Naperville, Ill. – The Thunder football team traveled eight miles south of McCully Stadium on Saturday night for the first time since 2022 as the top-ranked North Central Cardinals hosted Wheaton in the "Battle for the Little Brass Bell". North Central (4-0, 3-0 CCIW) defeated Wheaton 35-0. The Thunder entered tonight's matchup ranked 14^th in the current  D3football.com Top-25, and 15^th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Top-25.

Tonight's result marked the first shutout in a "Battle for the Little Brass Bell" since Wheaton's 36-0 victory in Naperville on October 19, 1991. Tonight's contest is North Central's first shutout of the Wheaton football program since a 13-0 North Central win in Naperville during the 1964 season.
Wheaton is now 2-2 on the season and 2-1 in CCIW play. The Thunder remain on the road next Saturday as they play at Illinois Wesleyan University (2-2, 2-1 CCIW).

Linebacker Zeke Harris led the Thunder defense with 13 total tackles, including one tackle for loss (-3 yards). Caleb Coburn recorded 12 total tackles, including 1-1/2 tackles for loss (-3 yards). Luca Torti registered 11 total tackles, while Nate Tofilon and Peter Johanik (PICTURED LEFT) each registered seven total tackles, with Johanik recording 1-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-6 yards).

Thunder quarterback Mark Forcucci completed 15 of his 26 passing attempts for 150 passing yards. Whit Jewett caught a team-high five passes for 57 yards. Matt Crider carried the ball 11 times for 20 yards.

Wheaton received the opening kickoff of the game. The defenses for each team stood up and held the opposing offense on the first two drives of the game. On Wheaton's second offensive drive of the game, the Thunder got into NCC territory for the first time, however the drive stalled at the Cardinals' 42-yards line. The Cardinals responded on the ensuing drive with a 12-play drive that went 80-yards and converted a PAT to take a 7-0 lead with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Jordan Williams scored for the Cardinals on a five-yard touchdown run to give the hosts the lead. North Central led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Cardinals scored twice in the second quarter. NCC quarterback Garrett Wilson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Sean Allen to give the hosts a 14-0 lead with 9:22 left in the second quarter. The Wheaton offense was forced to punt after a three-and-out on the drive that followed Allen's touchdown catch. The Cardinals responded with a 56-yard drive that spanned four plays to extend the hosts' lead to 21-0 with 5:34 remaining in the first half. The drive ended with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Jack Rummel. NCC led 21-0 at the halftime intermission.

Neither team scored in the third quarter tonight. Allen extended North Central's lead to 28-0 with 10:00 left in the game when he scored on a four-yard touchdown run. He recorded his third touchdown of the night on a 15-yard touchdown run that extended the hosts' lead to 35-0 with 4:22 remaining in the game.