UW-River Falls Ends Season At No. 1 With First National Title
January 5, 2026
UW-River Falls had only been to the Division III playoffs once before 2025. The Falcons made the most of their second appearance by rolling through their first three opponents, then surviving a shootout with Johns Hopkins in the semifinals. Next came No. 1 North Central for the national championship. Trailing the defending national champions, 14-3, early in the second quarter, UW-River Falls took over the game and scored 21 unanswered points to win 24-14 and claim their first national title in program history. The Falcons finish the season at 14-1 and No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. North Central drops to No. 2.
John Carroll moved up five spots to finish at No. 3 thanks to their run to the semifinals, as did Johns Hopkins, who jumped seven spots to No. 4. Bethel’s (Minn.) season ended in the quarterfinals as the Royals dropped two spots to No. 5. Mount Union also fell to No. 6 in the final poll thanks to their third round, 10-7 overtime exit at the hands of John Carroll. Wheaton and Berry made big moves in the final poll thanks to quarterfinal appearances. The Thunder jumped 13 spots to No. 7 while the Vikings rose 10 spots to No. 9.
Susquehanna dropped out of the top 25 after week 3, but finished the season strong, making a quarterfinals appearance for a second straight season to end at No. 15. Eastern enters the AFCA Top 25 poll for the first time in program history at No. 23. The Eagles won the Middle Atlantic Conference and reached the third round of the playoffs in only their third season of varsity football.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 UW-River Falls (51) 14-1 1275 4 D. No. 1 North Central, 24-14, in Stagg Bowl Matt Walker
2 North Central 14-1 1224 1 Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 24-14, in Stagg Bowl Brad Spencer
3 John Carroll 12-2 1118 8 Lost to No. 1 North Central, 41-21, in semifinals Jeff Behrman
4 Johns Hopkins 12-2 1100 11 Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 48-41, in semifinals Dan Wodicka
5 Bethel (Minn.) 12-1 1081 3 Lost to No. 1 North Central, 35-21, in quarterfinals Mike McElroy
6 Mount Union 11-1 925 2 Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 10-7 2OT, in third round Geoff Dartt
7 Wheaton 11-3 868 20 Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 46-21, in quarterfinals Jesse Scott
8 St. John’s (Minn.) 10-2 806 6 Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 42-14, in third round Gary Fasching
9 Berry 11-2 800 19 Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 21-13, in quarterfinals Tony Kunczewski
10 UW-La Crosse 8-3 737 16 Lost to No. 1 North Central, 35-27, in third round Matt Janus
11 UW-Platteville 9-3 716 13 Lost to No. 3 Bethel (Minn.), 35-24, in third round Ryan Munz
12 Salisbury 10-2 678 9 Lost to No. 11 Johns Hopkins, 45-13, in third round Sherman Wood
13 DePauw 10-2 663 10 Lost to No. 20 Wheaton, 49-24, in third round Brett Dietz
14 Wartburg 10-1 595 5 Lost to No. 20 Wheaton, 28-24, in second round Chris Winter
15 Susquehanna 11-3 585 NR Lost to No. 11 Johns Hopkins, 40-10, in quarterfinals Tom Perkovich
16 Trinity (Tex.) 10-2 543 21 Lost to No. 19 Berry, 31-23, in third round Jerheme Urban
17 Hope 9-2 441 15 Lost to No. 16 UW-La Crosse, 9-7, in second round Peter Stuursma
18 Christopher Newport 10-1 417 7 Lost to Susquehanna, 42-28, in second round Paul Crowley
19 Hardin-Simmons 9-2 415 12 Lost to No. 21 Trinity (Tex.), 34-24, in second round Jesse Burleson
20 UW-Whitewater 8-3 393 14 Lost to No. 10 DePauw, 26-23, in second round Jace Rindahl
21 Randolph-Macon 9-2 210 17 Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 35-6, in second round Pedro Arruza
22 Franklin & Marshall 9-2 186 18 Lost to Eastern, 28-24, in second round Michael Phelan
23 Eastern 10-2 134 NR Lost to Susquehanna, 29-0, in third round Billy Crocker
24 Endicott 9-2 129 24 Lost to No. 9 Salisbury, 35-28, in second round Paul McGonagle
25 Alma 8-3 86 25 Lost to No. 13 UW-Platteville, 24-7, in second round Jason Couch
Dropped Out: Cortland (22), Monmouth (Ill.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Monmouth (Ill.), 76; Springfield, 74; Coe, 55; Hanover, 49; LaGrange, 35; Cortland, 34; Washington & Jefferson, 27; Chapman, 22; Muhlenberg, 20; Mary Hardin-Baylor, 19; Wabash, 8; Whitworth, 8; Framingham St, 6; Grove City, 6; Adrian, 3; Linfield, 3; Central (Iowa), 2; Wesleyan, 2; Ursinus, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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UW-River Falls had only been to the Division III playoffs once before 2025. The Falcons made the most of their second appearance by rolling through their first three opponents, then surviving a shootout with Johns Hopkins in the semifinals. Next came No. 1 North Central for the national championship. Trailing the defending national champions, 14-3, early in the second quarter, UW-River Falls took over the game and scored 21 unanswered points to win 24-14 and claim their first national title in program history. The Falcons finish the season at 14-1 and No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. North Central drops to No. 2.
