This story was prepared by Tim Petermann for the 1999 football yearbook. The 1998 Blugold football team is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend.

The UW-Eau Claire football team put together its best season in school history in 1998 under third-year head coach Bob Nielson, collecting a school single-season high 10 wins as well as making its first playoff appearance in the 80-year history of Blugold football.
 

Eau Claire, which had finished 5-5 and 7-3 overall in Nielson's first two years, finished the regular season with an 8-2 overall mark.  The Blugolds shared the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title with UW-Whitewater, UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point with a 5-2 record, marking the Blugolds' first conference crown since 1983.

The Blugolds, who entered the playoffs as the No. 4 West Region seed, then went on the road to notch victories in perennially two of the toughest places to play.  The Blugolds defeated Central College (IA) 28-21 in the first round.  In that game, the 'Golds trailed 21-20 before putting together an 80-yard scoring drive in the final minutes of the game and capped the win with an interception on their own three-yard line as Central threatened to score in the final seconds of the contest.

Eau Claire then traveled to Collegeville, Minnesota, and notched a 10-7 victory against St. John's.  Senior kicker Jeremy Braun booted a 42-yard field goal, which matched his longest of the season, with 9:10 left in the game to break a 7-7 tie.  The Blugold defense forced St. John's to fumble at the Blugolds' two-yard line with six minutes to play and the offense put together a drive which consumed the rest of the time on the clock.

The Blugolds put together another tough battle in the NCAA Division III national semifinals against Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, before falling 22-19 on a last-second field goal.  Eau Claire trailed 19-9 with just over 10 minutes to play, but after cutting the lead to 19-12, took possession with 2:33 to play and proceeded to march 77 yards before scoring the equalizing touchdown with 40 seconds to play.

Eau Claire won its first four games of the season, three of which came against Division II schools and during its six-game win streak prior to losing to Rowan, outscored its opponents 239-90.
Individually the Blugolds had 11 players receive all-conference recognition, including a school-record six first team members.

The Blugold offense, which finished eighth nationally in total offense, was directed by senior quarterback Sean Hoolihan.  Hoolihan, who was 12th nationally in passing efficiency, finished the season throwing for 2,629 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for 623 yards and five scores.  Hoolihan, who finished his career second in school history in passing yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns, was named to the All-WIAC first team for the second straight year.
 

The running game was powered by senior B. J. Jones and sophomore Darrell Souhrada who combined for 1,944 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns.  Jones also had 22 receptions for 249 yards.
Senior wide receiver Steve Crutchley and junior receiver Eric Ostmoe were Hoolihan's two favorite targets and both received all-conference honorable mention.  Crutchley, who tied a school single-game record with three receiving touchdowns, led the team with 49 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns.  Ostmoe made 40 catches for 757 yards and five touchdowns and was on the receiving end of a 97-yard scoring strike, the second longest in school history.
 

Allowing the Blugold offense to average 32 points and 442 yards of total offense a game were senior offensive tackles Luke Burger and Clay Iverson.  Both were named to the all-conference first team and anchored the Blugolds' offensive line which averaged 300 pounds per man.
 

The Blugold defense, which was the best unit in the WIAC allowing only 17 points and 300 yards of offense a game, had solid players at each position.  Anchoring the defensive line were junior Blake Handrick, who was named to the All-WIAC first team and freshman Adrian Wilson, who received all-conference honorable mention.  Handrick recorded 23 tackles and had a blocked punt and Wilson tied for second on the team with five sacks and was one of the team's best run stoppers.

The linebacking corps was perhaps the Blugolds best on the defensive side of the ball led by junior Chad Ludescher and sophomores Jason Simek and Andy Lehnen.  Ludescher, who was named first team all-conference, recorded team highs with 84 tackles, including 22 for loss, and seven sacks and returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

Simek received all-conference honorable mention with 59 tackles and four sacks and Lehnen was fourth on the team with 61 tackles and led the squad with four fumble recoveries.

Junior defensive back Ben Buss was named to the All-WIAC first team after finishing third on the team with 62 tackles and leading the team with 13 passes defensed.  Freshman defensive back Dan Henken led the team with six interceptions despite missing three games with an injury.

Jeremy Braun finished the season tying his single-season school record of eight field goals, including tying another mark with three in one game.  Braun ended his career holding the school's record for most field goals and extra points with 21 and 115, respectively.