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On Sunday, the Little Giants learned that they will host the MacMurray College Highlanders, also 10-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs.
The game will be played at 12:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 23 at Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium (8,000).
Wabash earned the North Coast Athletic Conference's automatic bid with a perfect 7-0 league record. MacMurray ran the table in the Illini-Badger Conference.
Ticket information will be available on this web site not later than 12:00 noon on Monday, November 18.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: NO PASSES OF ANY KIND WILL BE HONORED AT THIS NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT.
Wabash and MacMurray have played only one game. The Little Giants routed the Highlanders 55-0 on Homecoming of the 1988 season. The 1988 Wabash football team opened the season 7-0 and ranked at the top of the NCAA's North Region four straight weeks before the team lost the final two games of the season.
Wabash is paced by senior offensive stars Jake Knott at quarterback and Ryan Short at tight end. The duo combined for all five of Wabash's touchdowns in Saturday's Monon Bell victory. The Wabash defense ranks among the top-six teams in Division III against the run, and held DePauw to just 22 yards on the ground.
MacMurray, coached by 1985 Mount Union graduate Bob Frey, boasts one of the nation's better rushing offenses, averaging over 200 yards per game on the ground.
The strength of the MacMurray team is its stingy defense. The Highlanders' passing defense is ranked third in the nation; the team has intercepted 21 passes and allowed just five passing touchdowns. The Highlanders are also sixth in the nation in turnover margin (plus 1.9 per game) and seventh in the nation in scoring defense (9.0 points per game).
Defending national champion Mount Union earned the North Region's top seed and first round bye in the 28-team field. Alma (10-0) hosts Wheaton (9-1) with the winner to face Mount Union in the second round.
The bottom of the North Region playoff bracket features Hanover (10-0) hosting Wittenberg (9-1) with the winner advancing to play either Wabash or MacMurray in the second round.
Eighteen qualifiers earned conference automatic bids and another seven teams earned at large seats in the field. Three additional teams were selected as "Pool C" qualifiers after finishing second in their conferences. Wittenberg earned a "Pool C" bid after finishing second to Wabash in the NCAC thanks to the Little Giants' 46-43 overtime win in Springfield, OH.
The five-week tournament will end on December 21 with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, VA. Wabash last participated in the playoffs in 1977 when the Little Giants lost in the national championship game.
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