FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Am I correct that an OWU win over Denison would give Wabash (assuming a win over Hiram) the playoff bid, regardless of the Bell game?

That looks correct to me. 

[HCAlum86]

So I'll be the one to ask I guess...

Is the NCAC in a down year, or have our second tier teams just become more competitive and that's promoted parity in the conference?

[sigma one]

NCAC Week #10.  In the homestretch now.

Wittenberg (5-3) at Kenyon (3-5)  Wit has been up and down; Kenyon has struggled in the second half of the schedule.  Wally gives a 32.5 edge to the Ohio Tigers.  The Lords struggled last week v. Wabash until throwing 2 TDs in the 4th quarter v. the LG reserves.  Wit handled a game Oberlin team, the contest not really as close as the final 35-21.  Kenyon will have to repeat last week's late scores to stay within Wally's number.
Oberlin (1-7) at DePauw (4-4)  The Yoemen scored more points last week than in any other game this season.  The Indiana Tigers ran into the Denison buzzsaw (namely Alex Minton).  Wally says DPU by a comfortable 24.5.  DPU has Obe and then Wabash in the Bell Game next week to try to finish at .500 or above.  Oberlin is playing for pride and may stay closer than the number.
Wooster (5-3) at Allegheny (2-6).  Woo got another nice win last week v. OWU.  Allegheny roughed up Hiram.  With Wally's number at 10.5 for the Scots, this could be another close one--in Meadville, in November, with the weather potentially a factor.  With only Hiram following Gheny, Woo will be looking for a 7 win season (with losses only to Wit, DPU, and Den).
Denison (7-1) at OWU (6-2)  A game with consequences for the top of the conference, Wally has the Big Red as an 11.5 pt favorite.  With only Kenyon remaining after Saturday, a Denny win puts them in line for a share of the NCAC title or outright championship (if Wabash should lose another game).  OWU has Wit on the horizon in the season's finale.  So, both teams really need this one.  Of course, the result will be determined by whether the Bishops can slow down Minton. 
Hiram (0-8) at Wabash (6-2).  Wally gives the big margin to Wabash by 37.5.  Last week I noted that Morel won't run up the score.  In their wins v. Oberlin (38-3) and Kenyon (31-12) the LGs threw no passes in the 4th quarters, and only 9 total passes after halftime.  It's the last game at Hollett LIttle Giant Stadium, dedicated in 1966, and there will be a few distractions.  Can that big number hold with the coach thinking it would be nice to include as many players as possible at the end of an era?   

[smedindy]

So I'll be the one to ask I guess...

Is the NCAC in a down year, or have our second tier teams just become more competitive and that's promoted parity in the conference?

Yes....

The top of the NCAC seems to have more weaknesses, but tier 2 has improved for the most part.

[sigma one]

Wabash and NCAC fans--

Saturday will mark the end of an era at Wabash.  Following the game v. Hiram, Hollett Little Giant stadium will come down to be replaced by a new 13 million dollar facility, which will be ready for next season's home opener v. Rose Hulman.  HLGStadium was dedicated on October 8, 1966, a 20-14 loss to Wheaton.  The new stadium will carry the same name, but the playing surface will be named for Frank Navarro,  head football coach in the mid-70s and the coach of the Wabash Stagg Bowl team of 1977, which lost to Widener 39-36.  The Hollett part is for Barney Hollett, Class of 1936, once chair of the Wabash Board of Trustees,  long-time supporter of the College, and special fan of the team.

In the first four years, 1966-1969, the LGs were 6-11 at LG Stadium.  Then,

                                                                   1970-1979     35-14-1
                                                                   1980-1989     42-  5-1  (and in the 12 years from 1976-1987, 54-3-1)
                                                                   1990-1999     33-15-1
                                                                   2000-2009     45-11
                                                                   2010-present  49- 6     (87% wins since the turn of the century)

Wabash has played 13 DIII playoff games at Hollett with a record of 11-2. 

Since 2000 when they joined the NCAC, they are 64-11 against the conference in LG stadium. 

Versus DePauw since 1966, the LGs are 14-12-2 at home.   A true rivalry. 

One game remains, and Wabash could get to 50 wins at home this decade.

My college roommate and still best friend played in the dedication game in 1966.  He plans to attend the game on Saturday.  I wish I could be there, too.  I was in Hollett for every home game between 1997 and the first two games of 2016.  Many others have attended every game for more years than that.  Thanks for the memories.
                                   

[Whitecarrera]

The Wabash Twitter page has done a nice job recounting (with video clips) some of the big games in the stadium.

https://twitter.com/WabashCollege

Word on the street is that any potential playoff games would be at Crawfordsville High School.  I don't know if that's correct, but I've got some baaaad memories about games being moved to CHS.  Maybe the Butler Bowl is available.

[wally_wabash]

The Wabash Twitter page has done a nice job recounting (with video clips) some of the big games in the stadium.

https://twitter.com/WabashCollege

Word on the street is that any potential playoff games would be at Crawfordsville High School.  I don't know if that's correct, but I've got some baaaad memories about games being moved to CHS.  Maybe the Butler Bowl is available.

