STUTTGART, Germany -- The Vilseck Falcons clinched a DODEA-Europe Division I football playoff berth Friday night with a 27-17 win over the defending champion Stuttgart Panthers.

The Falcons finish the regular season with a 3-2 conference record, good enough to make them the third team into the four-team postseason behind Ramstein and Lakenheath, which clinched before this weekend’s games. Vilseck was eliminated from postseason contention on the final day of the season last year, dropping a tiebreaker to Stuttgart.

The defending champion Panthers still have a chance of returning to the playoffs. A Wiesbaden loss to Lakenheath on Saturday would drop Wiesbaden into a tie with Stuttgart for fourth place, and the Panthers would advance on a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Vilseck paired a productive offense with an opportunistic defense in besting Stuttgart on Friday. Zavier Scott and Cameron Downs each produced 130 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Desean Morgan made two interceptions and freshman Justin McClintock returned an interception for a touchdown. Max Cella nailed field goals of 31 and 33 yards.

Tim Rayburn completed nine passes for 173 yards for Stuttgart, including touchdown tosses to Sean Loeben and Trevor Dunbar, and Ethan Center made a field goal from 33 yards out. But the Panther offense was derailed by five turnovers, including three interceptions and a pair of fumbles.