https://www.d3football.com en-us https://www.d3football.com/notables/2025/12/gagliardi-semifinalists-announced Dozens of players were nominated but 15 make it to the semifinal stage. Who are they? Check out the players, then cast your fan ballot for the top all-around student-athlete in Division III football. Fri, 05 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/notables/2025/12/gagliardi-semifinalists-announced https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2025/second-round-recap A half-dozen games came down to the final possession, snow dotted the landscape, three teams from the same conference won playoff games in the same week for the first time, and five road teams won games on Saturday in the round of 32. Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2025/second-round-recap https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2025/contrib/20251130a95rnb Waverly, Iowa – Wheaton defeated Wartburg College 28-24 on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division Football Playoffs. The Wheaton defense swatted away a potential game-winning TD pass as time expired to emerge with the win. Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2025/contrib/20251130a95rnb https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2025/contrib/20251122d0y733 Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton College Thunder football team  took on the Crown College Polars in the First Round of the NCAA DIII Playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Wheaton’s McCully Stadium. This is the first-ever matchup between the two programs and the first-ever playoff appearance for the Polars, who received an automatic bid by winning the UMAC conference. Wheaton would advance to round two after beating Crown 76-14, displaying strength in all three facets of the game. Wheaton will travel to Waverly, Iowa, next Saturday to take on Wartburg University in Round Two of the DIII Football Playoffs at noon. Sat, 22 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2025/contrib/20251122d0y733 https://www.d3football.com/notables/2025/10/week8-top25-recap No. 4 Salisbury edged Rowan in its first big test of the season, while No. 9 UW-Whitewater rallied at home past No. 8 UW-Platteville, Muhlenberg rallied past No. 16 Carnegie Mellon, No. 7 Wartburg held off No. 14 Central and No. 19 Hope scored on the last play of the game to hand No. 25 Adrian its first loss on Saturday afternoon. Check out the Top 25 recap. Sat, 25 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/notables/2025/10/week8-top25-recap https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2024/contrib/20241019xqd4bk The No. 24 Wheaton Thunder football team took to the road on Saturday for a CCIW contest at Carthage College following two-consecutive games at McCully Stadium. The Thunder defeated the Firebirds 50-13 for the road win, and Wheaton’s 14th-consecutive win against Carthage. Sat, 19 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2024/contrib/20241019xqd4bk https://www.d3football.com/columns/features/2024/wheaton-chance-to-start-again After a Week 1 loss, the Wheaton Thunder find themselves evaluating what went wrong, remembering the positives, and essentially going back into training camp before they play in Week 3. Brian Lester has more in a D3football.com Feature. Thu, 12 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/columns/features/2024/wheaton-chance-to-start-again https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231231kkms31 Belhaven is excited to welcome CJ Nightingale as the eighth head football coach in program history after the Blazers' first trip to the Division III playoffs. Sun, 31 Dec 2023 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231231kkms31 https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2023/wheaton-perseverance-giovanni-weeks Giovanni Weeks had to wait two years at Wheaton before he was even able to take the field, but now when the game is on the line, there's nobody else the Thunder want the ball in the hands of. A Road to Salem feature by Greg Thomas. Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2023/wheaton-perseverance-giovanni-weeks https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/2023111817h44d Wheaton, Ill – The Wheaton College football team (10-1) hosted Mount St. Joseph University (9-2) in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs on Saturday at McCully Stadium, with the Thunder earning a 41-34 victory against the Lions. The Thunder move onto the Second Round of the playoffs facing UW–Whitewater next Saturday at noon. The NCAA will announce the location next Saturday’s matchup tomorrow. Sat, 18 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/2023111817h44d https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231111xbc62x Chicago, Ill. – The Wheaton football team wrapped up its regular season schedule on Saturday afternoon with a 42-26 victory at North Park (5-5, 4-5 CCIW). Wheaton improves to 9-1 overall and 8-1 in CCIW play. Sat, 11 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231111xbc62x https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231028ymzn43 Decatur, Ill. – The 12th-ranked Wheaton football team (7-1, 6-1) shut out Millikin 75-0 on Saturday afternoon. The 75-point effort by Wheaton is the most for the Thunder football program since a 79-0 victory at home against Elmhurst on November 10, 2018 (a span of 43 games). Today’s 75-point margin of victory is the largest in the 68-game history of the Wheaton-Millikin series. Sat, 28 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231028ymzn43 https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/202310222ij10e Waukesha, Wis. – The Wheaton football team, ranked 13th in the most recent D3football.com Top-25 poll, traveled to Wisconsin on Saturday for a road matchup at Carroll. The Thunder cruised to a 52-6 victory against the Pioneers (4-3, 3-3 CCIW). Wheaton improves to 6-1 overall on the season and 5-1 in CCIW play. Sat, 21 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/202310222ij10e https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231015nfytg6 Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton football team returned home on Saturday evening for a CCIW matchup against