Listen Here
By Pulse Staff
A voice in the crowd yelled, “You’re going home! We’re going to the playoffs,” as some Tiffin University football players celebrated in the middle of the football field at Donnell Stadium. The Oiler faithful watched as the University of Findlay football team made its way off the field with disappointed shock. Some white jerseys hugged black jerseys. Some white jerseys squared up with black jerseys after the heated contest on the gridiron. Coaches and even police divided some of the players in an effort to cool things down.
The scene played out after the Dragon’s celebration Saturday, Nov. 15 when it beat No. 8 UF in a walk-off touchdown in the last three seconds of the final regular season football game, bringing the score to 23-21.
Oilers end the 2025 regular season 10-1 overall, 8-1 in the G-MAC, sharing the conference title with Ashland University, whom it beat last week in a historic, heart-pounding, 14-3 win.
The team will regroup this week to prepare for the first playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 22 hosting Minnesota State University-Mankato (8-3). The matchup was announced in the NCAA DII selection show Sunday, Nov. 16. Wayne Cavadi, national DII beat writer for TNT Sports since 2015, said Minnesota St.-Mankato has a ton of playoff experience and made it all the way to the semi-finals last year as the underdog in each play-off game, touting the teams “great offensive line” as well as a “great defensive line.”
The Oilers last playoff run came in 2021 losing in the first round to No. 8 Shepherd University 38-31. In 2017, the Oilers went on the road beating No. 2 Shepherd 29-17 before losing to No. 15 Assumption University.
Super Region III match ups:
- Ferris State (11-0) No. 1 seed hosts Northwood University (9-2)
- Ashland Eagles (9-2) as the No. 4 seed hosts Minnesota Duluth (10-1)
- University of Findlay (10-1) No. 2 seed hosts Minnesota State University-Mankato (8-3)
- University of Indianapolis (10-1) No. 3 seed hosts Truman State University (8-3)
Game time and ticket sales will be released early in the week.
