North Central clinches fifth straight undefeated CCIW football season
North Central College secured its fifth consecutive undefeated regular season with a 24-7 win over Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The victory marked the Cardinals’ 51st straight conference win, setting a new league record.
The game began with both teams unable to score on their opening possessions. North Central’s Donovan McNeal made a significant impact with a 52-yard run that moved the ball into Illinois Wesleyan territory. Quarterback Garret Wilson completed five consecutive passes, culminating in a three-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Skokna. An extra point from Aidan Ellison gave North Central a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
After regaining possession following an Illinois Wesleyan punt, North Central advanced again through key plays including a 20-yard completion to Skokna and a 15-yard run by McNeal. On fourth down, Wilson connected with Jack Rummell for 16 yards to keep the drive alive. Wilson then found Skokna for another three-yard touchdown, marking Skokna’s 20th touchdown of the season—the highest in Division III.
North Central’s defense held strong late in the second quarter as Kyler Green broke up a Titan pass on fourth down. However, Illinois Wesleyan managed to score before halftime with Chase Mackey rushing for one yard to close the gap to 14-7.
In the second half, North Central extended its lead after consistent running from Demir Ashiru, McNeal, and Jordan Williams set up Ellison for a successful 42-yard field goal. The Titans threatened early in the fourth quarter but were stopped by North Central’s defense inside the six-yard line.
The Cardinals relied heavily on their ground game in their next drive, capped by Sean Allen’s 15-yard touchdown run to increase their lead to 24-7 late in the fourth quarter. The defense forced Illinois Wesleyan into a three-and-out, allowing Allen and Williams to manage the clock until time expired.
McNeal finished with a career-high 202 rushing yards on 21 carries. Allen contributed 69 yards and one touchdown. Wilson completed 15 of his 22 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns, while Skokna caught eight passes for 76 yards and scored twice. Defensively, Jamar Daniel and Matt Janiak each recorded eight tackles; Daniel also had a sack and broke up a key pass.
With this win, North Central earned an automatic spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament beginning next weekend. Pairings and first-round site selections will be announced Sunday at ncaa.com at 4 p.m. CT, with further coverage available at northcentralcardinals.com. This year’s tournament features forty teams, with top seeds determined by NPI rankings.