With Wabash ranked #9 in the North Region, the chances of a first round playoff game in Crawfordsville are essentially zero.  Going forward, Wabash could be a possible host against teams seeded lower than they are, but if we are fairly certain that Wabash is a 7 or 8 seed in the tournament (seems pretty certain), then Wabash *might* be in a spot to host a playoff game in the QF round if they win two games on the road at places like Wheaton or Mount Union or UW-Whitewater or North Central AND a team like Rose-Hulman (best chance for a team around Wabash to make the tournament and be seeded lower than Wabash) to go out on the road twice and do the same thing against a similar caliber of opponent. 

Basically, Wabash having a realistic chance to host a postseason game this year is going to take two playoff rounds and four of the most unexpected results in the entire division this year. 

[WAF78]

With Hollett being torn down, I was just trying to remember the best games I've seen played there. Without a doubt, I think the best...or rather, most exciting game I saw there was the Playoff come back win over North Central in 2011. What a game.
Number 2 would be the 1982 game verses Dayton where we won 14-13. One of the 5 best games I've ever seen a Wabash team play...period.
Number 3 would be the 2010 Bell Game where DePauw came into the game the overwhelming favorite and we won 47-0. The only sad part of the day is that we didn't win 60 - 0.
I know there was a Wittenberg game that was fabulous but I didn't see that one.
My number 1 all time game, which was not played at Hollet, was "The Catch" game down at DePauw in 2001?
Anyone else?

[wabashcpa]

With Hollett being torn down, I was just trying to remember the best games I've seen played there. Without a doubt, I think the best...or rather, most exciting game I saw there was the Playoff come back win over North Central in 2011. What a game.
Number 2 would be the 1982 game verses Dayton where we won 14-13. One of the 5 best games I've ever seen a Wabash team play...period.
Number 3 would be the 2010 Bell Game where DePauw came into the game the overwhelming favorite and we won 47-0. The only sad part of the day is that we didn't win 60 - 0.
I know there was a Wittenberg game that was fabulous but I didn't see that one.
My number 1 all time game, which was not played at Hollet, was "The Catch" game down at DePauw in 2001?
Anyone else?

Having attended "The Catch" game and the NCC game, those are hard to argue.

[HCAlum86]

Wabash and NCAC fans--

Saturday will mark the end of an era at Wabash.  Following the game v. Hiram, Hollett Little Giant stadium will come down to be replaced by a new 13 million dollar facility, which will be ready for next season's home opener v. Rose Hulman.  HLGStadium was dedicated on October 8, 1966, a 20-14 loss to Wheaton.  The new stadium will carry the same name, but the playing surface will be named for Frank Navarro,  head football coach in the mid-70s and the coach of the Wabash Stagg Bowl team of 1977, which lost to Widener 39-36.  The Hollett part is for Barney Hollett, Class of 1936, once chair of the Wabash Board of Trustees,  long-time supporter of the College, and special fan of the team.

In the first four years, 1966-1969, the LGs were 6-11 at LG Stadium.  Then,

                                                                   1970-1979     35-14-1
                                                                   1980-1989     42-  5-1  (and in the 12 years from 1976-1987, 54-3-1)
                                                                   1990-1999     33-15-1
                                                                   2000-2009     45-11
                                                                   2010-present  49- 6     (87% wins since the turn of the century)

Wabash has played 13 DIII playoff games at Hollett with a record of 11-2. 

Since 2000 when they joined the NCAC, they are 64-11 against the conference in LG stadium. 

Versus DePauw since 1966, the LGs are 14-12-2 at home.   A true rivalry. 

One game remains, and Wabash could get to 50 wins at home this decade.

My college roommate and still best friend played in the dedication game in 1966.  He plans to attend the game on Saturday.  I wish I could be there, too.  I was in Hollett for every home game between 1997 and the first two games of 2016.  Many others have attended every game for more years than that.  Thanks for the memories.
                                 

Any links to the renderings / specs of the new facility?

[Pat Coleman]

Any links to the renderings / specs of the new facility?

https://d3football.com/notables/2019/09/wabash-unveils-stadium-plans

[sigma one]

I'll have to think about it some more, but off the top of my head two other games stand out along with those already mentioned.  The first is the 2015 overtime win v. Thomas More.  Wabash trailed at halftime by 14 and at the start of the 4th quarter by 11.  They kicked a field goal with less than a minute remaining to send the game to OT.  TMC was driving and got inside the Wabash 30.  Then their QB was stripped of the ball and Ethan Buresh picked up the fumble a ran in for the score.  Final:  Wabash 33  Thomas More 27. 
The second game was the best loss I saw at Hollett Little Giant Stadium.  In the 2005 playoffs Capital came in a big favorite, with Rocky Pentello in his 7th or 8th year at QB for the Crusaders.  Wabash narrowly lost 14-11 and had a late pass intercepted in the end zone (on what some saw as a contested play).  I believe Cap went on to be defeated by Mt Union the next week by a slim margin (34-31?).

[HCAlum86]

So the new stadium significantly reduces capacity, no?

[83 Little Giant]

Yes - it decreases the fixed capacity through the elimination of the seating on the visitor's side of the field.  My understanding is that the capacity on the Wabash side will be similar to that of today.   Further, my understanding is that Wabash will set up temporary stands on the visitor side during the season much like is done at other venues.  There is no desire to mix the streams, such as at  Witt.  The Monon Bell game already requires additional seating so we will simply be adding more stands than had been required in the past.

[Li'l Giant]

So we're only going to have seating on the one side? Never a fan of that. But it's still going to look very nice.