However, a strong finish before the half and a dominant third quarter that saw UW–Stout put up 24 unanswered points dampened the Bears’ chances of a win. WashU would ultimately fall to the Blue Devils 31-23 on Nov. 22 in their third-ever Isthmus bowl appearance and final game as a member of the CCIW.

This weekend, five WashU teams will compete in postseason action. Here’s a look ahead to an exciting weekend in the world of WashU sports.

Foremost, the Bears secured a spot in the Culver’s Isthmus Bowl on Nov. 22, where the Bears will face the University of Wisconsin–Stout. WashU also played its final conference game as a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) before it will join the North Coast Athletic Conference for the 2026 season.

With the win, WashU closed out its home slate in dominant fashion, improving to 8-2 on the season and giving its 19 senior class members a fitting send-off. The victory served as both a celebration of the team’s success and a tribute to the seniors who helped shape the program’s culture over the past four years. 

The Bears came into this matchup as unequivocal favorites, having won their last four games against the Big Blue by an average margin of almost fifty points. Still, with the regular season winding down and playoff hopes on the line, WashU had little room for complacency.

This year, heartbreak struck again. Even though it had the ball with seconds left in prime field position, WashU lost to Wheaton for the sixth consecutive time, falling 28-24. 

The Bears came into their sixth game of the season on a solid two-game win streak, looking to extend their momentum against the Bluejays. However, with Saturday’s game taking place in the midst of a raging thunderstorm, the course of the game was unpredictable. 

The Bears would hold on to win 31-23, barely defeating a Carthage team that they beat by seven scores last year. For the second straight week, WashU football was been tested by one of its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) rivals.

Coming into this matchup, WashU was 1-1 in the CCIW, having beat Carroll University but losing to No. 1 North Central College. The Bears bounced back with a 42-40 win to improve to 3-1 on the season. 

North Central has also been a historically unfavorable matchup for the Bears, who have a 1-10 all-time record against the Cardinals. North Central continued their streak of dominance against the Bears in 2025, defeating WashU 41-14.