NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- North Central and Wheaton will represent the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in the 2008 NCAA Division III Football Championship beginning Saturday, November 22.

North Central earned the conference's automatic bid to the playoffs after winning the regular season title with a 7-0 record in conference play (10-0 overall). Wheaton earned an at-large bid after finishing 8-2 during the regular season (5-2 in conference play).

North Central will host Thomas More of the Presidents' Athletic Conference at Noon on Saturday while Wheaton will travel to Angola, Indiana to face Trine University of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday.

This is North Central's fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship while Wheaton is making its first trip since 2006. North Central advanced to the second round last season, losing to eventual champion Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Thunder made it to the second round two years ago, losing to eventual champion Mt. Union.