Setting the Scene: Rebounding from a loss with a convincing win last week, the Cardinals look to extend their upswing in momentum to a second game as they embark on the second half of their regular season.

Series History: This is the 53rd football meeting between the two institutions and the third since Carroll rejoined the CCIW. The Pioneers own a 30-20-2 edge in the all-time series, though North Central has won decisively the past two encounters.

The Cardinals traveled to Waukesha on Oct. 28 of last season and returned home with a 60-21 victory. North Central opened the game with 34 unanswered points and was never threatened, averaging more than nine yards per offensive play.

For the first time in their history, the Cardinals had four players score two touchdowns each in a single game. Austin Breunig, Zane Lodico, Michael Sfikas and Joshua Ruiz all made a pair of trips to the end zone.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked 16th nationally in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Poll and is ranked 17th in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll.

Scouting the Pioneers: Carroll travels to Naperville this week after absorbing a 55-10 loss at Millikin on Saturday.

The Pioneers fell behind, 28-0, after one quarter of play, unable to slow down a Millikin passing attack which resulted in seven touchdowns through the air. Carroll's lone CCIW victory this season came at Elmhurst on Sept. 22, when quarterback Colton Bahling completed a 13-yard scoring pass to Parker Zitzke with six seconds to play.

The Pioneers have gained the majority of their offensive yardage on the ground, relying on running backs Preston Bell (331 yards) and JJ Keels (289 yards, three touchdowns). Zitzke's 27 receptions for 272 yards comprise nearly half of Carroll's passing output.

Defensively, the Pioneers have proven vulnerable to the passing game much of the season, yielding 14 touchdowns. Defensive backs Cameron Cassaro and Billy Krawczyk are Carroll's leaders in tackles (32) and interceptions (three), respectively.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central bounced back from its first loss of the season Saturday with a 48-10 victory at Augustana, marking the 13th straight year that the Cardinals have topped the Vikings.

Forced to punt just once all afternoon long, North Central operated efficiently on offense the entire game, as Broc Rutter completed 30 of 42 passes for 389 yards and three scores, posting the program's fourth-highest single-game yardage total and becoming the first North Central quarterback to complete at least 30 passes three times in a single season.

Rutter's most popular target was Sfikas, who hauled 14 passes (tying a single-game school record) for 193 yards (tied for fourth all-time) and a pair of scores.

Dominick Muoghalu added two rushing touchdowns to boost his season total to eight (tying him for the CCIW lead), while Terrence Hill ran for his third TD of the year and Derik Judka converted field goal attempts of 35 and 37 yards. Judka is a perfect 7 of 7 on field goals and leads the CCIW in points scored by kicking (47).

Career Record: DJ Warkenthien contributed nine tackles in the win at Augustana (sharing the team lead with Zach Greenberg), giving him 214 for his career to put him into the Cardinals' all-time top 10.

Warkenthien also took over sole possession of North Central's career record for tackles for loss (48.5), surpassing the record he had shared with Ben Hare '06.

Around the CCIW: Illinois Wesleyan remains atop the CCIW standings this week, while North Central Millikin, Washington-St. Louis and Wheaton are one game back.

Wheaton travels to Washington this week, while Millikin visits Carthage, Augustana plays at North Park and Elmhurst goes to Illinois Wesleyan.

CCIW Players of the Week: Millikin's Nicco Stepina, WashU's Jake Coon and Illinois Wesleyan's Patrick Tata were selected as the CCIW Football Players of the Week.

Stepina tied his own school record in both passing yards and touchdown passes in a 55-10 win over Carroll. He was 28-of-44 for 380 yards and seven touchdown passes in the win.

Coon helped lead the Bears' defense in a 23-10 win over Elmhurst. The Bluejays were held to 234 yards of offense as Coon led the way with 11 total tackles (seven solo) and added 2.5 tackles-for-loss and one interception.

Tata tied a school record with four field goals in a 40-34 overtime win over Carthage. He connected on field goals of 30, 27, 33 and 37 yards in the win.

North Central Career Rankings: Rutter ranks second in North Central history in career completions (577) and passing yards (7,747) while ranking fourth in touchdown passes (70).

Pat Cravens ranks second in school history in punt return yards (763), 13th in interceptions (8) and 14th in pass breakups (16). In addition to the career record in tackles for loss, Warkenthien also ranks 10th in quarterback sacks (15.5).

Muoghalu currently sits 10th all-time in rushing touchdowns and 15th in total touchdowns (20), Josh Leonhard ranks 15th in quarterback sacks (11) and 16th in tackles for loss (25), Andrew Kamienski sits 11th in receiving yards (1,187), 12th in receptions (90) and 17th in receiving touchdowns (8) and Sfikas is 12th in receiving yards (1,183) and 14th in receptions (82).

'Red Zone' Returns in 2018: Once again, fans of North Central College football can get an insider's look at the Cardinals' football program, as 'The Red Zone' highlight show returns for its 11th season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17.

The show airs each Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 12:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., Sunday at 4:30 p.m., Monday at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at 9:30 p.m and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. It will feature interviews with coaches and players, highlights of the previous week's game, and a look ahead to the upcoming opponent.

Each show is viewable online at nctv17.com and is archived at youtube.com/northcentralsports as well as at northcentralcardinals.com.