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

Nov. 8 (Senior Day): Augustana College Vikings (4-4, 3-2 CCIW) at North Central College Cardinals (6-2, 4-1 CCIW)

Kickoff: 1 p.m., Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium
Video: Naperville Community Television, Channel 17/nctv17.com
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/ncentral/football
Game Updates: www.twitter.com/NCC_Athletics
Series History: 55-27-1, Augustana

Setting the Scene: The Cardinals look to send their seniors off with a second home win in as many weeks while also extending their current streak against Augustana to nine consecutive victories.

Series History: This is the 84th football meeting between the two schools. Augustana owns a 55-27-1 lead in the all-time series, though the Cardinals have won the past eight encounters.

The teams met at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Nov. 16 of last season, and North Central scored the game's first 33 points on the way to a 53-14 victory, posting its highest scoring total ever against the Vikings.

Quarterback Spencer Stanek threw four touchdown passes, including the first two scores of the game which both went to Chad O'Kane. Kicker Nick Dace converted four field goals, establishing a new school record for field goals made in a single game, and linebacker Nick Slezak recorded four tackles for loss while also returning a fumble 22 yards for a touchdown.

Each of the Cardinals' victories in their current eight-year win streak against Augustana have come by a margin of at least 13 points.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 20 in the most recent D3football.com National Top 25 poll as well as the latest Top 25 Poll conducted by the American Football Coaches Association.

Scouting the Vikings: Augustana went into last week's home game against North Park shorthanded, but rolled up 367 rushing yards and pulled ahead late for a 26-20 victory.

Trailing, 20-13, late in the third quarter, the Vikings tied the score on a 49-yard run by Austin Chausse. The game-winning score came with 7:41 left, as Ben Hodges broke free for a 61-yard run to the one-yard line, then ran for the score on the next play. Cornerback Ben Fornek intercepted a pass on North Park's last drive, clinching the Vikings' third straight victory.
Augustana was without the services of starting quarterback Sam Frasco, who has also been the Vikings' leading rusher this season. Junior Chris Salazar completed 5 of 11 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in Frasco's place, while running back Brandon Price ran for 178 yards on 29 attempts. Fornek made a team-high nine tackles, while linebacker Erik Johnson contributed 2.5 tackles for loss.

The Vikings are the most ground-oriented offense in the CCIW, as 227.7 of their 356.6 yards per game have come from their option-based running game. Augustana ranks behind only North Central in the CCIW in rushing offense and rushing defense.

Salazar saw his most extensive action of the season on Saturday, as Frasco has accounted for 15 of the Vikings' offensive touchdowns (nine rushing, six passing). Linebacker Jack Asquini leads Augustana with 74 tackles.

Last Week for the Cardinals: North Central recovered quickly from a last-second loss at Wheaton to score a 45-24 win over Illinois Wesleyan last week, benefiting from a 21-point first quarter and never relinquishing the lead.

Dylan Warden completed 13 of 18 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 102 yards and a score on a career-high 22 rushes. Oshayne Brown was the Cardinals' leading rusher for the second straight week, accumulating 114 yards and a TD on 23 attempts, and Peter Sorenson caught seven passes for a game-high 107 yards and a score.

The North Central defense came within one interception of its season high, picking off three Titan passes. Kevin Schroeder grabbed two of the INTs, while Michael Monterrubio's first quarter interception led to the second of the Cardinals' three first-quarter touchdowns.

The victory over IWU was the fifth straight and the 11th in the past 12 years for the Cardinals.

North Central Career Rankings: Wide receiver Peter Sorenson holds the Cardinals' career record for receiving touchdowns (30) and currently ranks third all-time in receiving yards (2,239) and receptions (145) and sixth in total touchdowns (30).

Kent, meanwhile, ranks fourth in rushing yards (2,324), fifth in all-purpose yards (2,864) and seventh in rushing touchdowns (24). Dylan Warden andTyler Dicken rank ninth (17) and 10th (16) in touchdown passes, respectively, while Dicken is also ninth in completed passes (118) and passing yards (1,754).

John Skokna has moved into seventh place all-time in punt return yards (277) and punt return attempts (30), and Jordan Dean ranks eighth in kickoff return yards (633).

In his first season at North Central, kicker Dom Zavaglia already ranks fifth in the Cardinals' history in field goals made (11) and eighth in extra points made (39).

CCIW Rankings: North Central leads the CCIW in scoring offense (42.5 points per game), kickoff return average (24.2 yards per return), turnover margin (+1.25 per game), rushing offense (229.9 yards per game), rushing defense (109.2 ypg), total offense (433.4 ypg), passing efficiency (162.5), red-zone offense (94.9%) and field goals made (11) heading into this week's game.

Dylan Warden is the CCIW's leader in passing efficiency (174.9), while Sorenson is the conference leader in receiving yards (90.8 per game) and Dom Zavaglia leads in field goals (11) and points scored by kicking (72).
 
Around the CCIW: Conference leader Wheaton hosts Illinois Wesleyan this week with a chance to clinch at least a share of the CCIW title. Millikin hosts Elmhurst and North Park hosts Carthage.

CCIW Players of the Week:  Michael Monterrubio was named the CCIW's Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Saturday's win over the Titans, while Wheaton quarterback Johnny Peltz and IWU's Artie Checchin were the conference's honorees on offense and special teams, respectively.

Peltz won his second straight Offensive Player of the Week honor after he totaled 408 yards in a 56-20 win at Elmhurst on Saturday. He completed his first 13 pass attempts, finishing 18-of-22 for 289 yards and four touchdown passes. Peltz also rushed for 119 yards on 16 attempts and four touchdowns.
Checchin had five kick returns for 99 yards (19.8 yard average) against North Central on Saturday. He also finished with four catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.