Wartburg Secures 18th Football Title and A-R-C AQ Bid to the 2022 NCAA Division III Playoffs

11/12/2022 4:18:27 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Wartburg College football team (10-0, 8-0 A-R-C) secured the programs 18th football title in program history today in addition to the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. This year’s postseason appearance will mark the 14th time in program history.
 
In the final game of the regular season, the Knights defeated the Coe College Kohawks (7-3, 6-2 A-R-C) 19-14 to claim the A-R-C title. Leading Wartburg’s offense was Nile McLaughlin who was 23-of-40 passing, with 248 yards and two touchdowns. Trailing 7-3 with 9:55 to go in the third quarter the Wartburg defense came up with a turnover at the Coe 10-yard line. The Knight's offense capitalized with McLaughlin finding Thor Maakestad from 10-yards out to put the Knights up 10-7, a lead they would not relinquish. Just three minutes later, McLaughlin threw a 22-yard pass to Thomas Butters for his second passing touchdown of the game. With 66-yards and one touchdown, Butters paced the Knight's receiving core. Cael O’Neill capped off the scoring for Wartburg with a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. O’Neill started the scoring for the Knights with a 30-yard field goal to end the first quarter.

The leading rusher for the Knights was Hunter Clasen, who picked up 107 yards on the ground. Defensively, Owen Grover tallied 10 total tackles to lead the Knights, followed by Dylan Steen with nine. Nate Link and Trent Roling added seven tackles each and Parker Rochford recorded four pass breakups for the Knights. Donaven Juarez forced the key fumble at the Coe 10-yard line that resulted in Wartburg's go-ahead touchdown. 
 
Chris Winter, in his second season at the helm of Wartburg football, led the Knights to their sixth undefeated regular season in program history. He will be leading the Knights to the first NCAA playoff since 2019, and first as the head coach.
 
Wartburg will learn their first-round NCAA Division III playoff opponent tomorrow, Sunday, November 13th at 5:00 p.m. (ET), when the 32-team bracket is announced live on NCAA.com.
 
In their last playoff appearance in 2019, Wartburg defeated Hope College 41-3 in the first round before falling to eventual national runner up, University of Wisconsin Whitewater 41-28.
 
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