BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team's season comes to a close Saturday, Nov. 15, with a test against No. 1 North Central College at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
    The Titans head into their final game of the 2025 campaign at 4-5 overall and 4-4 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. IWU has dropped back-to-back games, most recently a 34-14 setback at the hands of Carroll University, Nov. 8. The top-ranked Cardinals are 9-0 on the season and usher the Titans into Naperville on a 24-game win streak. NCC clinched the CCIW Championship with a 58-0 win at Elmhurst University, Nov. 8, to move to 8-0 in league play.
    Fans can tune into the game via the CCIW Network, while live stats will also be available. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.

MACKEY MAKES THE START: For the first time in 19 games, the Titans trotted out a new starting quarterback as Dermot Smyth missed Saturday's game against Carroll, Nov. 8. Chase Mackey got the nod, completing 17-of-33 attempts for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. His 290 passing yards are the most by a Titan QB in their first start since Sage Shindler accumulated 325 passing yards against Franklin Sept. 4, 2021.

BARNES JR. BALLS OUT: Sophomore wideout Michael Barnes Jr. put together a break through performance againt the Pioneers, Nov. 8. He led the team in receptions and passing yards. Barnes Jr. made five grabs for 147 yards, including the first touchdown reception of his career.

DEMAIO'S DAY: Leading the Titans in tackles against Carroll, Nov. 8, Joey DeMaio finished with a career-high 14 stops. His tackle total was the most by a Titan this season, breaking the mark of 12 set by John Gavin against Central, Sept. 6, in IWU's season opener.  Additionally, his performance marked the most stops by the Green and White since Cole Pradel's 17 stops against Central Sept. 7, 2024.

CLASHES WITH THE CARDINALS: Illinois Wesleyan and North Central have met on the gridiron 74 times ahead of Saturday's showdown, with the Titans owning a 37-34-3 edge in the all-time tally. NCC has had the upper hand as of late, winning the past 14 matchups. IWU holds a 6-12 record against the Cardinals at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium since 1987.

HOMECOMING OF SORTS: Illinois Wesleyan assistant coach & offensive coordinator Eli Kosanovich will return to his alma mater Saturday as the Titans take on the Cardinals. Kosanovich was an offensive lineman at NCC, helping guide the Cardinals to a CCIW title in 2016.

TITANS AGAINST NO. 1: Since the D3football.com poll began in 2003, the Titans have only played a No. 1 ranked team four times, as IWU has played a top-ranked North Central squad in each of the past four seasons. The Cardinals bested the Titans, 55-7, Oct. 23, 2021, 68-3, Nov. 5, 2022, and 83-26, Nov. 4, 2023, and, 42-20, in the most recent meeting, Nov. 16, 2024.

LAST WIN OVER THE CARDINALS: Illinois Wesleyan's last win over North Central came via a 28-22 overtime thriller on Halloween, Oct. 31, 2009. It was just the second OT game in IWU history.
    North Central had the ball first in overtime but missed a 42-yard field goal on fourth down. On the Titans' possession, which consisted of five plays, Kraig Ladd hit Michael Sloboda with his first catch of the day for a 10-yard score to give IWU the 28-22 win.

RISING THE RANKS: Amid the best season of his career to date, Dermot Smyth is climbing Illinois Wesleyan's career ranks. Over 26 games donning the Green and White, Smyth has thrown for 5259 yards and 49 touchdowns. He has added 856 rushing yards and 21 TDs on the ground.
    Smyth eclipsed the 5000 career passing yards mark at Augustana, Nov. 1, becoming just the eighth Titan to do so in program history. He is listed throughout the IWU record book midway through his junior year as Smyth is tied for seventh all-time in passing touchdowns (49) alongside Tom Monke, while he is also tied for fourth with Kurt Swearingen in rushing scores (21). His 417 completions are eighth-most all-time.

ESTABLISHING HIMSELF: Will Nazha has put together a breakout year through nine games this season, establishing himself as one of the top wide receivers in the CCIW. Nazha leads the conference and is 14th nationally with 154.44 all-purpose yards per game. The Barrington, Ill. native leads the conference in receptions per game (7.00 - 22nd nationally), receiving yards per game (96.7 - 27th nationally), and total receiving yards (870 - 24th nationally). He is fourth in the CCIW with seven TDs.
Furthermore, Nazha's 870 receiving yards are the most since Charlie Hamilton finished the 2022 season with 940 yards. Nazha stands 130 yards short of 1000 yards and is within striking distance of becoming IWU's first 1000-yard receiver since Jack Healy's 1137-yard year in 2018.