For the second consecutive week, the ninth-ranked UW-La Crosse football team took a slim halftime lead and blew the game open in the third quarter for a convincing win.
This time it came against Division II foe Wayne State in a 31-22 home-opening victory at Roger Harring Stadium.
The Eagles (2-0) scored 31 unanswered points despite struggling offensively early.
UW-L had just 26 yards in their first four drives, before quarterback Kyle Haas connected with Tyler Bowman on a 25-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7 in the second quarter.
The Eagles added a Michael Stack 19-yard field goal as time expired in the half to take the lead into the locker room.
Haas would throw three more touchdown passes after the break, including two to Jack Janke — the last being a 67-yard strike to take a 31-7 lead.
Wayne State scored twice in the last 5 minutes to set up an onside kick which UWL recovered and ran out the clock.
Haas was 29 of 39 for 344 yards with four touchdowns. Janke had 10 receptions for 147 yards and two scoops, while Bowman also had two touchdowns and 70 yards.
The Eagles will have a bye week next week before diving into WIAC play Oct. 4 at UW-Whitewater.
