PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The 15th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team fell to UW-Oshkosh in triple-overtime, 30-27, on Saturday at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.
The Titans improved to 6-4 and 6-1 in league play, taking sole possession of second-place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Pioneers end the regular season 7-3 and 5-2 in WIAC action.
In the snowy conditions, UW-Platteville put the ball in the hands of the WIAC's leading rusher senior Andy Puccini 38 times. The Bartlett, Ill. native, totaled a season-high 147 yards, and set a new Pioneer season rushing record with 1252 yards on the year.
Senior Bryce Corrigan threw three touchdown passes and completed 18-38 for 230 yards.
Junior Russell Martin led all receivers with 131 yards on six receptions and a touchdown. Senior Trevor Whitehead caught five passes for 35 yards and also had a touchdown, while Dan Arnoldrecorded 34 yards on four catches and a touchdown.
The Titans looked like they were going to score in the opening drive of the game, but the Pioneer defense stalled UWO's 13-play 64-yard drive at UW-Platteville's 10-yard line. Senior Rob Austinblocked a 26-yard field goal attempt to keep Oshkosh off the board.
UWO missed another field goal in the final minute of the first quarter, but finally got on the board first with a 26-yard field goal at the 7:17 mark in the second quarter.
The Pioneers took advantage of Titan miscue late in the second quarter. Corrigan found Martin open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass, putting UW-Platteville up 7-3 at the half.
UW-Platteville fumbled the ball on its first possession of the second half, and UWO made the Pioneers pay for the miscue. On the Titans' first play, Criag Schommer broke off a 65-yard touchdown run, giving UWO a 10-7 lead.
Corrigan conducted a nine-play 92-yard drive, which ended with a 23-yard field goal by Pat Frio, tying the game up at 10-10 with 4:04 let in regulation.
Both defense's stiffed up in the final four minutes and force each other to go three and out, putting the game into overtime.
Corrigan completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Arnold in the Pioneers first possession in overtime, 17-10. Titans answered with six-straight rushes by Dylan Hecker, which was capped off with a three-yard touchdown run, 17-17.
Hecker once again found the end zone in the second overtime, but the Pioneers responded with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Corrigan to Whitehead, 24-24.
In the third overtime the Titans' defense held UW-Platteville to field goal, 27-24. On Oshkosh's first play of the third overtime, Hecker fumbled but was able to recover to keep UWO alive. Then thethe very next play CJ Blackburn spun off a Pioneer defender and scampered for 23-yard touchdown run.
With Saturday's setback, the 18 Pioneer seniors will go into UW-Platteville history as one of the best senior classes, posting a 32-10 career record.