Photo by Luke Zayas/True To The Cru/LukeZayasMedia from the 2023 matchup between UMHB and UWW in Belton
It has finally arrived. The rematch between UMHB and UW-Whitewater is here. For the fourth straight season, we will see two of Division III’s most well-respected programs battle it out, and a nationwide audience is sure to be keeping an eye on the way it unfolds. That’s the way it is with a matchup like this one.
UMHB enters the game unranked, not currently in the D3football.com or AFCA Top 25, but receiving votes. UWW is third in both national polls, as has been since the season started. Yet, with the familiarity between these non-conference opponents and the magnitude of the atmosphere sure to be found at Whitewater’s Perkins Stadium on Saturday, rankings more or less go out the window. The talent is there for both teams, and so is the experience. UWW is the favorite, no doubt, especially at home, but UMHB proved last year that it was more than equipped for the challenge and the physical style of play that has helped UWW maintain consistent success year after year.
“There’s nothing negative about taking this game,” UMHB head coach Larry Harmon said at his press conference on Monday. “If you want to be in the top eight in the playoffs and have a chance to really make a run at being a national champion, you have to be able to play in these games and win these games. To have the opportunity to have this kind of an environment in Week 3 is nothing but a positive.”
Indeed, with this being UMHB’s lone non-league game against a D-III opponent, The Cru is eager for the opportunity to take another step forward this week. And of course, the chance to avenge last season’s 17-14 loss adds just a little bit more intensity to the contest. With kickoff quickly approaching, here’s our Week 3 preview of this highly-anticipated non-conference showdown presented by Montgomery Chiropractic.
Montgomery Chiropractic is a proud supporter of UMHB Athletics and a Gold Sponsor of True To The Cru. Serving Belton, Temple, Salado and its surrounding communities for over four decades, Montgomery Chiro is committed to helping your body heal itself naturally, taking a holistic, drug-free approach to re-align your spine. Learn more today at montgomerychiropractic.com or give them a call at 254-939-5801.
Quick Facts
Kickoff time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Place: Whitewater, Wisconsin (Perkins Stadium)
Conferences: UW-Whitewater: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic (WIAC), UMHB: American Southwest (ASC)
Records: UW-Whitewater (2-0, 0-0 WIAC), UMHB (1-1, 0-0 ASC)
All-Time Series History
This marks the 11th meeting between these two traditional powerhouses, with the six of those previous 10 contests coming in the postseason. UMHB and UWW met for the first time during the 2006 regular season in a defense-dominated, 7-3 win for the Warhawks in Belton. They played again in 2007, with UWW winning 41-14 at home on Oct. 27, and returned to Whitewater for a second game as part of the Division III quarterfinals in which second-ranked UWW defeated the fourth-ranked Crusaders, 16-7.
This matchup marks the third straight year in which the programs have met in the regular season, with UWW having won the first two. In fact, counting three playoff meetings from 2018-2021, these two programs have played every season (excluding the abbreviated Covid year) for the last five years, with that streak to become six on Saturday.
UWW leads the series all-time, 8-2, and is 3-1 at home against The Cru. UMHB’s lone win over the Warhawks at Perkins Stadium came during the Stagg Bowl run in 2021, as the Crusaders took a 24-7 victory in the national semifinals.
Recapping last year’s contest
The 2023 version of this matchup saw UWW venture down to Belton for the first time since the 2019 playoffs—a 26-7 win for the Warhawks—in UMHB’s home opener. After kickoff was delayed for three hours due to storms in the area, UMHB came out aiming for the upset in front of its home crowd. The defense, who had struggled in losses to UW-River Falls and Trinity, stepped up with what ended up being one of its best performances of the season, holding a potent UWW offense that had scored 56 points against No. 4 St. John’s the previous week to just 17.
And UMHB’s offense took advantage of its opportunities, particularly through the air, with quarterback Isaac Phe completing 15-of-25 passes for an average of 12.8 yards per completion. His lone passing touchdown came with 10:25 left in the third quarter, as TJ Rone caught a 33-yard pass from Phe, tying the score at 14-14. UWW answered with its second-longest possession of the game, a six-minute, 13-play drive that spanned 46 yards and culminated in a 46-yard field goal from Jeff Isolato-McGuire with 4:25 left in the third. Neither side scored for the remainder of the contest, with UMHB turning the ball over on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter, as UWW hung on for the road win. It ended up being UWW’s smallest margin of victory in a game last season, as well as the Warhawks’ lowest point total.
