FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

NCAA Division III Regional Rankings

Nov. 9, 2011- The North Central College football team heads into the final week of the 2011 regular season ranked third in the final edition of the NCAA's Division III North Region rankings.

The Cardinals (8-1, 6-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) clinched at least a share of their sixth straight CCIW championship and their second straight Division III playoff berth on Saturday, defeating Wheaton College, 33-7. The victory also gives North Central possession of the Little Brass Bell, the traveling trophy between the two programs, for the fourth straight season. The Cardinals have now won 15 straight CCIW games and 23 consecutive regular-season home contests.

The No. 3 ranking represents a one-spot improvement for the Cardinals, who were fourth in last week's rankings.

The University of Mount Union (Ohio) sits atop the region while Wabash College (Ind.) is second. Franklin College (Ind.) is ranked fourth, followed by Case Western Reserve University (Ohio), Illinois Wesleyan University, Wheaton College, Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio), Heidelberg University (Ohio) and Wittenberg University (Ohio).

The regional rankings are among the tools used to determine qualifying teams for the NCAA Division III Football Championship. The 32-team tournament field will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. Central time at ncaa.com.

North Central closes out the regular season on Saturday, hosting North Park University as the College celebrates Senior Day, Homecoming and North Central's 150th anniversary. Kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17 and nctv17.com.