By: Justin Dade, UWEC Sports Information

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire football team will finish their opening three-game home stand this Saturday against the No. 7-ranked Wheaton Thunder (IL). After falling 41-7 to Concordia-Moorhead last week, the Blugolds will try to bounce back against a tough Wheaton team.

Things are progressing for the Blugolds, especially on offense, as they were able to move the ball more last week. Capitalizing on drives was the issue that the offense struggled with a week ago, so we will see how they adjust to try to put more points on the board. Freshman running back Toure Wallace (Fr. – Chicago, IL) saw his first action as a Blugold last week and really gave the running game a spark by extending runs after first contact. Establishing the running game early on Saturday will be huge for the Blugolds in order to control time of possession and keep the Wheaton offense on the sidelines. With an established running game, look for the Blugolds to throw in some play action passes for quarterback JT Denhartog (Fr. – Hopkins, MN) to use to his advantage.

The Thunder feature one of the most potent offenses in the country, making the Blugold defense a major key to success. Watch for senior linebacker Erik Hulman (Sr. – Milwaukee, WI), and defensive end Jayden Dobbs (Sr. – Athens, WI) to hold down the front seven and help the defense improve on their previous outings. After forcing two turnovers last week, the Blugolds will look for similar success in that department.  Containing Wheaton's skill position players and preventing big plays will be crucial in determining the team's success on Saturday night.

Despite the 0-2 start to the season, this young team is going to get better as the season goes along. Playing against tough opponents is going to be pivotal in preparing the Blugolds for a challenging Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) schedule.