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D3football.com Top 25 - Week 8
AFCA Top 25 - Week 8

Oct. 27, 2025 -  Continuing to hold the top spot in the national rankings, the North Central College football team is ranked No. 1 in both the D3football.com Top 25 Poll and the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 following a dominant 76-14 victory over Augustana College, the most points scored against the Vikings in program history.

The well-rounded effort from North Central included seven offensive touchdowns, two defensive touchdowns, and a special teams score on a Jalen Johnson blocked punt, which he returned to the end zone. Eli Renick's strip sack led to a Bobby Medina scoop and score before Renick returned an interception for his first collegiate touchdown. Thomas Skokna scored three times on seven catches for 132 yards.

Nationally, the Cardinals rank first in scoring offense (56.6 points per game) and third in scoring defense (7.4 points allowed per game). The defense holds opponents to a 21.7% conversion rate on third down, the best mark in DIII, while the offense converts at a 54.3% rate, the 11th best in the nation.

Trailing North Central in the D3football.com poll is the University of Mount Union, Johns Hopkins University, Bethen University and Salisbury University. The coaches have Mount Union, Johns Hopkins, Salisbury and Hardin-Simmons University rounding out the top five.

North Central continues CCIW play next week, as the Cardinals visit Carroll University for a noon kickoff at Schneider Stadium in Waukesha, Wis. North Central has won the last 10 games, with the last loss dating back to 1993. A season ago, the Cardinals beat the Pioneers 56-3 in Naperville.