PICTURED ABOVE: Phillip Nichols caught eight passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns in Wheaton's 56-0 rout at North Park.

Chicago, Ill. - The No. 23-ranked Wheaton football team capped its unusual week with a 56-0 rout of North Park on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, Wheaton heads into its bye week with a record of 6-2 overall and 4-2 in CCIW play. North Park falls to 1-6 and 0-5 in the CCIW. The Thunder will next be in action on November 4, when Wheaton welcomes Augustana to McCully Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on Senior Day.

Wheaton rolled up 528 yards of total offense on Saturday with 150 yards coming on the ground and 378 yards through the air. North Park was limited to just 111 yards of total offense, split between 59 on the ground and 52 in the air. The Wheaton defense forced four turnovers.

On the ground for Wheaton, Sola Olateju and TJ Williams each totaled 67 yards with Olateju scoring two touchdowns and Williams adding one of his own. Olateju also caught a nine-yard touchdown pass. Reigning CCIW Offensive Player of the Week Curtis McWilliams (PICTURED LEFT) completed 16-of-22 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Phillip Nichols was Wheaton's leading receiver, catching eight passes for 99 yards and two scores.

Eric Stevenson (PICTURED RIGHT) registered nine total tackles, including 1-1/2 tackles for loss (-2 yards) to lead the Thunder defense. Jack Bates made eight total tackles, including three tackles for loss (-11 yards) and a sack (-6 yards). Corey Kennedy registered seven total tackles, while Luke Sahly and Luke Smith each had six tackles. Sahly registered 1-1/2 tackles for loss and grabbed an interception. Smith forced a fumble and snagged an interception, with two passes broken up.
 
Wheaton got on the board with 25 seconds left in the first quarter when Olateju caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Spencer Peterson. The Thunder would blow the game open in the second quarter with three touchdowns including two Olateju runs and Nichols' 19-yard catch from McWilliams.
In the third quarter, Nichols connected with McWilliams for a 21-yard touchdown pass and McWilliams tossed a 51-yard TD pass to Trey Hanley to increase the Thunder edge to 42-0.

Noah Frazier caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Jesse Furrow in the fourth quarter and Williams scored on a 12-yard touchdown run to account for the 56-0 final score.

Note Worthy: Olateju (PICTURED LEFT) moved into third place on Wheaton's career rushing list, passing Steve Holland's 2,713 yards as Olateju concluded today's game with 2,727 career yards.