Football Week 1 Preview: Bethel

Setting the Scene: In a battle of the top two teams in Division III, the No. 1 North Central College football team hosts No. 2 Bethel University for a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Quarterfinals. This marks the first time in history that the top two teams will meet to kick off the season in the D3football.com poll.

Series History: Saturday marks the fourth meeting between the two programs and the first in the regular season. The Cardinals earned a 35-21 win in last year's NCAA Division III Quarterfinals. Bethel ended North Central's 2018 postseason run with a 27-24 result and remains the last team to defeat the Cardinals at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. North Central won the first matchup in 2013, a 41-17 victory over the Royals to head to the national semifinals.

Last season, North Central earned a 35-21 quarterfinal win over Bethel in a matchup of Division III’s final two unbeaten teams. A goal-line stop to end the first half preserved a 14-7 lead before the Cardinals controlled the second half with three unanswered touchdowns. Donovan McNeal led the ground attack with 144 yards and three scores, while Jordan Williams and Zebulon Rashid added rushing touchdowns as North Central out-gained Bethel 312-140 on the ground. The defense delivered repeated stops, highlighted by Matt Janiak’s 16 tackles, Jahmar Daniel’s interception, and a combined sack from John Sullivan and Maverick Ohle. Bethel added two late touchdowns, but North Central’s ball control closed out the win. The victory sent the Cardinals to the national semifinals for the sixth straight year.

North Central vs MIAC: The Cardinals are 5-1 all-time vs the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Outside of the 2-1 mark against Bethel, North Central is 2-0 vs Augsburg University and 1-0 vs Saint John's University.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 1 nationally in the latest NCAA Division III Top 25 polls released by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The Cardinals garnered all of the possible 25 votes for the D3football.com poll. Bethel secured the No. 2 ranking in both national polls.

History in the Making: The Cardinals are looking to win their 580th game in program history. North Central is 579-436-36 all-time, with the first victory coming in 1898. North Central, known at the time as Northwestern College from 1864 to 1926, beat the Naperville Athletic Association, 5–0, on a 45-yard rushing touchdown from Oliver Yaggy.

Scouting the Royals:  Bethel brings their fast-paced offense back to Naperville, returning 15 starters from a season ago. Statistically, the Royals return 95% of their passing yards, 80% of their rushing yards and 29.5 of 37 sacks back to the 2026 roster.

Last season, Bethel finished with the No. 1 ranked scoring offense with 47.4 points per game, second in Division III in first downs (370), and fifth in third-down conversion percentage (53.6%). 

QB Cooper Drews, a Third Team D3football.com preseason all-American, threw the second most touchdowns in the division last season (43). He tallied 3,310 yards through the air with a 66.83% completion rate. He scampered for 10 rushing touchdowns as well, gaining 362 yards. 

His top target, Albert Rundell, led DIII in receiving yards with 1,597, the most in Bethel history. He racked up 22 touchdowns, one behind Cardinal WR Thomas Skokna. Rundell was a Gagliardi Trophy finalist in 2025 and is a First Team D3football.com Preseason All-American.

On the ground, Taye Manns led the Royals with 994 yards and 14 scores on 169 carries. David Geebli added 893 yards and seven touchdowns. 

DL Phil Conant tallied 10 sacks a season ago, along with 22 tackles for loss and 54 tackles. That performance earned him a First Team D3football.com Preseason All-American selection. Jake Borman totaled 96 tackles last year, including 12 for a loss and four sacks. He also grabbed two interceptions. 

North Central in the Season Openers: The Cardinals are 20-5 in season openers since 2000, winning each of their past 12 season-opening contests. 

Last year, North Central defeated No. 16/18 UW-Oshkosh at home on Sept. 13 behind three passing touchdowns from Garret Wilson. Janiak totaled six tackles, an interception, and a half sack.

Preseason Honors: Three North Central College football student-athletes have been selected to D3football.com's preseason All-America list as the Cardinals report to fall camp this week. QB Garret Wilson and OL Cortez Jones earned First Team honors, while LB Matt Janiak was named to the Third Team.

Jones, a 2025 D3football.com preseason pick as a defensive lineman before moving to offense, continued his success at left tackle with Second Team All-America and First Team All-Region recognition from D3football.com. The Associated Press named him a First Team All-American. He anchored an offense that ranked second nationally at 47.0 points per game.

Wilson received Third Team All-America honors and was named Region 5 Offensive Player of the Year by D3football.com, along with Associated Press Second Team All-America recognition. He threw for 3,080 yards and 42 touchdowns last season and led Division III in passing efficiency at 197.8. He added 394 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries.

Janiak earned Second Team All-Region 5 honors from D3football.com last season. He led the Cardinals with 119 tackles and posted a season-high 16 in the national quarterfinal win over Bethel University, North Central's week one opponent this fall. He recorded two interceptions, including a pick-six against North Park University.

Around Division III: Just miles north of Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, No. 5 Wheaton College hosts No. 3 University of Mount Union in another top-five matchup. No. 11 St. John’s University hosts No. 10 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Elsewhere in the CCIW, Millikin takes on Olivet Thursday night before Carthage hosts Lakeland on Friday. The rest of the league plays on Saturday with Albion hosting Illinois Wesleyan, Elmhurst hosting Illinois College, St. Norbert hosting Carroll, Franklin hosting North Park and Augustana hosting Simpson.