Millikin is preparing for its biggest challenge of the season.
The North Central Cardinals are coming off a Stagg Bowl win in the 2024-2025 season. The team continued to build on that hype so far this season, currently sitting at 4-0 this week.
Millikin is looking to defeat North Central for the first time since 2004– an eye-opening statistic. However, the team remains unfazed heading into a tough week.
“They’re human, just like us. They bleed just like us. They are North Central, and they may be number one, but who cares?” Linebacker Alex Araiza said.
Millikin is coming off of a tough loss to Carroll, and is now at 2-2 on the season and 1-2 in the conference.
“We played alright, we could have definitely played better and gotten the win, but definitely some discipline [needed] on our end,” Defensive Back Latrell Hannon said.
Millikin aims to address some of the offensive struggles they’ve experienced over the last two games.
In the last two games, the team has only put up 23 points of total offense and has struggled to finish their drives in enemy territory, as seen during Carroll’s game with two turnovers in Carroll’s Territory.
“On offense, we are dominant, but there’s a lot of points left on the field,” Wide Receiver Kevin Louis said.
However, Millikin’s stifling defense has been the area where they have shown out; Millikin’s defense currently ranks 3rd in all of the CCIW. The Big Blue, Ariaza, who leads the CCIW in tackles for loss with 8, looks to keep North Central’s offense at bay.
“I like to be the guy, cause I know I can be that guy. I go out there, I put the pads on, I talk with my pads,” Araiza said. “My teammates see me working my ass off, so they work a little bit harder. I just set the standard for those guys.”
Millikin also looks to rely on its defensive back core to help make plays. Millikin has three players ranked in the top 25 defensive backs in the CCIW– Zyon Turner, Fabian Ross, and Latrell Hannon.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure; all the pressure is on them to do what they are expected to do. We know everybody’s against us, so stay together and we’ll be good,” Hannon said. “[Turner is] my guy. You know he’s a freshman, so I took him under my wing, per se. We click off the field just as much as on the field. I know I’m good if he’s right next to me.”
In this game, Millikin is seen as a heavy underdog and is looking to step into the narrative and take down the Cardinals.
“It’s a good challenge, we all know what they are, the number one team in the country, it’s just a good opportunity to play a good team. You know everyone expects us underdogs to lose, but any Saturday anything can happen, so we just come in with that confidence,” Hannon said.
Millikin plays away at North Central this Saturday, and is looking to do what may be seen as the impossible. A good showing this weekend would be just the spark that Millikin needs to get back into the CCIW race.
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