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

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Nov. 18: NCAA Division III Championship First Round - Saint John's University Johnnies (9-1) at North Central College Cardinals (9-1)

Kickoff: 12 p.m., Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium
Video: Naperville Community Television, Channel 17/nctv17.com
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/ncc/football
Game Updates via Twitter: @NCC_Athletics
Series History: First meeting

Setting the Scene: The Cardinals open the postseason by hosting a perennial Division III stalwart this week, and look to continue their recent first-round success on their home field.

Series History: This is the first football meeting between the two institutions. 

National Rankings: North Central is ranked ninth nationally by D3football.com and 14th by the American Football Coaches Association this week. St. John's is ranked sixth by D3football.com and seventh by the AFCA.

Scouting the Johnnies: Saint John's is in the postseason for the fourth consecutive year, advancing to the second round in last year's tournament.

The Johnnies closed the regular season on Saturday with a 10-3 victory over then-No. 18-ranked Concordia College-Moorhead. Jackson Erdmann's 24-yard pass to Dan Harrington in the third quarter produced the game's only touchdown, and Saint John's ended the Cobbers' final drive with an interception near midfield by cornerback Sam Westby.

The Johnnies rank second nationally in scoring defense (8.3 points allowed per game) and total defense (196.5 yards allowed per game) while ranking 10th nationally in scoring offense (44.8 points per game). Their 98-0 victory over St. Scholastica in this season's opener produced the highest single-game point total by any Division III team this season.

Erdmann has started all 10 games at quarterback for the Johnnies, throwing for 1,732 yards and 24 touchdowns with just four interceptions, while running back Dusty Krueger has produced 769 yards and 10 TDs on the ground. 

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central clinched its 13th CCIW Championship and the conference's automatic bid to the postseason with a 49-7 victory at Elmhurst on Saturday. 

The Cardinals scored three touchdowns in the first six minutes and never looked back, as the North Central defense recorded a season-high 18 tackles for loss and forced four turnovers.

Despite taking the field for only two plays in the second half, Austin Breunig still gained 129 yards on 19 rushing attempts and scored five touchdowns for the second straight week. Broc Rutter completed 11 of 12 passes for 151 yards and tossed a nine-yard scoring pass to Alex Rose for Rose's first collegiate touchdown.
DJ Warkenthien made a career-high 13 tackles, including six tackles for loss and two sacks, while freshman Ben Wong blocked two punts and forced a fumble on a kickoff return, setting the Cardinals up for touchdown drives on all three occasions. Tommy Sora returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown and Kylee Dorsey and Zach Witken both intercepted passes.

CCIW Players of the Week: Warkenthien and Wong were recognized as the CCIW's Players of the Week on defense and special teams, respectively, for their roles in Saturday's win.

The Cardinals claimed a total of nine CCIW Player of the Week awards during the 2017 regular season. 

All-CCIW Teams Announced: The Cardinals had a total of 14 players recognized on this year's All-CCIW Teams, which were announced on Tuesday.

Breunig was named the CCIW's Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the Offensive First Team along with Rutter, wide receiver Andrew Kamienski and offensive linemen Joe Fehrle and Alec Licar.

Making the Defensive First Team were Sora, defensive lineman Emonte Logan and defensive back Tyler Oakley, while punter Zane Lodico earned First Team accolades as well.

Second Team All-CCIW selections included Warkenthien, defensive back Pat Cravens, defensive lineman Josh Leonhard and offensive linemen Sharmore Clarke and Dalton Ness.

North Central had the highest number of all-conference selections of any team in the CCIW.

The Rest of the Bracket: The winner of this week's game will face the winner of the first-round game between Lakeland and Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Nov. 25. The team that makes the quarterfinal on Dec. 2 will face the team that remains from this week's Wartburg-Franklin and Trine-Monmouth matchups.
The national semifinals will be played on Dec. 9, with the national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, to be played on Friday, Dec. 15 in Salem, Virginia.

North Central in the NCAA Tournament: The Cardinals are 11-9 all-time in nine previous postseason appearances, including a 7-4 record at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

North Central has won its last eight first-round games, including last season's 41-7 victory over Rose-Hulman.

North Central vs. the MIAC: The Cardinals have played three previous games against opponents from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, owning a 3-0 record in those contests.

North Central defeated Augsburg in 2004 (31-24) and 2005 (64-25), and posted a 41-17 win over Bethel in the 2013 national quarterfinals.

National Attendance Record: Saint John's and MIAC rival Saint Thomas played in front of the largest audience in Division III history earlier this season. Their game on Sept. 23, won 20-17 by Saint Thomas, was played at Target Field in Minneapolis in front of a crowd of 37,355.
 
CCIW Statistical Rankings: North Central is currently leading the CCIW in total offensive yards per game (475.9), average time of possession (32:07), red-zone offense (92.0%), third-down conversions (50.8%), net punting average (35.5 yards per punt), quarterback sacks (35), fewest quarterback sacks allowed (11) and total first downs (216).

Breunig is leading the CCIW in rushing yards (126.3 per game), all-purpose yards (170.7 per game) and touchdowns (14), while Rutter has the conference's highest passing efficiency rating (157.7) and Zane Lodico leads in punting average (41.6).

North Central Career Rankings:  Rutter ranks fourth in North Central history in career touchdown passes (57), passing yards (5,808) and pass completions (411).

Breunig ranks third all-time in rushing touchdowns scored (38) and total touchdowns scored (44) and fourth in all-purpose yards (4,330) and rushing yards (3,272). Crotty sits second in extra-point kicks made (103) and fourth in field goals made (20).

Pat Cravens ranks third in school history in punt return yards (687), 13th in interceptions (8) and 14th in pass breakups (16). DJ Warkenthien ranks fifth all-time in tackles for loss (39.5) and 10th in quarterback sacks (14.5), while Tommy Sora and Billy Douds rank eighth in total tackles (218) and sacks (16.5), respectively.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2017: Once again, fans of North Central College football can get an insider's look at the Cardinals' football program, as 'The Red Zone' highlight show returns for its 10th season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17.

The show airs each Thursday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., Friday at 12:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at midnight. It will feature interviews with coaches and players, highlights of the previous week's game, and a look ahead to the upcoming opponent.

Each show is viewable online at nctv17.com and is archived at youtube.com/northcentralsports as well as at northcentralcardinals.com.