The NJCAA announced that the four-time defending champion College of DuPage Chaparrals will compete in the NJCAA Division III Football Championship at the Red Grange Bowl. DuPage will face a familiar opponent in the North Dakota State College of Science Wildcats, a rematch of the 2022 national title game, where the Chaps edged out a 14-12 victory. 

This year's NJCAA Division III National Championship will kick off at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Bjarne Ullsvik Stadium on the campus of College of DuPage. 

Since the Division III championship game was introduced in 2021, DuPage has earned a spot in all five title match ups. Head coach Matthew Rahn and his staff take immense pride in the program's standard of excellence, one where competing for national championships is not just a goal, but the expectation. 

"I guess with how we operate, the type of kids we get here and the standard we set, this is the expectation," Rahn said. "We've got a lot of Division III teams that avoid us and won't play us, and because of that, our schedule is full of Division I teams. As long as we schedule the toughest schedule we can and play to the best of our ability, we feel we'll wind up in this game annually, and so far, that's been true."

A fifth consecutive national title would place DuPage in rare company. Only one other college football program in the country, the FCS North Dakota State Bison from 2011-15, has claimed five straight championships. When asked about the potential to join that elite group, Rahn emphasized that the accomplishment would belong entirely to his players.

"I want it for the kids," he said. "They put in the work, they buy into the system, they trust the coaches. They go out and lay their bodies on the line for the game and for themselves. Our kids have been out here since July busting their butts, working hard, sweating, bleeding together. They deserve it. I hope they're able to etch their name in history, and that's something nobody could ever take from them." 

The Chaps are also familiar with their opponent, having faced the Wildcats in the 2022 championship. Rahn knows his team must be sharp from the opening whistle. 

"We feel we know them pretty well, they're a tough, hard-nosed football team," Rahn said. "If we come out and shoot ourselves in the foot, they're a team that's really going to capitalize on it. If we don't play fast and physical, they can hit us in the mouth and set us back. It's important for us to take the first step forward in the game and not look back. They're a good football team and we can't let them build any momentum." 

The Chaparrals enter the title game with a balanced offensive attack that averages 434 yards and 38 points per game. Sophomore quarterback Justin Bland lead the offense with 1,334 passing yards and 11 touchdowns to just four interceptions. The running game features a three-headed rotation of freshman AJ Moore (423 yards), sophomore Haiden Janke (322 yards), and freshman Askia Bullie (222 yards), who leads the team with five rushing touchdowns. 

Bland's top receiving options include sophomore Ty Carlson, who has 26 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns, and sophomore Daion Gaston, who has added 23 catches for 365 yards and three scores. 

Defensively, sophomore defensive lineman Casey Bending anchors the unit with a division-leading 13 sacks, along with 36 tackles and a forced fumble. Elsewhere on the line, sophomore Dontay Fort has been a constant presence in opposing backfields, recording 9.5 tackles for loss this season. Sophomore linebacker William Sierra leads the team with 50 total tackes, followed closely by sophomore linebacker Cole Hamilton with 44. Freshman defensive backs Omarion Gooden and Sal Laudicina share the team lead with two interceptions apiece. 

Special teams have also been a strength for DuPage. Kicker Danny Duray, a two-time recipient of the NJCAA DIII Special Teams Player of the Week has been perfect on PAT attempts and owns a season-long field goal of 52 yards. He has converted 10 of 16 field goal attempts on the year. 

Tickets for the NJCAA Division III National Championship are $15 and will be available for purchase with cash or credit card at the gate on game day. Fans may also purchase tickets online through The Mac box office here. Prepaid tickets may be picked up on-site with proof of purchase. The deadline to purchase pre-sale tickets is 12 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5th. 

The NJCAA Division III National Championship game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.