By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team battled Northwest Conference rival Linfield College in a match-up of nationally ranked teams on Saturday, Oct. 24. One day later, both teams remain ranked in the new D3Football.com Top 25. Linfield, which edged out the Bearcats, 30-27, moved up one position to #5 in the poll. Willamette dropped five spots to #22 this week.

D3Football.com Top 25

Linfield took an early 13-0 lead, but Willamette pulled within three points on three different occasions in the second half. The statistics ended nearly even, as the Wildcats ran 76 plays for 422 yards and the Bearcats finished with 66 plays for 411 yards. Both teams gained 227 yards on the ground.

WU wide receiver Scott Schoettgen (Jr., Columbia, CA/Sonora HS) caught eight passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns against Linfield. He has hauled in 32 passes for 589 yards and seven touchdowns this season. His career statistics are 63 catches for 1,234 yards and 16 TDs.

Mount Union College (Ohio), 7-0, remained #1 in the Top 25 with 19 first place votes and 619 points. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 7-0, stayed at #2 with the final six first place votes and 606 points. Wesley College (Del.), 7-0, advanced one spot to #3 and received 565 points.

St. John's University (Minn.), 8-0, also move up one position and is now #4 with 512 points. Linfield, 7-0, is #5 with 508 points.

The biggest drop in the poll was by Wheaton College (Illinois), 6-1, which fell 11 spots from #3 to #11 after losing to North Central College (Illinois), 27-7. North Central improved from #13 in the poll a week ago to #9 this week.

Another game involving two nationally ranked teams was won by Otterbein College (Ohio) over Capital University (Ohio), 35-34. Otterbein moved from #10 up to #7 in the poll. Capital dropped from #14 to #16.

Willamette is off next weekend, but will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Bearcats will take on the University of Puget Sound. Game time in Tacoma, Wash., is set for 1 p.m. (PST).