Linfield Wins 33rd Straight Northwest Conference Game
November 6, 2023
The No. 4 ranked team in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 poll, the Linfield (Ore.) Wildcats, know a thing or two about winning games when it matters most. With Saturday’s 42-19 victory over Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), the Wildcats extended their Northwest Conference (NWC) winning streak to 33 games and move within one victory of clinching their fifth straight conference crown. The last time Linfield lost a NWC game was on September 29, 2018, to their opponent this coming Saturday, Whitworth (Wash.). Linfield and Whitworth, who is fresh off a 24-13 win over George Fox (Ore.), will put their undefeated seasons on the line for the NWC title and an automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs.
In the only other high-profile matchup this weekend, No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.) will host state rival and 16th-ranked Cortland (N.Y.) in the 64th edition of the “Cortaca Jug” game. Both teams have already clinched their respective conference titles and are looking to get to nine wins on the season. Ithaca knocked off St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 51-14 to go undefeated in Liberty League play, while Cortland took down Brockport (N.Y.), 41-17, to win its third straight Empire 8 title.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (48) 9-0 1224 1 D. Illinois Wesleyan, 83-26 Nov. 11 at Augustana (Ill.)
2 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 9-0 1176 2 D. No. 15 John Carroll (Ohio), 49-14 Nov. 11 vs. Baldwin Wallace (Ohio)
3 Wartburg (Iowa) 10-0 1119 3 D. Nebraska Wesleyan, 45-0 Nov. 11 - Idle
4 Linfield (Ore.) 8-0 1023 4 D. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 42-19 Nov. 11 vs. Whitworth (Wash.)
5 Trinity (Tex.) 8-1 973 5 D. Sewanee (Tenn.), 44-6 Nov. 11 vs. Hendrix (Ark.)
6 Wisconsin-Whitewater 8-1 960 6 D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 48-0 Nov. 11 vs. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
7 Wisconsin-La Crosse 8-1 944 7 D. No. 10 Wisconsin-River Falls, 31-28 Nov. 11 at Wisconsin-Stevens Point
8 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 9-0 904 8 D. Dickinson (Pa.). 34-23 Nov. 11 vs. McDaniel (Md.)
9 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 9-0 831 9 D. Ferrum (Va.), 49-16 Nov. 11 vs. Hampden-Sydney (Va.)
10 Aurora (Ill.) 9-0 748 11 D. Lakeland (Wis.), 70-14 Nov. 11 vs. Concordia (Wis.)
11 Susquehanna (Pa.) 9-0 717 12 Idle Nov. 11 vs. Lycoming (Pa.)
12 Wheaton (Ill.) 8-1 623 13 D. Washington (Mo.), 36-35 Nov. 11 at North Park (Ill.)
13 Alma (Mich.) 9-0 613 14 D. Adrian (Mich.), 45-24 Nov. 11 at Albion (Mich.)
14 Ithaca (N.Y.) 8-1 545 16 D. St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 51-14 Nov. 11 vs. No. 16 Cortland (N.Y.)
15 Wisconsin-River Falls 7-2 514 10 Lost to No. 7 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 31-28 Nov. 11 at Wisconsin-Oshkosh
16 Cortland (N.Y.) 8-1 484 17 D. Brockport (N.Y.), 41-17 Nov. 11 at No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.)
17 Endicott (Mass.) 8-1 413 18 D. Curry (Mass.), 48-6 Nov. 11 vs. New England (Maine)
18 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 8-1 383 19 D. Austin College (Tex.), 59-19 Nov. 11 at East Texas Baptist
19 Grove City (Pa.) 9-0 336 20 Idle Nov. 11 at Thiel (Pa.)
20 St. John’s (Minn.) 7-2 281 21 D. St. Olaf (Minn.), 49-10 Nov. 11 at Concordia (Minn.)
21 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 8-1 232 22 D. Franklin & Marshall (Pa.), 48-45 2OT Nov. 11 at Montclair St. (N.J.)
22 DePauw (Ind.) 9-0 210 23 Idle Nov. 11 at Wabash (Ind.)
23 John Carroll (Ohio) 7-2 181 15 Lost to No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio), 49-14 Nov. 11 at Otterbein (Ohio)
24 Berry (Ga.) 8-1 144 25 D. Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 53-6 Nov. 11 vs. Rhodes (Tenn.)
25 Delaware Valley (Pa.) 8-1 134 24 D. Misericordia (Pa.), 28-6 Nov. 11 vs. Widener (Pa.)
Dropped out: None
Others Receiving Votes: Whitworth (Wash.), 78; Coe (Iowa), 54; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 24; Augustana (Ill.), 20; Union (N.Y.), 11; Utica (N.Y.), 11; Wisconsin-Platteville, 5; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 3; Belhaven (Miss.), 2; Bethel (Minn.), 2; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 1; Illinois College, 1; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 1.
