Titans earn at-large bid in NCAA Division III playoffs

Posted on November 12, 2017

Norm Eash’s Illinois Wesleyan Titans host Case Western in the NCAA DIII playoffs on Saturday. (Photo courtesy iwusports.com)

By IWU Sports Information

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan football Titans are back in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the sixth time overall and for the first time since 2013, earning an at-large bid and will host Case Western Reserve University (10-0) at Tucci Stadium at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

No.11-ranked Illinois Wesleyan, who finished the 2017 regular season with a 9-1 overall record and shared the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship with a 7-1 mark, has a 3-5 record in its five previous playoff showings, going 2-2 at home and 1-3 on the road.

The No.16-ranked Spartans also received an at-large bid into the NCAA playoffs, their fourth NCAA Division III playoff appearance and first since the 2009 season. The Spartans clinched a share of the 2017 Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship with an 8-0 mark in league play, and went 2-0 in University Athletic Association contest to claim the conference’s title.

The winner of the IWU/Case Western game would play on Nov. 25 against the winner of the game between nationally-ranked No. 2 Mount Union (10-0) and Washington & Lee (8-2).

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