Linfield Wins 45th NWC Title & Clinches Playoff Berth
November 18, 2024
No. 12 Linfield (Ore.) ended Whitworth’s (Wash.) undefeated season, dropping the Pirates from No. 10 to No. 21 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Wildcats’ 34-7 victory clinched the Northwest Conference championship and earned them an automatic berth to the second round of the playoffs, where they will face Texas Lutheran. This marks Linfield’s third playoff appearance in the last four seasons, with the lone miss coming last year when Whitworth defeated the Wildcats in the regular season finale. This victory, therefore, holds even greater significance for Linfield. In addition, the win secured the Wildcats’ 45th league championship.
The top five teams in the AFCA poll, No. 1 North Central (Ill.), No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), No. 4 St. John’s (Minn.), and No. 5 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), are all off this coming Saturday, awaiting their second-round playoff matchups on November 30th. Meanwhile, several top 25 teams will be in action during the first round of the playoffs. No. 11 Endicott (Mass.) will host Alfred St. (N.Y.), No. 19 Wisconsin-La Crosse welcomes Northwestern (Minn.), No. 21 Whitworth (Wash.) will face Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.), and No. 24 Coe (Iowa) will host Bethel (Minn.).
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 11 Post-season
1 North Central (Ill.) (38) 10-0 1236 1 D. Illinois Wesleyan, 42-20 Nov. 30 TBA
2 Cortland (N.Y.) (11) 10-0 1200 2 D. Ithaca (N.Y.), 28-17 Nov. 30 TBA
3 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 10-0 1115 3 D. Muskingum (Ohio), 35-28 Nov. 30 TBA
4 St. John’s (Minn.) 10-0 1110 4 D. Bethel (Minn.), 41-33 Nov. 30 TBA
5 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 10-0 1067 5 D. East Texas Baptist, 45-23 Nov. 30 TBA
6 Susquehanna (Pa.) 9-1 931 6 D. Lycoming (Pa.), 55-0 Nov. 30 vs. Hobart (N.Y.)
7 Salisbury (Md.) 10-0 920 7 D. Kean (N.J.), 58-28 Nov. 30 TBA
8 DePauw (Ind.) 10-0 884 8 D. Wabash (Ind.), 42-21 Nov. 30 TBA
9 Wisconsin-Platteville 9-1 866 9 D. Wisconsin-Stout, 46-38 Nov. 30 at No. 10 Wartburg (Iowa)
10 Wartburg (Iowa) 9-1 761 11 D. Loras (Iowa), 60-14 Nov. 30 vs. No. 9 Wisconsin-Platteville
11 Endicott (Mass.) 9-1 695 12 D. Curry (Mass.), 49-14 Nov. 23 vs. Alfred St. (N.Y.)
12 Linfield (Ore.) 9-1 648 14 D. No. 10 Whitworth (Wash.), 34-7 Nov. 30 vs. Texas Lutheran
13 Aurora (Ill.) 9-1 619 13 Idle Nov. 30 at No. 14 Hope (Mich.)
14 Hope (Mich.) 10-0 580 15 D. Olivet (Mich.), 48-12 Nov. 30 vs. No. 13 Aurora (Ill.)
15 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) 9-1 552 16 D. Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 37-30 Nov. 30 vs. Centre (Ky.)
16 Grove City (Pa.) 9-1 509 17 D. Westminster (Pa.), 36-9 Nov. 30 at No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.)
17 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 9-1 404 18 D. McDaniel (Md.), 35-0 Nov. 30 vs. No. 16 Grove City (Pa.)
18 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) 9-1 346 19 D. Allegheny (Pa.), 45-0 Nov. 30 at No. 22 Randolph-Macon (Va.)
19 Wisconsin-La Crosse 7-3 325 21 D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 56-14 Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern (Minn.)
20 Springfield (Mass.) 10-0 295 20 D. SUNY Maritime (N.Y.), 55-20 Nov. 30 vs. Massachusetts-Dartmouth
21 Whitworth (Wash.) 9-1 258 10 Lost to No. 14 Linfield (Ore.), 34-7 Nov. 23 vs. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.)
22 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 9-1 208 22 D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 27-6 Nov. 30 vs. No. 18 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.)
23 Lake Forest (Ill.) 10-0 144 25 D. UChicago (Ill.), 28-9 Nov. 30 TBA
24 Coe (Iowa) 9-1 118 NR Idle Nov. 23 vs. Bethel (Minn.)
25 Wisconsin-River Falls 7-3 90 NR D. No. 23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 28-14 Regular Season Complete
Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (23), Marietta (Ohio) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Wheaton (Ill.), 75; Bethel (Minn.), 71; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 40; John Carroll (Ohio), 35; Wisconsin-Whitewater, 35; Hobart (N.Y.), 28; Ursinus (Pa.), 21; Wisconsin-Stout, 18; Wabash (Ind.), 12; Berry (Ga.), 12; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 10; Alma (Mich.), 4; Marietta (Ohio), 3; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 3; Maryville (Tenn.), 1; Texas Lutheran, 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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No. 12 Linfield (Ore.) ended Whitworth’s (Wash.) undefeated season, dropping the Pirates from No. 10 to No. 21 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Wildcats’ 34-7 victory clinched the Northwest Conference championship and earned them an automatic berth to the second round of the playoffs, where they will face Texas Lutheran. This marks Linfield’s third playoff appearance in the last four seasons, with the lone miss coming last year when Whitworth defeated the Wildcats in the regular season finale. This victory, therefore, holds even greater significance for Linfield. In addition, the win secured the Wildcats’ 45th league championship.
