Wisconsin-River Falls Surges in the Top 25 with Upset of Alma
September 9, 2024
The Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons made a notable advance in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, climbing from No. 17 to No. 10 after their impressive road win against previous No. 7 Alma (Mich.). Leading by 20 points at halftime, the Falcons secured a 41-35 victory, with senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha delivering a standout performance by accumulating 426 passing yards. As a result of the loss, Alma fell to No. 16t in the rankings.
In the opening week, two previously ranked teams, John Carroll (Ohio) and Trinity (Tex.), dropped out of the top 25 following their losses. As we move into week two, No. 1 North Central (Ill.) has a prime opportunity to demonstrate their dominance with their first game of the season against No. 13 Aurora (Ill.) on the road. The upcoming week features five exciting top 25 matchups, setting the stage for a weekend filled with high-stakes football and potential shake-ups in the rankings.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (28) 0-0 1227 1 Idle Sept. 14 at No. 13 Aurora (Ill.)
2 Cortland (N.Y.) (21) 1-0 1201 2 D. Hilbert (N.Y.), 76-0 Sept. 14 vs. Lycoming (Pa.)
3 Wisconsin-Whitewater 1-0 1140 3 D. No. 20 John Carroll (Ohio), 34-7 Sept. 14 at Roosevelt (Ill.)
4 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 1-0 1058 5 D. Ferrum (Va.), 55-6 Sept. 21 vs. John Carroll (Ohio)
5 Wisconsin-La Crosse 1-0 1023 6 D. Rensselaer (N.Y.), 35-0 Sept. 14 vs. Northern Michigan
6 Wartburg (Iowa) 1-0 991 4 D. Monmouth (Ill.), 38-24 Sept. 14 at No. 12 St. John’s (Minn.)
7 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 1-0 918 8 D. No. 19 Ithaca (N.Y.), 27-23 Sept. 14 at Christopher Newport (Va.)
8 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 1-0 854 10 D. Dickinson (Pa.), 47-21 Sept. 14 vs. Hobart (N.Y.)
9 Grove City (Pa.) 1-0 780 11 D. Geneva (Pa.), 41-0 Sept. 21 at St. Vincent (Pa.)
10 Wisconsin-River Falls 1-0 729 17 D. No. 7 Alma (Mich.), 41-35 Sept. 21 vs. Greenville (Ill.)
11 Susquehanna (Pa.) 1-0 725 12 D. Bridgewater (Va.), 41-7 Sept. 14 vs. Brockport (N.Y.)
12 St. John’s (Minn.) 1-0 705 14 D. Carthage (Wis.), 49-0 Sept. 14 vs. No. 6 Wartburg (Iowa)
13 Aurora (Ill.) 1-0 598 15 D. Dubuque (Iowa), 33-21 Sept. 14 vs. No. 1 North Central (Ill.)
14 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 1-0 582 16 D. Howard Payne (Tex.), 38-6 Sept. 14 at Curry (Mass.)
15 Endicott (Mass.) 1-0 439 18 D. St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 44-13 Sept. 14 at No. 24 Ithaca (N.Y.)
16t. Alma (Mich.) 0-1 409 7 Lost to No. 17 Wisconsin-River Falls, 41-35 Sept. 14 at Denison (Ohio)
16t. Linfield (Ore.) 1-0 409 22 D. Denison (Ohio), 31-7 Sept. 14 at No. 18 Wisconsin-Oshkosh
18 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 1-0 407 NR D. No. 9 Wheaton (Ill.), 21-14 Sept. 14 vs. No.16t Linfield (Ore.)
19 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 1-0 405 21 D. Moravian (Pa.), 33-7 Sept. 14 at Salisbury (Md.)
20 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) 1-0 334 23 D. Thiel (Pa.), 58-0 Sept. 14 vs. Geneva (Pa.)
21 Berry (Ga.) 1-0 286 24 D. Huntingdon (Ala.), 43-7 Sept. 14 vs. No. 25 DePauw (Ind.)
22 Wheaton (Ill.) 0-1 246 9 Lost to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 21-14 Sept. 21 vs. Augustana (Ill.)
23 Whitworth (Wash.) 1-0 222 25 D. Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 40-7 Sept. 14 vs. Eastern Oregon
24 Ithaca (N.Y.) 0-1 118 19 Lost to No. 8 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 27-23 Sept. 14 vs. No. 15 Endicott (Mass.)
25 DePauw (Ind.) 1-0 73 NR D. Rose-Hulman (In.), 57-14 Sept. 14 at No. 21 Berry (Ga.)
Dropped Out: Trinity (Tex.) (13), John Carroll (Ohio) (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Wisconsin-Platteville, 68; Bethel (Minn.), 59; Trinity (Tex.), 53; John Carroll (Ohio), 45; Washing & Jefferson (Pa.), 23; Christoper Newport (Va.), 19; Delaware Valley (Pa.), 18; Texas Lutheran, 15; Wabash (Ind.), 15; Illinois College, 13; Coe (Iowa), 11; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 10; Marietta (Ohio), 6; Washington (Mo.), 6; Salisbury (Md.), 4; Springfield (Mass.), 3; Utica (N.Y), 2; Central (Iowa), 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.
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The Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons made a notable advance in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, climbing from No. 17 to No. 10 after their impressive road win against previous No. 7 Alma (Mich.). Leading by 20 points at halftime, the Falcons secured a 41-35 victory, with senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha delivering a standout performance by accumulating 426 passing yards. As a result of the loss, Alma fell to No. 16t in the rankings.
