Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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Setting the Scene:  The Cardinals enter the second half of the regular season on a roll, looking to keep their winning streak intact by posting a 17th straight victory over Millikin.

Series History: This is the 76th football meeting between the institutions. The series is deadlocked at 37 wins apiece with one tie, though North Central has won the last 16 games dating back to 2005. It is the Cardinals’ longest win streak vs. the Big Blue.

The Cardinals traveled to Decatur last season and returned with a 54-27 victory, scoring 42 points in the second and third periods. North Central ran for 358 of  its 555 yards and put the contest away by holding Millikin scoreless in the second half until 4:57 remained.

Ethan Greenfield ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, while Luke Lehnen ran for 100 yards and one score while completing 12 of 18 passes for 197 yards and three TDs. DeAngelo Hardy caught all three scoring passes, including a 73-yard attempt. Lane Brinkman was the Cardinals' leading tackler with six stops.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 1 by D3football.com and the first American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Scouting the Big Blue: Millikin lost for the third time in four weeks Saturday, dropping a 70-0 decision at Augustana. The Big Blue’s lone conference victory was a 23-21 win over North Park Sept. 24.

Millikin is scoring 16.4 points per game while allowing 39.4, gaining 147 of its 237 yards per game via the pass. The Big Blue rank third in the CCIW in rushing defense, yielding just 80.4 yards, but sit ninth out of 10 teams in passing defense (269.0 yards allowed per game).

Quarterback Aidan Lombardo has thrown for five of Millikin’s 10 offensive touchdowns while Matthew Salazar has run for 368 of the Big Blue’s 453 rushing yards. Alexander Perkins has team-high defensive totals of 14.5 tackles for loss and six quarterback sacks, while Josh Grant has a team-best three interceptions.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central posted its first shutout victory since 2019 Saturday, running through homestanding Carroll, 73-0.

Terrence Hill returned the game’s opening kickoff 92 yards to the end zone and the Cardinals followed by scoring on all seven first-half offensive possessions, taking a 56-0 lead at halftime.

North Central outgained the Pioneers, 573-164, gaining 363 yards from its running game. Ethan Greenfield ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries while Luke Lehnen completed 10 of 12 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns. Lehnen hit Hill, DeAngelo Hardy, Jacob Paradee and Peter Braithwaite for scores.

Hill, Joe Sacco and Darius Byrd also scored rushing touchdowns, giving Hill three scores on the day as the senior moved into sixth place in the Cardinals’ history in touchdowns (36) and seventh in points (216).

North Central currently ranks first among all NCAA Division III schools in scoring offense (59.4 points per game) and total offense (585.8 yards per game) while ranking 11th in scoring defense (9.0 ppg) and 16th in total defense (227.8 ypg).

NCAA All-Time Active Leaders:  Greenfield is the second-leading active rusher in all of college football and ranks 20th all-time in Division III history with a North Central-record 5,352 yards.

Greenfield also ranks second among active players in career all-purpose yards (6,217) and points scored (468). He ranks 14th in Division III history in scoring.

Greenfield is the highest-ranked non-kicker among all returning players and is the current active career leader in points per game (11.1). 

North Central Career Rankings:  Hardy ranks fourth in school history in touchdown receptions (24), fifth in receiving yards (2,186) and sixth in total receptions (127).  

Terrence Hill is sixth all-time in total touchdowns (36), seventh in rushing touchdowns (28) and 14th in rushing yards (1,656).  Hill is 306 yards away from moving into the career top 10.
Lehnen ranks fifth in North Central history in passing touchdowns (45) and passing yards (4,378) and sixth in completions (269).

Around the CCIW: North Central and WashU are the only unbeaten teams remaining in conference play. The Cardinals travel to face the Bears next week.

North Park travels to Illinois Wesleyan this week, while Carroll visits Elmhurst, Wheaton goes to Carthage and WashU plays at Augustana.

This Day in Cardinal Football History:  2016 vs. Wheaton - The sixth-ranked Cardinals improved to 6-0 with a 35-25 victory over the 11th-ranked Thunder before a near-capacity crowd at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

North Central owned a 24-3 lead at halftime, closing the period with Pat Cravens' 67-yard punt return touchdown with just four seconds remaining.

Wheaton closed the gap to 32-25 with 7:49 to play, but Cardinal kicker Liam Crotty put the contest on ice with a 25-yard field goal with 2:01 left.

Broc Rutter completed 23 of 39 passes for 238 yards and three TDs while also leading North Central in rushing with 32 yards on 10 attempts. Alex Ulmer caught eight passes for 90 yards and defensive tackle Billy Douds registered three quarterback sacks.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2022: 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 14th 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.