Blugold Football Falls in Non-Conference Game at Platteville
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire football team got down early and couldn't recover in a 49-19 loss to 16th-ranked UW-Platteville in a non-conference contest at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium today.
The Pioneers (3-0) jumped out to the initial lead and built it up to 21-0 before Eau Claire (0-3) would get on the board. Platteville took its first drive 45 yards for a touchdown and then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Starting their drive from the Blugolds' four yard line, Platteville ran just one play and scored another touchdown.
On the Blugolds' next drive, they were moving down the field well, but Platteville picked off a pass on their own four yard line and then traveled 96 yards to score again to take a 21-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the Blugolds finally got on the board as they went 74 yards in 17 plays, using almost seven minutes. The drive ended with an eight yard pass from Austin Neu (Sr.-Iron Ridge, Minn./Hustisford) to Cody Gerver (So.-Mahtomedi, Minn.) to an Eau Claire touchdown. Video of Touchdown
But Platteville answered on the next drive to make the score 28-7 and then built a 35-7 lead by halftime.
In the second half, Eau Claire took its first drive 74 yards, this time in five plays in only 1:38, but after a blocked PAT, the Blugolds found themselves down 35-13. Joel Sweeney (Jr.-Tomah, Wis.) finished the drive with a six-yard run. The score remained the same the rest of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Platteville capped off a 97-yard drive in the end zone and went up 42-13, but the Blugolds answered with a touchdown on the next drive. This time it was Neu to Austin Goetsch (Sr.-Waunakee, Wis.) for 25 yards. A failed two-point conversion attempt left the score 42-19. Platteville added one final score with 3:54 remaining.
Eau Claire finished with 406 yards of offense (175 rushing, 231 passing) while Platteville had 507 (93 rushing, 414 passing).
The Blugolds had both a 100+-yard rusher and 100+-yard receiver. Sweeney finished with 100 yards on 23 carries while Goetsch had 107 yards receiving on seven catches. Neu finished the game with 231 passing, going 17-for-33 with two touchdowns.
On defense, Coltan Ellis (Jr.-Rice Lake, Wis.) led the Blugolds with nine tackles (eight solos, one assist).
Next Saturday, the Blugolds will be at home again, taking on UW-Stout for homecoming. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
-KM-
