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In a result that reshapes the NCAA Division III football landscape, the University of Wisconsin–River Falls toppled modern powerhouse North Central College 24–14 in Stagg Bowl LII, claiming the Falcons’ first national championship and ending a 29-game winning streak by one of the sport’s true dynasties.
On January 4, 2026, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, Wisconsin–River Falls completed a season-long climb from preseason underdog to national champion. The Falcons, representing the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), entered the final as first-time Stagg Bowl participants, facing a North Central program that had defined Division III excellence over the past half decade.
North Central arrived in Canton with six straight Stagg Bowl appearances, three national titles in the previous five years and both the top-ranked scoring offense and scoring defense in Division III. The Cardinals had not lost in 29 games and had overwhelmed most opponents behind a high-powered, balanced attack.
None of that seemed to rattle Wisconsin–River Falls. Picked only third in the WIAC preseason coaches poll, the Falcons had already defied expectations by winning the conference, finishing 14–1 overall and 6–1 in league play, and advancing to the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 1996. In Canton, they finished the job, adding a ninth Division III football title to the WIAC’s deep trophy case and signaling that another program has joined UW–Whitewater and UW–La Crosse among the league’s national powers.
The victory also lifted the profile of Wisconsin–River Falls on the national stage, extending a run of athletic success that already included back-to-back NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey championships and other postseason achievements.
The Stagg Bowl could hardly have started more according to script for the defending champions. On the game’s opening possession, North Central marched 73 yards in just four plays, showcasing the explosiveness that made its offense the nation’s most feared. Running back Donovan McNeal ripped through the Falcons defense for a 48-yard touchdown run, giving the Cardinals a 7–0 lead and seizing immediate momentum.
Wisconsin–River Falls answered, but in a very different style. Quarterback Kaleb Blaha guided a measured, 81-yard drive that chewed clock and moved methodically down the field. The Falcons stalled in the red zone, however, and settled for a 25-yard field goal by Justin Scheberl, trimming the deficit to 7–3 late in the first quarter.
North Central responded with a championship-caliber drive of its own early in the second quarter. The Cardinals embarked on a 15-play, 73-yard march that drained more than nine minutes from the clock, ultimately finishing with McNeal’s one-yard plunge. That touchdown pushed the lead to 14–3, the largest deficit Wisconsin–River Falls had faced at any point during the 2025 season.
For many teams, falling behind by 11 to the defending champs with the sport’s most dominant offense and defense might have been the beginning of the end. For the Falcons, it was the turning point.
With the first half winding down, Wisconsin–River Falls shifted gears. Rather than shorten the game and play cautiously, the Falcons leaned into their playmaker. Blaha orchestrated a crisp, eight-play, 75-yard two-minute drill that showcased why he had become one of Division III’s most dynamic offensive threats.
Moving efficiently through his reads and using his legs to extend plays, Blaha marched the Falcons into scoring range. He capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Blake Rohrer, threading the ball to the back of the end zone. The score trimmed the margin to 14–10 and, just as importantly, proved that the Falcons could move the ball and finish drives against the nation’s top scoring defense.
The half’s final snap produced one of the game’s defining moments. With North Central threatening to restore a double-digit lead before the break, freshman defensive back Taylor Sussner stepped in front of a pass in the end zone, securing his seventh interception of the season and preserving the 14–10 scoreline.
Instead of heading to the locker room down two scores, Wisconsin–River Falls had survived the Cardinals’ early surge and entered halftime within striking distance, armed with growing confidence and a belief that their defense could get stops.
The second half belonged almost entirely to Wisconsin–River Falls.
The Falcons opened the third quarter with an aggressive mindset, driving deep into the red zone before being stopped on fourth-and-goal. Though they came away with no points, that series changed the field position and established that the offensive line could stand up to North Central’s front.
The defense responded immediately, forcing a punt and putting the ball back into Blaha’s hands. Later in the quarter, he engineered a seven-play, 59-yard drive that showcased the dual-threat skills that had carried the Falcons all season. Blaha finished the march himself, keeping the ball on a seven-yard run to the end zone that gave Wisconsin–River Falls its first lead of the night at 17–14.
