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| Concordia Wisconsin athletics file photo |
By Greg Thomas
D3football.com
Aurora had just turned a bad Concordia Wisconsin punt snap into a short-field touchdown, stretching its lead to ten points with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. On the away sideline at Spartan Athletic Park, the Falcons gathered for the start of the fourth quarter knowing they were on the edge of surrendering control of the NACC title race.
Then, on the first play of the quarter, sophomore quarterback Roman Funk dropped back and let it fly. His pass found Jason Leonard, who beat the Aurora secondary deep for a 76-yard touchdown. In a game that had more momentum swings than a Newton’s cradle, this was the play that swung the momentum decisively.
By the time it ended, Funk had thrown for 478 yards and seven touchdowns and run for another, leading a 19-0 fourth quarter that turned a two-score deficit into a 54-45 win over the preseason conference favorite. It was the Falcons’ fifth consecutive heart-stopping victory; a streak that has them standing alone atop the NACC, 5-0 in league play and on the verge of their first conference title and playoff berth since 2013.
But even in the moments after that pivotal win, head coach Greg Etter wasn’t ready to let his team linger in celebration. “My first question to them was, is that your goal? Is your season done? Is that what you wanted to accomplish -- to beat Aurora?” Etter recalled. “They knew what I was getting at. Yes, that’s a big win, but you have bigger fish to fry.”
The message landed. These Falcons have done something bigger than just beat a rival. They’ve learned how to win in every conceivable way.
It started innocently enough in early October, with a weather-delayed game against Wisconsin Lutheran. The Falcons trailed late before Funk hit Kam’Ron Pierre for a 20-yard touchdown with 56 seconds remaining to seal a 27-20 victory.
A week later against Benedictine, they went to double overtime. Down a touchdown in the first OT, Funk connected again with Leonard to extend the game, then opened the second overtime with a two play touchdown drive and the two-point conversion. The defense held, and Concordia escaped 28-20.
St. Norbert provided what came closest to a calm Saturday in the stretch, a 24-17 win that featured a second-half shutout and a key field goal to keep the Knights at arm’s length. But serenity didn’t last long.
The next week, Lakeland built a 28-7 lead midway through the third quarter before the Falcons found their rhythm. Funk threw three touchdowns in the final 22 minutes, the last a 42-yarder to Leonard with 1:01 left in regulation to force overtime. Concordia prevailed in the extra session 41–34, its fourth straight win by one score.
Then came Aurora. Down ten entering the final quarter, three more Funk touchdowns, and another defensive stand to close it out.
“These guys have come from behind on multiple occasions against good teams,” Etter said. “You don’t do that if you don’t believe in yourself and believe in your teammates and believe in the coaches. Winners find a way to win, and that’s right now part of their DNA.”
The numbers tell part of the story. Over the five-game win streak, Concordia has outscored its opponents 65-13 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. In three of those games, the defense didn’t allow a single point after the third quarter.
That doesn’t happen by accident. Etter credits habits developed long before Saturday afternoons.
“I think how you practice and the expectations you put on players and coaches in practice hopefully prepare you for whatever game situation you’re going to encounter,” Etter said. “Whether you’ve got to hold the lead, go back and forth, or come from behind, the goal is to be ready for it.”
That steady hand starts at the top, but it’s reflected on the field in Funk’s play and demeanor.
“The thing with Etter,” Funk said, “is it’s never too high and it’s never too low. You ride the wave a little bit. You know the coaches are going to put you in position to win and lead the right way at the end of the day.”
Funk’s teammates share that same temperament. The defense turned Aurora away on downs twice in the fourth quarter. Special teams recovered a bad punt snap for a touchdown during the Lakeland rally. And throughout the stretch, receivers like Leonard and Pierre have performed in clutch moments.
For Funk, it comes down to belief and preparation. “You have to trust the coaches and the players around you. It (playing in close games) doesn’t really get much easier. You still have to go out there and do what you have to do,” he said. “When you prepare the right way, it definitely helps.”
Funk carries himself like someone who’s been in this position before. Though, in truth, he hasn’t had many chances. His first season as Concordia’s starter ended early last fall when he was injured in Week 4, ironically against Aurora. The Falcons finished 6-3, and Funk spent the rest of the season on the sideline watching, learning, and waiting.
This fall, he’s made up for lost time. During the five-game streak alone, Funk has completed 66 percent of his passes for 1,498 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Etter has seen that growth firsthand. “His confidence has skyrocketed,” Etter said. “He was our starter last year and a young starter. He’s very smart, very charismatic, very tough, and he wants to be good. He wants to master things. Whether it's mentally or physically he just continues to grow and inspire.”
The coach has no hesitation putting the game in Funk’s hands. “When the chips are on the line, I have no issues making sure the ball’s in his hands,” Etter said. “He’s right up there with the best guys we’ve had come through here, and he’s still young. That’s how much confidence I have in him. And more importantly, how much his team has in him.”
