Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Live Video/Audio/Stats

Setting the Scene:  Shining under the lights yet again last week, the Cardinals look to improve to 4-0 in night games this season and extend collect their 30th all-time win over the Titans.

Series History: This is the 71st football meeting between the two institutions. Illinois Wesleyan owns a 38-29-3 advantage in the all-time series, though the Cardinals have won the last 10 contests and 16 of the last 17.

North Central won the most recent meeting, 69-14, at home Nov. 9, 2019. The Cardinals scored 45 points in the first half and finished with a 622-227 advantage in total yards.

Andrew Kamienski caught seven passes for 155 yards and scored four times in the first half alone. Broc Rutter threw six total touchdown pass, completing 12 of 19 attempts overall for 281 yards while Ethan Greenfield ran for 94 yards and two TDs on 15 carries.

Bryan Beauchamp recorded six tackles and recovered a fumble and Zach Greenberg recorded a fumble recovery and an interception.

North Central's point total is the highest by either team in the 76-year history of the rivalry.

National Rankings: North Central remains in the No. 1 spot in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll this week, receiving 17 of 25 first-place votes.

The Cardinals are also ranked No. 1 by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), receiving 40 of 47 first-place votes.

This is the second straight week North Central has been No. 1 in both polls.

Scouting the Titans: After opening the season with three straight defeats, Illinois Wesleyan has won twice in the past three weeks, including Saturday's 14-0 victory over Millikin.

The Titans forced three Millikin turnovers and repelled two Big Blue drives which advanced into the red zone.

IWU has averaged 425 yards per game (163 rushing, 262 passing) while allowing 367. Tailback Hamid Bullie is the CCIW's second-leading rusher, garnering 647 yards and four touchdowns.

Titan quarterback Sage Shindler has completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 1,492 yards and 12 touchdowns with four interceptions. Wideout Charlie Hamilton has caught a team-high 31 passes for 545 yards and six scores.

Linebacker Skyler Metzger leads the IWU defense with 55 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. Defensive tackle Conor Murphy has totaled a team-best 7.5 of the Titans' 19 quarterback sacks.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central won its 17th consecutive  game and claimed its 21st straight win over Elmhurst Saturday, seizing control early and prevailing, 77-7.

The Cardinals achieved the seventh-highest point total and the eighth-highest margin of victory in the program's history while limiting Elmhurst to 129 total yards of offense, the sixth-lowest ever by a North Central opponent.

Seven of the Cardinals' 11 touchdown drives consisted of three plays or less. Luke Lehnen contributed to five total touchdowns for the second straight, throwing four scoring passes to four different receivers while also running for the team's first TD of the night. Terrence Hill caught one touchdown pass and ran for two more. Kamienski, Khori Blair and Jacob Paradee also made TD receptions and Darius Byrd and Justin Lynch ran for scores.

North Central's defense registered 12 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks, both season highs. Sam Taviani made a team-high five tackles while Dakota Cremeens forced a fumble and De'Angelo Roberson intercepted a pass.

This Day in Cardinal Football History:  1926 vs. Eureka – Avenging a loss from the previous season, the Cardinals claimed a hard-fought 7-0 victory over the Eureka Red Devils. The lone score came on a three-yard touchdown run by halfback Eddie Hawbecker late in the third period. Hawbecker also kicked the ensuing extra point.

The 1926 team was the first coached by Gordon Fisher, whose career total of 75 victories stood as a North Central record for nearly 70 years.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2021: 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 13th season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17. 

The show airs each Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 12:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 3:30, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m., Saturday at 12:30 and 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 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.