Wheaton Knocks Off Mount Union
September 8, 2026
Wheaton’s Aiden Byrne blocked a potential game-tying PAT attempt with 22 seconds left to go in their game against Mount Union, allowing the Thunder to hold on for the 24-23 upset victory. It was Wheaton’s first win over the Purple Raiders in eight all-time meetings. The win pushed the Thunder to No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Mount Union drops to No. 6.
In a matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2, it was No. 1 North Central who left no doubt. The Cardinal defense forced four turnovers while their offense built a 34-7 lead by the third quarter, allowing North Central to cruise to a 44-21 win over Bethel (Minn.). The loss dropped the Royals to No. 7. The Cardinal have little time to savor the victory as they travel to No. 10 Wartburg for a second straight top 10 matchup.
Johns Hopkins moves up to the third spot after beating Ithaca, 30-21, while UW-Platteville jumped two spots to No. 4 after handing Aurora a 44-7 loss. Defending national champion UW-River Falls dominated Southern Virginia, 73-7, and moves into the fifth spot as they prepare for a tough road test against No. 21 Coe.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1 North Central (52) 1-0 1324 1 D. No. 2 Bethel (Minn.), 44-21 Sept. 12 at No. 10 Wartburg
2 Wheaton 1-0 1242 5 D. No. 3 Mount Union, 24-23 Sept. 12 at Albion
3 Johns Hopkins 1-0 1191 4 D. Ithaca, 30-21 Sept. 12 at Randolph-Macon
4 UW-Platteville 1-0 1114 6 D. Aurora, 44-7 Sept. 12 vs. Dubuque
5 UW-River Falls (1) 1-0 1081 7 D. Southern Virginia, 73-7 Sept. 12 at No. 21 Coe
6 Mount Union 0-1 982 3 Lost to No. 5 Wheaton, 24-23 Sept. 12 vs. Grove City
7 Bethel (Minn.) 0-1 958 2 Lost to No. 1 North Central, 44-21 Sept. 19 vs. Gustavus Adolphus
8 St. John’s (Minn.) 1-0 953 11 D. No. 10 UW-La Crosse, 24-21 Sept. 19 vs. Hamline
9 John Carroll 1-0 945 8 D. Carnegie Mellon, 17-7 Sept. 12 at Ohio Wesleyan
10 Wartburg 1-0 895 9 D. Monmouth (Ill.), 36-21 Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 North Central
11 UW-Whitewater 1-0 795 12 D. Carleton, 69-7 Sept. 12 vs. Saint Xavier
12 Trinity (Tex.) 1-0 670 14 D. Texas Lutheran, 36-14 Sept. 12 vs. McMurry
13 DePauw 1-0 623 13 D. Rose-Hulman, 31-23 Sept. 12 at WashU
14 UW-La Crosse 0-1 611 10 Lost to No. 11 St. John’s (Minn.), 24-21 Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 Hardin-Simmons
15 Berry 1-0 606 15 D. Huntingdon, 50-20 Sept. 12 vs. LaGrange
16 Hardin-Simmons 1-0 554 16 D. Chapman, 44-24 Sept. 12 at No. 14 UW-La Crosse
17 Salisbury 0-0 444 17 Idle Sept. 12 vs. McDaniel
18 Christopher Newport 1-0 398 18 D. Newport News, 43-14 Sept. 12 at Western Connecticut
19 Mary Hardin-Baylor 1-0 384 20 D. Rowan, 35-14 Sept. 12 at Pacific Lutheran
20 Hope 1-0 363 19 D. Denison, 28-14 Sept. 12 vs. UW-Stevens Point
21 Coe 1-0 227 22 D. Cornell (Iowa), 49-7 Sept. 12 vs. No. 5 UW-River Falls
22 Susquehanna 1-0 222 21 D. Union (N.Y.), 23-17 OT Sept. 12 at Bridgewater (Va.)
23 Linfield 1-0 181 NR D. UW-Oshkosh, 41-15 Sept. 19 at Chapman
24 Cortland 1-0 153 25 D. Grove City, 28-18 Sept. 12 at Union (N.Y.)
25 Endicott 1-0 149 24 D. Eastern, 24-14 Sept. 12 at Muhlenberg
Dropped Out: Randolph-Macon (23)
Others Receiving Votes: WashU, 24; Springfield, 23; Franklin & Marshall, 21; Utica, 18; Wabash, 15; Hanover, 9; UW-Oshkosh, 8; UW-Stout, 8; Augustana (Ill.), 7; LaGrange, 5; Brockport, 4; Calvin, 4; Illinois Wesleyan, 3; Ithaca, 3; Adrian, 2; Baldwin-Wallace, 1; Dickinson, 1; Lake Forest, 1; Muhlenberg, 1; Ohio Northern, 1; Whitworth, 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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Wheaton’s Aiden Byrne blocked a potential game-tying PAT attempt with 22 seconds left to go in their game against Mount Union, allowing the Thunder to hold on for the 24-23 upset victory. It was Wheaton’s first win over the Purple Raiders in eight all-time meetings. The win pushed the Thunder to No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Mount Union drops to No. 6.
