A big Division II foe to kickoff the home-opener Saturday for the ninth-ranked UW-La Crosse football team.
The Eagles (1-0) host Wayne State at 1 p.m. and WKTY will stream the game online here and on the WKTY app.
The Eagles got the season off to a roaring start last week, traveling 12 hours by bus to Pittsburgh and getting a 38-14 victory over Carnegie Mellon, which was ranked No. 17 at the time.
Now, Wayne State (0-2) comes in looking for its first win, but don’t be deceived by the two losses. Wayne State lost 7-3 last Saturday to Findlay and dropped its opener 34-7 to Tiffin.
Findlay (2-0) beat No. 17 Indianapolis 38-35 in its season-opener. Tiffin (1-1) lost to top-ranked Ferris State 41-34 last week.
The Eagles last played at Wayne State in 2022 in Detroit, coming up with a 28-21 victory. With that experience, and their recent contests with fellow DII ‘sGrand Valley State, Janus said they have their work cut out for them, playing up a level.
“They’re huge,” Janus said. “We’re talking 330-plus pounds on the offensive line, and their skill position players are just extremely fast. That’s why you play these games, to be challenged.”
Last week, the Eagles were in a battle until the second half.
A 14-7 lead coming out of the locker room ballooned in the second half as thanks to four forced turnovers — starting with safety Sam Baumguard 41-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third.
Janus said you could feel the vibe change on the sideline.
“Energy, momentum, you can kind of feel when that shifts,” Janus said. “I think our guys felt it after Sam’s touchdown, the thought was, let’s rip the top off this thing.”
The Eagles are also trying to get their defense a little more hyped taking the example of some Division I powerhouses.
The Miami Hurricanes have the turnover chain — a giant necklace worn by a player who gets a turnover — while the Georgia Bulldogs put on spiked shoulder pads.
The Eagles came up with something a little different.
“We call it a havoc helmet. It’s an old army helmet,” Janus said. “Trent (Mullen) had that thing running around. You can see when the momentum and energy get going.”
Janus added the helmet is a prized commodity on the sideline.
TOP PHOTO: The UW-La Crosse football team practices on Sept. 17, 2025, ahead of its Saturday game with Wayne State (PHOTO: @laxfootball on Facebook)
