Into the grizzlies' den.  Or make that, Grizzlies' den.  UW-Whitewater, 1-0 and ranked first in the D3footbal.com poll, travels to Franklin, Indiana to face Franklin College, 1-0 and ranked twenty-first, for a 12:00 (CT) kickoff in Faught Stadium in Branigan Athletic Field.

The game will be audio streamed, video streamed, and broadcast on WKCH, 106.5 FM.

UW-W has planned a special tailgate event for the Franklin game.  Fans interested in attending please Kat Bastien (262-472-7031; bastienk@uww.edu).

The game is a rematch of a 2010 NCAA III playoff first round game that UW-W won 52-21.  The names on the front of the jerseys may be all that is the same as last year.  First, this one is in Franklin, not Perkins Stadium.  Second, both coaches will point out that this is a regular season game -- and a non-conference contest at that.  It is another opportunity for both coaches to prepare their teams for the start of their conference season.  Finally, the cast has changed considerably.  UW-W has just eight starters back from the team that took the field last November.  Franklin starts twelve sophomores and two freshmen.  

Be that as it may, the fact that teams that want to be ranked in national polls and, most important, by the NCAA committee, have to take care of business every week.  And this one will be noticed. 

Last Year
With just over three minutes left in the first half the game was deadlocked 14-14.  Lee Brekke (Sun Prairie/Sun Prairie), making his first start, tossed a 15 scoring pass to Aaron Rusch (Hartford/Hartford) with twenty-five seconds left in the half to send UW-W into the lockerroom with a 2-14 lead.  With 2:16 left in the third Kyle Ray hit Matt Zmich with a seven yard pass to pull Franklin within ten, 31-21.  From that point on it was a different game, with Whitewater scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the 52-21 final. 

Two of the scores in the surge came as a result of the Warhawk defense.  Linebacker Lane Olson (Racine/Horlick) forced a fumble that fellow 'backer Greg Arnold (Big Bend/Mukwonago) returned to the Franklin 31, and later defensive back Matt McCullouch returned an intercepted pass to the Grizzlie 32. 

Whitewater rushed for 157 yards, 134 of those by Levell Coppage (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park), and the Warhawk defense limited Franklin to minus 11 yards on 26 carries.  (The second lowest total allowed by the Whitewater defense last season.  UW-Platteville had minus 12 September 30.)   Admittedly some of those minus yards came on sacks (college rules), because Franklin definitely came in planning on throwing the ball.  The Grizzlies attempted 72 passes, completed 40 for 373 yards.  Matt Zimich caught 17 of Ray's throws for 171 yards and the touchdown. 

Whitewater's Brekke, who had only thrown two passes this season, started the game in place of injured Matt Blanchard (Lake Zurich, IL/Lake Zurich).  You would not have known that watching Brekke go 23-30 for 292 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.  Brekke and Rusch combined for 12 receptions for 169 yards and the three scores. 

In addition to his fumble recovery Arnold had two sacks, six tackles and a pass breakup for UW-W.  Linebacker Teddy Henkle had nine tackles, one sack and a pass breakup for Franklin.

The Series
2010 was the first meeting between the schools.

The Coaches
Whitewater's Lance Leipold, in his first head coaching opportunity, has compiled a four year record of 58-3, including 28-1 in the WIAC.  He has earned national Division III coach of the year honors three of the four years, and WIAC Football Coach of the Year the last two.  Franklin's Mike Leonard, in his ninth year as a head coach (all at Franklin), is 58-28.  Leonard has been named Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Coach of the Year four of the last five years.

Franklin Notes
Franklin went 9-2 overall last year, 8-0 in winning the HCAC.  Franklin will present a variety of looks, including no running back, fielding a fleet of receivers. 

The Grizzlies opened the season with a barrage of points, winning at Valparaiso University 49-35.  Franklin rushed the ball 46 times for 221 yards (4.8 average), and still threw the ball 51 times, completing 32 for 448 yards.  Back Ethan Cook, listed second on Franklin's two-deep, carried the all 19 times for 116 yards.  Five of FC's seven touchdowns came via the pass.  Sophomore Jonny West, who compiled those stats, was under center.  West threw a pair of interceptions.  Split ends Kyle Linville and Mitch Deffner each caught eight passes, with Linville gobbling up 151 yards.  Franklin doubled Valpo's 18 first downs, and out-gained the Crusaders 669-463.  Franklin also did not hurt themselves with penalties, committing just three in the win. 

