The sixth-ranked UW-La Crosse football team has no time to rest on their laurels following a win last week over then-No. 3 UW-Whitewater — the first against the Warhawks in 19 years.
That’s because the Eagles (4-1, 2-0) will face another tough opponent Saturday when they play at UW-Platteville, which is ranked just outside the latest Top 25 poll.
Pregame on WKTY begins at 12:45 p.m., kickoff at 1 p.m. Tune in on 96.7 FM / 580 AM.
The Eagles have struggled in easily solving the Pioneers (3-2, 1-1) in recent years — especially on the road.
UW-L has lost three of the last four at Platteville before 2021, when it escaped with a one-point victory, after Pioneer quarterback Colin Schuetz kneeled on the ball with no timeouts instead of spiking it, with his team deep inside Eagle territory.
UW-L coach Matt Janus, a former player and defensive coordinator for Platteville, admitted the stadium had not been the site of easy wins.
“We don’t play well there,” Janus said. “We’re taking our first road trip where we aren’t staying in a hotel before the game, the weather is supposed to be bad, and we played in front of 20,000 people last week. I told our guys this stadium’s going to be louder.”
Despite not being in the Top 25, Janus says the lack of respect doesn’t equate the challenge the team represents.
“For people who know Division III football and watch Division III football, this is a Top 15 team,” Janus said. “We vote for teams who haven’t played anyone. Defensively and offensively, they’re playing really well.”
Platteville’s losses have come against No. 4 River Falls and Division 2 foe Michigan Tech. It averages 37 points per game.
Pressure was a factor last week flustering UW-Whitewater quarterback Alec Ogden and, right in the middle of the action, was defensive tackle Marquis Cagle — a La Crosse Central.
Cagle has eight tackles this season, and recovered a fumble last week, which later turned into a touchdown. Janus says Cagle is just scratching the surface of his potential.
“I think he’s a nightmare to be honest,” Janus said. “He’s still just a sophomore and he’s a handful on the interior. He just brings a different burst to the game.”
