The 2025 Wisconsin–River Falls Falcons football team was an American football team that represented University of Wisconsin–River Falls of River Falls, Wisconsin, as a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division III football season. In their fourteenth year under head coach Matt Walker, the Falcons compiled a 14–1 record (6–1 in conference games), won the WIAC championship, and were ranked No. 3 in Division III at the end of the regular season.
The team advanced to the Division III playoffs for the first time since 1996, defeating in the second round, in the third round, in the quarterfinals, in the semifinals, and in the Stagg Bowl to win the first national championship in program history.
On offense, the Falcons were led by senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha, who finished the season with 6,189 individual yards, breaking the NCAA record across all divisions previously set by LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in 2019. Blaha broke several single-season records for the Falcons, including pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, while also becoming the program's all-time leader in passing yards and total touchdowns. Blaha won the Gagliardi Trophy, awarded to the best player in NCAA Division III football.
Schedule
Rankings
WIAC preseason poll The WIAC released its preseason coaches' prediction poll on August 21, 2025. The Falcons were predicted to finish third in the conference.
Game summaries Alma
Statistics ALMWRF First downs 26 28 Total yards 449 561 Rushing yards 207 118 Passing yards 242 443 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 27:45 32:15 Team Category Player StatisticsAlma Passing Carter St. John 22/42, 242 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Eddie Williams 28 rushes, 142 yards, 2 TD Receiving Zach Poff 6 receptions, 95 yards, TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 28/47, 443 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Trevor Asher 22 rushes, 65 yards Receiving Stephen Reifenberger 5 receptions, 185 yards, 3 TD
Coe
Statistics COEWRF First downs 33 38 Total yards 643 733 Rushing yards 124 394 Passing yards 519 339 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 25:00 35:00 Team Category Player StatisticsCoe Passing Brady Kelly 32/45, 519 yards, 6 TD Rushing Brady Kelly 11 rushes, 108 yards Receiving Jeron Senters 11 receptions, 133 yards, 2 TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 30/38, 335 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kaleb Blaha 27 rushes, 234 yards, 2 TD Receiving Blake Rohrer 6 receptions, 110 yards, TD
At Belhaven
Statistics WRFBEL First downs 39 7 Total yards 615 123 Rushing yards 274 35 Passing yards 341 88 Turnovers 0 5 Time of possession 33:15 26:45 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 23/33, 268 yards, 3 TD Rushing Cade Fitzgerald 16 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving Jonah Mallberg 4 receptions, 51 yardsBelhaven Passing Jack Crawford 9/17, 67 yards, 2 INT Rushing Clayton Mains 4 rushes, 22 yards Receiving R. J. Garrison 5 receptions, 25 yards
At No. 15 Wisconsin–Oshkosh
Statistics WRFUWO First downs 27 15 Total yards 416 335 Rushing yards 213 168 Passing yards 203 167 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 31:25 28:35 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 29/47, 203 yards, 2 INT Rushing Kaleb Blaha 24 rushes, 128 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jonah Mallberg 6 receptions, 62 yardsWisconsin–Oshkosh Passing Quentin Keene 14/27, 167 yards, TD Rushing Ben Vallafskey 17 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TD Receiving Londyn Little 4 receptions, 60 yards
No. 6 Wisconsin–Platteville
Statistics UWPWRF First downs 19 33 Total yards 323 631 Rushing yards 38 155 Passing yards 285 476 Turnovers 4 4 Time of possession 27:30 32:30 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–Platteville Passing Caden Casimino 14/22, 145 yards, TD, INT Rushing Caden Casimino 5 rushes, 26 yards Receiving Trevor Syse 9 receptions, 141 yards, TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 35/53, 443 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jaylen Reed 2 rushes, 65 yards, TD Receiving Blake Rohrer 4 receptions, 167 yards, TD
At Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Statistics WRFWSP First downs 35 11 Total yards 648 262 Rushing yards 307 50 Passing yards 341 212 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 34:11 25:49 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 31/36, 287 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cade Fitzgerald 15 rushes, 117 yards, TD Receiving Daniel Stokes 7 receptions, 74 yards, TDWisconsin–Stevens Point Passing Charlie Smith 13/25, 212 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Brycen Cashin 13 rushes, 29 yards Receiving Brayden Wiczek 5 receptions, 64 yards, TD
At Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Statistics WRFWEC First downs 30 15 Total yards 633 286 Rushing yards 341 16 Passing yards 292 270 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:11 27:49 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 17/17, 195 yards, 3 TD Rushing Cade Fitzgerald 16 rushes, 136 yards, TD Receiving Jake Hilton 3 receptions, 67 yards, TDWisconsin–Eau Claire Passing Ayden Helder 25/41, 270 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing NaKiye Mercado 4 rushes, 16 yards Receiving Yaach Chuol 3 receptions, 92 yards, 2 TD
No. 8 Wisconsin–Whitewater
Statistics UWWWRF First downs 12 30 Total yards 239 619 Rushing yards 46 115 Passing yards 193 504 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:30 29:30 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–Whitewater Passing Justin Klinkner 18/35, 193 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Darrick Hill 3 rushes, 16 yards Receiving Jacques Brooks 5 receptions, 102 yardsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 30/51, 492 yards, 5 TD Rushing Kaleb Blaha 13 rushes, 63 yards, 2 TD Receiving Blake Rohrer 5 receptions, 135 yards, TD
No. 9 Wisconsin–La Crosse
Statistics UWLWRF First downs 15 31 Total yards 201 534 Rushing yards 42 226 Passing yards 159 308 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 24:58 35:02 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–La Crosse Passing Jacob Huber 7/17, 87 yards, INT Rushing Gabe Lynch 12 rushes, 28 yards, TD Receiving Jack Janke 5 receptions, 93Wisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 35/50, 307 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Trevor Asher 18 rushes, 128 yards, 2 TD Receiving Austin Rush 9 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD
At Wisconsin–Stout
Statistics WRFWST First downs 24 17 Total yards 443 322 Rushing yards 135 52 Passing yards 308 270 Turnovers 5 4 Time of possession 27:30 32:30 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 29/49, 308 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Kaleb Blaha 20 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ben Wesolowski 6 receptions, 119 yardsWisconsin–Stout Passing Adam Moen 19/38, 270 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Adam Moen 25 rushes, 51 yards, 2 TD Receiving Davonte Evans 6 receptions, 104 yards, TD
Chapman (NCAA Division III Second Round)
Statistics CHAWRF First downs 16 23 Total yards 322 492 Rushing yards 150 190 Passing yards 172 302 Turnovers 6 0 Time of possession 34:33 25:27 Team Category Player StatisticsChapman Passing Tyler Pacheco 15/39, 172 yards, 3 INT Rushing Fischer Huss 11 rushes, 51 yards Receiving Kash Henjum 6 receptions, 72 yardsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 17/23, 227 yards, 4 TD Rushing Kaleb Blaha 15 rushes, 81 yards, TD Receiving Blake Rohrer 3 receptions, 86 yards, TD
No. 7 Saint John’s (MN) (NCAA Division III Third Round)
Statistics SJUWRF First downs 18 29 Total yards 295 433 Rushing yards 22 188 Passing yards 273 245 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 25:59 34:01 Team Category Player StatisticsSaint John's Passing Trey Feeney 33/59, 274 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Corey BohmertCaden Wheeler 2 rushes, 8 yards3 rushes, 8 yards Receiving Dylan Wheeler 12 receptions, 93 yards, TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 22/28, 245 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kaleb Blaha 26 rushes, 97 yards, TD Receiving Jaylen Reed 4 receptions, 58 yards, TD
No. 19 Wheaton (IL) (NCAA Division III Quarterfinal)
Statistics WHEWRF First downs 21 29 Total yards 429 507 Rushing yards 64 100 Passing yards 365 407 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 29:53 30:07 Team Category Player StatisticsWheaton Passing Mark Forcucci 27/53, 331 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Matt Crider 18 rushes, 68 yards, TD Receiving Caleb Titherington 9 receptions, 153 yards, TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 32/50, 407 yards, 4 TD Rushing Trevor Asher 22 rushes, 106 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jake Hilton 3 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD
No. 8 Johns Hopkins (NCAA Division III Semifinal)
Statistics JHUWRF First downs 25 28 Total yards 461 632 Rushing yards 233 108 Passing yards 228 524 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:24 24:36 Team Category Player StatisticsJohns Hopkins Passing Bay Harvey 14/31, 213 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Geoff Schroeder 25 rushes, 159 yards, TD Receiving Cole Crotty 6 receptions, 99 yards, TDWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 30/48, 520 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Jaylen Reed 4 rushes, 52 yards, TD Receiving Blake Rohrer 9 receptions, 236 yards, 3 TD
Vs. No. 1 North Central (IL) (Stagg Bowl)
Statistics WRFNCC First downs 25 23 Total yards 436 363 Rushing yards 145 169 Passing yards 291 194 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 23:45 36:15 Team Category Player StatisticsWisconsin–River Falls Passing Kaleb Blaha 27/41, 291 yards, TD Rushing Kaleb Blaha 19 rushes, 128 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jake Hilton 4 receptions, 85 yardsNorth Central Passing Garret Wilson 18/28, 194 yards, 2 INT Rushing Donovan McNeal 23 rushes, 133 yards, 2 TD Receiving Thomas Skokna 5 receptions, 77 yards
Roster
References