Stagg Bowl: North Central earns first-ever national title in big win over Wisconsin-Whitewater

SHENANDOAH, TX -- For the first time in school history, the North Central Cardinals won the NCAA Division III Football National Championship with a 41-14 victory over the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks.

The Cardinals came into Friday’s game with a dominant offense that has set multiple school records. It didn’t take long for North Central to flex those scoring muscles as NCC running back Ethan Greenfield opened the scoring with a 5-yard rushing TD that capped off a 7 play, 45-yard scoring drive. After a couple of empty possessions from both sides, the Gagliardi-winning QB Broc Rutter connected with Blake Wiliams on a 31-yard slant and go to take a 13-0 lead in the 1st quarter. Both Rutter and Greenfield would add short rushing TDs in the second quarter to go into the locker room at half time with a 27-0 lead.

The play and leadership of Broc Rutter and Most Oustanding Player Ethan Greenfield was a key factor in the team’s first-ever NCAA title, especially on the opening drive which set the tone for the entire game.

“We expect to do these kinds of things,” said Rutter. “We’ve got a great coaching staff around us who supports us in so many situations, so we just came out ready to play.”

Rutter finished tonight’s game with 18 completions on 27 attempts for 263 yards and two passing TDs. Rutter’s final touchdown pass set the Division III career passing yards record with 14, 258 yards.

“It’s a credit to everyone around me,” said Rutter on setting the record. “To get that is a nice reward to cap things off, but this national championship means so much more.”

Greenfield opened up North Central’s second half with a 38-yard rushing touchdown that re-ignited the Cardinals side of Woodforest Bank Stadium. Greenfield racked up 138 yards and 3 TDs while averaging 5.1 yards a carry on his way to the Stagg Bowl MOP award. The record book will show that accolade belongs to him, but Greenfield repeatedly made it known that his offensive line was the real award winner Friday night.

“It’s cool to get that acknowledgment, but it was all the offensive line,” said Greenfield. “I wouldn’t want to run behind anyone else. Their hearts explode because they care so much, they play so hard and they give everything for me, for Brock, for [Andrew] Kamienski. What happened today was all from up front.”

Wisconsin-Whitewater may have struggled tonight, but they never showed signs of defeat. In the second half, a TD pass from Max Meylor to Jared Zausch and an Alex Peete TD run gave the Warhawks a chance to make things interesting. Whitewater was able to recover an onside kick in the 4th quarter to start their comeback attempt, but the momentum was stopped when NCC DB Julian Bell picked off his second pass of the game.

For North Central, the Cardinals finish a historic season with a 14-1 record, multiple school, and national records, and the program’s first-ever national title.