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Nelspruit - The University of Pretoria ended a superb maiden Premiership campaign in the top half of the table after grabbing a shock 1-0 victory over league champions Kaizer Chiefs at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Tuks, who lost only six of their 30 Premiership matches this season, finished eighth in the standings.
Chiefs, who had already secured the league title - their first in eight years - ended the campaign one point clear of second-placed Platinum Stars.
Tuks stood firm in the first half, though Chiefs were wasteful, with Zimbabwean international Kingston Nkhatha fluffing three clear-cut attempts in the opening period.
Nkhatha pushed ahead again early in the second stanza, and he turned in the area to find the back of the net just after the break, but he was ruled offside.
Tuks eventually snatched the lead on the hour mark when Thabo Mosadi darted down the middle, outsmarting two defenders and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune to score with an awkward chip at an angle.
With 20 minutes to go, the visitors, camping in the Tuks area, missed a flurry of attempts within a few seconds, but the students' defence again stood firm.
Tuks nearly stretched the gap five minutes later when Aubrey Ngoma charged in, with only Khune to beat, but the Amakhosi captain kept the ball out with his feet.
Chiefs will hope to bounce back from the defeat - only their third in the league season - when they face defending Nedbank Cup champions SuperSport United in the knockout final in Durban next week.
Results from Saturday's final round of matches matches in the PSL:
Ajax Cape Town 3-0 Golden Arrows
Amazulu 1-2 Chippa United
Free State Stars 3-2 Black Lepards
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 Wits
Moroka Swallows 1-1 Bloemfontein Celtic
Orlando Pirates 2-3 Maritzburg United
Platinum Stars 3-0 SuperSport United
University of Pretoria 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs - champions
Tuks, who lost only six of their 30 Premiership matches this season, finished eighth in the standings.
Chiefs, who had already secured the league title - their first in eight years - ended the campaign one point clear of second-placed Platinum Stars.
Tuks stood firm in the first half, though Chiefs were wasteful, with Zimbabwean international Kingston Nkhatha fluffing three clear-cut attempts in the opening period.
Nkhatha pushed ahead again early in the second stanza, and he turned in the area to find the back of the net just after the break, but he was ruled offside.
Tuks eventually snatched the lead on the hour mark when Thabo Mosadi darted down the middle, outsmarting two defenders and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune to score with an awkward chip at an angle.
With 20 minutes to go, the visitors, camping in the Tuks area, missed a flurry of attempts within a few seconds, but the students' defence again stood firm.
Tuks nearly stretched the gap five minutes later when Aubrey Ngoma charged in, with only Khune to beat, but the Amakhosi captain kept the ball out with his feet.
Chiefs will hope to bounce back from the defeat - only their third in the league season - when they face defending Nedbank Cup champions SuperSport United in the knockout final in Durban next week.
Results from Saturday's final round of matches matches in the PSL:
Ajax Cape Town 3-0 Golden Arrows
Amazulu 1-2 Chippa United
Free State Stars 3-2 Black Lepards
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 Wits
Moroka Swallows 1-1 Bloemfontein Celtic
Orlando Pirates 2-3 Maritzburg United
Platinum Stars 3-0 SuperSport United
University of Pretoria 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs - champions
