18th-ranked UW-La Crosse not only makes NCAA playoffs, will host first round game

The team learned its fate at a watch party on Sunday afternoon. For the fourth consecutive season, the 18th-ranked UW-La Crosse football team has made the playoffs.

After getting to the quarterfinals a season ago, the Eagles (7-3) came into the year with highest of expectations: A National Championship or the season’s a failure.

Those expectations were put in doubt early, but winning it all is still very much in the cards.

If the 2024 Division 3 playoff field were still 32 teams, though, UW-L might not have made it. With the field expanding to 40 teams, the Eagles learned Sunday they will be hosting the first round for the second consecutive season.

UW-L, which moved up two spots in the rankings by beating UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, will play unranked Northwestern (7-3) at Roger Harring Stadium at noon this weekend.

The Eagles have ripped off five consecutive wins to close the regular season, after losing three in a row to highly ranked teams, including their first two conference games — the last of which by blowing a 19-point, second-half lead to UW-Oshkosh, and losing 34-33.

UW-L coach Matt Janus said the turnaround is a testament to the players and their mental toughness.

“That was a locker room in Oshkosh that was in complete disarray,” Janus said. “We thought dreams were shattered, and we thought everything was out of reach at that point. That’s a group that’s continued to work the last five weeks on themselves and that’s why we won close games and that’s why we’re in the playoffs.”

Janus believes his team was rewarded with a home game because of their schedule, and says they’ll be banking on the experience of four consecutive one score victories in the WIAC season as the playoffs continue.

“Now in the playoffs, all of those games are going to be close,” Janus said. “You have to be able to ride the momentum, and when you don’t have it to get it back. To keep your composure in close games. That’s why we play the schedule we do. It’s to prepare for this.”

The winner will travel to third-ranked St. John’s (10-0), which just happens to be the No. 1 overall seed of the playoffs.