To call Mount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater the dominating forces in Division III football might be an understatement. The two teams have been unstoppable, consistently rising to the top of the DIII and meeting in the championship game over the better part of the last 10 years. In fact, Friday marked the seventh-consecutive meeting between the two teams in the Division III National Championship, and presented Wisconsin-Whitewater with a chance to keep an impressive winning streak alive.
Mount Union Vs. UW-Whitewater: Division III Battle Rages On As Warhawks Win Third-Straight
UW-Whitewater came into the Friday night matchup with a 44-game winning streak and the last two national titles in hand. The streak represented a shift in power, with Mount Union losing its nearly two-decade-long grip on Division III. And in 26 years, the Raiders had lost just 23 times heading into this year’s championship; an impressive reign at the top, to be sure.
But UW-Whitewater continued its run of dominance, hanging on for a 13-10 win to secure its third-consecutive national title. It was a defensive battle, with the Warhawks taking a 10-0 lead into the half and a 13-3 lead into the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Mount Union wasn’t content to go quietly, though, and made things interesting with a touchdown that cut UW-Whitewater’s lead to three with just over three minutes remaining. The Raiders got the ball back after forcing a three-and-out, but their last gasp was fruitless, ending with a turnover on downs after a failed fourth and 10.
The win was the 45th-straight for the Warhawks, capping another perfect season with another title. Considering the history between Mount Union and UW-Whitewater, one would expect this isn’t the last time we’ll see these two playing for a championship and, perhaps, keeping the streak alive.
See More:
