The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team kicks off its 123rd season this Saturday, Sept. 3, at 12 p.m. against The College of New Jersey on Youth Day at Perkins Stadium.


Saturday's game will be broadcast live online or on Charter channel 989 in southern Wisconsin by UWW-TV. Fans can listen to the game on KOOL 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area or online at 940wfaw.com, or follow live stats online.

The Warhawks and second-year head coach Kevin Bullis return 14 starters from last year's team, which posted a 12-2 record and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the 10th time in the last 11 years. The team placed second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 6-1 mark.

UW-Whitewater is ranked second in Lindy's Sports Division III Top 25 and third in both The Sporting News' preseason national rankings and the D3football.com Preseason Top 25. In the D3football.com poll, the Warhawks garnered three first-place votes and 574 points, only nine shy of fellow 2015 national semifinalist No. 2 Linfield (Ore.), which also received three first-place votes. Mount Union (Ohio) is No. 1 with 18 first-place votes and 613 points. St. Thomas (Minn.) and Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) round out the top five.

The College of New Jersey, a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, ended its 2015 season on a four-game winning streak to finish 4-5 overall on the year. Rocky Hager, a 30-year coaching veteran, enters his first year as the Lions' interim head coach. TCNJ was selected to finish eighth in the NJAC in a preseason poll of the league's coaches.

SERIES

Saturday's game is the second meeting between the two teams. UW-Whitewater racked up 535 yards of total offense and posted seven sacks in a 48-0 victory at TCNJ on Sept. 20, 2014. The Warhawks held the Lions' offense to 88 total yards and scored touchdowns on their first four drives, including an 11-play, 99-yard march after a goal line defensive stand.

WHAT'S NEXT

UW-Whitewater continues non-conference play against Belhaven (Miss.) at Perkins Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 10. A student tailgate will be held prior to the game at the Coulthart Family Pavilion.

NOTABLE

UW-Whitewater has won 12 straight season-opening games, a streak that dates back to 2004, when the team downed St. Norbert 41-9 at Perkins Stadium. The Warhawks were last defeated in their first contest of a season on Sept. 6, 2003, in a 40-17 setback at Mount Union (Ohio).
 

UW-Whitewater has also won 10 consecutive regular season non-conference games dating back to a 34-7 victory in a non-conference game against UW-Stevens Point. The Warhawks' most recent non-conference regular season loss was a 7-6 setback against Buffalo State on Sept. 15, 2012.


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