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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team hosts Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) for a semifinal game of the NCAA Division III Championship this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Perkins Stadium. The Warhawks are an automatic qualifier out of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Crusaders are the automatic qualifiers out of the American Southwest Conference.

The Warhawks outscored eighth-ranked Central (Iowa) 24-0 in the second half to turn a 27-21 halftime lead into a 51-21 victory last Saturday in a national quarterfinal at Perkins Stadium. UW-W held the Dutch, which entered the game as Division III's top passing attack, to 286 yards passing, more than 100 below their season average. 

The Warhawks are No. 3 in the latest D3football.com Top 25, earning 580 points from pollsters without receiving a first-place vote. UW-W is also third in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' Poll, picking up 1,080 points and one first-place vote from panelists. The team was ranked second in the Lindy's Sports Preseason Division III Top 25 and fourth in the preseason by College Football America.

Mary Hardin-Baylor, ranked second in the nation by both D3football.com and the AFCA, scored 21 unanswered points during a 15-minute stretch in the first and second quarters to take a 21-3 advantage on its way to a 49-24 victory against No. 7 Linfield (Ore.). The Crusaders totaled 538 yards of offense, including 402 through the air, while the defense totaled five sacks. Kyle King threw for six touchdown passes in the contest.

ON THE AIR

Saturday's game will air live on ESPN+.  A subscription is required to view the game - more information can be found here. The contest can also be heard on KIX 106.5 FM WKCH in the Whitewater area, or online at kix1065.com.

SERIES

The Warhawks and Crusaders are meeting for the third straight season in the NCAA Division III Playoffs. UMHB posted a 31-14 victory in the semfinals on Dec. 8, 2018, in Belton, Texas, forcing four UW-Whitewater turnovers and getting 168 yards and two touchdowns from Markeith Miller. UW-W returned to Belton for the quarterfinals the next season, topping the Cru 26-7 on Dec. 7, 2019. The Warhawks rushed for 239 yards and held the ball for nearly 43 minutes of the game, and held Mary Hardin-Baylor to 140 yards of total offense, including minus-3 yards rushing.

WHAT'S NEXT

The winner of Saturday's game advances to Stagg Bowl XLVIII to play the winner of the North Central (Ill.) at Mount Union (Ohio) game on Friday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. CT in Canton, Ohio.

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