Nov 12, 2016
Completing a perfect 10-0 run through the regular season for the fourth time in its history, the North Central College football team put up a season-high 558 yards of total offense and set a pair of single-season records in a 59-17 victory over Elmhurst College at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Saturday.
The Cardinals (10-0, 8-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) clinched outright possession of their 12th CCIW championship, their first since 2013, while setting a single-season school record with 49 quarterback sacks and seeing quarterback Broc Rutter establish a new CCIW record with 27 touchdown passes in conference play.
Rutter wasted no time putting the hosts in front early, putting North Central in the end zone on the first play from scrimmage as he completed a 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Kuhl. Elmhurst (5-5, 4-4 CCIW) took advantage of a Cardinal fumble and converted a 24-yard field goal by Blake Bailey, but the hosts responded on the next drive as Rutter completed 4 of 5 passes in a 73-yard scoring drive, then threaded a 42-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Warden to increase their lead to 14-3 with 6:20 still to play in the opening quarter.
Rutter delivered another 42-yard scoring pass with 1:05 to go in the period, this time hitting Alex Ulmer, and completing a first quarter which saw him complete 10 of 12 passes for 223 yards. The Cardinals set up for a field-goal attempt on their next possession, but after a false start penalty, North Central instead elected to attempt a fourth-down conversion and succeeded as Rutter found Kuhl for a 14-yard completion. Three plays later, the pair connected once again on an eight-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 28-3 with 10:40 left in the first half.
After gaining just 27 yards on their first four possessions, the Bluejays gained 65 in a single play on their next drive, as quarterback Orlando Hernandez's pass to Kaylon Miller put Elmhurst in the end zone for the first time. The Cardinals punted on their next drive, but got new life as the kick was mishandled and long snapper Kyle Preuss pounced on the ball at the the Bluejays' 23-yard line. Four plays later, North Central scored on Jack Dibble's 10-yard run and owned a 35-10 advantage with 7:07 before halftime.
Hernandez jumpstarted Elmhurst's next drive with a 39-yard pass to Miller, then finished the possession with an 11-yard run across the goal line, though the Cardinals still had enough time to get down the field for an 18-yard field goal by Liam Crotty just before halftime and take a 38-17 edge into the break.
The Bluejays threatened to score early in the third quarter before Pat Cravens intercepted a pass at the goal line, his fourth pick of the season. Rutter took a hard hit on a play which resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty on the ensuing possession, and Warden came on to call the signals on a brief two-play drive which culminated in his 28-yard touchdown run with 8:06 left in the third period. Rutter returned for the next drive, completed 3 of 4 passes before scrambling 11 yards for his first rushing TD of the year with 13:37 to play in the contest. The Cardinals' final touchdown came on Vaughn Hobart's five-yard scoring run with 4:17 on the clock.
Rutter finished the game 22 of 35 passing for 351 yards, connecting with Kuhl nine times for 157 yards, while Dibble gained a game-high 76 yards on 12 rushing attempts. DJ Warkenthien totaled six tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks, Justin Stuursma made six tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks and Cravens and Brandon Kibby each broke up three passes.
Hernandez managed to complete just 13 of 37 passes for 204 yards as the Cardinals recorded seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Elmhurst linebacker Andy Warsen led all tacklers with 14 total stops while also contributing a sack and recovering a fumble.
The tournament field and first-round host sites for the NCAA Division III Football Championship will be announced Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Central time at ncaa.com. The Cardinals have clinched a spot in the championship for the 10th time.