Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton football team is ranked 17th in the 2025 Division III preseason poll released by D3football.com on Wednesday morning. The Thunder earns the recognition following a 2024 season that saw the program post a 9-2 record and Wheaton became the first CCIW football program to earn a win against the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the Culver's Isthmus Bowl. Wheaton concluded the 2024 campaign ranked 24th in the final D3football.com Top-25 Poll of the year.

This marks the 18th time that the Wheaton football program has been ranked in the website's preseason top-25 since D3football.com began its preseason poll in 2004. This year's selection marks the 13th-consecutive year Wheaton has been included in the preseason poll - the current streak dates back to the 2011 poll (there was no preseason poll in 2020 and 2021).

Wheaton opens the season on September 6 at No. 2 ranked University of Mount Union for a 1:00 p.m. (EDT) kickoff against the Purple Raiders. The Thunder host Carroll on September 27 at 1:00 p.m. in the 2025 home opener for Wheaton. The matchup against the Pioneers is also Wheaton's Hoecoming game. Wheaton travels to North Central College on October 4 for the annual "Battle for the Little Brass Bell". The Cardinals are ranked No. 1 in the 2025 D3football.com Preseason Top-25 Poll.