The top five teams in the AFCA poll, No. 1 North Central (Ill.), No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), No. 4 St. John’s (Minn.), and No. 5 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), are all off this coming Saturday, awaiting their second-round playoff matchups on November 30th. Meanwhile, several top 25 teams will be in action during the first round of the playoffs. No. 11 Endicott (Mass.) will host Alfred St. (N.Y.), No. 19 Wisconsin-La Crosse welcomes Northwestern (Minn.), No. 21 Whitworth (Wash.) will face Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.), and No. 24 Coe (Iowa) will host Bethel (Minn.).
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 11 | Post-season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (38) | 10-0 | 1236 | 1 | D. Illinois Wesleyan, 42-20 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 2 | Cortland (N.Y.) (11) | 10-0 | 1200 | 2 | D. Ithaca (N.Y.), 28-17 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 3 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 10-0 | 1115 | 3 | D. Muskingum (Ohio), 35-28 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 4 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 10-0 | 1110 | 4 | D. Bethel (Minn.), 41-33 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 5 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 10-0 | 1067 | 5 | D. East Texas Baptist, 45-23 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 6 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 9-1 | 931 | 6 | D. Lycoming (Pa.), 55-0 | Nov. 30 vs. Hobart (N.Y.) | |
| 7 | Salisbury (Md.) | 10-0 | 920 | 7 | D. Kean (N.J.), 58-28 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 8 | DePauw (Ind.) | 10-0 | 884 | 8 | D. Wabash (Ind.), 42-21 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 9 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 9-1 | 866 | 9 | D. Wisconsin-Stout, 46-38 | Nov. 30 at No. 10 Wartburg (Iowa) | |
| 10 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 9-1 | 761 | 11 | D. Loras (Iowa), 60-14 | Nov. 30 vs. No. 9 Wisconsin-Platteville | |
| 11 | Endicott (Mass.) | 9-1 | 695 | 12 | D. Curry (Mass.), 49-14 | Nov. 23 vs. Alfred St. (N.Y.) | |
| 12 | Linfield (Ore.) | 9-1 | 648 | 14 | D. No. 10 Whitworth (Wash.), 34-7 | Nov. 30 vs. Texas Lutheran | |
| 13 | Aurora (Ill.) | 9-1 | 619 | 13 | Idle | Nov. 30 at No. 14 Hope (Mich.) | |
| 14 | Hope (Mich.) | 10-0 | 580 | 15 | D. Olivet (Mich.), 48-12 | Nov. 30 vs. No. 13 Aurora (Ill.) | |
| 15 | Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | 9-1 | 552 | 16 | D. Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 37-30 | Nov. 30 vs. Centre (Ky.) | |
| 16 | Grove City (Pa.) | 9-1 | 509 | 17 | D. Westminster (Pa.), 36-9 | Nov. 30 at No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.) | |
| 17 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 9-1 | 404 | 18 | D. McDaniel (Md.), 35-0 | Nov. 30 vs. No. 16 Grove City (Pa.) | |
| 18 | Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) | 9-1 | 346 | 19 | D. Allegheny (Pa.), 45-0 | Nov. 30 at No. 22 Randolph-Macon (Va.) | |
| 19 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 7-3 | 325 | 21 | D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 56-14 | Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern (Minn.) | |
| 20 | Springfield (Mass.) | 10-0 | 295 | 20 | D. SUNY Maritime (N.Y.), 55-20 | Nov. 30 vs. Massachusetts-Dartmouth | |
| 21 | Whitworth (Wash.) | 9-1 | 258 | 10 | Lost to No. 14 Linfield (Ore.), 34-7 | Nov. 23 vs. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) | |
| 22 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 9-1 | 208 | 22 | D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 27-6 | Nov. 30 vs. No. 18 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) | |
| 23 | Lake Forest (Ill.) | 10-0 | 144 | 25 | D. UChicago (Ill.), 28-9 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 24 | Coe (Iowa) | 9-1 | 118 | NR | Idle | Nov. 23 vs. Bethel (Minn.) | |
| 25 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 7-3 | 90 | NR | D. No. 23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 28-14 | Regular Season Complete |
Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (23), Marietta (Ohio) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Wheaton (Ill.), 75; Bethel (Minn.), 71; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 40; John Carroll (Ohio), 35; Wisconsin-Whitewater, 35; Hobart (N.Y.), 28; Ursinus (Pa.), 21; Wisconsin-Stout, 18; Wabash (Ind.), 12; Berry (Ga.), 12; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 10; Alma (Mich.), 4; Marietta (Ohio), 3; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 3; Maryville (Tenn.), 1; Texas Lutheran, 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.
