Pacific Lutheran is a Christian liberal arts school in Tacoma whose Lutes have won four national championships — a program rooted in faith and sustained excellence in NWC.
Quiet weeks in Lutes country.
Pacific Lutheran is a Christian liberal arts school in Tacoma whose Lutes have won four national championships — a program rooted in faith and sustained excellence in NWC.
Pacific Lutheran competes in the Northwest Conference under head coach Brant McAdams (8th season, 34-37 record). The Lutes have a rich history of national championships (three NAIA titles and one NCAA D3 title) but now focus on NW…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Pacific Lutheran University sits 3rd in the Northwest Conference and 113th of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — outside the at-large picture — the path runs through the conference title.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitworth | 7-0 | 8-3 | 61.2 |
| 2 | Linfield College | 6-1 | 7-2 | 59.9 |
| 3 | Pacific Lutheran | 5-2 | 6-4 | 51.6 |
| 4 | Lewis & Clark College | 5-4 | 6-4 | 52.0 |
| 5 | NEWBERG | 4-4 | 4-6 | 44.8 |
| 6 | Pacific (OR) | 3-5 | 3-7 | 40.6 |
| 7 | Puget Sound | 1-7 | 1-9 | 33.5 |
| 8 | Willamette | 0-8 | 1-9 | 32.7 |
Win the Northwest Conference for the automatic berth into the 40-team NCAA Division III bracket. Miss it and the path is an at-large bid, selected by NPI — the metric the CFB Index mirrors. Six wins survive the bracket to the Stagg Bowl.
Signature win 55-21 over NEWBERG; toughest day 8-45 against Trinity University TX.
The Pulse on Pacific Lutheran University
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Pacific Lutheran University
The baseline for a successful season.
The primary goal and national bracket path.
One of 32 national tournament entries.
The Division III national championship game.
Pacific Lutheran University · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Home-Field Advantage · Pacific Lutheran University · 2018-present
Above-Average
63% home win rate vs 55% on the road. margin runs +6.5 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Schedule Strength · Pacific Lutheran University · 2025
Soft
Average opponent win rate 44% across 10 finalized games. Lighter schedule — the committee weighs wins against strength of field.
Moment of the Year · Pacific Lutheran University · 2025
Won 42-16 vs Simpson University (Ca)
Week 3 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
From the Archive — Pacific Lutheran University
2024: Won 31-28 at Lewis & Clark College
In 2024, the program won 31-28 at Lewis & Clark College — a tight road result that left the 3-point margin on the books.
Go Lutes.