WPU Enters Offseason at #19

William Penn Statesmen Football came up just short of a play-off berth.

Oskaloosa–The Statesmen football team came up a few spots shy of a playoff bid as the NAIA released its tenth and final top-25 poll Sunday.

William Penn (7-4, 3-2 MWL) moved up two positions to #19 (105 points) with Saturday’s 42-8 win over Trinity International. Unfortunately, #12 Northwestern gathered the last at-large spot to the 16-team Football Championship Series. #15 Eastern Oregon and #18 Baker (Kan.) were the other programs ahead of the navy and gold for that elusive final at-large postseason spot.

Previous #1 Morningside was upset by Doane (Neb.) to fall to #4. Carroll (Mont.) will enter the playoffs as the top seed with 339 points and 13 first-place votes, while Grand View is second with the other two-first place votes. Saint Xavier (Ill.) is third and Missouri Valley is fifth.

William Penn’s three NAIA losses this fall came to #2, #3, and #7 (Marian-Ind.), while its fourth was to NAIA Division I FCS South Dakota.

NAIA Football Rating #10 (Final) – November 16, 2014
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Carroll (Mont.) (13)
2. Grand View (2)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
4. Morningside
5. Missouri Valley
6. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
7. Marian (Ind.)
8. Southern Oregon
9. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
10. Georgetown (Ky.)
11. Faulkner (Ala.)
12. Northwestern
13. Ottawa (Kan.)
14. Valley City State (N.D.)
15. Eastern Oregon
16. Langston (Okla.)
17. Campbellsville (Ky.)
18. Baker (Kan.)
19. William Penn
20. Robert Morris (Ill.)
21. Friends (Kan.)
22. Doane (Neb.)
23. Webber International (Fla.)
24.Tabor (Kan.)
25.Benedictine (Kan.)

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma Baptist 14; Montana Western 4; Sterling (Kan.) 4.