SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University has been denied a bid to the NCAA Division III football playoffs.

In its last season as a Pool B participant in the NCAA Division III playoffs, the Northwest Conference's champion was not extended an invitation for the first time since the league joined the NCAA as a full member in 1998. The NWC also has a strong history in the NCAA playoffs with two former champions in Pacific Lutheran (1999) and Linfield (2004). NWC teams are 18-10 all-time in the playoffs.

The Pirates completed an 8-2 season (8-1 against NCAA Div. III competition) with a 34-13 win at Puget Sound on Saturday, giving Whitworth a 6-0 conference record.

"I am most disappointed for our seniors," said Whitworth head coach John Tully. "They have worked so hard this year and they will be very sad to find out our season is over."

Whitworth's only Division III loss this season is against University of Redlands in the season opener. The Bulldogs, champions of the SCIAC, will play at St. John's (Minn.) in the first round of the playoffs.

Only seven teams from the west region ratings were selected to the playoffs. One of those teams, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, somehow managed to jump over Whitworth in the final regional ratings, which came out last night but were not released to the public. The Blugolds are 8-2 with a pair of in-region conference losses. The number of in-region losses is a primary selection criteria for the committee to consider.

Click here for a complete NCAA bracket.

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