 and the American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll. The team garnered two first-place votes from D3football.com voters and four from the AFCA. The Warhawks were ranked second in Lindy's Sports Division III Preseason Top 25 and third in both The Sporting News' preseason national rankings and the D3football.com Preseason Top 25.

UW-River Falls (3-5, 2-3) was outgained 544-279 in total yards and surrendered 31 second-half points in a 41-7 home loss against No. 5 UW-Oshkosh. Alex Hohenstein caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer Moon in the fourth quarter to account for the Falcons' scoring.

SERIES

Saturday's game is the 59th meeting between the two teams. UW-Whitewater owns a 36-20-2 advantage in the all-time series has won the last 14 meetings between the two teams, with the last UW-River Falls win coming in 2001. After scoring on its last drive to win 28-25 on the road in 2014, the Warhawks rolled up 524 total yards en route to a 42-6 victory in River Falls. Chris Nelson (Twin Lakes/Wilmot Union) completed 18-of-23 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, and Marcus Hudson (Delavan, Wis./Delavan-Darien) caught nine passes for 159 yards and a score. Kyle Schiedemeyer (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) tallied nine tackles to help lead the defense.

NEXT UP

UW-Whitewater closes the regular season at UW-Stout next Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. in Menomonie. With wins against UW-River Falls and UW-Stout, the Warhawks can clinch their 11th NCAA Playoffs appearance in the last 12 years.


For the complete UW-Whitewater football game notes, click here.