Gritty win in St Louis by the Thunder and epic comeback in Chicago for the Vikings. Wheaton certainly didn't repeat last week's "no penalty" performance and it looked like they were trying to make sure it didn't happen again. WashU also with some really costly flags.

I think Wheaton has a chance and, ironically enough, WashU may still have a chance at 8-2 as well depending on how the final weeks fall. There are going to be 4-5 two loss teams that get in this year. We'll have to wait to see where the NPI numbers fall this week. Wheaton's number shouldn't go down by much after this week, despite playing Elmhurst and Millikin (NPU would be a slight boost if the Thunder win out). The calculation only needs your 5 best wins and drops any other wins that hurt your NPI while adding wins that help NPI. You need around a 63 NPI to get into the field.

In an NPU season filled with epic nailbiters, this was the most epic of all. Set aside the historical importance for a moment; the Vikings didn't have the lead in this game until there were five minutes left, and they were outgained by over 50 yards on the day by the Titans. It was another classic bend-but-don't-break defense day for NPU, coupled this time by the ability of the Park to not only hold onto the ball for a whopping 18 plays covering 77 yards and almost eight and a half minutes' worth of clock in the 4th quarter but to also get the winning TD on the same sort of Eck tush-push QB sneak at the goal line that the Vikings used to beat Augie in Rock Island.

I've watched several hundred football games over the course of my lifetime, and I don't ever remember seeing a DB make three interceptions in a quarter before at any level. The fact that junior safety Ben Butler not only picked off three Dermot Smyth passes in the fourth quarter, but picked off all three in the last three and a half minutes of a football game that had a four-point margin -- one of them on the game's final play -- is totally mind-blowing. I mean, c'mon ... three picks in the last 3 1/2 minutes of a tight football game? Are you kidding me?

As I said to Butler on the air in our postgame show, if the CCIW office doesn't make him the league's Defensive Player of the Week there ought to be a federal investigation. Someone in the press box chimed in, "CCIW? How about D3football.com Team of the Week?" I'll second that idea.

Despite being considerably outgained by IWU, the Vikings were a +1 in the turnover/takeaway game (basically thanks to Butler), and they dominated the conversions battle. North Park converted 10 of 20 third down attempts and 2 of 3 fourth down attempts, while holding the Titans to 4 of 14 on third down and 1 of 4 on fourth down. The Park was good when it mattered most, and that won the ballgame for them.

And now the historical matters: this marks the first time in NPU football history that the Vikings have beaten the Titans in back-to-back seasons. And this is the first time that North Park has had back-to-back non-losing seasons since the Vikings went 7-1 in 1958 and 6-1-1 in 1959, back when North Park played as an independent before joining this league.

And, dare I say it ...?

A win at Carthage next Saturday will end The Streak.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Quote from: mr_b on October 26, 2024, 05:11:30 PM

Quote from: Gotberg on October 26, 2024, 04:54:04 PM

Quote from: CarollFan on October 26, 2024, 04:50:54 PMFinals

Wheaton 27 WashU 20
NPU 28 IWU 24
Carthage 24 Millikin 20
Carroll 45 Elmhurst 14
NCC 49 Augie 10

And norm refused to shake some coaches hands in chicago.

That is truly appalling, a real lack of class and sportsmanship.

Even by Norm Eash standards it was outrageous.

I managed to sneak a peek at him on the IWU sideline late in the game when Butler made one of his interceptions, and Norm looked like he was about to bite his clipboard in half. You could practically see cartoon steam coming out of his ears. But once the game was over he really outdid himself. I watched it again just a few minutes ago. We had a camera zoom in right on Norm as the handshake line was in progress. Norm refused to join the line, and when Kyle Rooker and the other NPU coaches walked over to where Norm was standing off to the side to shake his hand he refused to extend his hand and instead started yelling something at Rook. After about ten seconds of this nonsense Rook simply shrugged and walked away while Norm was still in mid-rant. Then other NPU coaches came over to shake Norm's hand, and he theatrically threw his hands up in the air and backed two steps away from them. Still later, a North Park GA who hadn't been a part of the earlier affair walked up to Norm, hand extended ... and Norm spun around and showed the young man his back.

I can only wonder what must have happened to Norm Eash at some tender age to have caused the milk of human kindness to curdle so sourly in that man.

Quote from: cardinal773 on October 26, 2024, 05:21:04 PMAnother epic ending for North Park.  Wow!

The shift from shotgun to the tush push go ahead TD.  3 picks.  Congrats to NP and great call, Greg.

