Preseason poll crowns North Central as unanimous favorite
North Central College entered the 2026 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football preseason poll as the unanimous choice, collecting all eight first‑place votes and 64 points, a distinction that marks the fifth straight year the Cardinals have begun the season atop the league rankings.
The Cardinals are chasing a sixth consecutive CCIW championship and their 20th overall conference title, a pursuit that will be led by junior quarterback Garrett Wilson, who topped Division III in passing efficiency a year ago with 42 touchdowns and 3,080 yards, and senior defensive lineman Bobby Medina, who logged 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2025.
Key storylines heading into the season
Head coach Brad Spencer, who guided the team to a perfect 9‑0 conference record and a 14‑1 overall mark in 2025, returns to steer a roster that blends offensive firepower with a defense anchored by Medina and linebacker Matt Janiak, who posted 119 total tackles and two interceptions last season.
Wheaton College earned 57 points and a single first‑place vote, landing at No. 5 in the national poll, and will be driven by junior quarterback Mark Forcucci, who accounted for 36 touchdowns through the air and on the ground, and running back Matt Crider, who rushed for 957 yards and 15 scores.
Augustana College, the holder of the most CCIW football championships with 21, returns 17 starters and three all‑conference selections after a 7‑3 campaign in 2025, aiming to rebound into the top three and contend for another crown.
The 2026 season opens on September 3 with a matchup between Millikin and Olivet, after which the conference schedule unfolds across the weekend, while the CCIW Network will provide free streaming of every game throughout the year.