Glen Ellyn, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - December 8, 2025) - When the clock hit all zeros at Bob McDougal Field and Bjarne Ullsvik Stadium, the scoreboard read 36-13 in favor of the Chaparrals over the North Dakota State College of Science Wildcats in the NJCAA Division III National Championship. In that moment, the College of DuPage football program cemented its place among the most dominant multi-year runs in the history of college football. Only one other program at any level of the modern game has captured five straight national titles: The North Dakota State Bison, who claimed five consecutive FCS crowns from 2011-15. With Saturday's victory, the Chaparrals now stand beside them. Head coach Matthew Rahn officially put the car in park, completing the "Drive for Five."
DuPage matched up with a tough, disciplined NDSCS team that entered at 11-1 and fresh off a Minnesota College Athletic Conference championship. The Chaparrals hadn't played since Oct. 25, and the cold December air gave the Wildcats a familiar edge early. NDSCS intercepted a pass on the opening drive and marched downfield for the game's first score, taking a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, DuPage responded with a composed, methodical drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Justin Bland to Ty Carlson. After noticing a wide-open lane on the extra-point attempt, tight end Luke Bonnema converted a two-point try erasing what would be the Wildcats' only lead of the afternoon.
Following a punt on NDSCS's next drive, the Chaps capitalized on favorable field position. DuPage covered 50 yards in five plays, with Askia Bullie finishing the series with a 6-yard touchdown run.
The COD defense forced a turnover on downs on the next Wildcats series, setting up a momentum shifting 10 play, 66 yard march that ended with Bland on the receiving end of a trick-play pass from Bullie, sending the Chaps into halftime holding a 22-7 advantage.
NDSCS opened the second half with a touchdown, but the game tightened into a defensive stalemate marked by turnovers and punt exchanges. It wasn't until the 10-minute mark of the third quarter that DuPage broke through again, this time with a 1-yard touchdown run by AJ Moore.
For the exclamation point, Bullie, taking snaps at quarterback, found Dontay Fort for a 25-yard touchdown strike that pushed the margin to 36-13, effectively sealing the championship.
Defensively, DuPage turned in a dominant performance anchored by sophomore linebacker and game MVP Cole Hamilton. The Chaps held a Wildcat rushing attack that averaged 246.2 yards per game to just 134 yards on 37 carries, only 3.6 yards per attempt for a team that leans heavily on its ground game. Hamilton led the way with 12 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. Omarion Gooden and William Sierra each added seven stops, while Jayden Lambert and Jimmy Lacy delivered crucial plays in the secondary with one interception apiece.
Offensively, Bland finished 14 of 23 for 182 yards and one touchdown. Bullie maximized every opportunity, going 4 for 4 for 45 yards and two passing touchdowns. Moore powered the run game with 77 yards on 16 carries and one score. Daion Gaston led all receivers with 77 yards on three catches, while Carlson recorded four receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Head coach Matthew Rahn expressed immense pride in his team's resilience and composure, saying "Feels good. I'm happy for the kids. We've had a pretty rough year, obviously a lot of ups and downs, and the fact they're able to put it all together at the end like this and come out on top, I'm very proud of them. I'm very proud of the staff. These kids don't have quit in them, and what's what makes me really proud of them."
He also praised the COD community for its support, noting, "The community's great here. We've got a great program with a lot of great local kids, and we are very proud that the stands are full like that."
When asked about what it means to join the ranks among college football's longest dynasties, Rahn provided a glimpse into the mindset that potentially makes DuPage such a successful program, saying, "It means we're going to take 48 hours to be excited about it, and then we're working on number six. Keep the train on the tracks. We built a standard here of how we operate and how we play and the type of kids we have and what the coaches demand out of them. It's been working so far, so we're not going to deviate from the plan."
On a historic day for College of DuPage football, it also marked a historic day for College of DuPage Athletics. The National Championship is COD's 50th, and all signs point to more hardware on the horizon.
The Chaparrals won their fifth straight NJCAA Division III National Football Championship during the Red Grange Bowl, COD's 50th national title in history.
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Contact:
Evan Harvey
harveye288@cod.edu
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SOURCE: College of DuPage