FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

DePauw with the 72-0 win over Oberlin to make a statement. Nothing like running hurry up and scoring 35 points in the second half all while passing in the fourth quarter. Has Wabash even scored 35 points combined in the second half of games against the OWU, Hiram, Oberlin, and Kenyon combined?

Seems like two different mindsets.

Just noticed that this game was played with 12 minute quarters which doesn't seem like a great sign for the state of Yeomen football at the moment.  I hope they're able to fortify that roster with a good recruiting class so that they can get back to playing full 60 minute games. 

[smedindy]

The best week of the year, and this one is for all the Tostitos.

[Whitecarrera]

Sigma - the Bell game has been a spoiler opportunity lots of times, but has there ever been a year like this, where the winner gets a berth either way?

[Stagg Again!!]

56-12, not unexpected.  104 pts allowed in 2 games.

Guessing the Hard Hat D chant is in hibernation.

Hampden-Sydney only scored 27 today.  NCAC play is going to very interesting this year.

Gonna be a lot of high scores to be sure.  Offense held in check today, but North Central is a top ranked team for a reason.

I actually like our chances in conference, just need to find a smidge of defense.

I like your chances in conference too cpa.   Wabash has a special kid at QB and a lot of talent on the field.  Expecting to see the Little Giants making some noise in the NCAC.  Thank you to the Giant faithful for the hospitality today.  It was certainly a better day than the last time we visited Crawfordsville!!

We will be watching and rooting for the Little Giants from Naperville this weekend.  Can't say that I'm a bit surprised to see that WC has battled its way back to fight for the NCAC crown (see cpa's and my prior comments from 9/10/22)... after all, doesn't Wabash Always Fight?

[wabashcpa]

We are pretty damned smart, Stagg!

[sigma one]

Final week of play in the NCAC:
DENISON (7-2)/KENYON (3-6)  The Big Red completes another strong season with wins over Wabash and Wittenberg and a narrow loss to DePauw.  Kenyon is improved with its productive passing game featuring two of the NCAC's best receivers in Kim and Murray.  This should not be close as Denison finishes 8-2.
OHIO WESLEYAN (5-4)/HIRAM (2-7)  OWU started the conference schedule 3-0 before running into Wabash and DePauw.  (They played the new Tigers even before a late score cost them a key victory, 22-21.)  Hiram is improved but still not a threat: their wins are v. Oberlin and Hilbert.   This should be over early.
WOOSTER (5-4)/OBERLIN (0-9)  With a number of 5th years the Scots were anticipating more of a run in the league (although the coaches had them slotted at 6th in the pre-season poll).  Their high point was a late-run comeback v. Wittenberg to secure a 44-43 win.  But this year's Witt is not the old Tigers of years' past.  No contest here v. the hapless Yeomen.  Question:  what is the future of Oberlin football?  They have a relatively new stadium but continue to be in the conference basement.  I hope that they will continue to play--and show some improvement over the next several years (also hoping the school won't think about shutting down the program). 
WITTENBERG (4-5)/HILBERT (0-6)  The NCAC continues to feast on a first-year program.  So, the old Tigers will finish 5-5 for their worst record in many decades.  Under their new coach, Witt has been, let's say, disappointing.  The loss to Wooster  defines their frustration.
WABASH (7-2)/DEPAUW (8-1)  For the NCAC title and a place in the playoffs.  Wabash has been consistently dynamic on O and will face by far the best D in the conference.  Their one conference loss to Denison (45-42) came on a last-minute Big Red TD.  (The other loss was to North Central, right now the nation's #1 team).  The LG D has been porous but has improved a little over the second half of the season.  The new Tiger's O has been up and down, and they have two narrow wins by similar scores:  17-14 (Rose-Hulman) and 17-13 (Denison).  Their loss was at home v. Wittenberg (30-7) when their starting QB was injured and his backup threw 4 INTS.  The starter returned last week for limited action v. Oberlin. This is, of course, a classic rivalry Bell Game where previous records have not mattered much and close contests have been the rule rather than the exception.  Look for more of the same this year in Greencastle (home field has had no meaning in the series).  Game-time temps in the 30s in front of a sold out stadium.  As with so many Wabash games this year, this could be a shootout.  Big mistakes have often decided games v. the two; look for the same this year.     

[old wabash]

no Bell game thread?...another Covid victim?

[wabashcpa]

no Bell game thread?...another Covid victim?

Bear is in hibernation.  Still depressed about 21-0.

[CollegeGolf18]

Not enough DePauw posters (0?) to razz.

[Shamrock]

LET'S GO WABASH!!!

[wally_wabash]

My probably over-simplified preview for the 128th Monon Bell Classic is:

I kind of think the whole game is between Liam Thompson and DPU DC Jay Hood.  Hood is either going to figure out a way to infiltrate the matrix that Liam is currently playing in and force him into a few INTs and win the Monon Bell OR Liam is going to stay in the zone he's been in and have one of the best individual games in series history and Wabash will retain.  There are some subplots here that could impact the result (maybe a score from the specials or something like that), but basically it's about Jay Hood figuring out how to deal with the nation's leader in total offense. 

Forgot to add this in initially.  Liam Thompson's numbers through the third first half interception against Denison:
75-114 (65.8%) 1101 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT

and numbers after that third INT vs. Denison:
153-195 (78.5%) 2252 yards, 22 TD, 1 INT

He was very good through that first half vs. Denison.  He's been unbelievable from the second half of Denison forward. 

[Whitecarrera]

Jay Hood???

[wally_wabash]

Jay Hood???

Good grief, I'm a dodo.  Rory Mannering is DePauw's DC.  That's the guy. 

[Li'l Giant]

I don't know about y'all but the afternoon before the Bell Game is always a pretty unproductive time for me. I've just been watching Monon Memories on Youtube so far. I've also been wondering how my clove vodka is doing. . .

[Whitecarrera]

I don't know about y'all but the afternoon before the Bell Game is always a pretty unproductive time for me. I've just been watching Monon Memories on Youtube so far. I've also been wondering how my clove vodka is doing. . .

Some of us have our favorites