Two weeks ago, Mount Union coach Geoff Dartt referred to his team as the underdogs in Stagg Bowl LI. But even if so, the Purple Raiders are loose and as dangerous as ever. Plus, they're playing their best ball of the year. Patrick Coleman has more in a Road to the Stagg Bowl feature.
Stagg Bowl week is here! North Central College and the University of Mount Union are headed to Houston, Texas, this week, for the 51st Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the championship game of Division III football. Here's what you need to know, including to dress warmly for the game!
Whether he's breaking off a touchdown run of 50-plus yards or just chipping away on the ground and making his contributions through the air, Tyler Echeverry leads a talented running back room at Mount Union. Patrick Coleman has more in a Road to the Stagg Bowl feature.
There were no Division III football players taken in the NFL draft, which is the new norm these days, but a bunch of big names received free-agent contracts to sign with NFL teams, including two from the reigning champions. Here's the latest.
Four Division III football conferences are joining the ever-growing number of leagues sponsoring postgame bowls, as the Ohio Athletic Conference, Presidents' Athletic Conference, North Coast Athletic Conference and Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference will square off this November in Canton.
Snow had started to fall about 2:30 the previous afternoon. As of about 1:15 in the morning, we had seven inches. It was a foot by the time the call was made to delay Stagg Bowl XXXVII. Eventually, it was 19 inches of snow and the gargantuan effort to get the game play swung into full gear. Patrick Coleman remembers.
Out of 20 semifinalists, we whittled it down to five on Thursday, three quarterbacks, a wide receiver and a linebacker. One of these five will win the award, Division III football's top honor.
"I definitely love where I'm at and what I'm doing," says Mount Union's Rossy Moore, who plays the Purple Raiders' bandit position, a hybrid suited to his defensive skills and talents. Greg Thomas talks to Moore in Around the Nation.
Mount Union is no longer alone at the top. They’re peering through the glass at the champions like everyone else. But as Keith McMillan and Greg Thomas write, perhaps the Division III landscape is forever different, and the next North Central could come from various places.
It's well-known that the Purple Raiders have won 13 national titles but have not played in the Stagg Bowl since 2018 or won it since 2017. But every Purple Raider knows that is the goal. Greg Thomas talks with them and has more from Annapolis.
Tyler Echeverry capped a frenzied fourth quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run and Mount Union will play in the Stagg Bowl for the 22nd time as the Purple Raiders edged Wartburg in an incredible national semifinal, 34-31.
Mount Union wins the Ohio Athletic Conference automatic bid when Plunk's pass boinked off a BW defender's head, into the hands of Wayne Ruby for an amazing game-ending TD. That and other AQs and rivalries inside, in the recap.
The University of Mount Union recently unveiled a brand-new name for its football stadium and is building a plaza and more in honor of former player, coach and athletic director Larry Kehres.
For the second playoff in a row, North Central has gone to Mount Union to eliminate the Purple Raiders, as the Cardinals won 26-13 to book a return trip to the Stagg Bowl and to Ohio.
Pounding the rock may be Whitewater's trademark, but when the game needs to be put away, both UW-Whitewater and Mount Union turn their eyes to a senior in the backfield: Alex Peete and Josh Petruccelli. Greg Thomas has more.
Ben Bartch's draft hopes seem fairly secure, but everyone else in Division III is fighting to get noticed. And with Pro Days and traveling for workouts shut down because of the coronavirus, they're making do. Adam Turer has more.
The new Mount Union coach not only comes from the family, but from the current coaching staff, as offensive coordinator Geoff Dartt will take over for Vince Kehres as head coach of the Purple Raiders.
Mount Union head coach Vince Kehres is heading to Division I University of Toledo as an assistant coach, with a yet-to-be-announced defensive coaching position. In addition, his father and predecessor, athletic director Larry Kehres, will be taking a buyout from the school.
Delaware Valley outscored Bridgewater 23-9 in the second half and 13-3 in the fourth quarter to win at Bridgewater, while Ethan Greenfield had himself a day for North Central, a freshman quarterback was huge for Wesley and Mount Union rolled in its playoff opener.
Today, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited edition bobblehead commemorating the Mount Union Purple Raiders’ 13 Football NCAA Division III national championships. The bobblehead is the first of Mount Union’s mascot, MUcaw, and features MUcaw holding a replica national championship trophy and his sword, while 12 additional replica trophies are on the base of the bobblehead.
Birmigham-Southern shocked No. 7 Berry under the lights on Saturday night. Meanwhile, No. 9 Ithaca and No. 22 Cortland each won to remain unbeaten heading toward their season-ending clash, and Mount Union's kicker had a field day in games involving members of the D3football.com Top 25.
Mary Hardin-Baylor capped its run through a strong Division III football bracket and finished the 2018 season with its second national title, defeating Mount Union 24-16.
Former wide receiver taking snaps, current running back doing the same -- it might not matter that much in Stagg Bowl XLVI. These teams know each other so well at this level that it might be difficult to surprise either one. Adam Turer has more in a Road to the Stagg Bowl feature.
The Purple Raiders offense threw three interceptions but the Purple Raiders picked off two passes and returned each of them for touchdowns to hold off Johns Hopkins in the first national semifinal.
The votes are in, and the 13 semifinalists for the 2018 Gagliardi Trophy will be whittled down to four finalists. Watch at 4 p.m. ET as we reveal those four names.
Mount Union hasn't permitted anyone currently with the program to talk with D3football.com for more than a year, other that when mandated at playoff games. We don't let that stop us from writing about the North Region Defensive Player of the Year, however. There were plenty of people who could tell us all about Berry.
Mary Hardin-Baylor survived a fourth-quarter flurry to edge St. John's, while UW-Whitewater held off Bethel and Mount Union and Johns Hopkins moved on as well in Saturday's national quarterfinal games.
Brockport and Frostburg State were both bounced from the 2018 Division III playoffs, while Muhlenberg shut Randolph-Macon down and Mount Union, UW-Whitewater, St. John's and UMHB rolled. More in the full second-round wrapup.
Underdog Purple Raiders clicking at right time
January 04, 2025Two weeks ago, Mount Union coach Geoff Dartt referred to his team as the underdogs in Stagg Bowl LI. But even if so, the Purple Raiders are loose and as dangerous as ever. Plus, they're playing their best ball of the year. Patrick Coleman has more in a Road to the Stagg Bowl feature.
