Setting the Scene: A rematch of last year's national title game is on tap as the Cardinals put the nation's longest home winning streak on the line in pursuit of a third straight Stagg Bowl trip.
Series History: This is the second football meeting between the two institutions.
The teams took the field in Stagg Bowl XLVIII at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio Dec. 17, 2021.
The Crusaders extended a 19-16 halftime lead to 43-16 by the early fourth quarter, prevailing by a score of 57-24.
UMHB gained 463 yards threw the air as quarterback Kyle King completed 22 of 29 passes with three touchdowns. Defensive back Mikkah Hackett made 10 tackles, intercepted two passes and forced a fumble in earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
Ethan Greenfield ran for 124 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals while Luke Lehnen completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards. Dakota Cremeens led North Central with nine tackles and Jake Beesley broke up three passes.
National Rankings: North Central was ranked No. 1 by D3football. com and the first American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) at the close of the regular season.
Mary Hardin-Baylor was ranked No. 3 in both polls.
Scouting the Crusaders: UMHB opened the postseason with a 54-0 shutout of Huntingdon, then posted a 24-17 victory over Trinity (Texas) before defeating Bethel (Minnesota), at home last week.
Trailing, 28-17, early in the fourth quarter, the Crusaders closed the game with 24 unanswered points and ended Bethel's final two offensive possessions on fourth down.
King completed 20 of 29 passes for 276 yards, including six for 144 and a touchdown to K.J. Miller, while Aphonso Thomas ran for 114 yards and two scores on 18 carries. Linebacker Durand Hill picked off a pass and broke up three others.
The Crusaders rank ninth nationally in scoring (43.4 points per game) while sitting seventh in fumble recoveries (14) and eighth in turnovers forced (29). King ranks third in Division III in passing touchdowns (39) and fourth in passing yards (3,431).
Hill has made a team-high 116 tackles, while defensive end Sante Parker has record 9.5 of the team's 29 quarterback sacks.
This Week for the Cardinals: North Central improved to 4-1 all-time in quarterfinal games Saturday with a 48-7 rout of Ithaca.
The Cardinals gained 583 yards of offense and maintained possession for more than 42 minutes, limiting the Bombers to 136 total yards and six first downs. In three postseason games, North Central has allowed a total of 348 yards and 15 first downs.
Luke Lehnen accounted for five of the Cardinals' seven touchdowns, throwing three to DeAngelo Hardy and scoring on runs of 45 and 12 yards. Lehnen, who gained a career-high 144 rushing yards, has scored 23 rushing touchdowns and needs two more to enter North Central's career top 10.
Ethan Greenfield ran for 115 yards and two TDs and is the nation's leader in rushing yards (1,751) for the third straight season. Greenfield is also the Division III national leader in rushing touchdowns (23).
Hardy's three touchdowns tied a career high and the junior now ranks second in the Cardinals' history in receiving touchdowns (35) and receiving yards (2,722) and fourth in receptions (162). Hardy has scored 40 touchdowns in 40 career games.
Gagliardi Trophy Semifinalists Announced: Ethan Greenfield was named one of 15 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy Nov. 22. The Gagliardi Trophy is the premier individual award in NCAA Division III football and will be presented this year for the 29th time.
Quarterback Broc Rutter won North Central's first Gagliardi Trophy in 2019. The Cardinals have had a semifinalist each of the past five seasons.
North Central in the NCAA Playoffs: The Cardinals own a 26-12 overall record in the Division III Football Championship, including victories in their last 13 first-round games.
NorthCentral won its first national title in 2019 and finished as the national runner-up in 2021. The Cardinals first qualified for the national quarterfinals in 2010 and the semifinals in 2013.
The Cardinals in the Semifinals: North Central first advanced to the semifinal round in 2013, losing, 41-40, at Mount Union.
The Cardinals won their first semifinal, 45-14, at Muhlenberg (Pennsylvania) in 2019. North Central won its 2021 semifinal game at Mount Union, 26-13.
NCAA All-Time Active Leaders: Greenfield is the second-leading active rusher in all of college football and ranks sixth all-time in Division III history with a North Central-record 6,433 yards.
Greenfield also ranks second among active players in career all-purpose yards (7,377) and points scored (546). He ranks fifth in Division III history in scoring and 14th in all-purpose yards.
National Statistical Rankings: Lehnen sits fourth nationally in passing efficiency (189.5), sixth in yards per pass attempt (9.93) and 15th in passing touchdowns (28).
Greenfield is the Division III national leader in rushing yards (1,636) for the third straight season while ranking second in yards per rush (7.98) and rushing touchdowns (21) , third in all-purpose yards (1,780) and fourth in total touchdowns (23).
Hardy currently sits fourth nationwide in receiving touchdowns (14) while Rains sits 13th in scoring (106) and Dan Lester ranks seventh in fumble recoveries (3).
As a team, North Central ranks first nationally in scoring offense (55.1 points per game), scoring defense (4.8 ppg), total offense (558.1 yards per game), rushing offense (368.3 ypg) and red-zone defense (41.2%).
The Cardinals rank second nationwide in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game (3.00) and third in first downs (309) , third-down conversion percentage (56.2%) and defensive third-down percentage (23.6%).
North Central Career Rankings: Terrence Hill is sixth all-time in total touchdowns (42), fifth in rushing touchdowns (34) and ninth in rushing yards (2,151).
Lehnen ranks fifth in North Central history in passing touchdowns (64), passing yards (5,678) and completions (362).
Dan Gilroy now ranks third on the Cardinals' all-time list for career quarterback sacks (22.5) while Rich ranks seventh (20). Gilroy also ranks sixth all-time in tackles for loss (40.5).
The National Championship: The winner of today's game will play the winner of the semifinal between Mount Union (Ohio) and Wartburg (Iowa) Friday in Stagg Bowl XLIX at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
'Red Zone' Returns in 2022: Once again, fans of North Central College football can get an insider's look at the Cardinals' football program, as 'The Red Zone' highlight show returns for its 14th season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17.
The show airs each Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 12:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 3:30, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m., Saturday at 12:30 and 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. It will feature interviews with coaches and players, highlights of the previous week's game, and a look ahead to the upcoming opponent.
Each show is viewable online at nctv17.com and is archived at youtube.com/northcentralsports as well as at northcentralcardinals.com.