The No. 6-ranked UW-River Falls football team opens conference play and hosts UW-Eau Claire on Saturday during UWRF Homecoming.

UW-RIVER FALLS (3-0, 0-0 WIAC) VS. UW-EAU CLAIRE (1-2, 0-0 WIAC)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: River Falls, Wis. // Smith Stadium at Ramer Field


 
HOMECOMING

• Fans have the opportunity to donate non-perishable food items throughout the week at the Falcon Center. All items will be donated to Freddy's Food Pantry.
• Homecoming Parade
  • 10 a.m. - Downtown River Falls
• Homecoming Tailgate
  • 11:30 a.m. - Smith Stadium at Ramer Field
  • Food trucks, beer & wine, Hailey James performance
• Shriner's 62nd Annual East/West Homecoming game

AGAINST THE BLUGOLDS

• Saturday's matchup marks the 102nd all-time meeting between UW-River Falls and UW-Eau Claire, with the series lead in favor of UWRF at 54-40-7.
• Last season, the Falcons defeated the Blugolds 49-7 in Eau Claire. 

IN THE RANKINGS

• UWRF remained ranked at No. 6 for the second week in a row by both D3football.com and the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
• UWRF was tabbed to finish third in the 2024 WIAC Preseason Poll. UW-La Crosse, the defending league co-champions, has been picked to capture the 2024 WIAC Championship.
• Last season, the Falcons were ranked among the top 25 throughout the season and earned the program's highest national rankings by a coaches' poll and national media outlet, ranked as high as No. 4 by D3football.com and the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll. UWRF led the WIAC with 298 total first downs (2nd/NCAA DIII), 43 points per game, passing offense (329.5 yards per game), 527.1 yards of total offense per game, and red zone defense (71.9%).

LAST TIME OUT

• The Falcons are coming off a 68-9 win at Mount St. Joseph University last Saturday, Sept. 28 in Cincinnati, Ohio. UWRF's win over the Lions, who are reigning back-to-back Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) champions, marked the third in a row to wrap up the non-conference schedule with a 3-0 record. 
• UWRF compiled a season-high six rushing touchdowns and 507 yards of total offense (303 rushing, 204 passing) while limiting its opponent to a single-digit scoring number for the second game in a row. The Falcon defense also forced four turnovers (including three interceptions) while holding MSJ to 3-of-15 on third downs.
• Offensively, seven different Falcons found the end zone, featuring four scores led by quarterback Cade Fitzgerald who rushed for two touchdowns and passed for a pair. Fitzgerald tallied 278 yards of total offense while both of his passing touchdowns went to Austin Rush.
• Jack Olson led the defense with a career-high 11 tackles along with two tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup.
• For the second game in a row, the Falcons blocked a punt and ran it in for a score. During the opening drive for MSJ just minutes into the game, Andre Hall blocked a Lion put attempt that was recovered and ran in for the game's opening score by Gage Timm. 
• Cade Fitzgerald was named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week, Jack Olson was named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week, and Gage Timm was named the Special Teams Player of the Week.

FALCON NOTES

• UWRF is ranked fourth nationally in scoring offense with an average of 58.3 points per game, and ninth in third down conversion percentage (56.1%), leading the WIAC in both categories. 
• During the season opener at No. 7-ranked Alma College, senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha compiled 426 yards of total offense with five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in just three quarters to become UW-River Falls' all-time leader with 8,234 career yards of total offense. The previous record of 7,880 total yards was set by Ryan Kusilek (2012-15). He was named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career.
• Through three games, linebacker Gage Timm leads the Falcons with 28 total tackles (2nd/WIAC). He tallied 20 at Alma, UWRF's most by an individual since 2019, and he was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.
• Wide receiver Austin Rush, who scored his first touchdown as a Falcon at Alma, now has receiving touchdowns in all three games this season and leads the team with 13 catches for 172 yards. His four receiving touchdowns is tied for second in the WIAC.
• Cade Fitzgerald's four rushing touchdowns is tied for the lead in the WIAC, while his 240 rushing yards ranks third.
• Three Falcons are ranked on the top five in the WIAC in tackles for loss, with Gage Timm, Ian Gould, and Jack Olson combining for 10.5 tackles for loss.
• Senior defensive back Aaron Borgerding was named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy, an award that recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.