NCAA Division III Football Championship | National Semifinal | vs. Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1:05 pm EST (12:05 CST)

Audio (WJCU) - Audio (UWO - WRST) -  Stats

Video exclusively on ESPN 3 (How to access ESPN 3)

When these two teams met on September 3 in the opening weekend of the season, it was thought to be an intriguing battle between two perennial second fiddles in well respected conferences.

When John Carroll and Wisconsin-Oshkosh meet Saturday, the second fiddles are looking for an opportunity to take center stage.

A berth in the Stagg Bowl awaits the winner between the Blue Streaks and the host Titans when the two square off for the second time in 2016 at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium Saturday afternoon in a national semifinal game.

UW-Oshkosh won the first meeting between the two teams, 33-14

The Blue Streaks, who are in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the second time in program history, are facing an opponent which is also seeking a first Division III championship game appearance. Both teams are making their second semifinal appearance -- the first for John Carroll since 2002 and UW-Oshkosh since 2012.

The Titans (12-1, 6-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) are led by first team D3football.com all-region players Reese Dziedzic and Johnny Eagan. The senior standouts have helped the UW-Oshkosh defense rank fifth nationally with 37 turnovers and 23 interceptions, ninth by allowing 13.7 points per game and a 94.91 opponent passing efficiency, 12th with 14 fumble recoveries and 14th with 269.5 yards allowed per contest.

Dziedzic is leading UW-Oshkosh in tackles for the fourth consecutive season. This year, his 82 tackles rank third in the WIAC. He paces the Titans with both 39 solo tackles and 43 assisted stops while his six tackles for loss list third on the squad and his two sacks fourth.

Eagan ranks 11th in the nation with 0.60 interceptions per game while leading the UW-Oshkosh defensive backfield with 57 tackles, eight pass breakups and two blocked kicks.

Senior Marshall Howell is one of three offensive players named to the d3football.com All-North Region team from the JCU offense. Howell is the top pass catcher for the Blue Streaks in 2016, hauling in 57 throws for 582 yards and nine touchdown. He is the all-time leader at JCU for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Another first time all-region selection, senior Dominic DiTirro is a two-time All-OAC offensive lineman. DiTirro appeared in all 13 games this year and played a major role in a JCU offense that averages 397.5 yards and 35.2 points per game.

Junior running back Ro Golphin was selected to the All-North Region second team. He appeared in all 13 games and rushed for a team-high 1069 yards, placing him among the top five in the OAC this season. The junior scored 11 touchdowns and led the OAC in yards per carry (6.9).

The winner of Saturday's national semifinal earns the right to advance to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on Dec. 16 in Salem, Virginia.