Carthage at McCully Stadium. The Thunder scored in every quarter tonight in earning a 50-13 victory against the Firebirds (5-1, 4-1). Sat, 14 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231015nfytg6 https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231008kqgx7m Elmhurst, Ill. – The Wheaton football team, ranked 13th in both Division III polls this week, took to the road for a CCIW contest at Elmhurst (1-4, 0-4 CCIW). The Thunder defeated the Bluejays 61-6 to improve to 4-1 on the season and 3-1 in CCIW play. Sat, 07 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231008kqgx7m https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231001s8z2i2 Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton (3-1, 2-1 CCIW) and North Central (4-0, 3-0 CCIW) football teams faced each other on Saturday afternoon at Wheaton's McCully Stadium in the annual "Battle for the Little Brass Bell". The No. 1 ranked Cardinals defeated eighth-ranked Wheaton 54-35 today. Sat, 30 Sep 2023 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2023/contrib/20231001s8z2i2 https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2022/contrib/20221105hpbbv1 Sat, 05 Nov 2022 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2022/contrib/20221105hpbbv1 https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2022/revisiting-wild-weekend We've been spoiled by some great games in the early part of the season, but haven't written enough about them. Greg Thomas revisits both the Whitewater-UMHB game and the Trinity-Wheaton game with the participants in this week's Around the Nation. Thu, 15 Sep 2022 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2022/revisiting-wild-weekend https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2021/wheaton-defense-excited-to-get-after-it After facing one of Division III's most prolific quarterbacks in the first round, the Thunder's defense is ready to take on Central and Blaine Hawkins. More in a Road to the Stagg Bowl feature by Brian Lester. Wed, 24 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2021/wheaton-defense-excited-to-get-after-it https://www.d3football.com/notables/2020/01/wheaton-names-new-head-coach Jesse Scott, a 2009 graduate of Wheaton and a D3football.com first-team All-America selection as a Thunder offensive lineman, gets the call to follow Mike Swider as Wheaton's coach. Tue, 28 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/notables/2020/01/wheaton-names-new-head-coach https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2019/2019-review-coaches-farewell While the 2019 season was notable for many reasons, it was especially so for the number of prominent coaches who decided to hang it up. In his year in review, Adam Turer talks with Larry Kindbom, Mike Leonard and Mike Swider, plus wraps up the 2019 season. Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2019/2019-review-coaches-farewell https://www.d3football.com/notables/2019/12/wheaton-swider-announces-retirement After nearly 40 years at Wheaton College, 35 on staff and 24 as head coach, Mike Swider announced his retirement on Tuesday. Tue, 10 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/notables/2019/12/wheaton-swider-announces-retirement https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2019/wheaton-2-wasnt-good-enough While most programs would be delighted to post a winning percentage of .800, the Thunder were determined to not repeat the last two seasons, where they went 8-2 and finished as runners-up in the CCIW. Perhaps 12-0 is more their liking. Adam Turer has more. Tue, 03 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2019/wheaton-2-wasnt-good-enough https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2019/first-round-wrapup-wheaton The Wheaton bracket, on the bottom left, saw three great games. Central rallied to beat UW-Oshkosh in overtime, St. John's survived a shootout with Aurora and Linfield and Chapman needed multiple extra periods to decide it out west. Sat, 23 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2019/first-round-wrapup-wheaton https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/20191117u6zlye Wheaton, Ill. - The fourth-ranked Thunder football team put the finishing touches on the third 10-0 season in program history on Saturday with a 58-0 victory at Elmhurst College. The shutout is Wheaton's fifth of the season as the Thunder clinched an outright CCIW Championship, their first since 2015 and 17th in program history. With the CCIW title, Wheaton will make its first playoff appearance since 2016. Sat, 16 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/20191117u6zlye https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/20191109ugfkmx Sat, 09 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/20191109ugfkmx https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/201910262b8kex Wheaton , Ill. - The Wheaton football team, ranked fifth in the current D3football.com Top-25 poll, shut out Augustana 40-0 on Saturday afternoon under rainy conditions at McCully Stadium. Wheaton remains undefeated on the season at 7-0 overall and 6-0 in CCIW play. Augustana is now 4-3 this season with a 3-3 record in conference play. Sat, 26 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/201910262b8kex https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2019/why-isnt-my-team-ranked Adam Turer fields that question and more from readers in this week's edition of Around the Nation. What are the best determining factors for the playoffs, how can my team get into the top four, and more. Thu, 24 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2019/why-isnt-my-team-ranked https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/201910192kju3e Sat, 19 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/seasons/2019/contrib/201910192kju3e https://www.d3football.com/notables/2019/10/week5-top25-roundup Texas Lutheran delivered a big blow to Hardin-Simmons' playoff hopes, Wheaton defeated North Central for the fourth year in a row, while Union knocked off Hobart and Hope dispatched Trine from the rankings in Saturday's action among teams in the D3football.com Top 25. Sat, 05 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT https://www.d3football.com/notables/2019/10/week5-top25-roundup