WashU’s offensive line gets ready for the snap. (Alyssa Wang | Contributing Photographer)

Over its 139-year history, WashU football has seen generations of players take the field, winning 16 conference championships and appearing in three Division III NCAA tournaments, but before Saturday afternoon, the Bears had never seen an 8-0 record. With a decisive 37-14 win over Denison University, the No. 8 WashU football team etched its name in the history books, as it secured the best start and longest single-season win streak in program history.

The Bears’ success has also come during a significant transition for the program. After eight seasons in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, WashU joined the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) ahead of the 2026 season. Despite the unfamiliar territory of facing new opponents, the Bears have dominated in their new conference and won each of their first seven NCAC matchups. Now, the team is on pace to find themselves in the D-III NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. 

When preparing for their final season, the seniors wanted to leave a legacy, but few could’ve predicted how well it has gone.

“I and a lot of the other seniors believe that we have a really good and talented team, so we’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before,” senior quarterback Levi Moore said. “It’s been pretty successful so far, but we’re still looking to continue that success [later] this season.”

On Halloween, students and families packed Francis Field for the game during WashU’s Parent & Family Weekend. The Bears started the game hot offensively and defensively, scoring on each of their first two drives off of Denison turnovers. Only one minute into the game, sophomore safety Brad Shearer blocked a punt deep in Denison territory. Making use of the short field, Moore capped off the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown. 

On Denison’s next drive, the Big Red made their way well into the Bears’ territory before junior safety Zander Ealy forced a critical fumble, preventing Denison from scoring and giving the ball back to the WashU offense at their own 19-yard line. Following a 63-yard reception by sophomore wide receiver Avery Lazard, Moore once again carried the ball across the goal line for his second rushing touchdown of the day. By the end of the first quarter, the Bears held a 14-0 lead.

Denison got on the board with six seconds left in the first half to make it a 14-7 game. But on the Bears’ first drive of the third quarter, they took the momentum back in an electrifying fashion, as Moore completed a 47-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Makael Carter to widen their lead to 21-7. 

“It’s amazing to have someone as talented as [Carter],” Moore said. “He’s the most athletic player on the team, and he’s also extremely smart on the field. The way he tries to get himself open makes my job a lot easier because all I have to do is just get him the ball.” 

The Bears scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter, including another rushing touchdown from Moore and a 25-yard rushing touchdown from sophomore running back Karsten Cornell. 

At the start of the fourth quarter, WashU was up 34-14. Junior kicker Matias Adrogue put on the finishing touches as he nailed a 24-yard field goal, and the Bears’ defense held on to claim a 37-14 victory.

Moore shined, delivering 303 total yards and four touchdowns without any turnovers. This increased his season total to 27 combined rushing and passing touchdowns with 1,722 total yards. Carter eclipsed 500 receiving yards this season after adding a team-high 123 yards against Denison.

Despite the Bears’ historic season, there is still more work to be done. WashU has two more games on their regular season schedule before they even start to think about the postseason NCAA tournament.

“We’re definitely taking it one game at a time,” Moore said. “Our coaches really emphasize going 1-0 every week, so we haven’t focused too much on what will happen after the season. We’re mainly focusing on our next opponent, preparing for them, and pouring ourselves into that week and that game.”

The Bears will look to keep their foot on the gas and continue their undefeated season on  Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m., when they take on Ohio Wesleyan University team on the road.