The Mount Union Purple Raiders sit atop the final AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll of 2008 after capturing their 10th Division III title with a 31-26 win over Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
This year’s Stagg Bowl clash between Mount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater marked the first time in NCAA history that two schools faced each other in the same NCAA championshihp in four consecutive seasons. Mount Union won the first two meetings in 2005 and 2006. Whitewater defeated the Purple Radiers in 2007.
American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches’ Poll
December 23, 2008
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game |
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| 1. | Mount Union (Ohio) (40) | 15-0 | 1,000 | 1 | D. Wis.-Whitewater, 31-26 in Stagg Bowl | Larry Kehres | | 2. | Wis.-Whitewater | 13-2 | 960 | 5 | Lost to Mount Union (Ohio), 31-26, in Stagg Bowl | Lance Leipold | | 3. | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) | 12-2 | 908 | 4 | Lost to Wis.-Whitewater, 39-13, in semifinals | Pete Fredenburg | | 4. | Wheaton (Ill.) | 11-3 | 826 | 24 | Lost to Mount Union (Ohio), 45-24, in semifinals | Mike Swider | | 5. | Willamette (Ore.) | 11-1 | 756 | 6 | Lost to Wis.-Whitewater, 30-27, in second round | Mark Speckman | | 6. | North Central (Ill.) | 11-1 | 674 | 2 | Lost to Franklin (Ind.), 38-28, in second round | John Thorne | | 7. | Franklin (Ind.) | 11-2 | 648 | 20 | Lost to Wheaton (Ill.), 45-28, in quarterfinals | Mike Leonard | | 8. | Cortland St. (N.Y.) | 11-2 | 636 | 17 | Lost to Mount Union (Ohio), 41-14, in quarterfinals | Dan MacNeill | | 9. | Hardin-Simmons (Texas) | 9-2 | 614 | 7 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 38-35 in first round | Jimmie Keeling | | 10. | Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) | 11-2 | 606 | 18 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 63-7, in quarterfinals | Mike Sirianni | | 11. | Wartburg (Iowa) | 10-3 | 582 | NR | Lost to Wis.-Whitewater, 34-17, in quarterfinals | Rick Willis | | 12. | Wesley (Del.) | 9-2 | 569 | 10 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor, 46-14, in second round | Mike Drass | | 13. | Millsaps (Miss.) | 11-1 | 518 | 3 | Lost to Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 35-20, in second round | Mike DuBose | | 14. | Wabash (Ind.) | 10-2 | 508 | 12 | Lost to Wheaton (Ill.), 59-28, in second round | Erik Raeburn | | 15. | Monmouth (Ill.) | 11-1 | 442 | 14 | Lost to Wartburg (Iowa), 30-28, in second round | Steve Bell | | 16. | Wis.-Stevens Point | 9-2 | 379 | 9 | Lost to Wartburg (Iowa), 26-21, in first round | John Miech | | 17. | Occidental (Calif.) | 9-1 | 359 | 11 | Lost to Willamette (Ore.), 48-33, in first round | Dale Widolff | | 18. | Case Western (Ohio) | 10-1 | 325 | 8 | Lost to Wabash (Ind.), 20-17, in first round | Greg Debeljak | | 19. | Trine (Ind.) | 10-1 | 273 | 19 | Lost to Wheaton (Ill.), 14-0, in quarterfinals | Matt Land | | 20. | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 9-2 | 260 | 13 | Lost to Wesley (Del.), 20-0, in first round | Mike Donnelly | | 21. | Otterbein (Ohio) | 9-2 | 236 | 16 | Lost to Franklin (Ind.),. 62-45, in first round | Joe Loth | | 22. | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 9-2 | 207 | 15 | Lost to Curry (Mass.), 26-21, in first round | Mike Welch | | 23. | Curry (Mass.) | 10-2 | 165 | NR | Lost to Cortland St. (N.Y.), 42-0, in second round | Skip Bandini | | 24. | Hobart (N.Y.) | 9-2 | 121 | NR | Lost to Mount Union (Ohio), 42-7, in second round | Mike Cragg | | 25. | Christopher Newport (Va.) | 8-2 | 112 | 22 | Lost to Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 35-29, in first round | Matt Kelchner |
Dropped Out: Salisbury (Md.) (21), Trinity (Conn.) (23), St. John’s (Minn.) (25). Others Receiving Votes: St. John’s (Minn.), 87; Salisbury (Md.), 60; LaGrange (Ga.), 44; Plymouth St. (N.H.), 39; Trinity (Conn.), 32; Thomas More (Ky.), 14; Aurora (Ill.), 11; Ripon (Wis.), 9; Rowan (N.J.), 6; Trinity (Texas), 4; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 4; Montclair St. (N.J.), 3; California Lutheran, 3; Lycoming (Pa.), 2; Huntingdon (Ala.), 2; Wis.-Eau Claire, 1; Carleton (Minn.), 1; Wooster (Ohio), 1.
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Courtesy: AFCA
