The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team begins its 16th appearance in the NCAA Division III Playoffs this Saturday, Nov. 23, at 12 p.m. as it hosts Monmouth (Ill.) in a first round contest. UW-Whitewater earned a Pool C, or at-large, bid to the postseason, while Monmouth will make its third appearance in the last five years as the automatic (Pool A) qualifier from the Midwest Conference.

Saturday's game can be watched live on UWW-TV on channel 100.1 on campus, Spectrum channel 989 in the Whitewater area and online. It can also be heard on KOOL 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area and online at 940wfaw.com. Fans can track live statistics here.

Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchase online at tickets.uww.edu or at the stadium gate 90 minutes prior to kickoff. Cost is $13 for adults and $8 for students, senior citizens and children aged 3 and over. No complimentary tickets will be granted for any game in the NCAA Playoffs.

The Warhawks led 20-14 early in the fourth quarter before UW-Oshkosh tallied 13 unanswered points over the final 10 minutes to hand UW-W its first loss of the season, 27-20. UW-Whitewater finished with advantages in first downs (19-12) and total yards (328-236), and held the ball for more than 33 minutes, but committed five turnovers in the contest.

The Warhawks dropped to No. 7 in the latest D3football.com Top 25 and to No. 10 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll. UW-Whitewater garnered 430 points from D3football.com voters and 807 points from AFCA pollsters. The Warhawks were ranked fourth by Lindy's, Street & Smith and D3football.com entering the new season.

Monmouth scored the go-ahead touchdown with two seconds left last Saturday for a 10-7 victory over St. Norbert in the Midwest Conference Championship Game in Monmouth, Ill. The Fighting Scots were out-gained 293-256 in total yards and held the ball for fewer than 25 minutes, but held the Green Knights to 3-of-18 on third down conversions and to only 1-of-4 conversions inside the red zone. Jake Uryasz caught the game-winning touchdown and finished with six receptions for 100 yards to lead the offense. Clark Gaden led the defense with 17 tackles, and Brad Buchner finished with 3.5 tackles for loss.

SERIES

Saturday's game is the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

UP NEXT

The winner of Saturday's game advances to the second round to face the winner of Saturday's Wartburg (Iowa) at Hope (Mich.) game. The second-round contest will take place Saturday, Nov. 30, at a site to be announced this Sunday.

NOTABLE

The Warhawks are making their 16th appearance in the NCAA Division III Playoffs and 13th in the last 15 years. UW-Whitewater is 13-2 in the first round of the playoffs and has won 12 straight opening-round contests dating back to 2005. The program's first-ever appearance in the postseason as a member of NCAA Division III came in 1988.


To view the entire edition of this week's game notes, click here.