A look at The Cru
UMHB is 1-1 overall, but has not yet played a Division III opponent this season. The Crusaders began their campaign with a 20-10 road loss at Bethel (TN), a program that is currently ranked No. 6 nationally in the NAIA. Last weekend’s home opener saw The Cru win big, 85-6, over unaffiliated Westgate Christian University, though stats from that game were unofficial considering WCU is not part of the NCAA or NAIA.
While two games is a small sample size, especially with neither opponent being Division III, UMHB’s defense has put up good numbers thus far. Led by preseason All-American Durand Hill, who had three tackles for loss, an interception, and forced a safety last week, The Cru has been consistent on the defensive side under the direction of new coordinator Mark Carey. Factoring in last week’s numbers (which are unofficial), UMHB has allowed 196.5 yards of offense per game through the season’s first two weeks, highlighted by an average of 102.0 passing yards per contest. The ASC’s top passing defense in 2023, the Crusaders appear to be in top form in that aspect, with quality depth across the board, from pass rushers on the defensive line to cornerbacks and safeties in the secondary.
Offensively, UMHB came away with room to improve after putting up just 10 points at Bethel. Five turnovers—four interceptions and a fumble—primarily contributed to the low offensive output, stopping several promising drives that seemed to be on track to the end zone. While the quality of opponent was significantly lower last week, UMHB found a clear rhythm on offense and established depth on that side of the ball as well, putting up 80 or more points in a game for the first time since the 2021 season opener. Limiting turnovers will be crucial for The Cru on Saturday, as will establishing the run game early. UMHB’s balanced offense can be dangerous, especially with the talent the Crusaders have at the skill positions, and a lot of that is predicated on the entire unit being in sync. Last week, the offensive chemistry showed improvment, and there is no doubt offensive coordinator Andy Padron, having gone up against UWW’s defense in both 2022 and 2023, will have a strong gameplan ready.
3 Players to Watch
DE Te’Ron Brown: The senior from Orange, Texas is one of the top edge rushers UMHB has, and displayed that in the win over WCU, earning UMHB’s defensive game ball. Brown tallied two solo tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and forced a fumble that led to Ronald Tatum’s fumble recovery and touchdown. With the matchup between UWW’s offensive line and UMHB’s defensive front being so crucial to the outcome of this game, Brown’s presence will be key on the Crusaders’ defensive line.
RB Kamerin Ferguson: After the loss to Bethel, Larry Harmon spoke about developing more trust between UMHB’s running backs and the offensive line, a necessary aspect in finding success in the run game. We certainly saw an improvement in that area against WCU, and Ferguson rushed for 185 yards on just six carries, scoring touchdowns of 87 and 72 yards, respectively. The transfer from D2 Southwest Baptist was also UMHB’s top running back against Bethel, running for a team-high 77 yards on 20 carries.
WR Jerry Cephus: The senior from Academy, Texas is one of Isaac Phe’s most reliable wideouts, and for the second-straight season, has gotten off to a relatively quick start. In the season opener, he tallied three receptions for 32 yards and followed that with two catches for 72 yards and a touchdown last week against WCU. His speed in the open field, along with the strength in his route-running will certainly be a challenge for UWW’s defensive backs to contend with on Saturday.
Scouting UW-Whitewater
The Warhawks are the third-ranked team in the country for good reason, and have done nothing but add value to that high ranking in the midst of a 2-0 start this fall. In a high-profile season opener against 19th-ranked John Carroll, UWW made a statement at home, winning 34-7.
The Warhawks shut out JCU for the first three quarters and for much of the fourth, as the defense put together a lights-out performance. In fact, JCU’s lone touchdown came with just one second left in the fourth quarter, meaning UWW maintained the shutout for 59:99 of the 60:00 minute contest. The Warhawks, known for their physicality, dominated up front defensively, and held JCU to an average of just 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. UWW carried that momentum into its road duel at Division II Roosevelt last weekend, and came away with a 24-14 win. Once again, the defense held strong against the run game, limiting Roosevelt to just 42 yards on the ground on 26 carries, though the Lakers stayed competitive until late in the fourth quarter, in part due to their 270 passing yards.
One of the staples of UWW’s success through the years has been its line play, on both sides of the ball, and the same holds true in 2024. The size, strength, and overall power of the offensive and defensive lines at UWW is difficult for most opponents to match, especially when those units work in unison. Whether it’s the offensive line paving the way for big gains by the UWW running backs, or the defensive front stopping the opposing rushing attack in its tracks, the Warhawks tend to be amongst the most effective teams in Division III when it comes to winning the battle in the trenches.
