2023 North Central Cardinals football team

2023 North Central Cardinals football
CCIW champion
Stagg Bowl, L 37–38 vs. Cortland
Conference	College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Record	14–1 (9–0 CCIW)
Head coach	Brad Spencer (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Eric Stuedemann (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	West Coast spread
Defensive coordinator	Shane Dierking (5th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium

2023 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 2 North Central (IL) $^		9	–	0					14	–	1
No. 12 Wheaton (IL) ^		8	–	1					10	–	2
Augustana (IL)		7	–	2					8	–	3
Washington University		6	–	3					7	–	3
Carroll (WI)		4	–	5					5	–	5
North Park		4	–	5					5	–	5
Carthage		3	–	6					3	–	7
Elmhurst		2	–	7					3	–	7
Illinois Wesleyan		2	–	7					2	–	8
Millikin		0	–	9					0	–	10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3Football.com

The 2023 North Central Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented North Central College of Naperville, Illinois, as a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) during the 2023 NCAA Division III football season. In their second year under head coach Brad Spencer, the Cardinals compiled a 14–1 record (9–0 against conference opponents), won the CCIW championship, and were ranked No. 1 in Division III at the end of the regular season.

The team advanced to the Division III playoffs where they defeated Belhaven (65–0) in the first round,[1] Trinity (TX) (71–28) in the second round,[2] Wisconsin–La Crosse (55–42) in the quarterfinals, and Wartburg (34–27) in the semifinals. The Cardinals were then defeated by Cortland, 38–37, in the Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game. North Central scored with 1:20 remaining against Cortland but was stopped on an attempted two-point conversion.

Prior to the loss to Cortland, the Cardinals had won 29 consecutive games and appeared in four consecutive Division III championship games, winning national championships in 2019 and 2022.[3]

The team broke CCIW offensive records with 576 points and 5,504 total yards in nine conference games.[4] Through all 15 games, the Cardinals scored an NCAA record 879 points, an average of 58.6 points per game.

The team was led by quarterback Luke Lehnen,[5] who won the Gagliardi Trophy as the Division III player of the year.[6] Other key players included running back Joe Sacco,[7] wide receiver DeAngelo Hardy,[8] and linebacker BJ Adamchik.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	1:00 p.m.	at Roosevelt*	No. 1	Morris Field Arlington Heights, IL	W 41–7	1,132
September 16	1:00 p.m.	Carthage	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL	W 70–0	1,100
September 23	2:00 p.m.	at Elmhurst	No. 1	Langhorst Field Elmhurst, IL	W 59–6	2,400
September 30	1:00 p.m.	at No. 8 Wheaton (IL)	No. 1	McCully Stadium Wheaton, IL (Battle for the Little Brass Bell)	W 54–35	5,102
October 7	6:00 p.m.	Carroll (WI)	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL	W 69–24	4,000
October 14	1:00 p.m.	at Millikin	No. 1	Frank M. Lindsay Field Decatur, IL	W 75–3	800
October 21	1:00 p.m.	Washington University	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL	W 49–3	2,700
October 28	1:00 p.m.	at North Park	No. 1	Holmgren Athletic Complex Chicago, IL	W 56–0	445
November 4	1:00 p.m.	Illinois Wesleyan	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL	W 83–26	2,800
November 11	12:00 p.m.	at Augustana (IL)	No. 1	Lindberg Stadium Rock Island, IL	W 61–17	2,286	[9]
November 18	12:00 p.m.	Belhaven*	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL (NCAA Division III first round)	W 65–0	1,338	[1]
November 25	12:00 p.m.	No. 4 Trinity (TX)*	No. 1	Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium Naperville, IL (NCAA Division III second round)	W 71–28	1,169	[10]
December 2	12:00 p.m.	at No. 6 Wisconsin–La Crosse*	No. 1	Veterans Memorial Field La Crosse, WI (NCAA Division III quarterfinal)	W 55–42	2,422
December 9	2:33 p.m.	at No. 3 Wartburg*	No. 1	Walston-Hoover Stadium Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III semifinal)	W 34–27	3,525	[11]
December 15	7:03 p.m.	vs. Cortland*	No. 1	Salem Football Stadium Salem, VA (Stagg Bowl)	L 37–38	3,381	[12][13]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

[14]

Coaching staff

• Brad Spencer, head coach
• Shane Dierking, assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, linebackers coach
• Eric Stuedemann, offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator
• Colin Wood, special teams coordinator, cornerbacks coach
• Joe Fehrle, tight end coach, strength coordinator
• DJ Warkenthien, defensive line coach assistant strength coordinator
• Sharmore Clarke, offensive line coach

[15]

References

1. Sam Sklar (November 20, 2023). "Belhaven football's historic season ends in first round of NCAA Division III playoffs". Hattiesburg American – via Yahoo Sports.
2. "North Central College football hits the road in fourth consecutive quarterfinal appearance". Naperville Community Television. November 30, 2023.
3. Jori Parys (September 7, 2023). "North Central College football team focused on repeating as national champions". CBS News.
4. Shakeia Taylor (November 15, 2023). "North Central has 'kept rocking' under coach Brad Spencer — winning by nearly 50 points per game and on path for a 2nd straight D-III title". Chicago Tribune.
5. Paul Johnson (October 12, 2021). "'He's the complete package': Luke Lehnen starts out 5-0, grabs mantle as the latest great quarterback for North Central College". Chicago Tribune.
6. "Gagliardi Trophy goes to Lehnen". D3Football.com. December 15, 2023.
7. "Joe Sacco thriving for No. 1 North Central". Chicago Tribune. November 9, 2023.
8. "High school teammates persuaded DeAngelo Hardy to play at North Central College". Chicago Tribune.
9. "Augie downed by No. 1 North Central". Augustana College. November 11, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
10. "North Central Advances to Football Quarterfinals". CCIW. November 25, 2023.
11. "Box Score". North Central College. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
12. "Cortland stops 2-point conversion try to top defending champion North Central for Division III title". Associated Press. December 15, 2023.
13. "Stagg Bowl Box Score". SUNY Cortland. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
14. "2023 Football Schedule". North Central College. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
15. "2023 Football Coaching Staff". North Central College. Retrieved November 30, 2022.