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

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Nov. 4: Carthage College Red Men (6-2, 4-2 CCIW) at North Central College Cardinals (7-1, 5-1 CCIW)

Kickoff: 1 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: North Central leads, 36-23-3

Setting the Scene: Their offense clearly in high gear after scoring 114 points in the previous two games, the Cardinals look to extend their run of strong play to a third week with a win on Senior Day for the fifth straight year.

Series History: This is the 63rd football meeting between the two institutions. North Central owns a 36-23-3 lead in the all-time series and has won each of the past 12 contests.

The Cardinals won last season's meeting in Kenosha, 34-21. After giving up the first touchdown of the game, North Central took control by scoring 28 unanswered points before halftime.

Broc Rutter completed 16 of 28 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns, while the Cardinals defense set a single-game school record with 11 quarterback sacks. Josh Leonhard recorded four sacks by himself, tying the single-game individual record.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked ninth nationally by D3football.com and 14th by the American Football Coaches Association this week.

Scouting the Red Men: Carthage bounced back from a 13-10 loss to Illinois Wesleyan last week with a 45-27 home victory over Millikin.

The Red Men trailed briefly, 19-17, late in the first half after Millikin scored on a fumble return, but worked their way down the field for a touchdown with just nine seconds left until halftime. Carthage then put the game away with three unanswered scores in the third period.

The Red Men finished with 603 yards of offense, including 377 passing yards. Both are the highest single-game totals posted by any CCIW team this season. Quarterback Kyle Friberg completed 25 of 31 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns, finding wideout Manny Jones nine times for 183 yards and two scores.

Friberg is completing 63.5 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Running backs Jamel Davis and Lafayette McGary have split the bulk of the Red Men's rushing attempts. Jones, the team's leading receiver, nearly doubled his output for receptions and yards in last week's game.

Carthage's defense enters this week's game leading the CCIW in total defense (231.6 yards allowed per game), turnover margin (+1.88 per game), first downs allowed (101) and third-down conversions allowed (23.1%). Nickelback Shawntrel Garner has returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns, while defensive end Pete Laughlin leads the pass rush with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 quarterback sacks.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central put up a season-high yardage total for the second straight game Saturday in a 60-21 victory at Carroll. The Cardinals totaled 562 total yards and posted the CCIW's highest single-game point total in conference play this season.

Austin Breunig ran for a season-high 168 yards and two touchdowns, while Zane Lodico ran for a career-high 108 yards and scored twice as well. Rutter completed 12 of 14 passes for 233 yards, throwing two touchdown passes to Michael Sfikas and two more to Joshua Ruiz.

Saturday's game is the only one in North Central's history to see four different players score two touchdowns.

The Cardinals' defense allowed Carroll to gain a total of just four rushing yards, the fourth-lowest total ever by a North Central opponent. Tommy Sora led the way with seven total stops, while Kylee Dorsey recovered a fumble.

CCIW Players of the Week: Friberg was named this week's CCIW Offensive Player of the Week, while Illinois Wesleyan's Eric Dubose and Anthony Sciarini were recognized on defense and special teams, respectively. 
 
This Week in the CCIW: Augustana plays at Wheaton this week, while Carroll travels to North Park and Elmhurst visits Millikin. Illinois Wesleyan is idle this week.

CCIW Statistical Rankings: North Central is currently leading the CCIW in total offensive yards per game (462.8), rushing yards per game (191.0), first downs (167), average time of possession (31:45), red-zone offense (91.5%), third-down conversions (50.5%), net punting average (35.9 yards per punt), quarterback sacks (34), fewest quarterback sacks allowed (11) and total first downs (191).

Breunig is leading the CCIW in rushing yards (109.1 per game) and all-purpose yards (148.2 per game), while Dominick Muoghalu ranks first in points scored per game (9.4), Lodico leads in punting average (42.3) and Liam Crotty leads in points scored by kicking per game (8.2).

North Central Career Rankings:  Rutter ranks fourth in North Central history in career touchdown passes (54), passing yards (5,390) and pass completions (381).

Breunig ranks fourth all-time in all-purpose yards (3,830) and rushing yards (2,879) and fifth in rushing touchdowns (30), and Crotty sits third in extra-point kicks made (92) and fourth in field goals made (19).

Pat Cravens ranks third in school history in punt return yards (653), 13th in interceptions (8) and 14th in pass breakups (16). Tommy Sora ranks 10th (208) in total tackles, while DJ Warkenthien is 10th in tackles for loss (32.5) and Billy Douds is ninth in quarterback sacks (15.5).

'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.