Whitworth Shocks Linfield to Secure Playoff Berth
November 13, 2023
A wild weekend was capped off with Whitworth (Wash.) shocking then-No. 4 Linfield (Ore.), 28-24. Trailing 24-14 entering the fourth quarter, Whitworth scored two touchdowns with the game-winner coming with 29 seconds remaining to give the Pirates their second-ever victory at Linfield and first since 2018. With the win, Whitworth took home the Northwest Conference title and secured their spot in the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs where they will host Chapman (Calif.) in the first round. The win also propelled the Pirates into the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season, a tie with Linfield at No. 18.
No. 1 North Central (Ill.) completed their 10-0 regular season with a 61-17 win over Augustana (Ill.) and claimed their third straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin title. The Cardinals will host Belhaven (Miss.), winners of the USA South Athletic Conference, in the first round of the playoffs.
No. 4 Trinity (Tex.) hosting No. 15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) is one of four Top 25 matchups in the first round of the playoffs. The other three are No. 16 Grove City (Pa.), making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, traveling to No. 10 Susquehanna (Pa.), No. 11 Alma (Mich.) hosting No. 21 DePauw (Ind.) and No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.) traveling to No. 14 Endicott (Mass.).
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (48) 10-0 1224 1 D. Augustana (Ill.), 61-17 Nov. 18 vs. Belhaven (Miss.)
2 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 10-0 1174 2 D. Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 41-17 Nov. 18 vs. Alfred St. (N.Y.)
3 Wartburg (Iowa) 10-0 1123 3 Idle Nov. 18 vs. Illinois College
4 Trinity (Tex.) 9-1 1019 5 D. Hendrix (Ark.), 56-7 Nov. 18 vs. No. 15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.)
5 Wisconsin-Whitewater 9-1 991 6 D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 59-0 Nov. 18 vs. Bethel (Minn.)
6 Wisconsin-La Crosse 9-1 980 7 D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 41-7 Nov. 18 vs. Minnesota-Morris
7 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 10-0 943 8 D. McDaniel (Md.), 58-7 Nov. 18 vs. Western Connecticut St.
8 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 10-0 889 9 D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 49-10 Nov. 18 vs. Christopher Newport (Va.)
9 Aurora (Ill.) 10-0 821 10 D. Concordia (Wis.), 23-0 Nov. 18 vs. Coe (Iowa)
10 Susquehanna (Pa.) 10-0 790 11 D. Lycoming (Pa.), 49-10 Nov. 18 vs. No. 16 Grove City (Pa.)
11 Alma (Mich.) 10-0 691 13 D. Albion (Mich.), 50-14 Nov. 18 vs. No. 21 DePauw (Ind.)
12 Wheaton (Ill.) 9-1 690 12 D. North Park (Ill.), 42-26 Nov. 18 vs. Mount St. Joseph (Ohio)
13 Cortland (N.Y.) 9-1 617 16 D. No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.), 38-28 Nov. 18 at No. 14 Endicott (Mass.)
14 Endicott (Mass.) 9-1 490 17 D. New England (Maine), 41-14 Nov. 18 vs. No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.)
15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 9-1 467 18 D. East Texas Baptist, 42-27 Nov. 18 at No. 4 Trinity (Tex.)
16 Grove City (Pa.) 10-0 441 19 D. Thiel (Pa.), 31-0 Nov. 18 at No. 10 Susquehanna (Pa.)
17 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 9-1 337 21 D. Montclair St. (N.J.), 45-14 Nov. 18 vs. Lebanon Valley (Pa.)
18t. Linfield (Ore.) 8-1 334 4 Lost to Whitworth (Wash.), 28-24 Season Complete
18t. Whitworth (Wash) 9-0 334 NR D. No. 4 Linfield (Ore.), 28-24 Nov. 18 vs. Chapman (Calif.)
20 St. John’s (Minn.) 8-2 329 20 D. Concordia (Minn.), 48-21 Season Complete
21 DePauw (Ind.) 10-0 283 22 D. Wabash (Ind.), 33-30 2OT Nov. 18 at No. 11 Alma (Mich.)
22 Berry (Ga.) 9-1 210 24 D. Rhodes (Tenn.), 36-12 Season Complete
23 Ithaca (N.Y.) 8-2 179 14 Lost to No. 16 Cortland (N.Y.), 38-28 Nov. 18 at Springfield (Mass.)
24 John Carroll (Ohio) 8-2 166 23 D. Otterbein (Ohio), 37-22 Season Complete
25 Delaware Valley (Pa.) 9-1 147 25 D. Widener (Pa.), 23-6 Nov. 18 vs. Union (N.Y.)
Dropped out: Wisconsin-River Falls (15)
Others Receiving Votes: Coe (Iowa), 94; Wisconsin-River Falls, 54; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 43; Union (N.Y.), 35; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8; Belhaven (Miss.), 6; Bethel (Minn.), 5; Illinois College, 4; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 3; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 1; Wisconsin-Platteville, 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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A wild weekend was capped off with Whitworth (Wash.) shocking then-No. 4 Linfield (Ore.), 28-24. Trailing 24-14 entering the fourth quarter, Whitworth scored two touchdowns with the game-winner coming with 29 seconds remaining to give the Pirates their second-ever victory at Linfield and first since 2018. With the win, Whitworth took home the Northwest Conference title and secured their spot in the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs where they will host Chapman (Calif.) in the first round. The win also propelled the Pirates into the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season, a tie with Linfield at No. 18.
