BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team plays host to Carthage College for Homecoming this Saturday, Oct. 3. Kickoff between the Titans and Firebirds is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tucci Stadium.
    Illinois Wesleyan enters the conference contest with a 3-1 standing, sitting even at 1-1 in league play. The Green and White stumbled, 28-7, in a meeting with No. 2 Wheaton College, Sept. 26, and look to get back into the win column this weekend. Carthage returns to action for its final of three straight road games, making the drive to Bloomington with a 1-2 record. The Firebirds are 0-1 in CCIW action after a 20-0 loss at Carroll University, Sept. 26.
    Fans can tune into a live stream on the CCIW Network, while live stats will also be available for the contest. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.

BANNER DROP: The 2026 Titan men's golf team will be honored in between the first and second quarters of Saturday's showdown. IWU will drop a banner inside the Shirk Center following IWU's runner-up finish at the 2026 NCAA Division III men's golf championship at 11:15 a.m. It marked Illinois Wesleyan's second straight top-two finish and the program's fourth in the past six seasons.

WELCOMING BACK THE CHAMPS: During halftime, Illinois Wesleyan will celebrate the 1996 and 2001 CCIW Champion football teams. The 1996 team will celebrate the 30-year anniversary of its 10-1 (7-0 CCIW) season and the 25-year anniversary of the 2001 squad (8-2, 6-1 CCIW).

REMEMBER THE TITANS: The busy day will also include a recognition of the 2001 IWU baseball team. The Titans made history as the program's first to advance to the Division III world series.

FACING THE FIREBIRDS: The Titans have faced the Firebirds 67 times ahead of Saturday's showdown in Tucci. The series, which began in 1926,  has seen IWU compile a 48-19 edge against Carthage all-time since winning the initial meeting, 6-0.
    Illinois Wesleyan has won 14 of the past 16 meetings, including a 35-0 victory at Tucci Stadium Sept. 28, 2024. It marked the first shutout by the Titans since 2022. More recently, IWU bested CC 35-10 in Kenosha Sept. 27, 2025. Dermot Smyth threw for 229 yards and ruan for 93 more while scoring three total touchdowns.  Matt Hansen and Sebastian Thomas notched interceptions in the win.

NEXT MAN UP: Making his first career start, quarterback Kyle Beaty threw for 303 yards with a touchdown. He completed 27-of-56 passes against No. 2 Wheaton, Sept. 26. Beaty's 303 passing yards were the most by a Titan QB in their first start since Brandon Bauer went for 399 yards and three scores Oct. 1, 2016 against Wheaton.

WORTH IT: A key piece of Illinois Wesleyan's success this season is its ability to flip the field with the boot of junior punter Matt Worthington. Thanks in large part to the effectiveness of Worthington and its strong returners, IWU has an average drive start of the IWU 31-yard line, while opponents are starting drives at their own 25-yard line. Worthington is averaging 43.6 yards per punt, good for fourth-best across Division III.

TITANS IN OCTOBER: The Titans have compiled a 106-62 record in the month of October since 1987. More recently, in the past eight seasons, IWU is 30-15 in October and went 2-2 in the month in 2025.

IT'S BUILDING: Illinois Wesleyan continued to receive votes in a national poll this week, as the Titans found themselves in the receiving votes category of the AFCA's fourth poll. IWU, which garnered 14 points, were one of four CCIW programs in the conversation. North Central topped the poll, with Wheaton checking in at No. 3.  Augie was included in the receiving votes list.

BALL HAWKS: The Titans have recorded nine interceptions on the season with Lucas Lappin leading the team with three. Clint Teater and Nate Frank have two each, while Joey DeMaio and Ian Whitaker have added one pick apiece. IWU's interception total leads the CCIW and is slotted second-most across Division III as of Sept. 30.

WINNING UP FRONT: The Green and White's defensive line has been one of the most disruptive units in the country. The Titans lead the conference and are third in the country with 4.50 team sacks per game, while their 8.0 tackles for loss are 34th-most. The heavy and consistent pressure in the backfield has opponents limited to a .302 third-down conversion percentage, the fifth-best mark in the CCIW and 59th nationally.

ON REPEAT: Junior wide receiver Will Nazha continued his torrid start to the season with a 10-reception, 143-yard performance against Trine, Sept. 12. The second-year starter hauled in a career-high three touchdowns in the game, becoming the first Titan to do so since Charlie Hamilton in 2021.
    Through four games, Nazha has established himself as one of the best wide outs in Division III. He is eighth nationally in receiving yards (451), 11th in receptions per game (8.00), 17th in receiving yards per game (112.8), and 29th nationally in receiving touchdowns with four.

WITH A WIN…: With a win, Illinois Wesleyan will match its win total from a season ago and move to 4-1 on the season. The Titans went 4-6 in their first year under Jared Williamson.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan is on the road for a two-game roadtrip beginning with a trek to Carroll University, Oct. 10. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. in Waukesha, Wis. The Titans will make the short jaunt down to Millikin University one week later, Oct. 17, for an evening kickoff under the lights in Decatur, Ill.