Of course, a byproduct of that from an offensive standpoint, is that once the rushing attack starts finding success, the passing game tends to naturally flow from it. UWW’s offense demonstrates this well, and while the Warhawks don’t throw the ball a ton—with 24.5 passing attempts per game—quarterback Jason Ceniti has thrown for an average of 140.5 yards per game. Through two weeks, UWW has run the football 61% of the time, while throwing it on 38% of their 126 offensive plays.
3 Players to Watch
QB Jason Ceniti: The senior signal caller is set to make his second career start against UMHB after going 11-of-18 for 98 passing yards in last year’s matchup. Through two games in 2024, Ceniti is 26-of-46 through the air for 281 yards and two scores. He has run for 73 yards on 14 rushing attempts as well, so he has the athleticism to escape the pocket when necessary. Ceniti’s arm strength is a key attribute, and the Madison, Wisconsin product has also gone eight straight games without an interception.
WR/KR Tyler Vasey: Harmon noted how important special teams are to winning a game of this caliber, and for UWW, Vasey is the type of playmaker that can change the game with his abilities as a returner on special teams. Just last week against Roosevelt, Vasey returned a kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown, earning WIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in the process. As UWW’s primary returner, Vasey’s speed is unparalleled, and UMHB’s kickoff and punting units will need to be on their toes. He is also a quality receiving threat for the Warhawk offense, and led the team with 51 receiving yards on two catches against Roosevelt.
LB Trey Castella: The senior leads UWW in solo tackles, with five, and is a centerpiece of the Warhawk defense. Castella opened the season with 1.5 tackles for loss and five total tackles in the Top 25 tilt against John Carroll, and followed that up with three solo tackles in the win over Roosevelt.
Storylines
The battle between UWW’s offensive line vs UMHB’s defensive line: Just as we saw in last year’s meeting, the battle in the trenches will be important, and you can expect much of this game to be decided on the ground. That is particularly the case for UWW, whose run game is explosive, though the Warhawks will be without standout running back Tamir Thomas, who told the InTheD3FBHuddle show on Friday that he is out for this week “due to precautionary reasons” related to an injury suffered last week. But UWW has depth at the running back position, and the offensive line has allowed just three tackles for loss this season. They’re exceptional in pass blocking too, with just two sacks allowed thus far. UMHB’s defensive line has a huge challenge on its hands, but has already experienced the feeling of going toe-to-toe with an offensive line of this size and caliber, as Bethel possessed many of the same challenges that UWW does. How UMHB’s defensive front matches up and battles UWW’s run game should have a big role to play in who comes out with the win.
Seeking a Top 25 win: UMHB enters this matchup seeking its first win over a Top 25 opponent in the regular season since the Crusaders’ 50-20 beatdown of sixth-ranked Hardin-Simmons in Abilene in Week 4 of the 2022 campaign.
Coaching connections: UWW head coach Jace Rindahl and UMHB head coach Larry Harmon previously faced off as the defensive coordinators of each of their respective programs in the 2021 playoff matchup in Whitewater, which UMHB won 24-7. Rindahl was also UWW’s defensive coordinator for the 2022 matchup, before his promotion to head coach last season. Additionally, Harmon was the defensive coordinator during Rindahl’s UWW playing days as part of the Warhawk defense, where he was a standout linebacker. He was also part of UWW’s four wins over the Crusader from 2006-2008, and prior to becoming defensive coordinator, was on the UWW coaching staff for playoff matchups against UMHB in 2018 and 2019. UWW also has three assistant coaches who faced UMHB as players.
Honoring Kara: Aside from the on-field aspects of this game, UMHB will be standing with UWW in honoring the memory of UWW gymnast Kara Welsh, who was tragically killed on August 30 in Whitewater. The Cru will be wearing “KW” decals on its helmets and presenting UWW with “a commemorative signed football with the KW decal in Kara’s honor,” per UMHB’s game notes.
FOLLOW
WATCH: The game will be livestreamed on the WIAC Network.
LISTEN: KMIL 105.1 FM will have the radio broadcast locally, with Jordan Cox on the play-by-play and Clif Carroll handling color commentary. Fans outside of the local area can listen live at cruathletics.com/listen.
STATS: UW-Whitewater will have live stats available here.
Week 3 ASC Schedule
UMHB at No. 3 UW-Whitewater, 1:00 p.m.
Howard Payne at Lyon, 6:00 p.m.
