When North Central College faces Thomas More College on Saturday afternoon, the teams may see some of themselves in each other.
Both teams point to strong running offenses and strong running defenses. Whichever team does both of those things better will likely come out the victors in their NCAA Division III first-round playoff game at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
"Good football teams are able to run the football, and good teams are able to stop the run," Saints coach Jim Hilvert said. "Especially when it comes to the games in November and December, you've got to do both."
The Cardinals have done a better job of that than the Saints. But the stats aren't too different.
NCC ranks 21st in the nation in rushing defense, allowing 82.9 yards per game on the ground. The Saints, who hail from Crestview Hills, Ky., have the 44th-ranked rushing defense at 102.1 yards per game.
The Saints have allowed only six rushing touchdowns all season, the Cardinals seven.
"If we have to air the ball out, we'll air the ball out," said Cardinals quarterback Aaron Fanthorpe, who has thrown for 1,591 yards and run for 318. "But we'll definitely stick to our run game like we usually do."
The Cardinals' ground game gets a boost with the expected return of junior Dominic Sulo, who has run for 881 yards and eight touchdowns but sat out last week's game against Elmhurst with an injury.
NCC was also without right guard Kyle Antos, and two defensive players. Coach John Thorne said he expects all four back for Saturday's game.
"Most years it would have been a huge problem," Thorne said of having starters hobbled by injuries. "This year we started with 145 players .... So I'm not quite as worried as I would have been in previous years."
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