Thanks! Much appreciated.

(And thanks to NCC for sending me such a terrific colorman in Sam Corbett!)

Quote from: mr_b on October 26, 2024, 05:11:30 PM

Quote from: Gotberg on October 26, 2024, 04:54:04 PM

Quote from: CarollFan on October 26, 2024, 04:50:54 PMFinals

Wheaton 27 WashU 20
NPU 28 IWU 24
Carthage 24 Millikin 20
Carroll 45 Elmhurst 14
NCC 49 Augie 10

And norm refused to shake some coaches hands in chicago.

That is truly appalling, a real lack of class and sportsmanship.

Is this type of behavior a regular occurrence for this particular coach?

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 26, 2024, 07:53:01 PMIn an NPU season filled with epic nailbiters, this was the most epic of all. Set aside the historical importance for a moment; the Vikings didn't have the lead in this game until there were five minutes left, and they were outgained by over 50 yards on the day by the Titans. It was another classic bend-but-don't-break defense day for NPU, coupled this time by the ability of the Park to not only hold onto the ball for a whopping 18 plays covering 77 yards and almost eight and a half minutes' worth of clock in the 4th quarter but to also get the winning TD on the same sort of Eck tush-push QB sneak at the goal line that the Vikings used to beat Augie in Rock Island.

I've watched several hundred football games over the course of my lifetime, and I don't ever remember seeing a DB make three interceptions in a quarter before at any level. The fact that junior safety Ben Butler not only picked off three Dermot Smyth passes in the fourth quarter, but picked off all three in the last three and a half minutes of a football game that had a four-point margin -- one of them on the game's final play -- is totally mind-blowing. I mean, c'mon ... three picks in the last 3 1/2 minutes of a tight football game? Are you kidding me?

As I said to Butler on the air in our postgame show, if the CCIW office doesn't make him the league's Defensive Player of the Week there ought to be a federal investigation. Someone in the press box chimed in, "CCIW? How about D3football.com Team of the Week?" I'll second that idea.

Despite being considerably outgained by IWU, the Vikings were a +1 in the turnover/takeaway game (basically thanks to Butler), and they dominated the conversions battle. North Park converted 10 of 20 third down attempts and 2 of 3 fourth down attempts, while holding the Titans to 4 of 14 on third down and 1 of 4 on fourth down. The Park was good when it mattered most, and that won the ballgame for them.

And now the historical matters: this marks the first time in NPU football history that the Vikings have beaten the Titans in back-to-back seasons. And this is the first time that North Park has had back-to-back non-losing seasons since the Vikings went 7-1 in 1958 and 6-1-1 in 1959, back when North Park played as an independent before joining this league.

And, dare I say it ...?

A win at Carthage next Saturday will end The Streak.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Hopefully whoever said that is also the person doing the nominating. I look forward to it!

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 26, 2024, 08:02:58 PMEven by Norm Eash standards it was outrageous.

I can only wonder what must have happened to Norm Eash at some tender age to have caused the milk of human kindness to curdle so sourly in that man.

I bet the bus ride back to Bloomington was a real treat.

Quote from: GusD on October 26, 2024, 08:09:42 PMIs this type of behavior a regular occurrence for this particular coach?

Unfortunately, he's notorious for his atrocious lack of sportsmanship. And it's been going on for decades now.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on October 26, 2024, 08:18:15 PMHopefully whoever said that is also the person doing the nominating. I look forward to it!

I'm 100% certain you'll be hearing from Tyler before long regarding Ben Butler.

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 26, 2024, 07:53:01 PMI've watched several hundred football games over the course of my lifetime, and I don't ever remember seeing a DB make three interceptions in a quarter before at any level

Mike Gray accomplished that feat in the 4th quarter of the 86 Stagg Bowl vs Salisbury State.  Wasn't necessarily with the game "on the line" but it allowed us the extend our lead and win comfortably.

Congrats to Ben Butler on his play today and to the NPU program on getting to 5 wins on the season.  I hope that next week is the end of "The Streak" for NPU and the program can put that in the rear view. 

Williams ran for Elmhurst, not Millikin.  My bad.

Greg embellished Eash's demonstrativeness and reactions after the final play. I too specifically watched the coach during the handshake line, recalling ppl here have described him as classless, cantankerous, and curt.  Since he held his trusty clipboard in his right hand as he sauntered, chin down, parallel to the line, I saw two NPC coaches extend a left arm to Eash. Eash did not reciprocate.

