NAPERVILLE --- Winning a league record 51-straight conference games, the North Central College football team concluded its fifth consecutive undefeated regular season in a 24-7 victory over Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on senior day.

Neither team scored on their first possession. The Titans flipped the field as the Cardinals began at their own two-yard line with 4:58 to play in the first quarter. A 52-yard run from Donovan McNeal pushed the ball into Illinois Wesleyan territory. Five straight completions by Garret Wilson turned into a three-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Skokna. An Aidan Ellison extra point gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead after the opening period. 

A Titan punt gave North Central the ball back as a 20-yard completion to Skokna, followed by a 15-yard run by McNeal. moved the ball back to the Illinois Wesleyan side of the field. On 4th & 6, Wilson found Jack Rummell for a 16-yard connection to keep the offense on the field. After a 14-yard rush from Jordan Williams, Wilson found Skokna for another three-yard touchdown, Skokna's 20th touchdown of the season, the most in Division III.

Kyler Green broke up a Titan pass on 4th & 2 at the North Central 34-yard line to keep Illinois Wesleyan scoreless. The Cardinals gave the ball back to the Titans on a turnover on downs of their own. Illinois Wesleyan took over with 2:36 left to play in the half. They put together a 13-play, 67-yard drive, capped off by a Chase Mackey one-yard rush for the score. At the break, North Central held a 14-7 lead.

North Central began the second half with the ball as a healthy dose of Demir Ashiru, McNeal and Williams on the ground put the Cardinals into Illinois Wesleyan territory. Ellison knocked through a 42-yard field goal to put North Central ahead, 17-7.

The Titans moved down the field and began the fourth quarter at the North Central six-yard line. The Cardinal defense stopped the Titans on four straight plays to keep Illinois Wesleyan from scoring. 

Five straight rushes from McNeal gave the Cardinal offense some breathing room before Williams crossed midfield. North Central kept the ball on the ground for 12 of the drive's 14 plays as Sean Allen picked up a 15-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 24-7 advantage, late in the fourth quarter. North Central's defense forced a three-and-out as Allen and Williams ran the clock out to give the Cardinals a 24-7 victory.

McNeal posted a career-high 202-yard performance on the ground, on 21 carries. Allen added 69 yards with one score. Wilson completed 15-of-22 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Skokna caught eight passes for 76 yards with two scores. On defense, Jamar Daniel and Matt Janiak each recorded eight tackles. Daniel added a sack with a key pass breakup. Ethan Groark added a sack while Janiak and Danny Nuccio combined for the third Cardinal sack.

The Cardinals punched their ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament, beginning next weekend. Pairings and first-round site selections for the 2025 NCAA Division III Football Championship will be announced Sunday at 4 p.m. CT at ncaa.com., with subsequent coverage to come at northcentralcardinals.com. The tournament field features 40 teams this season, with the top 8 teams based on NPI.