North Central advances to sixth straight Stagg Bowl after win over John Carroll

The North Central College football team secured a place in the NCAA Division III National Championship for the sixth consecutive year after defeating John Carroll University 41-21 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Illinois.

Head coach Brad Spencer commented on the team's achievement, stating, "We are super excited and very blessed to go to the Stagg Bowl. That's what it is about, a first-class experience for our players."

North Central started strong, scoring the first 31 points of the game. The Cardinals’ opening drive covered 87 yards in ten plays and ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from Garret Wilson to Grant McAtee. Wilson continued his effective play by connecting with Jack Rummell for a 71-yard touchdown, marking North Central’s longest play of the season and giving them a 14-0 lead after one quarter.

Defensively, John Sullivan made key contributions by breaking up passes and applying pressure on John Carroll’s quarterback. Before halftime, Eli Renick intercepted a pass and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown, putting North Central ahead 28-0 at halftime.

In the second half, Aidan Ellison kicked a 28-yard field goal before John Carroll responded with a long touchdown pass. North Central extended its lead as Wilson ran for another score and later set up Ellison’s second field goal of the game—a program-record seventeenth made field goal this season.

Wilson finished with a season-high 324 passing yards and three touchdowns. Rummell had six catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Donovan McNeal rushed for 160 yards on eighteen carries, his fourth straight game surpassing one hundred rushing yards. On defense, Matt Janiak led with twelve tackles while Renick's interception return stood out.

Reflecting on his performance, Wilson said: "I am very thankful for the guys around me who make my job easy. Jack and I have been building a connection all year. When a guy gets hot, you want to give him the ball as much as possible."

North Central will now face the University of Wisconsin–River Falls in the national championship game—the Stagg Bowl—at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. This marks their first meeting against UW-River Falls.

"UW-River Falls is as advertised," Spencer said. "It will be an exciting two weeks to prepare for them and find ways to slow them down."