Jeremy Roach scored on a four-yard run with 35 seconds remaining, lifting UW-Oshkosh to a 23-20 win over host UW-Platteville Saturday.
Roach's TD capped a 12-play, 78-yard drive and gave the Titans their only lead of the game. UWO improved to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Pioneers slipped to 3-4, 1-3.
The Pioneers forged a 17-7 lead in the first half that was marred by seven combined turnovers. The Pioneers' Jimmy Spehn caught a 19-yard pass from Mitch Shadley for the first quarter's only points.
The Titans tied the score when Nate Heard stepped in front of a Shadley pass and went 25 yards down the sideline for a TD.
UWP put on 10 more points in the second quarter, thanks to a pair of fumble recoveries. Jesse Lindemulder scooped up a Titan drop on a punt return, giving the ball to the Pioneers on the 27. UWP got as close as the 12, but settled for Tony Smidl's 36-yard field goal, making him UWP's career leader with 29.
Eric Jensen pounced on a fumble at the Titan 37, setting up a Shadley to Travis Nelson 12-yard scoring strike with 56 seconds left in the half.
The Titans narrowed the gap to 17-10 on an Aaron Lindsay 27-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.
John Kelly, coming off a five touchdown performance in last week's JV win over Augustana, entered the game as quarterback and led the Pioneers on a 22-yard scoring drive in his first varsity action. Smidl scored from 32 yards out with 1:10 left in the third quarter for a 20-10 Pioneer lead.
UWO answered with two long touchdown drives, the first covering 11 plays and 77 yards. Wara lept over the pile on fourth-and-inches with 12:02 remaining. The Pioneers held the ball for 14 plays and 7:37, but failed to turn the drive into points. Smidl was just wide from 38 yards. The Titans began their last drive at the 22, capped by Roach's touchdown.
The Titans kept the Pioneers frustrated in the red zone, as UWP converted four of eight chances. UWP was intercepted in the end zone (by Heard), missed two field goals and fumbled on the 19. The Pioneers also stalled on the Titan 33.
Shadley passed for 146 yards and the two scores, while Kelly ws 3-5 for 25 yards. Chad Roscoe led the UWP rushers with 48 yards, and Spehn and Joe Burkeland each caught four passes.
Wara ran 17 times for 86 yards and passed for 92 for UWO, who gained 222 of its 320 yards in the second half.
Lindemulder recovered two fumbles before joining fellow linebacker Tom Bruins on the sideline with an injury in the second half. Bruins also had a 21-yard interception return. Reserve Ross Mueller stepped in and led the Pioneers with seven solo tackles. He and Randy Langer each recorded seven total tackles.
James Taraboi, the nation's second-leading tackler, had 16 total stops, including 13 solos. Heard broke up two passes to go with his two interceptions.
