The Mount Union Purple Raiders had won an NCAA-record 112 consecutive games before being upset by Ohio rival John Carroll 31-28 on Saturday.
That was the bad news.
On Sunday, Mount Union got word it was invited back to the Division-III playoffs to defend its national championship.
Mount Union heads into the playoffs winners of 222 of its past 224 games as it had not lost a regular season game before Saturday since 2005.
John Carroll is also headed to the playoffs as its victory gave it the Ohio Athletic Conference title — the first team to claim that other than Mount Union in 25 years.
John Carroll (9-1) will play host to Olivet on Saturday to open the playoffs at Don Shula Stadium. The Hall of Fame coach graduated from John Carroll in 1951.
Mount Union (9-1) will visit Hobart on Saturday as it tries to win the D-III title for a third time in the past five years.
Not only have the Purple Raiders won two of the past four championships, they have played for the title in each of the past 11 years — winning it five times since 2005.