Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
D3football.com Top 25 Poll
American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Coaches' Poll
Nov. 18, 2024 - The North Central College football program enters the 2024 postseason ranked No. 1 nationally in NCAA Division III Top 25 polls released by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) after sitting atop both lists throughout the regular season.
The Cardinals (10-0, 9-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) won their 42nd straight conference game and completed their fourth straight unbeaten regular season Saturday, defeating Illinois Wesleyan University, 42-20, to extend their current regular-season winning streak to 45 games.
The Cardinals received 22 of 25 first-place votes in D3football.com's poll. The State University of New York at Cortland received the remaining three first-place votes and sits second, followed by Saint John's University (Minnesota), Hardin-Simmons University (Texas), the University of Mount Union (Ohio), Susquehanna University (Pennsylvania), the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Salisbury University (Maryland), DePauw University (Indiana) and Endicott College (Massachusetts).
North Central received 38 of 50 first-place votes in the AFCA's poll. Cortland received 11 first-place votes and occupies the No. 2 position, followed by Mount Union, Saint John's, Hardin-Simmons, Susquehanna, Salisbury, DePauw, Wisconsin-Platteville and Wartburg College (Iowa).
The Cardinals have been ranked No. 1 in the last 32 straight AFCA regular-season polls and 41 of the last 44 D3football.com regular-season polls. North Central has received a bye to the second round of this year's NCAA Division III Football Championship and will host the winner of Saturday's first-round game between Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (California) and Whitworth University (Washington) on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, beginning at noon.
COVERAGE NOTE: Beginning in 2024, all games from the first round through the semifinal round of the Division III Football Championship will be broadcast live exclusively on ESPN+. A subscription is required to view the broadcast. Visit plus.espn.com to learn about subscription options.
Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores, and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.