In a matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2, it was No. 1 North Central who left no doubt. The Cardinal defense forced four turnovers while their offense built a 34-7 lead by the third quarter, allowing North Central to cruise to a 44-21 win over Bethel (Minn.). The loss dropped the Royals to No. 7. The Cardinal have little time to savor the victory as they travel to No. 10 Wartburg for a second straight top 10 matchup.
Johns Hopkins moves up to the third spot after beating Ithaca, 30-21, while UW-Platteville jumped two spots to No. 4 after handing Aurora a 44-7 loss. Defending national champion UW-River Falls dominated Southern Virginia, 73-7, and moves into the fifth spot as they prepare for a tough road test against No. 21 Coe.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (52) | 1-0 | 1324 | 1 | D. No. 2 Bethel (Minn.), 44-21 | Sept. 12 at No. 10 Wartburg | |
| 2 | Wheaton | 1-0 | 1242 | 5 | D. No. 3 Mount Union, 24-23 | Sept. 12 at Albion | |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins | 1-0 | 1191 | 4 | D. Ithaca, 30-21 | Sept. 12 at Randolph-Macon | |
| 4 | UW-Platteville | 1-0 | 1114 | 6 | D. Aurora, 44-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Dubuque | |
| 5 | UW-River Falls (1) | 1-0 | 1081 | 7 | D. Southern Virginia, 73-7 | Sept. 12 at No. 21 Coe | |
| 6 | Mount Union | 0-1 | 982 | 3 | Lost to No. 5 Wheaton, 24-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Grove City | |
| 7 | Bethel (Minn.) | 0-1 | 958 | 2 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 44-21 | Sept. 19 vs. Gustavus Adolphus | |
| 8 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 1-0 | 953 | 11 | D. No. 10 UW-La Crosse, 24-21 | Sept. 19 vs. Hamline | |
| 9 | John Carroll | 1-0 | 945 | 8 | D. Carnegie Mellon, 17-7 | Sept. 12 at Ohio Wesleyan | |
| 10 | Wartburg | 1-0 | 895 | 9 | D. Monmouth (Ill.), 36-21 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 North Central | |
| 11 | UW-Whitewater | 1-0 | 795 | 12 | D. Carleton, 69-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Saint Xavier | |
| 12 | Trinity (Tex.) | 1-0 | 670 | 14 | D. Texas Lutheran, 36-14 | Sept. 12 vs. McMurry | |
| 13 | DePauw | 1-0 | 623 | 13 | D. Rose-Hulman, 31-23 | Sept. 12 at WashU | |
| 14 | UW-La Crosse | 0-1 | 611 | 10 | Lost to No. 11 St. John’s (Minn.), 24-21 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 Hardin-Simmons | |
| 15 | Berry | 1-0 | 606 | 15 | D. Huntingdon, 50-20 | Sept. 12 vs. LaGrange | |
| 16 | Hardin-Simmons | 1-0 | 554 | 16 | D. Chapman, 44-24 | Sept. 12 at No. 14 UW-La Crosse | |
| 17 | Salisbury | 0-0 | 444 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 12 vs. McDaniel | |
| 18 | Christopher Newport | 1-0 | 398 | 18 | D. Newport News, 43-14 | Sept. 12 at Western Connecticut | |
| 19 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 1-0 | 384 | 20 | D. Rowan, 35-14 | Sept. 12 at Pacific Lutheran | |
| 20 | Hope | 1-0 | 363 | 19 | D. Denison, 28-14 | Sept. 12 vs. UW-Stevens Point | |
| 21 | Coe | 1-0 | 227 | 22 | D. Cornell (Iowa), 49-7 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 5 UW-River Falls | |
| 22 | Susquehanna | 1-0 | 222 | 21 | D. Union (N.Y.), 23-17 OT | Sept. 12 at Bridgewater (Va.) | |
| 23 | Linfield | 1-0 | 181 | NR | D. UW-Oshkosh, 41-15 | Sept. 19 at Chapman | |
| 24 | Cortland | 1-0 | 153 | 25 | D. Grove City, 28-18 | Sept. 12 at Union (N.Y.) | |
| 25 | Endicott | 1-0 | 149 | 24 | D. Eastern, 24-14 | Sept. 12 at Muhlenberg | |
Dropped Out: Randolph-Macon (23)
Others Receiving Votes: WashU, 24; Springfield, 23; Franklin & Marshall, 21; Utica, 18; Wabash, 15; Hanover, 9; UW-Oshkosh, 8; UW-Stout, 8; Augustana (Ill.), 7; LaGrange, 5; Brockport, 4; Calvin, 4; Illinois Wesleyan, 3; Ithaca, 3; Adrian, 2; Baldwin-Wallace, 1; Dickinson, 1; Lake Forest, 1; Muhlenberg, 1; Ohio Northern, 1; Whitworth, 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.
