FOREST GROVE – Three-and-a-half years after Pacific University reinstated their football program, the university can boast about a top-25 team.
The Boxers emerged as the No. 25 team on this week's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Coaches Poll, receiving 48 votes from the panel of 42 coaches. Pacific gained 18 votes and moved into the top-25 after their convincing 68-28 win over Lewis & Clark at home on Saturday.
"This is a testament to the hard work of the players, the coaches and the entire university community who committed four seasons ago to beginning a program from the ground up," said Pacific Head Coach Keith Buckley. "While we are proud of this distinction and the effort put in to be recognized in the top-25, we know that we still have a lot to prove in these final two weeks of the season. We look forward to our next challenge this Saturday against Willamette."
Pacific also made significant strides in the other major Division III poll. The Boxers are listed third among those receiving votes in the D3Football.com Top-25, picking up 19 votes.
The ranking is another milestone in the quick rise of the Pacific football program, which returned in 2010 after a 19-yard absence. The win over Lewis & Clark on Saturday moved the Boxers 7-1 on the season, tying for the second most wins in a season in school history, and 3-1 in Northwest Conference play. The Boxers posted a near-record rushing performance against the Pioneers, finishing with 386 yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Pacific is joined by two other NWC teams in the poll this week, lending credence in the conference being one of the toughest in Division III football. Linfield maintained the No. 3 position in the AFCA poll and No. 2 in the D3Football.com after their 56-15 win over Willamette. Pacific Lutheran is ranked No. 15 in both polls after beating crosstown rival Puget Sound 41-21. Willamette received votes in both polls.
Pacific will finish up their 2013 road schedule on Saturday as they play Willamette. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The game will be aired live locally on 1360 AM KUIK and online at GoBoxers.com.
2013 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' Poll - Nov. 4, 2013
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mount Union (Ohio) (39) | 8-0 | 1047 | 1 | D. No. 9 Heidelberg (Ohio), 44-34 | Nov. 9 vs. Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) |
| 2. | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) (3) | 8-0 | 1005 | 2 | D. Howard Payne (Texas), 80-0 | Nov. 9 vs. East Texas Baptist |
| 3. | Linfield (Ore.) | 7-0 | 966 | 3 | D. Willamette (Ore.), 56-15 | Nov. 9 vs. Puget Sound (Wash.) |
| 4. | North Central (Ill.) | 8-0 | 911 | 4 | D. No. 12 Illinois Wesleyan, 46-17 | Nov. 9 at No. 18 Wheaton (Ill.) |
| 5. | Wis.-Whitewater | 8-0 | 874 | 5 | D. No. 7 Wis.-Platteville, 35-16 | Nov. 9 at Wis.-Stevens Point |
| 6. | Hobart (N.Y.) | 7-0 | 818 | 6 | D. Union (N.Y.), 41-20 | Nov. 9 vs. St. Lawrence (N.Y.) |
| 7. | Bethel (Minn.) | 8-0 | 797 | 8 | D. Hamline (Minn.), 55-6 | Nov. 9 vs. St. Olaf (Minn.) |
| 8. | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 8-0 | 705 | 10 | D. Ursinus (Pa.), 24-18 | Nov. 9 vs. Franklin & Marshall (Pa.) |
| 9. | Wabash (Ind.) | 8-0 | 665 | 11 | D. Hiram (Ohio), 66-0 | Nov. 9 vs. No. 13 Wittenberg (Ohio) |
| 10. | John Carroll (Ohio) | 8-0 | 620 | 13 | D. Wilmington (Ohio), 63-3 | Nov. 9 vs. No. 12 Heidelberg (Ohio) |
| 11. | Wis.-Oshkosh | 7-1 | 609 | 14 | D. Wis.-Stevens Point, 35-20 | Nov. 9 at Wis.-Eau Claire |
| 12. | Heidelberg (Ohio) | 7-1 | 551 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio), 44-34 | Nov. 9 at No. 10 John Carroll (Ohio) |
| 13. | Wittenberg (Ohio) | 7-1 | 521 | 15 | D. Ohio Wesleyan, 55-17 | Nov. 9 at No. 9 Wabash (Ind.) |
| 14. | Wis.-Platteville | 7-1 | 516 | 7 | Lost to No. 5 Wis.-Whitewater, 35-16 | Nov. 9 vs. Wis.-La Crosse |
| 15. | Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) | 7-1 | 486 | 16 | D. Puget Sound (Wash.), 41-21 | Nov. 9 at Whitworth (Wash.) |
| 16. | Franklin (Ind.) | 6-2 | 395 | 17 | D. Defiance (Ohio), 41-7 | Nov. 9 at Bluffton (Ohio) |
| 17. | Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) | 7-1 | 352 | 19 | D. Carleton (Minn.), 35-27 | Nov. 9 at No. 21 St. Thomas (Minn.) |
| 18. | Wheaton (Ill.) | 7-1 | 289 | 20 | D. Millikin (Ill.), 58-21 | Nov. 9 at No. 4 North Central (Ill.) |
| 19. | Illinois Wesleyan | 7-1 | 280 | 12 | Lost to No. 4 North Central (Ill.), 46-17 | Nov. 9 at Augustana (Ill.) |
| 20. | Wesley (Del.) | 6-2 | 253 | 22 | Idle | Nov. 9 at Charlotte (N.C.) |
| 21. | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 6-2 | 247 | 21 | D. Augsburg (Minn.), 17-14 | Nov. 9 vs. No. 17 Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) |
| 22. | Millsaps (Miss.) | 8-0 | 216 | 23 | D. Berry (Ga.), 38-3 | Nov. 9 vs. Centre (Ky.) |
| 23. | Texas Lutheran | 7-0 | 149 | 25 | D. Louisiana College, 37-27 | Nov. 9 at Hardin-Simmons (Texas) |
| 24. | Illinois College | 8-0 | 129 | 24 | D. Monmouth (Ill.), 35-13 | Nov. 9 at Cornell (Iowa) |
| 25. | Pacific (Ore.) | 7-1 | 61 | NR | D. Lewis & Clark (Ore.), 68-28 | Nov. 9 at Willamette (Ore.) |
Dropped Out: St. John's (Minn.) (18).
Others Receiving Votes: Lebanon Valley (Pa.), 48; Ithaca (N.Y.), 35; Thomas More (Ky.), 27; Gallaudet (D.C.), 18; St. John's (Minn.), 16; Wesleyan (Conn.), 9; Huntingdon (Ala.), 6; Redlands (Calif.), 5; Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio), 4; Delaware Valley (Pa.), 4; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 3; Hope (Mich.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Framingham St. (Mass.), 2; Willamette (Ore.), 2; Maryville (Tenn.), 1; Rowan (N.J.), 1; Washington (Mo.), 1.