Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
2025 D3football.com Preseason Top 25 Poll
July 23, 2025 - For the third straight season, the North Central College football team headlines the D3football.com preseason poll, garnering 24 of the 25 possible first-place votes in the 2025 Top 25 poll, the organization announced Wednesday.
The Cardinals posted a perfect 15-0 record last season on their way to the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championship with a convincing 41-25 victory over the University of Mount Union. North Central entered the 2024 season as the favorites according to D3football.com and never wavered, spending all 13 weeks atop the rankings.
North Central ranked top 10 in Division III for both scoring offense (52.5 points per game), scoring defense (11.8 points allowed per game) last season while leading the nation in red zone defense, passing efficiency and first downs. Back-to-back Gagliardi Trophy winning quarterback Luke Lehnen established NCAA Division III records for most touchdown passes (162), consecutive games throwing a touchdown (59), yards gained in a career (15,985) and highest career passing efficiency (211.9).
Behind North Central in the Top 25 rankings are Mount Union (1 first-place vote), Johns Hopkins University, Susquehanna University and St. John's University to round out the top five. College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin foe Wheaton College enters the rankings at No. 17. The Cardinals host the Thunder on Oct. 4 for the annual Battle for the Little Brass Bell game.
The Cardinals open the 2025 season by hosting the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Sept. 13. To view the entire 2025 schedule, click HERE.
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.
