OSHKOSH, Wis.- Kobe Berghammer set the school single-game touchdown pass record in No. 21 UW-Oshkosh's 48-31 victory over Texas Lutheran University on Senior Day at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
Berghammer set the school record with seven touchdown passes and tossed a career-high 380 passing yards. Tony Steger also broke personal records, catching three touchdowns and recording 144 receiving yards in the season-opening win in front of 2,396 fans. Attendance was the highest since their 2021 home matchup against UW-Whitewater (3,466), excluding last season's homecoming matchup against UW-Stout (3,368).
The Titans (1-0) accumulated 525 total yards of offense, including 389 passing yards from three quarterbacks while holding TLU (0-1) to 289 yards of total offense. UWO also notched 25 first downs and converted two of their three fourth down conversion attempts.
The Bulldogs won the coin toss, deferred the decision to you and received the opening kickoff. They marched down the field quickly, scoring on a 28-yard touchdown pass in eight plays. Berghammer and Steger connected for their first touchdowns of the day on a 79-yard pass on the first pass of the subsequent drive to tie the game up at 7.
UWO scored again after forcing a punt, marching 80 yards to the end zone, including a 32-yard catch and run for Nate Smith. With first and goal at the 4-yard line, Berghammer threw his second touchdown to Trae Tetzlaff under the goal post.
A three and out with a pass breakup by Jordan Holland gave the Titans the ball back with 3:25 remaining in the first half. Bryce Huettner scored the first receiving touchdown of his career on a 10-yard pass from Berghammer, giving UWO a 21-7 lead headed into the second quarter.
TLU ate up 8:26 of the clock to begin the second quarter, eventually scoring on a 32-yard field goal after Jhe'veon St. Julien and Trent Riekkoff sacked Seth Cosme and Bryce Edwards recorded a 5-yard tackle for loss on consecutive plays.
Berghammer and Steger extended the Titans' lead to 27-10 at the end of another 75-yard drive on a 9-yard pass. Nolan Mobley's extra point attempt was blocked, but Edwin Beilke eventually jumped on the ball to save the Titans from two more Bulldog points.
Both teams had another possession before the first half ended, but neither scored.
The Titans opened the second half on the 25-yard line on a touchback kickoff from TLU. Fifteen plays of Titan offense later, Clayton Schwalbe caught a 1-yard Berghammer pass and Mobley connected on the extra point for a 24-point UWO lead.
UWO immediately regained control of the ball when a Mitch Borkovec forced fumble was recovered by Carson Raddatz and returned to the Bulldog 13-yard line. They turned the ball over after attempting a fourth down conversion, but Raddatz played hero again by intercepting the first pass Cosme attempted at the TLU 24-yard line.
With great starting field position, it only took Berghammer a 16-yard and 17-yard pass to reach the end zone for his personal record breaking sixth touchdown pass of the game.
After a holding penalty on fourth down turned the ball over to UWO at the TLU 23-yard line, Berghammer threw his school record-breaking seventh touchdown pass to Steger for 17 yards and gave the Titans a 48-10 lead.
TLU scored for the first time in the second half after intercepting a pass by Brooks Blount, who relieved Berghammer under center at the UWO 14-yard line. Cosme threw a 14-yard touchdown pass, and the extra point was good. The Bulldogs scored again on the following drive on a 40-yard fumble recovery and return, cutting the Titans' lead in half.
After a Titan drive ended in a punt, the Bulldogs ran 10 plays to reach the end zone for the last score of the game.
TLU got the ball back with 3:20 remaining in the game, but freshman punter Walleye Ratliff pinned them at their own 2-yard line with a beautiful 32-yard punt just outside the end zone.
Jared Saad intercepted the second Bulldog pass of the day with 1:35 left and the Titans closed the win out with three kneels.
The Titans head on the road next weekend to face Wheaton College (Ill.) (0-0) on Saturday (Sept. 9) at 1 p.m.