Conference title at stake for Wheaton, North Central

North Central College and Wheaton College football players each have plenty of motivation to win Saturday's rivalry game.

There's the desire to claim the Little Brass Bell, the traveling trophy that goes home with the winner each year, now sitting in a place of honor in North Central coach John Thorne's office in Naperville.

There's the motivation to remain undefeated, especially as NCAA Division III playoff qualifying and seeding approach.

There's the desire to maintain and improve a high national ranking.

And none of those compare to the urge to win the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship.

“Our team goal has always been the conference championship,” said Wheaton linebacker Cory Hart, a WW South graduate. “The rivalry and the Bell have always been a big motivator, but we're not just playing for the Bell.”

Cardinals defensive back Josh McLeod, a Lisle graduate, agreed with his Saturday opponent. The teams will meet at 1 p.m. at Wheaton's McCully Stadium.

In 2009 North Central won their meeting in Naperville, handing Wheaton its first loss. The Cardinals just needed one win after that to win the CCIW outright. They didn't get it.

“We stubbed our toe the next week,” McLeod remembered. “We don't want to have a repeat of last year.”

The Thunder doesn't recall 2009 warmly either.

“It left a sick feeling in my stomach,” Hart said of the loss to the Cardinals.

The rivalry was a new experience for McLeod, a junior who transferred from Truman State University for his sophomore season.

“I just remember how pumped up everyone was because Wheaton's our biggest rival,” he said.

Both squads are getting pumped up again. Hart admitted it's especially hard this week to concentrate on his schoolwork.

Both teams are 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the CCIW. North Central is ranked fifth nationally, Wheaton No. 15 by D3football.com. In the NCAA's regional rankings, used to determine playoff qualifying, Wheaton is No. 1 in the North, the Cardinals No. 2.

“It's not really pressure,” McLeod said of the high rankings. “We don't really think about it. We know we are ranked, but we don't think about it.

“We like being nationally recognized.”

Both players know what to expect from the other's offense.

“I know that they are a pound-the-ball kind of team.,” McLeod said of the Thunder. “They've got a lot of good athletes and a lot of good size.

“We're a smaller defense, but we're faster than most people.”

“They have a good team every year,” Hart said of the Cardinals. “They have good athletes. They have big, strong players. They like to come and hit you.

“We're not the biggest or strongest or fastest, but we want it, and we'll show that.”

Both teams are led offensively by local products. Naperville North grad Jordan Tassio is averaging 5.6 yards a carry and has scored 8 touchdowns this year.

Aurora Christian's Jordan Roberts has thrown for 12 TDs and completed 66 percent of his passes despite splitting time at quarterback with Garrett Meador. He's also rushing for nearly 50 yards a game.

“Their quarterback looks pretty good,” McLeod said of Roberts.

Both teams hope they look pretty good this weekend.

“Last year they beat us,” Hart said. “This year it's just about Saturday, coming out to play.”