Football team holding up helmets in a team huddle

Chris Kohley

Football Week 11 Preview: Illinois Wesleyan

11/12/2026 3:37:00 PM

Setting the Scene: Closing out the regular season, the North Central College football team hosts Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday for a noon kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium with one final chance to boost its postseason resume.

Series History: The Cardinals have won 15 straight contests over the Titans and hold a 20-17-2 mark at home. All-time, Illinois Wesleyan leads the series, 38-34-3.

Last season, North Central completed the regular season with a 24-7 victory over Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The Cardinals built a 14-0 lead behind two Garret Wilson touchdown passes to Thomas Skokna before the Titans answered late in the first half to make it 14-7.

After Aidan Ellison's 42-yard field goal extended the lead to 17-7 in the third quarter, the Cardinal defense delivered the game's defining moment early in the fourth, stopping Illinois Wesleyan on four straight plays from inside the six-yard line. North Central then put together a 14-play scoring drive, capped by a 15-yard touchdown run from Sean Allen, to seal the win.

Donovan McNeal powered the offense with a career-high 202 rushing yards, while Wilson threw for two scores and Skokna caught both touchdowns. The defense limited the Titans to one score and came up with key stops throughout the second half.


David Ballard III (left), Ethan Groark (center), and Jorge Ortiz (right)

National Rankings: North Central moved up a spot and is ranked No. 4 in the D3football.com poll and the American Football Coaches Association Division III Top 25. Wheaton College remains the top team in both polls with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and St. John's University ahead of the Cardinals. Hardin-Simmons University rounds out the top five in the AFCA poll while UW-Platteville takes No. 5 in the D3football.com poll.

2026 NCC Football Team — **Threads:** North Central will be rocking their traditional white helmet along with red jerseys and red pants vs. Illinois Wesleyan

Scouting the Firebirds: Illinois Wesleyan University enters the week with a 7-2 overall record and a 5-2 mark in CCIW play. The Titans opened the season with five wins in their first six games, including conference victories over Augustana, Carthage and Carroll. After suffering a 42-35 setback to Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan rebounded with dominant wins over Elmhurst (44-0) and North Park (59-20). The Titans average 34.3 points per game while allowing just 18.4 points per contest.

Illinois Wesleyan averages 433.4 yards of total offense per game, including 275.8 passing yards and 157.7 rushing yards. The Titans have forced 12 interceptions and recovered five fumbles while committing just four interceptions and losing two fumbles all season.

At quarterback, Kyle Beaty has completed 104 of 169 passes (61.5%) for 1,577 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Dermot Smyth has thrown for 905 yards and 11 scores in five appearances. Smyth has also added 242 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

The Titans feature a balanced rushing attack led by Malik Gray, who has totaled 460 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 100 carries. Alex Pavelka has added 341 rushing yards, while Smyth ranks third on the team with 242 rushing yards and four scores.

Illinois Wesleyan's receiving corps is led by Will Nazha, who has hauled in 66 receptions for 968 yards and eight touchdowns. Cade Danko ranks second with 27 catches for 570 yards, while Jimmy Deacy has recorded 40 receptions for 515 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, John Gavin leads the Titans with 66 tackles, while Joey DeMaio has recorded 63 stops, five sacks and two forced fumbles. Illinois Wesleyan has totaled 27 sacks and 12 interceptions, led by Lucas Lappin's four picks. Opponents are averaging 294.3 yards of total offense per game against the Titans, including 113.6 rushing yards and 180.8 passing yards per contest.

On special teams, kicker Lach Sullivan is 7-for-8 on field-goal attempts and 39-for-40 on PATs. Nazha leads the return game with averages of 20.7 yards per kickoff return and 9.3 yards per punt return.

1976 Football vs Illinois Wesleyan — **Nov. 11, 1978** - North Central closed the 1978 season on a high note with a 36-29 victory over Illinois Wesleyan, earning its first home win of the year and snapping a three-game losing streak at Kroehler Field. The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead behind touchdowns from Leo Swift and quarterback Bill King, then extended their advantage to 28-7 early in the second quarter. Swift was the offensive star, scoring three touchdowns, while Bill Motzer fueled the ground game. Illinois Wesleyan battled back with a pair of second-quarter scores, but a key special teams play shifted momentum when a booming punt pinned the Titans deep and resulted in a safety. North Central followed with another touchdown before halftime to take a 36-21 lead. The Titans closed within seven points in the fourth quarter and twice reached the Cardinal 13-yard line with a chance to take the lead. However, North Central's defense delivered in the clutch, stopping both drives to preserve the victory. The Cardinals finished the season 6-3 overall and 5-3-1 in CCIW play.e Cardinals' 16-14 upset victory.

Around the CCIW: All four CCIW contests kick off at noon as North Park hosts Elmhurst, Carthage hosts Wheaton and Carroll hosts Augustana.

Looking around Division III: While there are many games with postseason implications around the country this week, the lone top 25 matchup is No. 6 Hardin-Simmons facing No. 13 Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Nation's Best: North Central is highly ranked nationally in a number of statistical categories, both as a team and individually: