PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Behind a strong rushing attack, the No. 13 University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team (5-1, 2-1 WIAC) upset No. 4 UW-La Crosse (4-1, 2-1 WIAC) by a score of 38-21 inside Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Pioneers ran for 284 yards on 49 carries in the win, with sophomore quarterback Nathan Uselding and freshman running back Blake Bangston each surpassing the 100-yard mark. Uselding found success in the read-option game, turning nine carries into a team-high 113 yards and touchdown, including a long of 42 yards. Bangston churned out 105 yards and score on 19 attempts, and sophomore Trevor Burnett pitched in with 61 yards on 14 carries.

Uselding rode the running game into an efficient day through the air, completing 12-of-16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns while turning the ball over once. Trevor Syse was his favorite target, as the senior hauled in all five of his targets for 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Eagles stuck first, as quarterback Kyle Haas found wide receiver Jack Janke on a quick pass that Janke turned into a 60-yard touchdown. UW-Platteville answered on the following drive after a 19-yard run by Uselding and 15-yard catch by Syse set up a first and goal. On that play, Uselding kept the ball on a play fake and ran to wide open grass for a touchdown to tie game.

Following a UW-La Crosse punt, the Pioneers took the lead after Uselding hit Syse for a leaping 30-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play. Both teams would trade punts for the next couple possessions until UW-Platteville put together a 13-play, 90-yard scoring drive to increase the lead to 21-7. The Pioneers ran the ball 10 times on the drive, but Uselding completed a one-yard touchdown pass on a screen to junior Kristian Gavric for the culminating score.

UW-La Crosse cut the deficit to one score just before halftime after Haas scrambled on a third-down play for a nine-yard touchdown.

Coming out of the break, Uselding orchestrated a quick scoring drive, highlighted by a 42-yard rush by the quarterback. The Pioneers gambled on fourth-down again, and Uselding found Syse over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown.

The score remained the same until the fourth quarter, when the Eagles got back within 10 on the second touchdown pass of the game from Haas to Janke following a Pioneers field goal make by freshman Brady Mobley. UW-La Crosse forced an interception on the ensuing drive, but the Pioneers defense came through with a sack and fumble recovery by senior Logan Drone deep in Eagles territory. Bangston needed just one play to add to the lead, as he outran the UW-La Crosse defense to the right pylon for the touchdown.

The Eagles drove the ball into the UW-Platteville red zone, but back-to-back incomplete passes handed the ball back to the Pioneers following the turnover on downs. The Pioneers offense was able to run out the clock behind the running game, with a 30-yard run by Bangston helping seal the win.

Thanks to the early lead, the Pioneers were able to turn the Eagles into a one-dimensional unit, as UW-La Crosse attempted 41 passes compared to 21 rush attempts. Haas finished 31-of-41 for 299 yards and two touchdowns, with Janke hauling in nine passes for 147 yards and both scores.

Juniors Ollie Hughes and Ethan Bode and sophomore Rodney Gavins Jr. led the Pioneers with six tackles apiece. Hughes came through with a pair of tackles in the backfield to help stymie Eagles drives, while Drone and junior Elijah Krantz each recorded a sack. The pass rush disrupted the Eagles throughout the game, as the team totaled five additional quarterback hurries, two of which came from sophomore Ashton Honore.

Mobley went 5-of-5 on extra points and 1-of-1 on field goal tries with his 39-yard make early in the fourth quarter. He also turned seven kickoffs into 425 yards and a touchback. Junior punter Benjamin Younker was called upon twice, finishing with 84 yards and one inside the 20-yard line.

The Pioneers held a time of possession advantage of 34:31 to 25:29 and outgained the Eagles 455 to 348. UW-La Crosse was better on third downs, going 9-of-16 compared to 3-of-9, but UW-Platteville was a perfect 2-of-2 on fourth downs, with touchdowns coming on both plays.

UW-Platteville travels to UW-Whitewater (5-1, 2-1 WIAC) next Saturday for the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
 
*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a free ice cream cone (with purchase) the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering a free churro (with purchase) the day after each Pioneer win.