D3football.com Poll – Week 10 | NPI (Nov. 9)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Saint John's University climbed two spots to No. 8 in the latest D3football.com Top 25 poll and fell four places to No. 20 in the fifth National Power Index (NPI) released today (Sunday, Nov. 9). 

Six teams in NCAA Region 6 were ranked in the top 25, all in the top 14: Wisconsin-River Falls (No. 4), Bethel (No. 5), SJU (No. 8), Wisconsin-Platteville (No. 10), Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. 12) and Wisconsin-La Crosse (No. 14). Chapman (9), Whitworth (5) and Wisconsin-Oshkosh (1) received votes.

Despite Saturday's win, SJU slipped four spots to No. 20 in the NCAA Division III's fifth release of the National Power Index (NPI). The NPI is in its second year as the NCAA's system for selecting the 12 at-large bids to the Division III playoffs, which includes 40 teams (28 automatic bids, 12 at-large). Five other teams in the region were ranked in the NPI's top 20: Wisconsin-River Falls (No. 6), Bethel (No. 7), Wisconsin-Platteville (No. 11), Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. 18), Wisconsin-La Crosse (No. 19) and SJU (No. 20). 

SJU became the second college football program in Minnesota and the 56th at any level of college football to reach 700 wins with a 70-21 victory over St. Scholastica on Saturday (Nov. 8) in Collegeville. The Johnnies rolled to a 550-228 advantage in total offense, including a 363-43 margin in the first half before the home team pulled its starters.

Junior quarterback Trey Feeney (Moorhead, Minn.) finished 22 of 30 passing for 294 yards and five touchdowns, three of which went to junior wideout Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) in the second quarter. Schwellenbach caught six passes for 81 yards.

A pair of All-Americans in senior tight end Joey Gendreau (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) and senior wide receiver Dylan Wheeler (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View) recorded eight catches and a touchdown each. Gendreau ended with 97 receiving yards to Wheeler's 96.

Senior defensive lineman Zach Frank (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) posted two sacks and is now tied with Nathan Brinker '19 for fifth in program history with 27. Frank leads the MIAC with 11.5 sacks and is second with 14.5 tackles for loss this season.

The Johnnies close the regular-season schedule by hosting St. Olaf (4-5, 3-5 MIAC) at noon Saturday, Nov. 15, in Clemens Stadium.