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

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Nov. 7: North Central College Cardinals (5-3, 4-1 CCIW) at Augustana College Vikings (3-5, 2-3 CCIW)

Kickoff: 1 p.m., Lindberg Stadium
Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/augustana/
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: www.augustana.edu/athletics/football/xlive.htm
Game Updates: www.twitter.com/NCC_Athletics
Series History: 55-28-1, Augustana

Setting the Scene: A fourth straight road win is the goal this week for the Cardinals, who remain in contention for a share of the CCIW title after a win over previously-unbeaten Illinois Wesleyan.

Series History: This is the 85th football meeting between the two schools. The Vikings own a 55-28-1 edge in the all-time series, though North Central has won the last nine encounters and 10 of the last 11.

The Cardinals cruised to a 43-14 win in last year's meeting as Dylan Warden completed 14 of 18 passes for 196 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Ryan Kuhl made six catches for 129 yards and two TDs, while Peter Sorenson scored three times and gained 37 yards on four receptions.

The Vikings had won 22 consecutive games in the rivalry before North Central began its current run of success.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 16 this week by D3football.com and No. 23 by the American Football Coaches Association.

Scouting the Vikings: Augustana posted its most decisive win of the season on Saturday, routing North Park, 45-7.

Augustana relied heavily on the efforts of quarterback Sam Frasco, who accounted for 367 of the team's 528 yards of total offense and contributed to all six touchdowns.

Frasco scored five touchdowns and ran for 189 yards on just 15 carries against North Park, while also completing 13 of 15 passes for 178 yards and a score. Augustana also got 113 rushing yards on 27 attempts by freshman tailback Ryan Pitra and linebacker Jack Asquini paced the defense with 16 tackles and three tackles for loss.

Frasco has been responsible for the lion's share of the Vikings' offensive production this season. He has run for 1,134 yards and 17 of the team's 19 rushing touchdowns while also throwing for 1,607 yards and 13 TDs. Frasco ranks fifth nationally among NCAA Division III players with 342 yards of total offense per game.

Augustana leads the CCIW in turnover margin during conference play (+1.2 per game) and ranks second in passing defense as well (142.4 yards allowed per game), having intercepted nine passes in five CCIW contests. Asquini is the Vikings' top tackler with 88 total stops, including 10 tackles for loss, while cornerback Daniel Watson has a team-best four interceptions.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central kept itself in the hunt for a piece of the CCIW title by going on the road and defeating then-No. 15-ranked Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday, getting huge contributions from its defensive and special-teams units on a day when persistent rainfall made the going rough for the offense.

The Cardinals were beneficiaries of IWU's struggles in the punting game, scoring a safety in the opening minutes and getting their second special-teams touchdown of the year in the third quarter when Al Willett scooped up a fumbled snap and took it five yards to the end zone.

Austin Breunig ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the game, including a 19-yarder to seal the win after defensive end Eric Wilson ended a second straight Titan possession with a fourth-down quarterback sack.

Matt Randolph added a one-yard TD run in the second period, making him the 12th North Central player to score 20 total touchdowns.

North Central Career Rankings:  Dylan Warden ranks fifth in North Central history in career touchdown passes (28), while kicker Dom Zavaglia ranks second all-time in extra points (85) and fifth in field goals (17).

Warden also ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (2,155) and ninth in completions (139),  Ryan Kuhl is 11th in receiving touchdowns (10) and Randolph sits 12th in rushing touchdowns (18) and total touchdowns (20).

Zavaglia and Randolph rank 12th (136) and 15th (120), respectively, in career scoring.

Breunig's 13 rushing touchdowns rank sixth on North Central's all-time single-season list. He also ranks ninth in total touchdowns, 15th in rushing yards (901) and 17th in all-purpose yards (1,096).
 
Around the CCIW: Illinois Wesleyan hosts Wheaton today. A Titan win would put both teams into a three-way tie with North Central atop the CCIW standings. Carthage hosts North Park this week, while Elmhurst hosts Millikin.

In five weeks of conference play, the Cardinals have posted the CCIW's highest totals for points (35.8 per game), rushing defense (96.4 yards per game) and quarterback sacks (17).

Breunig is the CCIW's leader in rushing yards (135.0 ypg), all-purpose yards (151.2 ypg) and total touchdowns (9) in conference games thus far.

CCIW Players of the Week:  Willett was named the CCIW's Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, while Frasco received the award on offense and Carthage's K.J. Simpson was recognized on defense.
 
Simpson totaled seven tackles (six solo), one sack for a loss of 11 yards and a forced fumble during the Red Men's 36-17 win over Millikin on Saturday. With Carthage down 17-16, Simpson made two tackles on the Big Blue's ensuing possession including a sack and forced fumble (the Red Men scored on their next possession). Simpson helped a defense that allowed only seven yards of offense in the second half.
 
In addition to his touchdown on Saturday, Willett also tallied three solo special-teams tackles at IWU.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2015: 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 eighth season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17.

The show airs each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and midnight, Friday at 8:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 11:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. 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 the newly-redesigned northcentralcardinals.com.