In the opening week, two previously ranked teams, John Carroll (Ohio) and Trinity (Tex.), dropped out of the top 25 following their losses. As we move into week two, No. 1 North Central (Ill.) has a prime opportunity to demonstrate their dominance with their first game of the season against No. 13 Aurora (Ill.) on the road. The upcoming week features five exciting top 25 matchups, setting the stage for a weekend filled with high-stakes football and potential shake-ups in the rankings.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (28) | 0-0 | 1227 | 1 | Idle | Sept. 14 at No. 13 Aurora (Ill.) | |
| 2 | Cortland (N.Y.) (21) | 1-0 | 1201 | 2 | D. Hilbert (N.Y.), 76-0 | Sept. 14 vs. Lycoming (Pa.) | |
| 3 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 1-0 | 1140 | 3 | D. No. 20 John Carroll (Ohio), 34-7 | Sept. 14 at Roosevelt (Ill.) | |
| 4 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 1-0 | 1058 | 5 | D. Ferrum (Va.), 55-6 | Sept. 21 vs. John Carroll (Ohio) | |
| 5 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 1-0 | 1023 | 6 | D. Rensselaer (N.Y.), 35-0 | Sept. 14 vs. Northern Michigan | |
| 6 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 1-0 | 991 | 4 | D. Monmouth (Ill.), 38-24 | Sept. 14 at No. 12 St. John’s (Minn.) | |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 1-0 | 918 | 8 | D. No. 19 Ithaca (N.Y.), 27-23 | Sept. 14 at Christopher Newport (Va.) | |
| 8 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 1-0 | 854 | 10 | D. Dickinson (Pa.), 47-21 | Sept. 14 vs. Hobart (N.Y.) | |
| 9 | Grove City (Pa.) | 1-0 | 780 | 11 | D. Geneva (Pa.), 41-0 | Sept. 21 at St. Vincent (Pa.) | |
| 10 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 1-0 | 729 | 17 | D. No. 7 Alma (Mich.), 41-35 | Sept. 21 vs. Greenville (Ill.) | |
| 11 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 1-0 | 725 | 12 | D. Bridgewater (Va.), 41-7 | Sept. 14 vs. Brockport (N.Y.) | |
| 12 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 1-0 | 705 | 14 | D. Carthage (Wis.), 49-0 | Sept. 14 vs. No. 6 Wartburg (Iowa) | |
| 13 | Aurora (Ill.) | 1-0 | 598 | 15 | D. Dubuque (Iowa), 33-21 | Sept. 14 vs. No. 1 North Central (Ill.) | |
| 14 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 1-0 | 582 | 16 | D. Howard Payne (Tex.), 38-6 | Sept. 14 at Curry (Mass.) | |
| 15 | Endicott (Mass.) | 1-0 | 439 | 18 | D. St. Lawrence (N.Y.), 44-13 | Sept. 14 at No. 24 Ithaca (N.Y.) | |
| 16t. | Alma (Mich.) | 0-1 | 409 | 7 | Lost to No. 17 Wisconsin-River Falls, 41-35 | Sept. 14 at Denison (Ohio) | |
| 16t. | Linfield (Ore.) | 1-0 | 409 | 22 | D. Denison (Ohio), 31-7 | Sept. 14 at No. 18 Wisconsin-Oshkosh | |
| 18 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 1-0 | 407 | NR | D. No. 9 Wheaton (Ill.), 21-14 | Sept. 14 vs. No.16t Linfield (Ore.) | |
| 19 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 1-0 | 405 | 21 | D. Moravian (Pa.), 33-7 | Sept. 14 at Salisbury (Md.) | |
| 20 | Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | 1-0 | 334 | 23 | D. Thiel (Pa.), 58-0 | Sept. 14 vs. Geneva (Pa.) | |
| 21 | Berry (Ga.) | 1-0 | 286 | 24 | D. Huntingdon (Ala.), 43-7 | Sept. 14 vs. No. 25 DePauw (Ind.) | |
| 22 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 0-1 | 246 | 9 | Lost to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 21-14 | Sept. 21 vs. Augustana (Ill.) | |
| 23 | Whitworth (Wash.) | 1-0 | 222 | 25 | D. Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 40-7 | Sept. 14 vs. Eastern Oregon | |
| 24 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 0-1 | 118 | 19 | Lost to No. 8 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 27-23 | Sept. 14 vs. No. 15 Endicott (Mass.) | |
| 25 | DePauw (Ind.) | 1-0 | 73 | NR | D. Rose-Hulman (In.), 57-14 | Sept. 14 at No. 21 Berry (Ga.) | |
Dropped Out: Trinity (Tex.) (13), John Carroll (Ohio) (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Wisconsin-Platteville, 68; Bethel (Minn.), 59; Trinity (Tex.), 53; John Carroll (Ohio), 45; Washing & Jefferson (Pa.), 23; Christoper Newport (Va.), 19; Delaware Valley (Pa.), 18; Texas Lutheran, 15; Wabash (Ind.), 15; Illinois College, 13; Coe (Iowa), 11; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 10; Marietta (Ohio), 6; Washington (Mo.), 6; Salisbury (Md.), 4; Springfield (Mass.), 3; Utica (N.Y), 2; Central (Iowa), 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.
