Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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Setting the Scene:  The Cardinals seek a seventh straight win in Bloomington as they look to close out their fourth straight unbeaten regular season and the eighth in the program’s history.

Series History: This is the 74th football meeting between the two institutions. The Titans own a 38-32-3 edge in the all-time series, though North Central has won the last 13 straight meetings dating back to 2010.

The Cardinals hosted IWU Nov. 4 of last season and owned a 55-6 advantage at halftime before closing out an 83-26 victory. North Central’s Joey Lombardi returned the opening kickoff 97 yards to the end zone and also caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Luke Lehnen, who also threw to Nic Rummell, Sean Allen and Myles Walton for scores before halftime.

Joe Sacco ran for two touchdowns while Lehnen, Allen, Charles Coleman, Darius Byrd and Jordan Chisum each scored once as North Central gained 424 of its 712 yards on the ground. Sacco ran for a game-high 99 yards on 11 carries while Lehnen completed 13 of 15 passes for 291 yards.

Will Vernon made a team-high seven tackles for North Central while Martin Egbo made three tackles for loss, Julian Bell and Rahmareon Roby intercepted passes, and Drew Harp and Jake Lynch recovered fumbles.

The Cardinals have outscored IWU in their last three encounters, 206-36.

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 31 AFCA regular-season polls and 40 of the last 43 D3football.com regular-season polls.

Scouting the Titans: IWU emerged from a late seven-point deficit to claim victory in the final minute against Carroll, scoring with just 20 seconds remaining to defeat the Pioneers in Waukesha.

Entering the fourth quarter behind, 21-14, the Titans got a 36-yard field goal from Kaden Junge before embarking on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Danny Kent’s one-yard touchdown run.

IWU ranks fourth in the CCIW in scoring offense (30.7 points per game) and total offense (363.8 yards per game). Quarterback Dermot Smyth has completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 1,724 yards and 15 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Myles Kee is the Titans’ leading receiver with 53 catches for 607 yards and five TDs, while Jahari Scott is the team’s top rusher with 541 yards and four scores.

Defensively, the Titans lead the CCIW in quarterback sacks (24) and rank second in rushing defense (95.2 ypg) while sitting fourth in the conference in scoring defense (23.2 ppg). Safety Cole Pradel is the team’s leading tackler (67), while defensive end Zach McNees shares the conference lead in sacks (8.5) and cornerback Artist Benjamin is tied for second in passes defended (10).

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central put together nine touchdown drives in the first half of Saturday’s Senior Day game against Elmhurst, erupting for 42 points in the second quarter alone and routing the Bluejays, 70-7.  The Cardinals have now won 45 straight regular-season games, including 41 in a row in conference play and 32 straight at home.

Lehnen ran 83 yards for a touchdown on the game’s third play and went on to complete 15 of 16 passes for a season-high 347 yards with two touchdowns to Walton and another to Jake Lynch. Coleman scored three rushing touchdowns while Sacco, Chisum and Donovan McNeal each scored one.

The Cardinals gained 708 offensive yards, the fourth-highest total in the program’s history. North Central threw for 412 yards, marking just the sixth time a Cardinal team has passed for more than 400.

Defensively, North Central stopped two drives on fourth down and forced two turnovers, getting an interception from Kaden Hartnett and a fumble recovery by John Sullivan.  The Cardinals have allowed just nine touchdowns in eight conference games.

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

Lehnen Claims Third Weekly CCIW Award: Lehnen was named the CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week Monday, receiving the distinction for the third time this season. Lehnen leads the CCIW in touchdown passes (27) and rushing touchdowns (11) this season.

North Central has won seven CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week awards this season. Sullivan and BJ Adamchik have been recognized on defense, as have Sacco on offense and Sean Ryniec on special teams.

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.

Lehnen Establishes National Records: Lehnen is the national all-divisions active leader in passing efficiency (211.8) 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 53 games of his career.

Lehnen established a new NCAA all-divisions career record for touchdowns responsible for in last week’s game and now has 193 in his career.  The former all-divisions record was 190, set from 2019-2023 by John Matocha of the Colorado School of Mines.

Cardinals’ Career TD Passes Record Vanquished: Lehnen’s three touchdown passes in Saturday’s game push his career total to 146, breaking the previous North Central record of 145 set by 2019 Gagliardi Trophy winner Broc Rutter ‘20.

Lehnen now ranks fifth in Division III history and 11th in college football history in touchdown passes.

Division III Active Career Leaders: Lehnen is Division III’s active career leader in total offensive yards (14,360) and passing touchdowns.

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 eighth in receptions (213) and receiving yards (3,095). Joe Sacco sits 10th nationwide in rushing yards (3,389) and 19th in all-purpose yards (3,985), while Lehnen and Sacco sit fifth (47) and 11th (36), respectively, in rushing touchdowns.

Adamchik Takes Place Among Top Tacklers: Adamchik’s team-high 42 tackles thus far this season have pushed his career total to 238, ranking him eighth in the Cardinal’s history in total stops.

Orr Poised for Top 10 in Interceptions: Zack Orr enters Saturday’s game with eight career interceptions. A ninth pick would move Orr into a six-way tie for ninth in the team’s history.

This Week in the CCIW: North Central clinched its 18th CCIW championship Saturday and holds the conference’s automatic bid to this year’s NCAA Division III Football Championship. Pairings and first-round site selections will be announced Sunday.

Wheaton defensive lineman Peter Johanik and returner Nate Tofilon were honored as this week’s CCIW Student-Athletes of the Week on defense and special teams, respectively.

This week’s games feature Augustana at WashU, Carthage at Carroll, North Park at Wheaton and Millikin at Elmhurst.

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