A western Wisconsin town is reveling in the national spotlight. 

University of Wisconsin-River Falls played in the Division III NCAA football championship Sunday night, winning its first national championship over North Central College 24-14.

For longtime fans of the UW-River Falls Falcons, the team's primetime national championship appearance comes after two decades of losing seasons, a streak broken just a few years ago.

"It's been a struggle," said Tanner Gray, a bartender at Tarnation Tavern in River Falls.

Fans gathered at Tarnation Tavern for a viewing party to cheer on their hometown team.

"One of the smallest Division III teams," said Darren Hines. 

In addition to the viewing party, the Tarnation Tavern is laying claim to forming the team's "Tarnation Tandem." Star wide receiver Blake Rohrer and quarterback Kaleb Blaha both met working at the bar the past two summers, Gray said.

"We actually convinced Blake to play football," said Gray. "He came here to play basketball."

Madyson Bishop is a school alum who starred on the UW-River Falls soccer team.

"It's been really cool to see this team grow and develop over the last years," said Bishop. "This school, being in such a small town, we got like 16,000 people here. To be on national television is honestly really cool to see our little town school do that," said Bishop.