The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team opens the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season on the road against No. 23 UW-La Crosse on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse, Wis.


Saturday's game can be heard live on KOOL 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area or online at 940wfaw.com. Fans can also watch live video and track live statistics courtesy of UW-La Crosse.

Prior to their bye week, the Warhawks piled up 554 yards of offense and held Middle Georgia State to 55 yards in a 73-0 victory over Middle Georgia State on Sept. 15 at Perkins Stadium. UW-Whitewater scored 56 first-half points, including 32 in the first quarter, on its way to its largest margin of victory since 1900 and its most points scored in one game since 2006.

The Warhawks made their debut at No. 8 in the American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' Poll and remained No. 10 in the latest D3football.com Top 25. UW-Whitewater garnered 411 points from D3football.com voters and 921 points from AFCA pollsters. The Warhawks were ranked sixth by Street & Smith entering the 2018 season.

UW-La Crosse, which also enters conference play off a bye week, was downed 35-17 by NAIA No. 20 Dickinson State (N.D.) on Sept. 15 in La Crosse. The Eagles passed for 298 yards but were outgained 250-79 on the ground. UW-La Crosse trailed 14-10 at halftime before Dickinson State rolled up 21 points in the third quarter to take control of the contest.

SERIES

UW-Whitewater holds a 35-32 edge in the all time series against UW-La Crosse and has won the last 15 games in the series spanning back to 2005. The Warhawks rushed for 275 yards and made a fourth-down stop in the waning seconds to hold on for a 21-14 triumph on Oct. 13 under the lights of Perkins Stadium. Jacob Erbs (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) registered a team-high 10 tackles, and Harry Henschler (Janesville, Wis./Craig) compiled four tackles for a loss, including three sacks, to lead the defense. Drew Patterson (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) ran for three touchdowns, including a 93-yarder, to lead the offense.

NOTABLE

• In UW-Whitewater's last trip to UW-La Crosse (2016), the Eagles erased a 21-9 deficit with 13 unanswered points to take a 22-21 advantage entering the fourth quarter. The Warhawks responded with 11 straight points over the final 15 minutes to close out a 32-22 victory. The last two games between the two teams have been decided late in the fourth quarter.
• Over the last 10 years (2008-17), UW-Whitewater is 32-3 in conference away games, good for a .914 winning percentage.
• The Warhawks and Eagles rank first and second, respectively, in all-time conference championships. UW-Whitewater owns a league-best 35, including 10 of the last 13. UW-La Crosse entered the 2018 season with 33, including six during the 1990s and three straight from 2002-04.