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Setting the Scene:  Taking on a team of Vikings for the second straight week, the Cardinals hit the road in search of a ninth straight victory on Augustana’s home field as they continue on their quest toward a fourth straight CCIW title.

Series History: This is the 94th football meeting between the two institutions. Augustana owns a 55-37-1 advantage in the all-time series, though the Cardinals have won 17 straight meetings dating back to 2006.

The teams met in Rock Island Nov. 11 of last season, as North Central carried a 41-3 lead into halftime before closing the regular season with a 61-17 victory.

Cardinal wide receiver DeAngelo Hardy became the first player in the program’s history to record touchdowns rushing, passing and receiving in the same game, finishing with a game-high 120 receiving yards on seven catches. Luke Lehnen completed 18 of 23 passes for 304 yards and four scores as North Central gained 617 yards of total offense.

Hardy caught two touchdown passes, while Joey Lombardi, Jordan Chisum and Jack Rummell each caught one. Joe Sacco ran for 135 yards and a score, while Charles Coleman scored twice and gained 94 yards on seven carries. BJ Adamchik made a team-high 11 tackles and Julian Bell and Zack Orr each finished with nine.

The Cardinals have scored at least 40 points in their last seven games against Augustana.

National Rankings: North Central was ranked No. 1 nationally in the most recent NCAA Division III Top 25 Polls by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

The Cardinals have been ranked No. 1 in the last 28 AFCA regular-season polls and 37 of the last 40 D3football.com regular-season polls.

Scouting the Vikings: Augustana’s bid for a second straight win came undone in the second half Saturday, as Carroll negated a 20-16 deficit with two straight touchdown drives and defeated the Vikings, 30-20.

Senior Liam Crawley, making his first start at quarterback for Augustana, threw two touchdown passes in the first half and kicker Joren Clem closed the second quarter with a 45-yard field goal as time expired to send the Vikings into the break with a 17-16 lead. Clem added his CCIW-leading seventh field goal from 38 yards away early in the third period, but the Pioneers stopped Augustana on its final four possessions.

Crawley’s 240 passing yards are the most the Vikings have gained in a game this season. Running back Mike DiGioia is the CCIW’s leading rusher with 685 yards and eight touchdowns, rushing for at least 100 yards in Augustana’s last four games, while Breyden Smith (35 catches, 425 yards) and Sean Schlanser (20 for 235) account for nearly two-thirds of the Vikings’ receiving yards.

Linebacker Dylan Burton ranks fourth in the CCIW in tackles (52) while defensive backs Johnny Breeden and Darren Oregon share the conference lead in passes defended (8). The Vikings are allowing 350.7 yards and 26 points per game while leading the CCIW in quarterback sacks (18).

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central extended its winning streak in home games to 30 Saturday with a 69-0 rout of North Park on Homecoming Weekend, posting its second shutout of 2024 and topping the 60-point mark for the third time in six games.

The Cardinals allowed North Park to gain just 84 total yards, the third-fewest by a North Central opponent, and six total first downs. The Vikings did not run a single play on the Cardinals’ side of the field.

After a punt on the game’s first possession, North Central scored on its next 10 drives, doing so in five plays or less seven times. Lehnen completed 11 iof 17 passes for 182 yards and touchdowns to Bobby Behmer, Charles Coleman and Thomas Skokna. Donovan McNeal rushed for a game-high 77 yards on just four attempts, whie Sean Allen scored two touchdowns on the ground and Coleman, Calvin Lavery and Jordan Williams each scored one.

BJ Adamchik led the Cardinals with six solo tackles, including three of the team’s season-high 12 tackles for loss, while Will Vernon returned an interception 48 yards to the end zone. North Central has returned an interception for a touchdown in three of its last four games.

North Central is the only team in college football to score at least 48 points and have at least one interception in every game in 2024.

Lehnen Selected as Finalist for Campbell Trophy: Lehnen has been announced as a finalist for the National Football Foundation’s (NFF) William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually since 1990 to the student-athlete with the best combination of academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

Lehnen is the first player at North Central and the first from a CCIW institution since 2018 to be so honored. Finalists receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.

The Campbell Trophy winner, announced Dec. 10 in Las Vegas, has their scholarship award increased to $25,000.

Adamchik, Ryniec Honored by CCIW: Adamchik was recognized as the CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week, earning the distinction for the second time in his career.

Kicker Sean Ryniec was selected as the conference’s Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week after connecting on 9 of 9 extra-point attempts and field goals of 40 and 22 yards. Also a second-time honoree, Ryniec leads the CCIW and ranks 28th in the nation in points scored (59) this season.

Adamchik Among Leading Tacklers: Adamchik’s 29 tackles thus far this season have pushed his career total to 225, making him the 12th player in the program’s history with at least 200 total stops.

Adamchik is six tackles shy of achieving a spot in the Cardinals’ all-time top 10.

Lehnen Chases All-Time National Records: Lehnen is the national all-divisions active leader in passing efficiency (210.4) and is on pace to establish a new collegiate career record.

The current collegiate career record (202.6) is held by Mount Union’s D’Angelo Fulford (202.6). The Purple Raiders have the top five all-time career leaders in passing efficiency.

Lehnen has already established a new all-divisions record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass, having done so in all 50 games of his career.

Lehnen has been responsible for 177 touchdowns as a Cardinal (135 passing, 42 rushing) and is just one shy of matching the Division III record of 178 currently held by Central (Iowa) quarterback Blaine Hawkins (2017-21).

Division III Active Career Leaders: Lehnen is Division III’s active career leader in total offensive yards (13,416) and passing touchdowns (135).

The NCAA Division III career record for total offense is 14,568 yards, set by Mount Union’s Kevin Burke from 2011-2014, while Mount Union’s Braxton Plunk (2019-23) owns the record for touchdown passes (158).

Trey Madsen ranks second among active Division III players in touchdown catches (48) while ranking fifth in receptions (212) and receiving yards (3,084). Joe Sacco sits 10th nationwide in rushing yards (3,208) and 17th in all-purpose yards (3,780), while Lehnen and Sacco sit sixth (42) and 10th (35), respectively, in rushing touchdowns.

CCIW Single-Season Records: The Cardinals established new CCIW records in 2023 for points scored in conference play (576) as well as points per game (64.0), touchdowns (83), total offensive yards (5,504) and yards per game (611.6).

North Central has gone 9-0 in conference play the last three seasons and has won 38 straight CCIW games.

This Week in the CCIW: North Central sits alone atop the CCIW standings at 5-0 while WashU and Wheaton are a game behind at 4-1. Wheaton travels to face the Bears this week.

Wheaton quarterback Mark Forcucci was selected as the CCIW’s Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week after throwing for four touchdowns in a 50-13 win at Carthage.

This week’s games also feature Carroll at Elmhurst, Carthage at Millikin and Illinois Wesleyan at North Park.
 

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