From that point on, the Falcons defense took control of the game. Led by senior defensive lineman Jack Olson and senior linebacker Gage Timm, Wisconsin–River Falls held a North Central offense that had averaged more than 40 points per game scoreless after halftime.
Olson and Sussner each recorded interceptions as the Falcons secondary tightened its coverage and the pass rush disrupted Cardinal quarterback Garret Wilson. Timm, the heartbeat of the defense, delivered a stat-sheet-stuffing performance with double-digit tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble, constantly appearing around the ball and in the backfield.
Early in the fourth quarter, a critical play at the line of scrimmage swung the Stagg Bowl decisively. An Olson-tipped pass turned into his own interception deep in North Central territory, giving the Falcons a short field and a chance to extend their three-point lead.
They needed just one play to make it count. On the next snap, Blaha sliced through the middle of the Cardinals defense for a 12-yard touchdown run. The score pushed the advantage to 24–14 and put Wisconsin–River Falls on the brink of one of the most significant upsets in Division III championship history.
North Central, true to its championship pedigree, did not go quietly. The Cardinals mounted multiple late drives, repeatedly crossing midfield and threatening to close the gap. Each time, the Falcons defense answered the challenge, producing two key fourth-down stops to slam the door.
By the final whistle, Wisconsin–River Falls had outscored the defending national champions 21–0 over the final two and a half quarters. The Falcons finished with a 436–363 edge in total offense, overcame a disadvantage in time of possession and, critically, played turnover-free football. North Central, by contrast, turned the ball over three times and saw its 29-game winning streak come to an end under the bright lights in Canton.
Even by his own lofty standards, Blaha’s performance in Stagg Bowl LII was exceptional. The senior quarterback completed 27 of 41 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown, while adding 128 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. In total, he accounted for all three Falcons touchdowns and 419 yards of total offense, outdueling one of the nation’s most complete defenses on the biggest stage.
Those numbers also carried historical weight. Blaha’s final tally for the season reached 6,189 yards of total offense, breaking the all-divisions NCAA single-season record of 6,039 yards set by LSU’s Joe Burrow during his legendary 2019 campaign. To surpass a record held by a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion from the FBS ranks underscores both the volume and efficiency of Blaha’s 2025 season.
Days before the championship, Blaha had been honored with the 2025 Gagliardi Trophy, presented annually to Division III’s top football player and recognizing excellence in performance, academics and community service. The Stagg Bowl victory and the NCAA record made his Gagliardi campaign feel complete, placing him firmly among the most decorated players in Division III history.
For recruits and families tracking Division III opportunities, Blaha’s trajectory is a powerful example of what is possible at a non-scholarship level: elite competition, national exposure and the chance to rewrite record books.
Though the night ultimately belonged to Wisconsin–River Falls, North Central’s top performers still showed why the Cardinals have been the standard in Division III.
McNeal finished with 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, consistently finding creases early before the Falcons’ defensive adjustments limited explosive plays. Wilson threw for 194 yards, but his evening was marred by two interceptions and a lost fumble as Wisconsin–River Falls’ front seven applied steady pressure.
For a program that had been almost untouchable in recent seasons, the loss in Canton will sting. At the same time, North Central’s sustained Stagg Bowl streak and three titles over a five-year window will continue to serve as a benchmark for aspiring Division III contenders.
To understand the full impact of this championship, it helps to step back and consider where Wisconsin–River Falls was not long ago.
Before the 2025 season, the Falcons had not appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs since 1996. Within the WIAC, they were often overshadowed by traditional league powers like UW–Whitewater and UW–La Crosse, both multiple-time national champions with long histories of postseason success.
Under 14th-year head coach Matt Walker, however, the 2025 squad changed the narrative. Picked to finish third in the WIAC’s preseason coaches poll, Wisconsin–River Falls instead captured the conference title, climbed to No. 3 nationally by the end of the regular season and mounted an 11-game winning streak that stretched from midseason into the Stagg Bowl.
Over the course of four playoff wins and the championship game, the Falcons proved that their success was not a fluke. They handled pressure situations, navigated a deep postseason bracket and knocked off a defending champion that had dominated the Division III conversation for years.
