There was a time when it may have been fair to say there was a Pacific Lutheran dynasty in college football. 

From 1979 through 1996, the Lutes made 15 appearances in the NAIA Division II Playoffs and played for the national title seven times, winning in 1980, 1987 and 1993.

The team’s success continued briefly after its jump to the NCAA Division III level with a run that featured four consecutive trips to the postseason from 1998-2001 and included a Division III national title in 1999.

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Pacific Lutheran made two more playoff appearances in 2012 and 2013, losing in the first round both times, and the decade that followed was a less-than-memorable stretch for the Lutes.

Time off for the recent COVID-affected seasons seemed to be just what PLU needed, however, as the Lutes have made a huge turnaround since the structure of the season has returned to normal.

In 2022, Pacific Lutheran was 6-4, marking the first time since 2016 the team had won more than four games.

The 2023 campaign was a 5-5 effort from the Lutes, but 2024 saw head coach Brant McAdams earn his best finish at PLU, a 7-3 performance that included a 5-2 record and third-place finish in the Northwest Conference standings.

McAdams and his team seem to be headed in the right direction, but they’ll have to figure out a way to get past Linfield and Whitworth, which have dominated the NWC for decades, if they’re going to regain their status as one of the nation’s best Division III programs. 

PLU will kick off the 2025 season with three nonconference games, with the first coming on the road Sept. 6 against California Lutheran. NWC play for the Lutes will begin at home Oct. 4 against Willamette. 

Pacific Lutheran University Football Schedule 2025

All Times Eastern/Pacific

• Sept. 6 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. at California Lutheran University
• Sept. 13 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. vs. Simpson University (Calif.)
• Sept. 20 (Sat): 3 p.m./Noon vs. Trinity University (Texas)
• Oct. 4 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. vs. Willamette University
• Oct. 11 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. at University of Puget Sound
• Oct. 18 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. vs. Pacific University
• Oct. 25 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. vs. Linfield University
• Nov. 1 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. at Whitworth University
• Nov. 8 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. at Lewis & Clark College
• Nov. 15 (Sat): 4 p.m./1 p.m. vs. George Fox University

What Was The Pacific Lutheran Football Record In 2024?

7-3 (5-2 NWC)

• Pacific Lutheran 43, Simpson 0
• Concordia (Minn.) 31, Pacific Lutheran 3
• Pacific Lutheran 27, Cal Lutheran 17
• Whitworth 34, Pacific Lutheran 23
• Pacific Lutheran 34, Pacific 18
• Pacific Lutheran 50, Willamette 0
• Pacific Lutheran 31, Lewis & Clark 28
• Pacific Lutheran 24, George Fox 14
• Linfield 38, Pacific Lutheran 10
• Pacific Lutheran 34, Puget Sound 21

How To Watch Pacific Lutheran Football Games In 2025

Every NWC and home Pacific Lutheran football game will stream live on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Game replays, highlights and breaking news will also be available on both platforms.

When Do The 2025 NCAA Division III College Football Playoffs Start?

The first round of the 2025 NCAA Division III Playoffs will be Nov. 22.

The 2025 Division III Football Championship title game will be played Jan. 10, 2026, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

College Football Rankings 2024 – Final AFCA Division III Coaches Poll

End Of 2024 Season

1. North Central (Ill.) (43) 15-0
2. Mount Union (Ohio) 14-1
3. Johns Hopkins (Md.) 12-2
4. Susquehanna (Pa.) 12-2
5. Salisbury (Md.) 12-1
6. Springfield (Mass.) 12-1
7. St. John’s (Minn.) 11-1
8. Cortland (N.Y.) 11-1
9. DePauw (Ind.) 11-1
10. Bethel (Minn.) 11-3
11. Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) 8-4
12. Wartburg (Iowa) 10-2
13. Hope (Mich.) 11-1
14. Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) 10-2
15. Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 10-1
16. Linfield (Ore.) 10-2
17. Wisconsin-Platteville 9-2
18. Randolph-Macon (Va.) 10-2
19. Endicott (Mass.) 10-2
20. Grove City (Pa.) 9-2
21. Wisconsin-La Crosse 8-4
22. Aurora (Ill.) 9-2
23. Whitworth (Wash.) 10-2
24. Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) 9-2
25. Coe (Iowa) 9-2

Others Receiving Votes: Hobart (N.Y.), 80; Lake Forest (Ill.), 49; John Carroll (Ohio), 42; Trinity (Tex.), 37; Wheaton (Ill.), 26; Wisconsin-River Falls, 24; King’s (Pa.), 15; Centre (Ky.), 11; Maryville (Tenn.), 10; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 5; Texas Lutheran, 5; Ursinus (Pa.), 3; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 2; Alma (Mich.), 1.

La Verne, Cal Lu, Springfield Football And More Brought The Intensity In Week 4 | 2024 Division III Football

Check out some Division III football highlights from early in the 2024 season.

Archived Footage On FloCollege

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