Willamette Enters D3football.com Top 25 with #25 Ranking

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team has entered the D3football.com Top 25, as the Bearcats are ranked #25 this week. Willamette, currently 3-0 on the season, will open Northwest Conference action on Friday, Oct. 11 when the Bearcats host Whitworth University.

It is the first time that Willamette has been nationally ranked so far this season.

The University of Mount Union (Ohio), 4-0, was listed at #1 in the Top 25 with 609 points in the poll and 16 of 25 first place votes. Linfield College, 4-0, followed at #2 with 597 points and six first place votes. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 5-0, held the #3 position with 594 points and three first place votes.

North Central College (Ill.), 4-0, was #4 with 538 points and Bethel University (Minn.), 4-0, was #5 with 498 points.

Overall, the poll included 19 undefeated teams. Five teams with one loss were in the poll, as well as one team with two losses. Franklin College (Ind.), 2-2, was ranked #14 with losses to #1-ranked Mount Union and to Butler University, a non-scholarship NCAA Division I FCS team.

A total of three Northwest Conference teams were listed in the Top 25. Joining Linfield and Willamette was Pacific Lutheran University, 3-1, at #15 in the poll. The Lutes, previously ranked #11, lost to Linfield, 29-0, on Saturday, in a game that the Wildcats led 7-0 entering the fourth quarter.

In addition, Pacific University, 4-0, was listed among other teams receiving votes, but did not make the Top 25.

Kickoff for Willamette's home game with Whitworth on Friday, part of Family Weekend, is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).

The D3football.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members from throughout the country.