For the River Falls community, nestled along the Kinnickinnic River in western Wisconsin, the 24–14 victory in Canton represents more than just a banner. It is a turning point for the campus and the region, elevating Wisconsin–River Falls into the national football conversation and showcasing the quality of competition within the WIAC.
With the Falcons’ victory, WIAC members have now combined for nine NCAA Division III football championships, further cementing the league among the most competitive conferences in the country. Programs such as UW–Whitewater and UW–La Crosse have long carried the WIAC flag on the national stage; Wisconsin–River Falls now joins that elite group.
Division III football is often defined by its depth and regional rivalries, but the WIAC’s national presence stands out. The conference frequently places multiple teams in the Top 25 and sends multiple programs to the NCAA tournament, making it one of the toughest day-to-day environments in the division.
For high school athletes considering Division III options, the WIAC offers:
Resources such as the NCAA’s Division III football overview provide additional context on how the non-scholarship model prioritizes the overall student-athlete experience while still delivering high-caliber play and postseason opportunities. For more background on the national championship game itself, the official coverage of the 2026 Stagg Bowl on ESPN and the NCAA record book offer authoritative detail on the sport’s evolving history.
The Falcons’ run to the title is a powerful reminder that impactful college football careers are not limited to the FBS or Power Five levels. Division III, and especially conferences like the WIAC, provide meaningful pathways for athletes who want:
Stories like Blaha’s resonate across the recruiting landscape. He combined a record-setting statistical season with academic accomplishment and community involvement, earning the Gagliardi Trophy and leading his team to a national championship. That kind of balance is at the core of Division III’s philosophy.
For families navigating the recruiting process, it is important to evaluate programs beyond name recognition alone. Factors such as coaching stability, conference strength, playing style and academic offerings can all be decisive. A school like Wisconsin–River Falls, which climbed from a long postseason drought to national prominence, shows how quickly a strong vision and player development plan can change a program’s trajectory.
As the Falcons celebrate their first national championship, interest in the university is likely to grow among prospective student-athletes. Beyond football, Wisconsin–River Falls has built a strong all-around athletic department, with recent back-to-back NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey titles signaling success across multiple programs.
Recruits considering the Falcons will find a campus environment that blends competitive athletics with a traditional public university experience in western Wisconsin. The recent football title adds national visibility, alumni excitement and additional momentum to an already ascendant athletic profile.
For athletes and families who want to dig deeper into schools like Wisconsin–River Falls across all sports and majors, an AI-powered research platform can streamline the process. Tools that surface fit by academics, geography, size and competition level make it easier to compare institutions within Division III and beyond.
Navigating the college search and recruiting landscape can be complex, especially at levels like Division III where exposure often depends on self-advocacy and targeted outreach. Platforms such as Pathley are designed to give athletes and families an organized, data-driven way to explore options that match their goals.
With Pathley Chat, athletes can ask sport-specific questions, get ideas for colleges that align with their academic and athletic profile, and better understand what it takes to compete at programs like Wisconsin–River Falls. The AI assistant can help surface schools by division, region, major and more, saving time and making research more intentional.
Creating a free profile at Pathley also unlocks recruiting tools such as AI-powered college matching, resume support and personalized guidance. For families inspired by what Wisconsin–River Falls achieved in Stagg Bowl LII, these tools can be a starting point to identify similar environments where a student-athlete can thrive.
When the final seconds ticked away in Canton and the scoreboard read 24–14, Wisconsin–River Falls had done more than win a football game. The Falcons had broken through a decades-long ceiling, toppled a reigning dynasty, delivered the WIAC its ninth national title and proven that a program once on the margins of the Division III conversation could rise to the top.
Behind a record-breaking quarterback, a relentless defense and a coaching staff that never wavered in its belief, the Falcons turned a preseason projection of third in the WIAC into a national championship reality. For the River Falls community, the win is a celebration. For recruits and families watching from across the country, it is proof that big dreams can be realized on any campus, in any division, when opportunity, development and determination align.
The next generation of Stagg Bowl contenders is already forming. The question for aspiring student-athletes is clear: which campus, conference and program will give you the best chance to write your own story?
