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

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Sept. 23: North Central College Cardinals (3-0) at Washington University in St. Louis Bears (1-3)

Kickoff: 1 p.m., Francis Field
Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/wustl/
Radio: 89.1-FM WONC
Live Stats: bearsports-livestats.wustl.edu/football/xlive.htm
Game Updates via Twitter: @NCC_Athletics
Series History: North Central leads, 2-1

Setting the Scene: The Cardinals make their first trip to St. Louis in just over a decade looking to build upon a dominant performance on the road last week.

Series History: This is the fourth football meeting between the two institutions and the first since the 2007 season. North Central leads the series, 2-1.

North Central defeated the Bears, 25-0, in 2005 and won by a 34-15 count in 2006 before Washington recorded a 16-13 victory on Sept. 22, 2007 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 4 nationally this week by D3football.com and No.5 by the American Football Coaches Association.

Scouting the Bears: Washington dropped to 1-3 last week with a 30-20 loss at Wartburg (Iowa). 

The Bears yielded the game's first 21 points, then rallied to narrow the gap to as close as 21-13 before Wartburg sealed the win early in the fourth quarter with an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown.

WashU quarterback Johnny Davidson completed 28 of 52 passes for 379 yards, including 10 passes for 110 yards to senior wideout Marcus Ramspott, but did throw three interceptions in the game. 

The Bears are gaining 245 of their 344 average offensive yards through the air. Davidson has completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 768 yards in four games, recording four touchdowns and five interceptions. Tailback John Fisher has run for a team-high 139 yards and Davidson has rushed for a pair of scores. Ramspott is the team's top receiver with 29 catches for 277 yards.

The WashU defense has allowed 415 yards and 27.5 points per contest, but has intercepted six passes. Linebacker Jarrod Huther has made a team-high 38 tackles, including four tackles for loss.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central recorded its 13th consecutive victory over Millikin on Saturday, using a 34-point second quarter to cruise past the Big Blue, 51-21, in Decatur.

The Cardinals reached the end zone five times in the second quarter despite only possessing the ball for 7:32. A 60-yard punt return by Andrew Kamienski set up a one-play, four-yard offensive drive, while Josh Leonhard scored North Central's first defensive touchdown of the year on a two-yard interception return.

Dominick Muoghalu scored three rushing touchdowns, while Broc Rutter ran for one score and threw TD passes to Joshua Ruiz and Jalen Dennis, each of whom notched his first collegiate touchdown. Pat Cravens paced the defense with 12 tackles and intercepted his first pass of the campaign.
 
CCIW Player of the Week: Cravens was voted the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Big Blue, while Carthage running back Jamel Davis and Wheaton kicker Stefan Knoerr were recognized on offense and special teams, respectively.

Davis rushed for a career-high 177 yards on 20 carries in helping lead the Red Men to a 55-14 win at Augustana on Saturday. He also tied a career high with three rushing touchdowns.
 
Knoerr finished a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts during the Thunder's 40-15 win at Elmhurst on Saturday. His first kick (23 yards) gave Wheaton its first lead at 10-8, while his next three kicks of 22, 31 and 25 yards built the Thunder lead to 19-8. 

Conference Expansion: WashU is independent in football this season but will join the CCIW as an associate member for football beginning in the 2018 season. The Bears qualified for the NCAA Division III Football Championship last season as a representative of the Southern Athletic Association, which no longer sponsors football.

This Week in the CCIW: North Central is the lone CCIW team playing a non-conference opponent this week. Conference games feature Carroll traveling to Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan playing at Wheaton, Augustana visiting Elmhurst and Millikin heading to North Park.

CCIW Statistical Rankings: North Central is currently leading the CCIW in average time of possession (31:44), red-zone offense (94.4%), net punting average (39.2 yards per punt) and punt return average (19.4 yards per return).

Austin Breunig is leading the CCIW in all-purpose yards (161.0 per game), while Muoghalu ranks first in total touchdowns (5), Liam Crotty leads in points scored by kicking per game (10.7) and Zane Lodico is at the top of the list for punting average (44.7). 

North Central Career Rankings:  Ryan Kuhl ranks third in the Cardinals' history in touchdown receptions (22) and fifth in total receptions (119), while Rutter ranks fourth in touchdown passes (43) and fifth in pass completions (290) and passing yards (4,054). 

Breunig ranks fourth all-time in all-purpose yards (3,127), fifth in rushing yards (2,289) and seventh in rushing touchdowns (24), and Crotty sits fifth in extra-point kicks made (70) and sixth in field goals made (15).

Cravens ranks fourth in school history in punt return yards (581), 14th in interceptions (7) and 15th in pass breakups (15). Justin Stuursma and Tommy Sora rank ninth (213) and 12th (177) in total tackles, respectively. 

Stuursma also  currently ranks 11th tackles for loss (30), Billy Douds is 10th in quarterback sacks (13.5) and DJ Warkenthien is 13th in tackles for loss (23.5).

'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.