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Two teams that are on a roll will collide at Carson Park Saturday as the Eau Claire football team, alone in first in the WIAC, will take on second-place UW-La Crosse.

Both teams enter the game riding a three-game winning streak, and both have been winning in impressive fashion.

La Crosse won its three games in the streak by an average score of 27-10, while the average score during Eau Claire’s streak is 29-10.

Both teams also are coming off impressive road victories, with the Eagles winning 31-9 at UW-River Falls and the Blugolds winning at UW-Whitewater by a score of 31-18.

La Crosse has had some success in recent years against Eau Claire, having won the last two meetings.

The Eagles beat Eau Claire 27-18 last year, and won 49-46 in triple overtime in Carson Park in 1999.

Eau Claire last beat La Crosse in 1998, and has not beaten the Eagles in Carson Park since 1987. La Crosse has averaged 42 points a game in its last six games in Eau Claire.

Eau Claire coach Todd Hoffner said that the rivalry between the Blugolds and the Eagles is a good one.

“They’ve had some success against us in the past,” he said. “They’re very capable at all positions.”

Junior receiver Jason Foemmel agrees that La Crosse is a big rival.

“We definitely have no problem getting up for them,” he said. “The games always seem to come down to the wire.”

After starting the season 1-4, La Crosse climbed up the WIAC standings with the help of a defense that is second only to Eau Claire in points allowed.

“They run very well,” Hoffner said. “They have a veteran secondary and a strong defensive front.”

La Crosse is led offensively by junior wide receiver Matt Rizzo, who has caught 60 passes for 799 yards this season.

Hoffner said that the Blugolds will try to limit the Eagles’ chances for the big play.

“They’re a patient team,” he said. “They will try to nickel and dime it on us, throwing it short and trying to work downfield.”

Another key for Eau Claire will be whether it can keep La Crosse off the scoreboard early. The Eagles have scored 58 first quarter points this year, while Eau Claire has not given up a single point in the opening quarter.

Aside from the normal bumps and bruises that happen at this point in a football season, the Blugolds may have a slightly more serious problem on the injury front.

Senior quarterback Brian Rasmussen injured his knee late in Eau Claire’s game against Whitewater, and Hoffner said that he is questionable against La Crosse.

If Rasmussen is unable to play, the control of the offense will be handed over to freshman Nels Fredrickson.

Fredrickson has seen limited action this season, but Hoffner said that the game plan would not change too much if Fredrickson were the starter.

Foemmel said that the team has a lot of confidence in Fredrickson.

“He’s looked real good in practice,” Foemmel said. “We should have the same game plan we had (against Whitewater). We were pretty happy with it.”

Another subplot in the game will be senior Darrell Souhrada’s quest for Eau Claire’s all-time rushing record. Souhrada has rushed for 4,033 yards in his career, 73 yards short of Lee Weigel’s school record.