UW-River Falls Wins NCAA Football Championship

University of Wisconsin-River Falls claimed its first NCAA Division III football championship by defeating North Central College (Ill.) 24-14 in the Stagg Bowl at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The victory marks the ninth NCAA Division III football championship for a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) program. The Falcons overcame a 14-3 deficit, scoring 21 unanswered points, propelled by quarterback Kaleb Blaha's 419 total yards and three touchdowns. Blaha set a new single-season record with 6,189 total yards, surpassing Joe Burrow's previous record. The UW-River Falls defense, led by Jack Olson and Taylor Sussner's interceptions, shut out North Central in the second half, ending the Cardinals' 29-game winning streak. The Falcons' offense gained 436 total yards, while their defense held North Central to 363 yards, securing a historic win for the program.