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Setting the Scene:  The Cardinals open defense of their second national title against a new opponent this week, taking on an experienced Roosevelt squad on the Lakers' home field.

Series History: This is the first football meeting between the two institutions.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 1 nationally by D3football.com to start the 2023 season. This is the first time the Cardinals have been ranked No. 1 to start a season.

North Central, which has spent a combined 19 weeks at No. 1 the past two seasons, received 22 of 25 first-place votes in this year's poll.

Scouting the Lakers: The 2022 season was Roosevelt's third as a varsity football program. The Lakers won seven of their first eight games, rising as high as No. 15 in the NAIA national rankings, before finishing with an overall record of 7-3.

Roosevelt ranked 15th nationally among NAIA teams in total defense (263.0 yards allowed per game) and 20th in scoring defense (17.2 points allowed per game).  The Lakers ranked fifth in defensive touchdowns (4) and seventh in interceptions (15).

Roosevelt's offense ranked second nationally in red-zone offense (97%) and scored 33.5 points per game while employing a balanced offense which gained 362.3 yards per contest (186.7 rushing, 175.6 passing).

Senior linebackers Bennie Harris and Cortes Draper are the Lakers' leading returning tacklers, while senior defensive lineman Charlie Brooks recorded a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss, including seven quarterback sacks, in 2022.

Senior Luke Wilson returns after starting all 10 games at quarterback last year. Wilson completed 53.9 percent of his passes, throwing for 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Also returning are leading rusher Tyler Tenner (922 yards, 16 touchdowns) and leading receiver Jerrell Calhoun (36 catches, 462 yards).

Roosevelt is entering its final  year of competition at the NAIA level before transitioning to NCAA Division II in 2024.

This Season for the Cardinals: North Central enters  a new season  after posting a perfect 15-0 record and claiming the program's second national title in three seasons in 2022. The Cardinals are  one of 14 teams since the expansion of the Division III playoff field to its current size of 32 teams in 2005 to finish a season 15-0.

The Cardinals led all NCAA Division III teams in scoring offense (52.4 ppg), total offense (541.5) and rushing offense (355.3 ypg) a season ago, setting a Division III national record for rushing yards in a single season (5,330). Left tackle Jeske Maples, left guard Alex Knaperek, center Jarod Thornton and right guard Sam Pryor return after starting weekly for  North Central in 2022.

Quarterback Luke Lehnen became the first Cardinal quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season (1,034) and set a single-season program record for yards per rush attempt (9.5) while throwing for 2,709 yards, completing 68.5 percent of passes and completing 38 touchdown passes.  

DeAngelo Hardy caught 70 passes for 1,198 yards  and ranked second nationally in touchdown receptions (20) in 2022.  Hardy enters 2023 ranked second among all active players in college football in touchdown receptions (38) and receiving yards (2,900).

North Central also led the nation in scoring defense (6.7 ppg) in 2022. Linebacker BJ Adamchik was the Cardinals' leading tackler (87), while defensive tackle Dan Lester narrowly missed a program record with 21 tackles for loss, including 9.5 quarterback sacks. Cornerback Antwain Walker  ranked eighth nationally in passes defended (17).

CCIW Preseason Poll: North Central was voted the favorite to win this year's CCIW Championship in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll, claiming the maximum nine first-place votes.

The Cardinals have gone 9-0 in conference play each of the last two seasons and has earned at least a share of the CCIW title in 13 of the last 16 seasons.

Wheaton claimed the No. 2 spot in the poll, followed by WashU in third and Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan tied for fourth. Rounding out the poll are Carroll, Carthage, Millikin, North Park and Elmhurst.

Shrine Bowl Watch List: Walker was named as one of 1,000 players nationally to the East-West Shrine Bowl's Watch List  in July, becoming one of five Division III players being considered for selection to the 99th annual Shrine Bowl in February.

Preseason All-Americans: Walker also joined Hardy, Maples, Thornton and Lester on D3football.com's Preseason All-America First Team.

North Central's five First Team selections match 2022 national runner-up Mount Union for the most of any team.

National Statistical Rankings: The Cardinals also ranked second nationally in passing efficiency (187.9), third in rushing defense (52.5 ypg)  and fifth in total defense (209.3 ypg) in 2022.

2022 Gagliardi Trophy winner and two-time Stagg Bowl Most Outstanding Player Ethan Greeenfield led all Division III players in rushing yards (1,997) and rushing touchdowns (26), ranking second in total touchdowns (29).

Lehnen ranked fourth in passing efficiency (192.0) and touchdown passes (38) while Dan Lester ranked seventh nationally in fumbles recovered (3).

North Central Career Rankings:  Hardy ranks  second in North Central history in receiving yards (2,900) and touchdown receptions (38) while ranking fourth in receptions (171), sixth in total touchdowns (43), and seventh in points scored (258) and all-purpose yards (3,654).

Lehnen ranks fifth in the Cardinals' history in passing yards (5,993), completions (385) and touchdown passes (71) while ranking first in passing efficiency (190.7) and second in completion percentage (.674).

Lehnen is also poised to join North Central's all-time leaders in rushing. He currently sits third in yards per rushing attempt (6.81) and ranks 11th in school history in rushing touchdowns (24).

Julian Bell is tied for ninth all-time in pass breakups (23). 

 

This Week in Cardinal Football History: 2017 at Robert Morris-Chicago -  The Cardinals opened the season with a dramatic home victory, fending off a late comeback by Robert Morris-Chicago and holding on for a 33-31 win.  

North Central led, 26-3, early in the third quarter before the Eagles scored twice in less than two minutes. RMU scored twice more in the fourth period and set up for a game-tying two-point conversion with 3:49 to play.

The Cardinals’ Jelani Hardy stopped quarterback Kenyatta Allen short of the goal line to preserve the hosts’ advantage, and Tyler Oakley broke up a pass on the final play of the game to seal the victory.

Austin Breunig ran for 125 yards and gained 94 yards on three receptions and DJ Warkenthien made 10 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.

Around the CCIW: Six other CCIW teams open their season today:

Augustana at Simpson (Iowa)
Elmhurst vs. Adrian (Michigan)
Carthage vs. Albion (Michigan)
Millikin at Illinois College
North Park at Manchester (Indiana)
WashU at Hendrix (Arkansas)