Cooper Drews threw three touchdown passes and David Geebli rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown on Saturday as host Bethel defeated Wisconsin-Platteville 35-24 in the third round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs Saturday.
The Royals (12-0) advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. They will play defending champion North Central (Ill.) on Dec. 13. North Central, which has reached the championship game each of the last three seasons, defeated Wisconsin-La Crosse 35-17 on Saturday.
The Royals trailed the Pioneers (9-3) 10-0 before Drews threw a 15-yard TD pass to Taye Manns with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. Drews threw a 5-yard TD pass to Tyler Terry midway threw the second quarter as Bethel took a 14-10 lead into the intermission.
Geebli scored on a 31-yard run and Manns rushed for a 4-yard TD in the third quarter as Bethel extended its lead to 28-10.
The Pioneers pulled within 28-17 early in the fourth quarter but Drews completed a 5-yard TD pass to Dylan Staska to give the Royals a 35-17 lead with seven minutes remaining.
Division II
Ferris State 52, Minnesota State Mankato 29: Chase Carter threw two TD passes and rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns to lead the defending Division II champion Bulldogs (14-0) past the Mavericks (10-4) in Big Rapids, Mich.
The victory was the 28th consecutive for the Bulldogs, who have won the D-II title in three of the past four seasons.
The Mavericks, who trailed 24-14 at halftime, pulled within 24-21 midway through the third quarter after Amaun Williams returned an interception 8 yards for a touchdown. But the Bulldogs scored 21 consecutive points, getting two TD runs by Carson Gulker and a 41-yard TD pass from Carter to Brady Rose, to open a 45-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
