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Football

Football Opens WIAC Schedule at UW-Whitewater

The No. 2-ranked UW-River Falls football team opens its 2026 WIAC schedule this Saturday, traveling to face No. 6/7-ranked UW-Whitewater.

UW-RIVER FALLS (3-0, 0-0 WIAC) AT UW-WHITEWATER (3-0, 0-0 WIAC)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Whitewater, Wis. // Perkins Stadium



AGAINST THE WARHAWKS
  • Saturday's matchup marks the 68th all-time matchup between UW-River Falls and UW-Whitewater, with the Warhawks holding a 44-21-2 series advantage.
  • Last season, the Falcons defeated the Warhawks for the first time since 2001, snapping a 22-game losing streak in the series with a 52-14 win in River Falls. The 52 points matched UWRF's program record for most points scored against UWW. The Falcons also defeated UWW by a score of 52-28 in 1998.
LAST TIME OUT
  • The Falcons closed out their non-conference schedule unbeaten with a statement win at Wartburg College in a top-10 showdown on Sept. 19 in Waverly, Iowa, earning a victory in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
  • UWRF jumped to a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter and took a 24-14 advantage into halftime before holding Wartburg scoreless over the final two quarters. Trevor Asher capped the scoring with a 67-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.
  • Asher rushed for a career-high 164 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while Cade Fitzgerald accounted for two touchdowns, completing 22 of 28 passes for 190 yards and adding 46 rushing yards and a touchdown. Austin Rush led the Falcons with eight receptions for 82 yards.
  • The Falcons totaled 429 yards of offense, including 239 on the ground, while limiting Wartburg to 212 total yards and just 35 rushing yards. UWRF also held a 25-12 advantage in first downs and controlled the clock for 37:09.
  • Taylor Sussner, Nolan Israelson and Jared Schultz each recorded six tackles, with Sussner adding a sack, two pass breakups and a forced fumble and Schultz recording an interception. The Falcons finished with four sacks and two takeaways.
  • Taylor Sussner was named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week while the UWRF offensive line (Masyn Wolf, Blake Ramlet, Grayden Thatcher, Jai Kalvik, Landon Weinmann) was selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week.
IN THE RANKINGS
  • UWRF remains ranked No. 2 in this week's D3football.com Top 25 national poll and moved up one spot to No. 2 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
FALCON NOTES
  • 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 owns the WIAC's top rushing defense and ranks third in NCAA Division III, allowing just 24.3 yards per game. The Falcons have outrushed their opponents 692-73 through three games, while opponents are averaging just 0.8 yards per carry and have yet to score a rushing touchdown. Trevor Asher leads UWRF with 280 rushing yards, third most in the WIAC, while his three rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the conference.
  • The Falcons have recorded 29 tackles for loss and 13 sacks, led by Kody Curtis with 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Noah Nusbaum has four tackles for loss and two sacks.
  • The Falcon defense has been equally effective on third down, allowing just seven conversions on 43 attempts for a 16.3-percent success rate. Nolan Israelson leads UWRF with 19 tackles, followed by Beau Schrot and Noah Nusbaum with 14 apiece.
  • UWRF has displayed impressive offensive balance with 735 passing yards and 692 rushing yards, scoring exactly nine touchdowns both through the air and on the ground. Quarterback Cade Fitzgerald has accounted for seven touchdowns with four passing and three rushing.
  • The Falcons have spread the production around offensively. Austin Rush leads the receiving corps with 16 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns, while 12 different Falcons have caught a pass and seven have recorded a touchdown reception.
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Players Mentioned

Trevor Asher

#24 Trevor Asher

RB
6' 1"
Junior
Kody Curtis

#98 Kody Curtis

DL
6' 2"
Junior
Cade Fitzgerald

#10 Cade Fitzgerald

QB
6' 1"
Senior
Nolan Israelson

#14 Nolan Israelson

LB
6' 0"
Junior
Jai Kalvik

#71 Jai Kalvik

OL
6' 6"
Junior
Noah Nusbaum

#46 Noah Nusbaum

LB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Blake Ramlet

#64 Blake Ramlet

OL
6' 3"
Sophomore
Austin Rush

#3 Austin Rush

WR
5' 11"
Senior
Beau Schrot

#91 Beau Schrot

DL
6' 3"
Junior
Jared Schultz

#31 Jared Schultz

DB
6' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Trevor Asher

#24 Trevor Asher

6' 1"
Junior
RB
Kody Curtis

#98 Kody Curtis

6' 2"
Junior
DL
Cade Fitzgerald

#10 Cade Fitzgerald

6' 1"
Senior
QB
Nolan Israelson

#14 Nolan Israelson

6' 0"
Junior
LB
Jai Kalvik

#71 Jai Kalvik

6' 6"
Junior
OL
Noah Nusbaum

#46 Noah Nusbaum

6' 0"
Sophomore
LB
Blake Ramlet

#64 Blake Ramlet

6' 3"
Sophomore
OL
Austin Rush

#3 Austin Rush

5' 11"
Senior
WR
Beau Schrot

#91 Beau Schrot

6' 3"
Junior
DL
Jared Schultz

#31 Jared Schultz

6' 0"
Sophomore
DB