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

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Oct. 15: Wheaton College Thunder (6-0, 4-0 CCIW) at North Central College Cardinals (5-0, 3-0 CCIW)

Kickoff: 7 p.m., Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium
Video: Naperville Community Television, Channel 17/nctv17.com
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/ncc/football
Game Updates: @NCC_Athletics
Series History: Wheaton leads, 50-41-3

Setting the Scene: A contest circled on both teams' calendars year-round carries CCIW Championship and NCAA playoff implications once again as the Cardinals host Wheaton in the only trophy game for both teams.

Series History: This is the 95th football meeting between the two institutions. Wheaton owns a 50-41-3 advantage in the all-time series and has won the past two meetings after losing five of the previous six.

The Thunder won last year's meeting in Naperville, 17-9. Quarterback Andrew Bowers threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Zach Lindquist on the final play of the first half, then connected with Trey Hanley for a 16-yard touchdown on Wheaton's first drive in the second half to give the Thunder a 17-3 advantage.

North Central scored on a two-yard run by Austin Breunig with 5:20 to play, but Wheaton was able to maintain possession long enough to run out the remaining time.

On the line this week is possession of the Little Brass Bell, the traveling trophy between the two teams. The teams have played for the bell since 1946, with Wheaton owning a 47-19 edge in those contests. 

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 6 in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll as well as the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Poll this week. Wheaton is ranked fifth by the AFCA and 11th by D3football.com.

Scouting the Thunder: Wheaton improved to 6-0 last week, emerging late in a close game and winning a 35-19 decision over Millikin.

Leading by just a 21-19 count late in the fourth quarter, the Thunder capitalized on a short Millikin punt and scored on Bowers' 23-yard touchdown pass to Hanley, then sealed the victory with linebacker Eric Stevenson's 12-yard touchdown return of an interception with 2:54 to play. 

Bowers passed for all four of Wheaton's offensive touchdowns in the win. He has completed 63.9 percent of his passes this season for 1,229 yards and 14 TDs with only two interceptions. 

Lindquist and wideout Chase White are the most popular targets with 25 and 22 receptions, respectively. Sola Olateju leads the Thunder's ground game with 397 rushing yards and two scores.

Wheaton leads the CCIW in scoring defense (12.7 points allowed per game) and quarterback sacks (27). Defensive end Chase Greenlee has recorded 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks while Stevenson is the team's leading tackler (48).

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central returned from a week off to post a 35-14 victory at North Park, getting a season-best effort in the passing game and outgaining the Vikings, 481-198. 

All five of the Cardinals' touchdowns came on the arm of Broc Rutter, who completed 30 of 36 passes for a season-high 358 yards. His completion total was the fourth-highest ever at North Central in a single game and three shy of the record of 33 set by Luther Selbo '68 in 1967 against Illinois Wesleyan.

Alex Ulmer caught a career-high 11 passes for 130 yards, while Dylan Warden made three of the five TD grabs. Linebacker Justin Stuursma made three of the Cardinals' nine tackles for loss.

Giving and Receiving: Rutter's five TD passes left him one short of the North Central single-game record and was the Cardinals' first five-touchdown effort since Warden threw for five scores in a 43-14 win over Augustana on Nov. 8, 2014.

CCIW Statistical Leaders: North Central leads the CCIW in scoring offense (36.8 points per game), total offense (429.0 yards per game), passing offense (293.6 ypg), turnover margin (+1.4 per game), passing efficiency (181.5) and red-zone defense (50%).

Rutter leads the conference in passing yards (285.4 per game) and passing touchdowns (16) while Ulmer is the CCIW leader in receiving yards (91.2 per game). 

Kicker Liam Crotty is tied for first in points scored by kicking (34) and punter Zane Lodico owns a CCIW-best 42.2-yard average.

NCAA Statistical Leaders: Through five games, North Central is ranked fifth nationally among 234 Division III programs in red-zone defense (50%), ninth in passing efficiency (181.53) and pass completion percentage (.689) and 14th in third-down defense (23.9%).

Rutter ranks eighth nationally in passing efficiency, 11th in completion percentage (.685) and 14th in passing touchdowns, Jeremy Niklos is 20th in passes defended (1.8 per game).

Around the CCIW: Other conference games this week feature Augustana playing at Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan traveling to Carroll and Carthage traveling to Elmhurst. North Park is idle this week.

North Central Career Rankings:  Brown and Breunig currently rank 11th (1,586) and 12th (1,523), respectively, in the Cardinals' history in career rushing yards. Breunig also ranks ninth in rushing touchdowns (20), 11th in total touchdowns (21) and 16th in all-purpose yards (1,933). Brown ranks 15th in rushing touchdowns (15) and 20th in all-purpose yards (1,659).

In his first season with the Cardinals, Rutter is now tied for 10th in North Central history in touchdown passes while ranking 15th in completions (100) and 16th in passing yards (1,427).

Ulmer ranks eighth all-time in receiving yards (1,282), 10th in receiving touchdowns (12) and 13th in receptions (78), while Ryan Kuhl sits eighth in receiving touchdowns (13), 17th in receptions (67) and 20th in receiving yards (925).

Niklos currently ranks 11th all-time in pass breakups (18) while Justin Stuursma ranks 17th in tackles for loss (19.5) and 18th in quarterback sacks (7) and Brandon Kibby ranks 20th all-time in interceptions (5).

'Red Zone' Returns in 2016: 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 ninth 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 at northcentralcardinals.com.