The No. 17-ranked UW-River Falls football team will open its 2024 season this Saturday, Sept. 7, traveling to face No. 7-ranked Alma College.

UW-RIVER FALLS (0-0, 0-0 WIAC) AT ALMA COLLEGE (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. (ET)
Site: Alma, Mich. // Bahlke Field


 
THE SERIES
This Saturday's game marks the fourth all-time meeting between UW-River Falls and Alma College, with the Falcons holding a 3-0 series lead. The two teams last meet in 2009, a 40-27 UWRF win in River Falls.

2023 RECAP
UWRF is coming off a third consecutive winning season, going 7-3 during last year with a 4-3 WIAC record and a 5-1 mark away from Ramer Field. UWRF got off to a 5-0 start, the strongest in program history since 1993, including a win over No. 3-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Falcons also broke program records for margin of victory with 75-3 win at Northwestern, a school and WIAC record 863 yards of total offense along with a single-game record 11 touchdowns and the most points scored against a league opponent during a 75-14 win at UW-Stevens Point.

The Falcons return senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha,who established program records with 134 points and 3,882 yards of total offense a year ago and was a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist. The Falcons also return All-Region honoree Dylan Brown and former All-American Michael Brown, along with nine All-WIAC selections from 2023.

Matt Walker returns for his 14th season at the helm of the program, and was named the 2021 WIAC Co-Coach of the Year.

IN THE RANKINGS
UW-River Falls is ranked No. 17 in both the D3football.com and AFCA preseason polls. 

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%).