No. 1 North Central (Ill.) completed their 10-0 regular season with a 61-17 win over Augustana (Ill.) and claimed their third straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin title. The Cardinals will host Belhaven (Miss.), winners of the USA South Athletic Conference, in the first round of the playoffs.
No. 4 Trinity (Tex.) hosting No. 15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) is one of four Top 25 matchups in the first round of the playoffs. The other three are No. 16 Grove City (Pa.), making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, traveling to No. 10 Susquehanna (Pa.), No. 11 Alma (Mich.) hosting No. 21 DePauw (Ind.) and No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.) traveling to No. 14 Endicott (Mass.).
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (48) | 10-0 | 1224 | 1 | D. Augustana (Ill.), 61-17 | Nov. 18 vs. Belhaven (Miss.) | |
| 2 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 10-0 | 1174 | 2 | D. Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 41-17 | Nov. 18 vs. Alfred St. (N.Y.) | |
| 3 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 10-0 | 1123 | 3 | Idle | Nov. 18 vs. Illinois College | |
| 4 | Trinity (Tex.) | 9-1 | 1019 | 5 | D. Hendrix (Ark.), 56-7 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 15 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | |
| 5 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 9-1 | 991 | 6 | D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 59-0 | Nov. 18 vs. Bethel (Minn.) | |
| 6 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 9-1 | 980 | 7 | D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 41-7 | Nov. 18 vs. Minnesota-Morris | |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 10-0 | 943 | 8 | D. McDaniel (Md.), 58-7 | Nov. 18 vs. Western Connecticut St. | |
| 8 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 10-0 | 889 | 9 | D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 49-10 | Nov. 18 vs. Christopher Newport (Va.) | |
| 9 | Aurora (Ill.) | 10-0 | 821 | 10 | D. Concordia (Wis.), 23-0 | Nov. 18 vs. Coe (Iowa) | |
| 10 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 10-0 | 790 | 11 | D. Lycoming (Pa.), 49-10 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 16 Grove City (Pa.) | |
| 11 | Alma (Mich.) | 10-0 | 691 | 13 | D. Albion (Mich.), 50-14 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 21 DePauw (Ind.) | |
| 12 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 9-1 | 690 | 12 | D. North Park (Ill.), 42-26 | Nov. 18 vs. Mount St. Joseph (Ohio) | |
| 13 | Cortland (N.Y.) | 9-1 | 617 | 16 | D. No. 14 Ithaca (N.Y.), 38-28 | Nov. 18 at No. 14 Endicott (Mass.) | |
| 14 | Endicott (Mass.) | 9-1 | 490 | 17 | D. New England (Maine), 41-14 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.) | |
| 15 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 9-1 | 467 | 18 | D. East Texas Baptist, 42-27 | Nov. 18 at No. 4 Trinity (Tex.) | |
| 16 | Grove City (Pa.) | 10-0 | 441 | 19 | D. Thiel (Pa.), 31-0 | Nov. 18 at No. 10 Susquehanna (Pa.) | |
| 17 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 9-1 | 337 | 21 | D. Montclair St. (N.J.), 45-14 | Nov. 18 vs. Lebanon Valley (Pa.) | |
| 18t. | Linfield (Ore.) | 8-1 | 334 | 4 | Lost to Whitworth (Wash.), 28-24 | Season Complete | |
| 18t. | Whitworth (Wash) | 9-0 | 334 | NR | D. No. 4 Linfield (Ore.), 28-24 | Nov. 18 vs. Chapman (Calif.) | |
| 20 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 8-2 | 329 | 20 | D. Concordia (Minn.), 48-21 | Season Complete | |
| 21 | DePauw (Ind.) | 10-0 | 283 | 22 | D. Wabash (Ind.), 33-30 2OT | Nov. 18 at No. 11 Alma (Mich.) | |
| 22 | Berry (Ga.) | 9-1 | 210 | 24 | D. Rhodes (Tenn.), 36-12 | Season Complete | |
| 23 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 8-2 | 179 | 14 | Lost to No. 16 Cortland (N.Y.), 38-28 | Nov. 18 at Springfield (Mass.) | |
| 24 | John Carroll (Ohio) | 8-2 | 166 | 23 | D. Otterbein (Ohio), 37-22 | Season Complete | |
| 25 | Delaware Valley (Pa.) | 9-1 | 147 | 25 | D. Widener (Pa.), 23-6 | Nov. 18 vs. Union (N.Y.) | |
Dropped out: Wisconsin-River Falls (15)
Others Receiving Votes: Coe (Iowa), 94; Wisconsin-River Falls, 54; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 43; Union (N.Y.), 35; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8; Belhaven (Miss.), 6; Bethel (Minn.), 5; Illinois College, 4; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 3; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 1; Wisconsin-Platteville, 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.
