Carthage College
4-6 2025 finalCarthage is the Wisconsin CCIW program with a storied athletic heritage stretching back to the 1800s, still playing with quiet institutional pride.
The Firebirds hold the line.
Carthage is the Wisconsin CCIW program with a storied athletic heritage stretching back to the 1800s, still playing with quiet institutional pride.
Carthage's 2025 season was difficult, showing limited conference success (0-1 conf after Sept 20). The program is in transition under second-year head coach Matt Popino. The question is whether Carthage can find its footing and re…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Carthage College sits 7th in the CCIW and 141st of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — outside the at-large picture — the path runs through the conference title.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central College | 9-0 | 14-1 | 76.9 |
| 2 | Wheaton | 8-1 | 11-3 | 68.7 |
| 3 | Washington University (St. Louis) | 7-2 | 8-3 | 60.8 |
| 4 | Augustana (IL) | 6-3 | 7-3 | 59.9 |
| 5 | Illinois Wesleyan | 4-5 | 4-6 | 48.8 |
| 6 | Carroll University (WI) | 4-5 | 4-6 | 48.3 |
| 7 | Carthage | 3-6 | 4-6 | 47.7 |
| 8 | North Park | 2-7 | 3-7 | 44.3 |
Win the CCIW for the automatic berth into the 40-team NCAA Division III bracket. Miss it and the path is an at-large bid, selected by NPI — the metric the CFB Index mirrors. Six wins survive the bracket to the Stagg Bowl.
Signature win 31-7 over Elmhurst; toughest day 0-62 against North Central College.
The Pulse on Carthage College
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Carthage College
The baseline for a successful season.
The primary goal and national bracket path.
One of 32 national tournament entries.
The Division III national championship game.
Carthage College · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Home-Field Advantage · Carthage College · 2018-present
Above-Average
26% home win rate vs 33% on the road. margin runs +3.9 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Cooling
Two of five. Schedule has caught up.
Schedule Strength · Carthage College · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 50% across 10 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · Carthage College · 2025
Won 31-7 at Elmhurst
Week 6 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
From the Archive — Carthage College
2024: Won 24-20 at Millikin
In 2024, the program won 24-20 at Millikin — a tight road result that left the 4-point margin on the books.
Go Firebirds.