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The No. 4 ranked team in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 poll, the Linfield (Ore.) Wildcats, know a thing or two about winning games when it matters most. With Saturday’s 42-19 victory over Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), the Wildcats extended their Northwest Conference (NWC) winning streak to 33 games and move within one victory of clinching their fifth straight conference crown. The last time Linfield lost a NWC game was on September 29, 2018, to their opponent this coming Saturday, Whitworth (Wash.). Linfield and Whitworth, who is fresh off a 24-13 win over George Fox (Ore.), will put their undefeated seasons on the line for the NWC title and an automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs.
In the only other high-profile matchup this weekend, No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.) will host state rival and 16th-ranked Cortland (N.Y.) in the 64th edition of the “Cortaca Jug” game. Both teams have already clinched their respective conference titles and are looking to get to nine wins on the season. Ithaca knocked off St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 51-14 to go undefeated in Liberty League play, while Cortland took down Brockport (N.Y.), 41-17, to win its third straight Empire 8 title.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (48) | 9-0 | 1224 | 1 | D. Illinois Wesleyan, 83-26 | Nov. 11 at Augustana (Ill.) | |
| 2 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 9-0 | 1176 | 2 | D. No. 15 John Carroll (Ohio), 49-14 | Nov. 11 vs. Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) | |
| 3 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 10-0 | 1119 | 3 | D. Nebraska Wesleyan, 45-0 | Nov. 11 - Idle | |
| 4 | Linfield (Ore.) | 8-0 | 1023 | 4 | D. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 42-19 | Nov. 11 vs. Whitworth (Wash.) | |
| 5 | Trinity (Tex.) | 8-1 | 973 | 5 | D. Sewanee (Tenn.), 44-6 | Nov. 11 vs. Hendrix (Ark.) | |
| 6 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 8-1 | 960 | 6 | D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 48-0 | Nov. 11 vs. Wisconsin-Eau Claire | |
| 7 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 8-1 | 944 | 7 | D. No. 10 Wisconsin-River Falls, 31-28 | Nov. 11 at Wisconsin-Stevens Point | |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 9-0 | 904 | 8 | D. Dickinson (Pa.). 34-23 | Nov. 11 vs. McDaniel (Md.) | |
| 9 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 9-0 | 831 | 9 | D. Ferrum (Va.), 49-16 | Nov. 11 vs. Hampden-Sydney (Va.) | |
| 10 | Aurora (Ill.) | 9-0 | 748 | 11 | D. Lakeland (Wis.), 70-14 | Nov. 11 vs. Concordia (Wis.) | |
| 11 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 9-0 | 717 | 12 | Idle | Nov. 11 vs. Lycoming (Pa.) | |
| 12 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 8-1 | 623 | 13 | D. Washington (Mo.), 36-35 | Nov. 11 at North Park (Ill.) | |
| 13 | Alma (Mich.) | 9-0 | 613 | 14 | D. Adrian (Mich.), 45-24 | Nov. 11 at Albion (Mich.) | |
| 14 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 8-1 | 545 | 16 | D. St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 51-14 | Nov. 11 vs. No. 16 Cortland (N.Y.) | |
| 15 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 7-2 | 514 | 10 | Lost to No. 7 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 31-28 | Nov. 11 at Wisconsin-Oshkosh | |
| 16 | Cortland (N.Y.) | 8-1 | 484 | 17 | D. Brockport (N.Y.), 41-17 | Nov. 11 at No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.) | |
| 17 | Endicott (Mass.) | 8-1 | 413 | 18 | D. Curry (Mass.), 48-6 | Nov. 11 vs. New England (Maine) | |
| 18 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 8-1 | 383 | 19 | D. Austin College (Tex.), 59-19 | Nov. 11 at East Texas Baptist | |
| 19 | Grove City (Pa.) | 9-0 | 336 | 20 | Idle | Nov. 11 at Thiel (Pa.) | |
| 20 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 7-2 | 281 | 21 | D. St. Olaf (Minn.), 49-10 | Nov. 11 at Concordia (Minn.) | |
| 21 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 8-1 | 232 | 22 | D. Franklin & Marshall (Pa.), 48-45 2OT | Nov. 11 at Montclair St. (N.J.) | |
| 22 | DePauw (Ind.) | 9-0 | 210 | 23 | Idle | Nov. 11 at Wabash (Ind.) | |
| 23 | John Carroll (Ohio) | 7-2 | 181 | 15 | Lost to No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio), 49-14 | Nov. 11 at Otterbein (Ohio) | |
| 24 | Berry (Ga.) | 8-1 | 144 | 25 | D. Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 53-6 | Nov. 11 vs. Rhodes (Tenn.) | |
| 25 | Delaware Valley (Pa.) | 8-1 | 134 | 24 | D. Misericordia (Pa.), 28-6 | Nov. 11 vs. Widener (Pa.) | |
Dropped out: None
Others Receiving Votes: Whitworth (Wash.), 78; Coe (Iowa), 54; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 24; Augustana (Ill.), 20; Union (N.Y.), 11; Utica (N.Y.), 11; Wisconsin-Platteville, 5; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 3; Belhaven (Miss.), 2; Bethel (Minn.), 2; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 1; Illinois College, 1; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 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.
