In the 126 years that North Central and Wheaton have played football against each other, the two schools have never met while holding the two top spots in NCAA Division III football.
History will made this upcoming Saturday, Oct. 10, when No. 1 NCC hosts No. 2 Wheaton in Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, 80 years since their first battle in 1946. There is no better week than Homecoming week for the highest-stake Battle for the Little Brass Bell, that the programs have ever seen.
History of the Little Brass Bell
The Little Brass Bell can be traced all the way into the 19th century, when Naperville and Wheaton were in a political dispute over the location of the DuPage County Courthouse.
Wheaton ended up stealing the Little Brass Bell in a night raid on the courthouse. The bell managed to find its way to the hands of a farmer’s son attending NCC and would end up becoming the target of college raids and shenanigans. The bell was eventually hidden, and it wasn’t until the 1940s that the bell would be found. 1946 marked the first NCC and Wheaton matchup to be dubbed the Battle for the Little Brass Bell. The matchup has become something special for everyone involved in the football program.
Former NCC player and current defensive line coach Derrek Warkenthien ‘19/M’22 has first-hand experience with the special feeling that players get when playing in the Battle for the Little Brass Bell.
“My first time holding the bell was in 2016 when I was sophomore, and that feeling was unlike anything I’ve ever felt,” Warkenthien says.
He went on to say, “You don’t understand the scope of the game until you play it one time.” Till this day Warkenthien still feels the matchup is special even after facing Wheaton so many times.
Matchup History
Wheaton has the upper hand in the Battle for the Little Brass Bell with a record of 50-26. This upcoming game will be the 107th matchup all-time and their 77th matchup for “The Bell.” NCC football heads into the game confidently as they have dominated the rivalry and the CCIW in recent years.
However, former NCC tight end and current offensive coordinator Eric Stuedemann ‘07/M’08 doesn’t let their win-streak get into the heads on his players.
“Biggest thing you try fight is complacency,” Stuedemann says.
Which is the mindset that NCC has had since their rise to the top. The feeling of never being satisfied keeps that fire alive inside the players and coaches.
NCC celebrates touchdown in 2025’s Battle for the Little Brass Bell
They are currently on a five-game winning streak against Wheaton. Before the five-game streak, Wheaton was on a four-game winning streak against NCC. Both teams are ranked one and two in DIII Football and the American Football Coaches Association polls. What started as a local feud has garnered attention from Division 1 Rejects and the national spotlight for Division III college football.
For NCC Offensive Lineman Cortez Jones, ‘27, the spotlight didn’t appear overnight, it was earned and established by the players that came before him.
“I honestly say it’s just an honor and a testament to the guys that came before me and paved the way for use to be in this moment now,” Jones says.
He goes on to mention players that meant a lot to him, “Sam Pryor, Jarod Thornton, Jeske Maples and just guys like that who paved the way for us to understand how the game is supposed to be played.” Homecoming’s Battle for Little Brass Bell is the culmination of all the previous matchups finally coming into fruition.
Matchup for the future
Saturday is just not another local rivalry or CCIW game. Two national powerhouses face off for more than just bragging rights, they will fight for control in their division. NCC heads into the game with a 4-0 record. While Wheaton heads in with a 5-0 record. This will be the biggest game of the season so far in Division III football. The winner will also be one step closer to securing a NCAA Division III playoff spot. To add to the drama, the match landed on Homecoming weekend. Generations of alumni, players, fans and locals will be in attendance.
NCC couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere for this historic game. When discussing the hype and expectations behind Homecoming’s game, Stuedemann says, “It all comes down to just playing football. Blocking, tackling and doing your 1/11th” No one before has witnessed a Battle for the Little Brass Bell with this level of intensity and weight, but it seems that NCC is ready for the pressure.
Win or lose, Homecoming’s football game is guaranteed one thing: it’s going to be the highest peak that this 126-year-old feud has seen in the history of Division III football.
Before kickoff even starts, the NCC campus is going to be buzzing and ecstatic. Nothing but a packed stadium is expected. The bell has been passed down for generations, but it has never felt as heavy as it does right now. The nation will be watching. The significance of the game isn’t lost on the coaching staff.
“The fact that we’re able to get these opportunities and be able to spotlight the city of Naperville and North Central in a big game like this. That’s what we [coaching staff]all work for,” Warkenthien says.
