Willamette is 2-1 after Defeating Southern Oregon on Saturday

Bearcats Return to D3Football.com Top 25 at #21.

Salem-News.com Sports

SALEM, Ore. - The Willamette University football team, ranked #8 in the D3Football.com Preseason Top 25, has returned to the national poll following back-to-back victories over California Lutheran University on Sept. 12 and Southern Oregon University on Sept. 19. Willamette, 2-1 on the season, will host the University of La Verne at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (PDT).

The Bearcats fell out of the Top 25 after losing to Concordia College-Moorhead, 24-17, in the season opener in Moorhead, Minn., on Sept. 5. Willamette responded with a 20-13 home victory over California Lutheran before winning downing Southern Oregon, 22-15, on the road.

Still holding the nation's #1 ranking is defending national champion Mount Union College (Ohio), which received 23 of 25 first place votes and 623 points in the poll. Mount Union is 2-0 overall.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2-0, which finished second in the NCAA Division III Playoffs last season, is ranked #2 with two first place votes and 601 points. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 2-0, is #3 with 576 points. Wheaton College (Illinois), 2-0, is ranked #4 with 532 points. Wesley College (Mass) holds the #5 ranking at 3-0 and 518 points.

Northwest Conference opponent Linfield College moved up one spot to #13 after defeating Occidental College (Calif.), 31-27, on Saturday.

Occidental fell from #21 to #24. Concordia-Moorhead lost to #6 St. John's (Minn.), 31-17, and fell out of the Top 25. The Cobbers were #23 last week.

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