UW-Platteville Stuns UW-La Crosse With Overtime Thriller
October 7, 2024
Wisconsin-Platteville remains undefeated after a dramatic 30-27 overtime victory over then-No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse. In a hard-fought battle, the Pioneers rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit, scoring 15 unanswered points in just five minutes to tie the game at 24-24. After La Crosse kicked a field goal on their first possession in overtime, Platteville responded with a game-winning touchdown on their very first snap, securing the thrilling win. Wisconsin-Platteville moves up to No. 11 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Wisconsin-La Crosse drops 13 spots to No. 18.
Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) moved up in the rankings to No. 6 with a 35-27 win over then-No. 9 Endicott (Mass.), remaining undefeated on the season. Despite Endicott’s efforts to mount a comeback, the Cowboys’ defense held firm in key moments to secure the victory, dropping the Gulls to No. 16. Next up, the Cowboys will face No. 17 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) on Saturday, one of four top 25 matchups in week six. Another is a top 10 showdown in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference as No. 7 Grove City (Pa.) plays host to No. 10 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.). The Tartans will want some revenge after Grove City spoiled their perfect season in 2023, 21-14.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 5 Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (36) 4-0 1235 1 D. No. 23 Wheaton (Ill.), 55-27 Oct. 12 at Millikin (Ill.)
2 Cortland (N.Y.) (13) 4-0 1209 2 D. Morrisville (N.Y.), 41-0 Oct. 12 at Utica (N.Y.)
3 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 4-0 1109 3 D. Otterbein (Ohio), 21-0 Oct. 12 vs. Wilmington (Ohio)
4 St. John’s (Minn.) 4-0 1100 4 D. Augsburg (Minn.), 45-20 Oct. 12 at Concordia (Minn.)
5 Wisconsin-River Falls 4-0 1029 6 D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 71-14 Oct. 12 at No. 11 Wisconsin-Platteville
6 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 4-0 953 8 D. No. 9 Endicott (Mass.), 35-27 Oct. 12 at No. 17 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.)
7 Grove City (Pa.) 4-0 952 7 D. Bethany (W.Va.), 62-22 Oct. 12 vs. No. 10 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.)
8 Wisconsin-Whitewater 3-1 755 11 D. No. 18 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 21-14 Oct. 12 at Wisconsin-Stout
9 Susquehanna (Pa.) 4-1 754 10 D. Catholic (D.C.), 48-14 Oct. 12 vs. Keystone (Pa.)
10 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) 5-0 718 12 D. Waynesburg (Pa.), 42-0 Oct. 12 at No. 7 Grove City (Pa.)
11 Wisconsin-Platteville 4-0 708 20 D. No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 30-27 OT Oct. 12 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin-River Falls
12 Salisbury (Md.) 4-0 700 13 D. Christopher Newport (Va.), 42-38 Oct. 12 at William Paterson (N.J.)
13 DePauw (Ind.) 5-0 610 14 D. Ohio Wesleyan, 53-14 Oct. 19 at Denison (Ohio)
14 Whitworth (Wash.) 4-0 497 16 D. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 34-23 Oct. 12 vs. Willamette (Ore.)
15 Wartburg (Iowa) 3-1 496 15 Idle Oct. 12 at Buena Vista (Iowa)
16 Endicott (Mass.) 4-1 490 9 Lost to No. 8 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), 35-27 Oct. 19 at New England (Maine)
17 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) 2-1 483 17 D. East Texas Baptist, 42-28 Oct. 12 vs. No. 6 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.)
18 Wisconsin-La Crosse 2-2 459 5 Lost to No. 20 Wisconsin-Platteville, 30-27 OT Oct. 12 at No. 23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh
19 Linfield (Ore.) 3-1 364 19 D. Willamette (Ore.), 72-0 Oct. 12 vs. Lewis & Clark (Ore.)
20 Aurora (Ill.) 4-1 326 21 D. Wisconsin Lutheran, 45-14 Oct. 12 at Concordia (Wis.)
21 Hope (Mich.) 5-0 302 24 D. Trine (Ind.), 42-6 Oct. 19 at Kalamazoo (Mich.)
22 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 3-1 219 22 D. Rowan (N.J.), 20-13 Oct. 11 at Gettysburg (Pa.)
23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 2-2 143 18 Lost to No. 11 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 21-14 Oct. 12 vs. No. 18 Wisconsin-La Crosse
24 Coe (Iowa) 5-0 122 NR D. Loras (Iowa), 43-10 Oct. 12 vs. Central (Iowa)
25 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 3-1 117 25 D. Shenandoah (Va.), 22-21 Oct. 12 vs. Guilford (N.C.)
Dropped Out: Wheaton (Ill.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Springfield (Mass.), 92; Marietta (Ohio), 87; Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 44; Berry (Ga.), 41; Lake Forest (Ill.), 40; Ursinus (Pa.) 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 16; Trinity (Tex.), 15; FDU-Florham (N.J.), 14; Bethel (Minn.), 9; Wabash (Ind.), 5; Washington (Mo.), 4; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 3; Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 3; Alma (Mich.), 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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Wisconsin-Platteville remains undefeated after a dramatic 30-27 overtime victory over then-No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse. In a hard-fought battle, the Pioneers rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit, scoring 15 unanswered points in just five minutes to tie the game at 24-24. After La Crosse kicked a field goal on their first possession in overtime, Platteville responded with a game-winning touchdown on their very first snap, securing the thrilling win. Wisconsin-Platteville moves up to No. 11 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Wisconsin-La Crosse drops 13 spots to No. 18.
Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) moved up in the rankings to No. 6 with a 35-27 win over then-No. 9 Endicott (Mass.), remaining undefeated on the season. Despite Endicott’s efforts to mount a comeback, the Cowboys’ defense held firm in key moments to secure the victory, dropping the Gulls to No. 16. Next up, the Cowboys will face No. 17 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) on Saturday, one of four top 25 matchups in week six. Another is a top 10 showdown in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference as No. 7 Grove City (Pa.) plays host to No. 10 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.). The Tartans will want some revenge after Grove City spoiled their perfect season in 2023, 21-14.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (36) | 4-0 | 1235 | 1 | D. No. 23 Wheaton (Ill.), 55-27 | Oct. 12 at Millikin (Ill.) | |
| 2 | Cortland (N.Y.) (13) | 4-0 | 1209 | 2 | D. Morrisville (N.Y.), 41-0 | Oct. 12 at Utica (N.Y.) | |
| 3 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 4-0 | 1109 | 3 | D. Otterbein (Ohio), 21-0 | Oct. 12 vs. Wilmington (Ohio) | |
| 4 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 4-0 | 1100 | 4 | D. Augsburg (Minn.), 45-20 | Oct. 12 at Concordia (Minn.) | |
| 5 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 4-0 | 1029 | 6 | D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 71-14 | Oct. 12 at No. 11 Wisconsin-Platteville | |
| 6 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 4-0 | 953 | 8 | D. No. 9 Endicott (Mass.), 35-27 | Oct. 12 at No. 17 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) | |
| 7 | Grove City (Pa.) | 4-0 | 952 | 7 | D. Bethany (W.Va.), 62-22 | Oct. 12 vs. No. 10 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | |
| 8 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 3-1 | 755 | 11 | D. No. 18 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 21-14 | Oct. 12 at Wisconsin-Stout | |
| 9 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 4-1 | 754 | 10 | D. Catholic (D.C.), 48-14 | Oct. 12 vs. Keystone (Pa.) | |
| 10 | Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | 5-0 | 718 | 12 | D. Waynesburg (Pa.), 42-0 | Oct. 12 at No. 7 Grove City (Pa.) | |
| 11 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 4-0 | 708 | 20 | D. No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 30-27 OT | Oct. 12 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin-River Falls | |
| 12 | Salisbury (Md.) | 4-0 | 700 | 13 | D. Christopher Newport (Va.), 42-38 | Oct. 12 at William Paterson (N.J.) | |
| 13 | DePauw (Ind.) | 5-0 | 610 | 14 | D. Ohio Wesleyan, 53-14 | Oct. 19 at Denison (Ohio) | |
| 14 | Whitworth (Wash.) | 4-0 | 497 | 16 | D. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 34-23 | Oct. 12 vs. Willamette (Ore.) | |
| 15 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 3-1 | 496 | 15 | Idle | Oct. 12 at Buena Vista (Iowa) | |
| 16 | Endicott (Mass.) | 4-1 | 490 | 9 | Lost to No. 8 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), 35-27 | Oct. 19 at New England (Maine) | |
| 17 | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) | 2-1 | 483 | 17 | D. East Texas Baptist, 42-28 | Oct. 12 vs. No. 6 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | |
| 18 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 2-2 | 459 | 5 | Lost to No. 20 Wisconsin-Platteville, 30-27 OT | Oct. 12 at No. 23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh | |
| 19 | Linfield (Ore.) | 3-1 | 364 | 19 | D. Willamette (Ore.), 72-0 | Oct. 12 vs. Lewis & Clark (Ore.) | |
| 20 | Aurora (Ill.) | 4-1 | 326 | 21 | D. Wisconsin Lutheran, 45-14 | Oct. 12 at Concordia (Wis.) | |
| 21 | Hope (Mich.) | 5-0 | 302 | 24 | D. Trine (Ind.), 42-6 | Oct. 19 at Kalamazoo (Mich.) | |
| 22 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 3-1 | 219 | 22 | D. Rowan (N.J.), 20-13 | Oct. 11 at Gettysburg (Pa.) | |
| 23 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 2-2 | 143 | 18 | Lost to No. 11 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 21-14 | Oct. 12 vs. No. 18 Wisconsin-La Crosse | |
| 24 | Coe (Iowa) | 5-0 | 122 | NR | D. Loras (Iowa), 43-10 | Oct. 12 vs. Central (Iowa) | |
| 25 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 3-1 | 117 | 25 | D. Shenandoah (Va.), 22-21 | Oct. 12 vs. Guilford (N.C.) | |
Dropped Out: Wheaton (Ill.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Springfield (Mass.), 92; Marietta (Ohio), 87; Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 44; Berry (Ga.), 41; Lake Forest (Ill.), 40; Ursinus (Pa.) 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 16; Trinity (Tex.), 15; FDU-Florham (N.J.), 14; Bethel (Minn.), 9; Wabash (Ind.), 5; Washington (Mo.), 4; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 3; Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 3; Alma (Mich.), 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.
