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Setting the Scene:  Halfway through the regular season schedule with  their current winning streaks still intact, the Cardinals look to extend their recent success against Millikin ahead of a showdown for first place in the CCIW standings next week.

Series History: This is the 77th football meeting between the two institutions. North Central owns a narrow 38-37-1 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last 17 contests dating back to 2005.

The Cardinals hosted the Big Blue on Oct. 15 of last season, administering a 65-0 shutout  while accumulating a North Central single-game record 776 yards of total offense. The Cardinals gained 597 yards rushing, also a single-game school record.

Ethan Greenfield ran for 174 yards and Joe Sacco gained 125 for North Central. Luke Lehnen completed 11 of 19 passes for 179 yards, throwing three touchdown passes to Jacob Paradee.

Dan Lester registered three quarterback sacks for a Cardinal defense which allowed 198 total yards  while intercepting two passes and stopping two other drives on fourth down.

National Rankings: North Central was ranked No. 1 by D3football.com in this week’s NCAA Division III Top 25 Poll, receiving all 25 first-place votes.  

The Cardinals are the unanimous No. 1-ranked team in the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) first Top 25 Poll of the campaign, receiving 48 of 49 first-place votes.

North Central has been ranked No. 1 in 25 of D3football.com’s last 28 regular-season polls.

Scouting the Big Blue: Millikin remains in search of its first victory of the season, dropping to 0-5 with a 42-3 loss at Augustana Saturday.

The Big Blue have managed just 33 points thus far, ranking 235th out of 238 Division III teams in total offense at 184.2 yards per game.

Quarterback Aidan Lombardo has thrown for 425 yards and two of Millikin's four touchdowns, completing 42.7 percent of his pass attempts. Javeion Wallace is the Big Blue's leading receiver with 18 catches for 198 yards, while running back Matthew Salazar has a team-high 225 rushing yards.

With 34 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, linebacker James Paradee is the leading tackler for a Millikin defense which has allowed 458 yards and 43.8 points per game.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central rolled up a season-high 695 yards in Saturday's 69-24 Homecoming victory over Carroll, scoring on a series of long-distance plays in all three phases of the game.

The Cardinals owned a 49-17 lead by halftime, having gained 449 yards of offense on just 24 plays. Joey Lombardi returned a first-half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, completing the longest kickoff return in the program's history, while DeAngelo Hardy tied a singe-game school record with four touchdown receptions.

Hardy finished with 278 receiving yards on just seven catches, coming within 10 yards of North Central's single-game record, and scored on plays of 76, 2, 69 and 93 yards. 
Angelo Cusumano returned an interception 76 yards to the end zone in the second half, while Jahron Williams recorded a team-high seven tackles and Martin Egbo recorded three tackles for loss.

North Central has scored touchdowns on 29 of 32 first-half possessions thus  far this season and its outscoring opponents, 216-24, in the first two periods of play.  

CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week: Hardy was named the CCIW's Student-Athlete of the Week on offense and Lombardi received the honor on special teams this week.

Lehnen has been so honored twice on offense and kicker Sean Ryniec has also received the distinction on special teams, giving the Cardinals five selections in the past four weeks.

North Park linebacker Jaydin Miller was this week's CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week.

D3football.com Team of the Week: Hardy was also one of three wide receivers named to the D3football.com Team of the Week Tuesday.

The Cardinals' offensive line was named to the Team of the Week following the Sept. 30 win at Wheaton, giving North Central spot on the Division III honor roll two straight weeks.

National Statistical Rankings: The Cardinals currently lead all Division III teams in total offense (561.8 yards per game), passing efficiency (289.7) and pass completion percentage (77.0), and are one of six teams yet to throw an interception in 2023.

North Central ranks third nationwide in scoring offense (58.6 points per game) and rushing offense (312.8 ypg) and fourth in fewest turnovers lost (3) while sitting 17th in total defense (236.4 ypg) and 29th in scoring defense (14.4 ppg).

Hardy ranks fifth nationally in touchdown receptions (9), eighth in yards per reception (25.1)   and 15th in total points scored (54).

North Central Career Rankings:  Hardy ranks  second in North Central history in receptions (191), receiving yards (3,402) and touchdown receptions (47), third in total touchdowns (52), fourth in points scored (312) and seventh in all-purpose yards (4,168).

Lehnen ranks third in the Cardinals' history in passing touchdowns (87) while ranking fourth in passing yards (7,165) and completions (438). Lehnen currently sits first in passing efficiency (202.3) and completion percentage (.684).

Lehnen is also poised to join North Central's all-time leaders in rushing. He currently sits third in yards per rushing attempt (6.89) and ranks eighthin career rushing touchdowns (27). Julian Bell is tied for seventh all-time in pass breakups (25).

National Career Rankings: Lehnen is the current active leader among all players in college football in career passing efficiency. Among Division III players, Lehnen ranks third in touchdown 
passes and ninth in passing yards.

Hardy ranks second nationwide among all divisions in career touchdown receptions and fourth  in receiving yards  while sitting 19th in receptions.

This Week in Cardinal Football History: 2006 vs. Elmhurst - Breaking the game open with a run of 21 unanswered points in the third period, the Cardinals improved to 4-2 with a 30-16 triumph over Elmhurst at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The rally started on defense, as Matt Wenger returned an interception 52 yards to the end zone before Dominic Sulo scored on a 16-yard run and Eric Stuedemann hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass from Kam Kniss.

Wenger and Tom Hannon each recorded eight tackles and Anthony Imbordino registered three tackles for loss.

Around the CCIW: North Central and WashU share first place in the CCIW standings with identical 4-0 records, while Augustana and Wheaton are a game behind at 3-1.

WashU hosts Augustana this week whilie Wheaton hosts Carthage. Illinois Wesleyan visits North Park and Elmhurst plays at Carroll.

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