John Carroll moved up five spots to finish at No. 3 thanks to their run to the semifinals, as did Johns Hopkins, who jumped seven spots to No. 4. Bethel’s (Minn.) season ended in the quarterfinals as the Royals dropped two spots to No. 5. Mount Union also fell to No. 6 in the final poll thanks to their third round, 10-7 overtime exit at the hands of John Carroll. Wheaton and Berry made big moves in the final poll thanks to quarterfinal appearances. The Thunder jumped 13 spots to No. 7 while the Vikings rose 10 spots to No. 9.
Susquehanna dropped out of the top 25 after week 3, but finished the season strong, making a quarterfinals appearance for a second straight season to end at No. 15. Eastern enters the AFCA Top 25 poll for the first time in program history at No. 23. The Eagles won the Middle Atlantic Conference and reached the third round of the playoffs in only their third season of varsity football.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UW-River Falls (51) | 14-1 | 1275 | 4 | D. No. 1 North Central, 24-14, in Stagg Bowl | Matt Walker | |
| 2 | North Central | 14-1 | 1224 | 1 | Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 24-14, in Stagg Bowl | Brad Spencer | |
| 3 | John Carroll | 12-2 | 1118 | 8 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 41-21, in semifinals | Jeff Behrman | |
| 4 | Johns Hopkins | 12-2 | 1100 | 11 | Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 48-41, in semifinals | Dan Wodicka | |
| 5 | Bethel (Minn.) | 12-1 | 1081 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 35-21, in quarterfinals | Mike McElroy | |
| 6 | Mount Union | 11-1 | 925 | 2 | Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 10-7 2OT, in third round | Geoff Dartt | |
| 7 | Wheaton | 11-3 | 868 | 20 | Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 46-21, in quarterfinals | Jesse Scott | |
| 8 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 10-2 | 806 | 6 | Lost to No. 4 UW-River Falls, 42-14, in third round | Gary Fasching | |
| 9 | Berry | 11-2 | 800 | 19 | Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 21-13, in quarterfinals | Tony Kunczewski | |
| 10 | UW-La Crosse | 8-3 | 737 | 16 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 35-27, in third round | Matt Janus | |
| 11 | UW-Platteville | 9-3 | 716 | 13 | Lost to No. 3 Bethel (Minn.), 35-24, in third round | Ryan Munz | |
| 12 | Salisbury | 10-2 | 678 | 9 | Lost to No. 11 Johns Hopkins, 45-13, in third round | Sherman Wood | |
| 13 | DePauw | 10-2 | 663 | 10 | Lost to No. 20 Wheaton, 49-24, in third round | Brett Dietz | |
| 14 | Wartburg | 10-1 | 595 | 5 | Lost to No. 20 Wheaton, 28-24, in second round | Chris Winter | |
| 15 | Susquehanna | 11-3 | 585 | NR | Lost to No. 11 Johns Hopkins, 40-10, in quarterfinals | Tom Perkovich | |
| 16 | Trinity (Tex.) | 10-2 | 543 | 21 | Lost to No. 19 Berry, 31-23, in third round | Jerheme Urban | |
| 17 | Hope | 9-2 | 441 | 15 | Lost to No. 16 UW-La Crosse, 9-7, in second round | Peter Stuursma | |
| 18 | Christopher Newport | 10-1 | 417 | 7 | Lost to Susquehanna, 42-28, in second round | Paul Crowley | |
| 19 | Hardin-Simmons | 9-2 | 415 | 12 | Lost to No. 21 Trinity (Tex.), 34-24, in second round | Jesse Burleson | |
| 20 | UW-Whitewater | 8-3 | 393 | 14 | Lost to No. 10 DePauw, 26-23, in second round | Jace Rindahl | |
| 21 | Randolph-Macon | 9-2 | 210 | 17 | Lost to No. 8 John Carroll, 35-6, in second round | Pedro Arruza | |
| 22 | Franklin & Marshall | 9-2 | 186 | 18 | Lost to Eastern, 28-24, in second round | Michael Phelan | |
| 23 | Eastern | 10-2 | 134 | NR | Lost to Susquehanna, 29-0, in third round | Billy Crocker | |
| 24 | Endicott | 9-2 | 129 | 24 | Lost to No. 9 Salisbury, 35-28, in second round | Paul McGonagle | |
| 25 | Alma | 8-3 | 86 | 25 | Lost to No. 13 UW-Platteville, 24-7, in second round | Jason Couch | |
Dropped Out: Cortland (22), Monmouth (Ill.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Monmouth (Ill.), 76; Springfield, 74; Coe, 55; Hanover, 49; LaGrange, 35; Cortland, 34; Washington & Jefferson, 27; Chapman, 22; Muhlenberg, 20; Mary Hardin-Baylor, 19; Wabash, 8; Whitworth, 8; Framingham St, 6; Grove City, 6; Adrian, 3; Linfield, 3; Central (Iowa), 2; Wesleyan, 2; Ursinus, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