The Franklin defense features First Team All-HCAC linebacker David O'Rourke, a senior, and cornerback Zack Corpe, the HCAC Freshman of the Year in 2010.  Corpe also returns kicks.  O'Rourke had two sacks at VU, and Corpe made seven tackles and forced a fumble.  Sophomore linebacker Scott Moore led Franklin with nine tackles against Valparaiso.

Franklin's home field resembles the field UW-Whitewater plays on -- at least in history.  The stadium is named for Stewart "Red" Faught, Franklin's coach for 33 years.  The facility was renamed before last year started after a major renovation made possible by the generosity of the Branigan family.  Whitewater's Perkins Stadium is named for Forrest Perkins, their coach of 29 years who designed and raised money for the stadium.  The stadium was renovated prior to 2010 thanks the generosity of the Kachel family and their support of all athletic facilities.

UW-Whitewater Notes
UW-W opened the season with a 26-7 win at UW-La Crosse.  Although the game was against a fellow Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member, it was the first of two meetings this season and was designated as a non-conference game.  WIAC schools have found it difficult, and in tight economic times, expensive, to schedule non-conference opponents.

Sophomore placekicker Eric Kindler (Germantown/Germantown) earned WIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.  Kindler was 4-4 on field goals (38-33-41-36) and 2-2 on PATs.  He also kicked off seven times, with six of those at or inside the ten yard line.

Matt Blanchard (Lake Zurich, IL/Lake Zurich) resumed the duties at quarterback, seeming none the worse for the forced layoff.  Blanchard went 18-30 for 248 yards.  Blanchard did not throw a pick, after throwing 225 passes with just one interception in 2010.  Sophomore Luke Menzel (Sheboygan Falls/Oostburg) caught six passes for 61 yards, and 2010 D3football.com Offensive Player of the Year Levell Coppage (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park) ran 21 times for 108 yards (5.1 average).  The Warhawk defense held the Eagles to nine first downs and 119 yards overall.  That total included 40 yards passing on 7-17 attempts.  Linebacker Kyle Wismer (Spring Grove, IL/Richmond-Burton) led the Whitewater defenders with six tackles plus one for a loss.  Defensive end Anthony Dowery (Saint Francis/Milwaukee South) had five, and was in on a sack and a tackle for a loss.

UW-W's win streak, longest in any Division of NCAA football, has reached thirty-one games.  That streak includes seventeen in a row in non-conference play.

By the Numbers
UW-Whitewater
    Offensive Line (5 players) Averages:  287 pounds
    Defensive Line (4 players) Averages:  252 pounds
    Offense, Class Breakdown:  6 seniors, 5 juniors
    Defense, Class Breakdown:  5 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores
Franklin College
    Offensive Line (5 players) Averages:   260 pounds
    Defensive Line (3 players) Averages:  259 pounds
    Offense, Class Breakdown:  1 senior, 4 juniors, 5 sophomores, 1 freshman
    Defense, Class Breakdown:  1 senior, 2 juniors, 7 sophomores, 1 freshman

What's Coming Up?
Time for some home cookin'.  The Warhawks' home opener, versus Campbellsville University (KY) is set for Saturday, September 17 at 12:00.  Tickets for home games can be purchased at the University Center ticket office on the main campus mall during normal business hours, and at the Perkins Stadium window on game day.  Call 262-472-2222 for ticket information.

Watch the live game here or here

For More Information
Tom Fick, UW-W sports information:  262-472-1147 or fickt@uww.edu
UW-Whitewater football web site:  http://uwwsports.com/index.aspx?tab=football&path=football
WIAC football web site:  http://wiacsports.com/index.aspx?tab=football&path=football
Kevin Elixson, Franklin sports information:  kelixman@franklincollege.edu, or 371-738-8184
Franklin football web site:  http://www.franklingrizzlies.com/mens-sports/mens-football/ 
HCAC football web site:  http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/fball/index
NCAA III football web site:  http://www.ncaa.com/sports/football/d3