Greg is spot on with the INT feat!  Someone has to ask Mt. Butler if he intentionally ran out of bounds or got pushed on the final play. He coulda cut toward the center on his return (there was a LOT of green between him and the endzone) ala his celebration sprint to the endzone and back to the team.

Having watched <50% of the game...but the entire 4th qtr while walking during a glorious fall day...just soaked it all in.  SKOL!

Updated NPI.

https://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/39771

Rankings - 240 teams are ranked
NCC #3
Wheaton #41 (D3 Datacast has them at #40)
WashU #58
NPU #69
Carroll #100
Augie #132
IWU #147
Elmhurst #175
Carthage #204
Millikin #232

Quote from: markerickson on October 27, 2024, 10:12:43 AMWilliams ran for Elmhurst, not Millikin.  My bad.

Greg embellished Eash's demonstrativeness and reactions after the final play. I too specifically watched the coach during the handshake line, recalling ppl here have described him as classless, cantankerous, and curt.  Since he held his trusty clipboard in his right hand as he sauntered, chin down, parallel to the line, I saw two NPC coaches extend a left arm to Eash. Eash did not reciprocate.

As I said, I watched the play again on the Boxcast archive right before I posted yesterday. This was after I got home. I also reviewed it before that in the press box after we went off the air, because several of us wanted another look at it. It happened how I described it. Eash was standing off to the side, he theatrically held his hand to his chest rather than shake Kyle Rooker's, he barked something at Rooker for a few moments, he threw his hands up in the air and backed away from the group of NPU assistant coaches who tried to shake his hand, and then he pointedly refused to shake the hand of the lone NPU assistant coach who came up to him later.

It was an altogether disgraceful display on his part.

Quote from: markerickson on October 27, 2024, 10:12:43 AMGreg is spot on with the INT feat!  Someone has to ask Mt. Butler if he intentionally ran out of bounds or got pushed on the final play. He coulda cut toward the center on his return (there was a LOT of green between him and the endzone) ala his celebration sprint to the endzone and back to the team.

I wish you had been in the press box with us yesterday, Mark, because that would've been a great question to ask Butler during our interview. Wish I'd have thought of it! My guess, since neither Sam nor I thought to ask it, is that he suddenly realized as he was running the ball back that the game wasn't over as long as he was still in the field of play -- and that if he intentionally stepped out of bounds the game would immediately end and North Park would win. As long as he was still running in bounds with the ball, in other words, there was a one-in-ten-million chance that he could've fumbled or had the ball stripped and that IWU could run it back the other way for a touchdown.

One of the most entertaining things about that final play, and something that I didn't notice until I watched the game at home, is that, after he'd stepped out of bounds and then jubilantly sprinted in a long arc over to the NPU sideline, Butler ran into the cheerleading section, grabbed a pair of pom-pons from the hands of a surprised cheerleader, waved them three or four times, and then tossed them back to her and continued on into the jubilant arms of his teammates celebrating on the sidelines. I got a big laugh out of that!

Quote from: markerickson on October 27, 2024, 10:12:43 AMHaving watched <50% of the game...but the entire 4th qtr while walking during a glorious fall day...just soaked it all in.  SKOL!

That was definitely one of the most fun fourth quarters I've ever called, hands down.

Quote from: CarollFan on October 27, 2024, 11:29:05 AMUpdated NPI.

https://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/39771

Rankings - 240 teams are ranked
NCC #3
Wheaton #41 (D3 Datacast has them at #40)
WashU #58
NPU #69
Carroll #100
Augie #132
IWU #147
Elmhurst #175
Carthage #204
Millikin #232

The difference between the D3Datacast guys and the NCAA is the ranking of Brockport. D3datacast has them as # 46 with an NPI of 6.170 and NCAA has them as #40 with NPI of 62.490. All other rankings between the two appear identical so something is off with Brockport for one or the other.

Wheaton needs to get to 64 or better with their NPI (currently 62.37) to get above the 12 bid pool C cutline. Their NPI won't improve in terms of opponent SOS the next two weeks with Millikin and Elmhurst, but their win% will increase, which should help their NPI. The final game with NPU will give them the opportunity to again improve their NPI as, with a win,  they will be able to drop the Carthage game from their calculation and add NPU which will be additive to their NPI.

Wheaton is in good shape right now for a bid, but lots of other teams are involved here and bid stealers await which would kick some Pool A bids into Pool C, a dynamic I believe we keep with this new system.

Congrats to NP—-and you're right, Greg; Sam is a fantastic talent! You guys have quite the tandem in your broadcast booth.