Funk’s teammates have rewarded that faith. “I’ve got a great group of guys around me,” he said. “Whether it’s the O-line, running backs, receivers- we truly believed coming into this year that we had the chance to do special things.”
He’s quick to acknowledge the bumps along the way. “Early in the season, we were shooting ourselves in the foot, and it was me specifically. Whether it was throwing a pick, missing a throw here and there, or making a bad read,” he said. “We’ve gotten better at that and capitalized on our opportunities. We knew we had a special group, but that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t go out there and do it.”
Concordia Wisconsin entered the season picked fourth in the NACC. Now, they hold head-to-head wins over all of the other top contenders, sitting two victories away from their first conference championship in 12 years.
Etter, in his 17th season leading the Falcons, has seen both ends of the competitive cycle. His 2013 squad reached the playoffs. The seasons since have been more good than bad, but always just shy of that elusive conference championship.
For Funk, the possibility of being the quarterback to bring Concordia back to the postseason is an enormous opportunity, but he insists the team’s focus hasn’t shifted. “We can only do what we can do,” he said. “We can’t worry about what else is going on in the conference. We’ve just done our part and put ourselves in the best situation.”
When Kadin Huisinga fell on an Aurora fumble with 53 seconds left to seal last week’s win, the Falcons sideline erupted if only briefly. Fists were pumped and chests were bumped, but within moments, the tone shifted back to business.
There are lessons to be learned in living on the edge. Not every team survives five straight tight games, but those who do come out forged by the experience.
Etter has seen his players emerge from a difficult Week 2 loss at Calvin as a team that is on the precipice of making some program history with a return to the postseason. And that, perhaps more than any stat line, is what defines this run.
Funk summed it up simply, “I think it’s the fact that we’ve bought into each other and into the coaches. We’ve always had good athletes, but this year we’ve really created a team that loves each other and plays for the guy next to him.”
That unity and calm in the chaos has carried CUW to the brink of a championship. After five weeks of cardiac finishes, they’ve learned that championship teams aren’t built by avoiding the edge. They're built by learning how to stand there.
Every thought of yours ...
I’m taking this old segment from Around The Nation podcasts of yesteryear, dusting it off, and sharing a handful of my quick Division III football thoughts with you this week.
Ranking the WIAC was a nightmare this week. With six teams tied for first with 2-1 records, each of those 1-1 against teams in that group, there’s no logical way to have ranked those teams. Transitively, those six teams closed the loop, creating a head-to-head ouroboros that was well illustrated by Logan Hansen on X this week. It’s unsolvable. The order of WIAC teams on my ballot this week: UW-Platteville, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater, UW-Oshkosh. UW-Stout was not on my top 25 ballot this week.
Around The Nation is sending our best wishes to Lawrence this week. Cancelling a competition opportunity is always a last resort and we hope the Vikings can get healthy and get back in the Banta Bowl one more time this season.
After Montie Quinn’s 522-yard performance in Week 7, the chase for 2,000 yards is officially on. Quinn’s total is up 1,450 rushing yards through six games. Quinn needs to average 137.5 yards per game over Curry’s final four regular season games to hit 2,000. If Curry qualifies for the NCAA playoffs or a bowl game, that number falls to 110 yards per game. 137.5 yards per game is not trivial. Only Quinn and five other running backs this season have per game averages of at least 137.5 ypg. Quinn will have to continue to perform at an elite level, but that milestone is not just aspirational anymore, it’s achievable.
Seven ways to Saturday
Whether you need to recap the week that was or get ready for the week to come, D3football.com is your daily source for fresh Division III football content. We’re bringing the content seven ways to Saturday.
Sunday: New Top 25 poll
Monday: Around The Nation podcast. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas recap the weekend that was and preview the weekend to come in Division III football.
Tuesday: Team of the Week Honors
Wednesday: Features columns
Thursday: Around the Nation Column
Friday: Quick Hits featuring our panel’s predictions and insights into the weekend’s games
Saturday: Game Day! The D3football.com Scoreboard has all of your links for stats and broadcasts.
I’d Like to Thank…
Special thanks to Concordia Wisconsin’s Roman Funk and Greg Etter for spending time with Around The Nation for this week’s column. Additional thanks to Jeremy Crawford, Director of Athletic Communications at CUW for coordinating this week’s conversations!
Read options?
There’s nothing small about small college football. Division III is home to 241 teams, and many thousands of student-athletes and coaches. There are so many more stories out there than I can find on my own. Please share your stories that make Division III football so special for all of us! Reach out to me at greg.thomas@d3sports.com, on X @wallywabash, or on Bluesky @d3greg.bsky.social to share your stories.
