The No. 6-ranked UW-River Falls football team heads back on the road this week for its fourth matchup against a ranked opponent this season, taking on UW-Platteville, the top-ranked team in the first release of the 2026 NCAA Division III Power Index (NPI) and No. 3 in this week's AFCA Coaches' Poll.

• Saturday's contest marks the 68th all-time matchup between the Falcons and Pioneers, with UWRF holding a 36-30-1 series advantage.
• The Falcons are 4-2 against the Pioneers in the last five matchups, including a 31-21 victory last season in River Falls. 

• The Falcons earned a dramatic 34-31 overtime victory over UW-Oshkosh on Homecoming last Saturday in River Falls, improving to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in WIAC play.
• UWRF trailed 31-24 late in the third quarter before rallying to force overtime. Frank Daniels connected with Austin Rush on a 21-yard touchdown pass with three minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game at 31-31. In overtime, Prince Frahm blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt before Johnny Figgins converted a 35-yard kick to seal the victory.
• The Falcons' defense and special teams combined for four blocked kicks, including three field goals and a punt. Jared Schultz returned a blocked punt by Taylor Sussner 15 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, while Noah Nusbaum blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter and Frahm delivered the decisive block in overtime. UWRF also intercepted three passes from UW-Oshkosh quarterback Demir Ashiru, with Schultz, Braden Jones and Nusbaum recording one apiece.
• Cade Fitzgerald led UWRF with 106 rushing yards on 24 carries and a touchdown as the Falcons totaled 211 rushing yards. Rush caught eight passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns, while Figgins connected on both field-goal attempts and was 4-for-4 on PATs.

• A pair of Falcons collected weekly honors following UWRF's 34-31 overtime victory over UW-Oshkosh.
• Johnny Figgins was named the WIAC Special Teams Player of the Week after nailing the 35-yard game-winning field goal. He also made a 32-yard field goal to tie the game in teh third quarter, and was 4-for-4 on PAT attempts.
• John Klefstad was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week at defensive tackle. He finished with seven tackles and a team-high two tackles for loss while making several key stops in the second half and overtime.

• UWRF remains at No. 6 in this week's D3football.com Top 25 and dropped one spot to No. 8 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll.

• Interim head coach Jake Wissing, in his 16th season at UWRF and first as head coach after five years as defensive coordinator, earned his first career victory in the Falcons' 73-7 season-opening win over Southern Virginia on Sept. 3.
• UWRF's defense continues to rank among the nation's best, allowing just 257.0 yards and 16.4 points per game through five contests. The Falcons lead the WIAC and rank third in NCAA Division III in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on just 45.5 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line, while their 42 tackles for loss rank second in the WIAC and among the top 20 nationally. Noah Nusbaum and Kody Curtis rank among the top five in the conference in tackles for loss, combining for 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
• UWRF has controlled both sides of the ball, outgaining opponents 2,019-1,285 in total offense through five games. The Falcons own a 120-66 advantage in first downs and have outscored opponents 192-82.
• Special teams have been a weapon for UWRF this season. The Falcons' five blocked kicks are tied for the second-most in NCAA Division III and lead the WIAC.
• UWRF's offense remains balanced, averaging 211.2 passing yards and 192.6 rushing yards per game while accounting for 22 total touchdowns.
• Quarterback Cade Fitzgerald ranks sixth in the WIAC with 196.6 yards of total offense per game. He has accounted for 10 touchdowns and 983 total yards through five games.
• Senior wide receiver Austin Rush ranks second in the WIAC with 29 receptions and leads UWRF with 333 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. Rush and Ben Wesolowski have combined for 49 receptions, 560 yards and eight touchdowns this season.