Blugolds Drop Rivalry Clash to Stout 28-16
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire football team dropped a 28-16 decision to UW-Stout in Menomonie, slipping in the conference standings despite a gutsy third-quarter push.
For a team averaging 159.75 passing yards per game, the Blugolds leaned heavily on their aerial attack on Saturday, racking up 244 yards through the air alongside 128 rushing yards. Yet that offensive output ultimately clashed with a resilient Blue Devils squad that generated 417 total yards, with 361 of those coming via the passing game. The visitors controlled the clock for 33:52 and converted seven of 20 third downs, but explosive plays by the hosts in the second half tipped the scale in the conference matchup.
Early Defensive Gridlock Gives Way to Scoring
The opening quarter offered little breathing room for either offense. UW-Eau Claire suffocated the Blue Devils early, holding Stout to minus-1 rushing yard and a 0-for-3 mark on third down during a scoreless first frame. Max Marty forced a fumble that teammate Jack Scheldroup recovered at the UWEC22, anchoring a defensive unit that kept the pressure on early.
The game opened up in the second quarter. The Blugolds manufactured a 92-yard scoring march featuring a 41-yard completion from Ayden Helder to Nick Kihn. Helder then delivered a 34-yard touchdown strike to Madden Mahr, and Connor Radaj added the extra point to knot the score at 7-7. Stout answered with a score of its own to keep the pressure dialed up as the game headed toward halftime.
Blugolds Tie Game Before Blue Devils Reclaim Lead with Passing Touchdowns
Out of the break, the Blugolds found another gear on a four-play, 75-yard drive. Helder connected with Kihn on a 65-yard bomb before calling his own number on a 10-yard rushing touchdown to tie the contest at 14-14. That momentum proved short-lived. The Blue Devils counterpunched through the air, finishing the third quarter connecting on six of nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns to reclaim a 21-14 lead.
The UW-Eau Claire defense kept fighting into the final period, generating the team’s only points of the fourth when Carson Clark sacked Chase Pemberton in the end zone for a safety at the 10:55 mark. The defense followed up with three tackles for loss, another sack, and a red-zone stand on UW-Stout’s final possession. However, a 53-yard touchdown pass from the Blue Devils and a stagnant 1-for-6 conversion rate on third down in the final quarter kept the Blugolds from mounting a comeback.
Standout Stat Lines as Conference Play Continues
Helder finished the afternoon completing 14 of 36 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown while chipping in 31 rushing yards and another score on 12 carries. Helder has scored at least one touchdown in two consecutive games and sits at 1,506 passing yards for the season. Kihn turned in a career-best performance with three receptions for 120 yards, adding 24 yards on four punt returns. Defensively, Scheldroup racked up a season-high 14 tackles to eclipse his previous career mark of 13.
With the loss, the Blugolds move to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in conference play, matching UW-Stout’s 5-4 overall and 3-3 league record. Attention now turns to the home schedule.
The Blugolds return home to host UW-Whitewater on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m., celebrating Senior Day at Carson Park.
