The UW-La Crosse football team has moved up two spots in the Division 3 rankings.
After a 28-24 win over then-No. 10 UW-River Falls on Saturday, the Eagles (4-3, 2-2 WIAC) have moved up to No. 20 in the D3Football poll.
It’s been a rollercoaster season for UW-L, which entered the year ranked No. 3 in the nation and coach Matt Janus came in with the highest expectations.
“If we don’t win a national championship and if we don’t win a conference championship, 2024 is a failure,” Janus said right before the season.
UW-L went on to win its first two games, but then lost three consecutive matchups to ranked opponents.
That includes a 20-13 loss to a Grand Valley State team was No. 2 in Division 2 — and is now ranked first.
Another loss came to then-No. 24 UW-Platteville 30-27 in overtime. UW-P (6-1, 3-1) is just one of those teams that wasn’t correctly ranked to begin the year and has since shot up the polls, now at No. 8.
The Pioneers only loss is to another team that’s shot up the rankings, UW-Oshkosh.
And that was the loss for UW-L and it came in disappointing fashion, blowing a 19-point, second-half lead to fall to the No. 20 Titans, 34-33. UW-O (5-2, 3-1) is now ranked eighth in D3, after a 17-10 win over UW-Whitewater.
And it’s probably the Warhawks (4-4, 2-3) that UW-L is eyeing on the schedule. A perennial powerhouse, they were ranked as high as No. 3 in the country, but have since fallen to just outside the Top 25 this week.
That game, though, is two weeks out. First up, the Eagles have to beat UW-Stout (5-2, 3-1) on the road Saturday. The Blue Devils are also hovering just outside the Top 25 poll at No. 28.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – UW-La Crosse Memorial Field (PHOTO: Rick Solem).