Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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Setting the Scene:  The Cardinals look to celebrate Senior Day by claiming their 26th consecutive regular-season game and clinching sole possession of their 16th CCIW Championship.

Series History: This is the 92nd football meeting between the two institutions. The Vikings own a 55-35-1 advantage in the all-time series, though North Central has won the last 15 meetings dating back to 2006.

The Cardinals won last year’s meeting in Rock Island, 58-6, outscoring the Vikings, 44-0, after the first period. North Central outgained Augustana, 602-189,  as Luke Lehnen threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns and Ethan Greenfield ran for 106 yards and three scores on 16 carries.

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

Scouting the Vikings: Augustana saw its Senior Day celebration dampened Saturday by a 37-30 home loss to Carthage as the Firebirds scored 29 second-half points.

With the score tied at 30-30, Carthage scored the game-winning touchdown on a 58-yard pass with just 21 seconds on the clock. The Vikings’ final possession resulted in an interception.

Augustana quarterback Cole Bhardwaj completed 25 of 48 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns, hitting Bobby Inserra 16 times for 240 yards and three scores. Inserra has caught eight of Bhardwaj’s 19 touchdown passes.

Defensive lineman Cole Romano ranks second in the CCIW in quarterback sacks (9) and defensive back Frank Giamarusti ranks second in passes defended (14).

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central won Saturday’s matchup at Illinois Wesleyan with its power running game, rushing for 452 of its 517 total yards in a 68-3 ravaging of the Titans.

Ethan Greenfield ran for three of the Cardinals’ seven rushing touchdowns and gained 164 yards on 18 carries while Luke Lehnen ran for a touchdown and 94 yards on just five carries. Lehnen has scored at least one rushing TD the last four straight games.

The Cardinals limited IWU to 148 total yards and forced four turnovers, including three lost fumbles. Tyler Rich recovered a fumbled snap from center in the end zone for a touchdown, marking the third defensive score for North Central this season.

The Cardinals have not allowed a touchdown since Oct. 1 vs. Wheaton, a stretch of 61 opponents’ offensive possesions.

North Central has clinched the CCIW’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Selections for this year’s tournament will be announced Sunday.

CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week: Dan Lester was named CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week for the second time this season after finishing with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback sack and a fumble recovery Saturday.

Luke Lehnen, DeAngelo Hardy, BJ Adamchik and Tanner Rains have also been recognized by the CCIW this season.

NCAA All-Time Active Leaders:  Greenfield is the second-leading active rusher in all of college football and ranks 11th all-time in Division III history with a North Central-record 5,889 yards.

Greenfield also ranks second among active players in career all-purpose yards (6,769) and points scored (492). He ranks eighth in Division III history in scoring and 17th in all-purpose yards.

Greenfield is the current active career leader in points per game (11.0).

National Statistical Rankings: Lehnen sits sixth nationally in passing efficiency (190.5), seventh in yards per pass attempt (10.10) and 22nd in passing touchdowns (22).

Greenfield ranks second in yards per rushing attempt (8.05), fourth in rushing yards per game (134.1), fifth in rushing touchdowns (15) and 10th in total touchdowns (16) and points scored (96).

Hardy currently sits ninth nationwide in receiving touchdowns (11) and 19th in receiving yards per game (98.7) while Rains ranks 17th nationally in scoring (87) and Lester ranks 18th in tackles for loss per game (1.8).

As a team, North Central leads all of Division III in scoring (57.8 ppg) and total yards (565.2 ypg) while ranking third in scoring defense (5.3 points allowed per game) and 12th in total defense (224.6 yards allowed).

North Central Career Rankings:  Hardy ranks third in school history in touchdown receptions (29), fourth in receiving yards (2,393) and fifth in total receptions (141).  

Terrence Hill is sixth all-time in total touchdowns (39), seventh in rushing touchdowns (31) and 14th in rushing yards (1,815).  
Hill is 157 yards away from moving into the career top 10.

Lehnen ranks fifth in North Central history in passing touchdowns (55) and passing yards (4,991) and sixth in completions (312).

Around the CCIW: Wheaton assumed sole possession of second place in the conference standings with a 42-35 victory over WashU. The Thunder host North Park today while WashU travels to Carroll.

Illinois Wesleyan visits Elmhurst today while Millikin closes out the campaign at Carthage.

This Day in Cardinal Football History:  1977 vs. Carthage - The Cardinals jumped ahead early and prevailed in their season finale, defeating Carthage, 14-10, to finish with a 6-3 record which was North Central's best since 1966.

Leo Swift broke free for a 74-yard touchdown run in the first minute of play, then scored from 10 yards out in the second quarter after a 53-yard gain by fullback Greg Abrams. Tom Kordas intercepted a Carthage pass in the final minute to seal the win.

'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.