UW-L football hopes to honor seniors with win in last home game

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team will look to send off their seniors on a high note in their last game at Veterans Memorial Field on Satuday

At 11:35 a.m., the Eagles (5-3, 3-2 WIAC) face off against UW-Eau Claire (3-5, 1-4).

Listen to UW-EC at UW-L on WKTY 96.7 FM / 580 AM.
Coverage begins at 11:20 a.m.

After losing to third-ranked UW-Whitewater (8-0, 5-0) 21-17 last week, all but ending the Eagles’ playoff hopes, some might surmise there’s nothing left to play for.

UW-L coach Mike Schmidt says the group they’re honoring before the game is more than enough reason.

“For us, there is a lot to play for,” Schmidt said. “Playing for pride is a given because it’s who we are and what we do. We need to send those seniors off with a win because they deserve it.”

The 24 seniors, who will likely all receive exuberant bear hugs from their coach before and after the game, were Schmidt’s first recruiting class when he began coaching at UW-L in 2016.

Since then, they have compiled a 25-13 record, with two games remaining on the season.

Schmidt says their meaning to the program goes beyond wins and losses.

“They believed in us and changed this program, something that people couldn’t do for 15 years,” Schmidt said. “This was a place that had been run into the ground and we couldn’t win any games at all. Four years later we’re four points away from beating Whitewater.”

The Eagles have defeated UW-Eau Claire the past two seasons, by a combined score of 87-14.