UTICA, N.Y. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – The Utica University football team has never reached the Division III football playoffs since the program’s first year in 2001. That changed on Sunday afternoon as the team was announced as one of five at-large bids to the 32-team playoff set to begin on November 19th.

The Pioneers will now face the 10-0 Susquehanna University River Hawks, who won the Centennial Conference and finished at #11 in the final regular season d3football.com Top 25, with the winner advancing to the round of 16 to play either 9-1, New Jersey Athletic Conference-champion, and “Receiving Votes,” Salisbury or 10-0, Ohio Athletic Conference-champion, and #2-in-the-country Mount Union.