FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[CollegeGolf18]

Wabash wins over St. Norbert 31-0.

Offense is a bit shaky but the St. Norbert defense is really good. I was very impressed with the defense and excited to see how they continue to improve.

Wabash only allowed 226 yards and only 88 passing yards. Great, great performance from them.

[wabashcpa]

Wabash wins over St. Norbert 31-0.

Offense is a bit shaky but the St. Norbert defense is really good. I was very impressed with the defense and excited to see how they continue to improve.

Wabash only allowed 226 yards and only 88 passing yards. Great, great performance from them.

And when was the last time we could say that about the defense?  Gilbert already paying dividends.

[CollegeGolf18]

Wabash wins over St. Norbert 31-0.

Offense is a bit shaky but the St. Norbert defense is really good. I was very impressed with the defense and excited to see how they continue to improve.

Wabash only allowed 226 yards and only 88 passing yards. Great, great performance from them.

And when was the last time we could say that about the defense?  Gilbert already paying dividends.

Years.

[Crawford]

NCAC 5-4 opening week.

[Li'l Giant]

Wabash wins over St. Norbert 31-0.

Offense is a bit shaky but the St. Norbert defense is really good. I was very impressed with the defense and excited to see how they continue to improve.

Wabash only allowed 226 yards and only 88 passing yards. Great, great performance from them.

And when was the last time we could say that about the defense?  Gilbert already paying dividends.

Far too long. This game felt crisp. I love the energy. The defense was great. I'm excited to see what their ceiling is.

[sigma one]

Looking back and looking ahead.
 
#1DEPAUW  DPU led 43-0 at halftime on the way to a 57-14 win v. Rose-Hulman.  The Engineers scored all their points in the fourth quarter. Nathan McCahill threw for 5 TDs. Caden Whitehead rushed for 110 yds at 10 yds per carry.  The Tigers start one 5th-year and 9 seniors on defense and seem poised for a stong run.
This week they travel south to Berry, who scored big in its winning v. Huntingdon, and is ranked #22 in the D3Fb top 25 this week.  The game will go a long distance in showing how The Tigers match up against quality OOC competition.  I rate the game a toss- up, then give Berry the 3 point advantage that home teams often are afforded.
#2WABASH  Ahead 24-0 at the break the LGs scored once more while shutting out St Norbert.  The final 31-0, aided by a 100 yard fumble return for a TD on the final play of the first half.  This after St Norbert had 3rd and goal from inside the one.  In his debut at QB, Blake White was 20/27 with 1 TD.  Wabash held the Green Knights to 232 yds total offense, with about 50 of that on the last drive of the game.
This week v. Ohio Wesleyan.  A bigger test for the team.  The expectation is for rain on Saturday. 
#3WITTENBERG  The Tigers fell to Baldwin-Wallace 24-14, although they gave up only 58 yds rushing (38 attempts).  BW led at the half 17-7.  WITT added a late score with 2:21 remaining to get closer.
This week, a rare meeting with a SW Conference, team Howard Payne; they lost to Hardin-Simmons 38-6.
Should be another good test to see how WITT stacks up for the NCAC season.
#4DENISON  The BIG RED were behind 21-0 after the 1st period when Linfield, ranked #22, scored on two mistakes--a fumble return and an interception return for TDs.  They held The Wildcat's scoreless after halftime.  Trey Fabrochini was held to 47 yds rushing (16 attempts).  The new DEN QB (Nowik) showed some ability to scramble away from the Cats' strong defense.
This week they get Alma who lost to UW River Falls.  Alma started the year #7 but fell behind early before rallying to lose 42-35.  So, another good test with Alma a favorite to make the BIG RED 0-2.
#5OHIO WESLEYAN   Hard to assess last Saturday, a 26-7 win v. Otterbein (0-10 last year).  They led at the half 16-0.  Kaden Buza, back for a 5th year, was 20/40 for 173 yds with 2 Ints.  Josh Hurst caught 8 passes for 78 yds.
This week they travel to Wabash at Homecoming.  OWU is usually a tough match-up for the LGs.  It will be interesting, and we will better assess the two teams after the weekend.
#6WOOSTER  I am beginning to think that the Fighting Scot may be better than their ranking among league coaches.  They return all O starters and have added Carson Warstler, who returned the opening K0 90 yds for a TD, and also caught a TD pass.  The won 56-13 and scored 42 pts in the 1st half v. a Wilmington team that scored 61 on them last year.
This week Olivet; they lost to Rochester 28-21.  Look forward another big scoring day from WOO.
#7KENYON  The Owls scored all their points in the 2nd quarter and won 13-7 over Bluffton.  They held the Beavers to 202 total yds, but managed only 262 themselves.
This week Kalamazoo, a winner last week v Austin 26-20.  K'zoo defeated KEN last year and should be a tough test of how much KEN has improved.
#8HIRAM  Last week, with a freshman starting at QB and 5 more 1st year starters, the TERRIERS fell to Heidelberg 38-14.  HIR scored all its points in the 2nd qtr. 
This week it gets tougher facing Mt St Joseph who lost to Muskingum 42-35 after a one-loss year in 2023.
Not much hope for the TERRIERS here; expect Mt St Joe to win big.
#9OBERLIN  What is there to say?  Against Calvin playing their 1st game as a new program, the YOEMEN lost 50-6.  Hard to find any bright spots in their performance.
This week it's Anderson (0-10 in 2023).  They lost to Alfred St 13-0.  Does OBE have a chance?  Hope so, but this may be the RAVENS' best chance to win this year--The YEO's too. 
     

[DagarmanSpartan]

Now that Carnegie-Mellon has announced that it's leaving the PAC, does anyone here think that Case Western Reserve U. might join John Carroll University in the NCAC?

[wally_wabash]

Now that Carnegie-Mellon has announced that it's leaving the PAC, does anyone here think that Case Western Reserve U. might join John Carroll University in the NCAC?

It's hard to rule anything out right now as the musical chairs just don't stop.  The NCAC does have affiliates elsewhere (field hockey for sure...I would need to see if any other sports have affiliate members) so who knows?  Maybe! 

[sigma one]

Case Western Reserve is a classy place and would be a good addition to the NCAC.  Except for the Indiana schools.  They would obviously be another long road trip.  When Allegheny left the conference, that eliminated the farthest away contests--in all sports.  When JCU joined, the Indiana schools were back in the same place as when they went to Hiram.  I am on record--and yes--I do not get much support in this--as saying that for 24 years Wabash, and more recently DePauw, have burdensome road trips--again for all teams.
The academic peer situation was, and remains, the reason both Indiana teams are NCAC members. If CWR comes in, even just as an affiliate in football (though I think they might want to join completely while keeping their AAU membership), add one more long trip.  I have traveled to Hiram, Allegheny, Wooster (and now will be going to JCU every other year for as long as I am able), and even by car the trip is long and tiring.   
   So, beat me up on this if you like; I am used to it.  But that is where I stand.

[WashJeff68]

I wonder what it will cost CWRU to buy out their contract with the PAC.  Obviously, that didn't matter to CMU, and probably not to CWRU, but the tariff could be greater this time around

So that leave W&J and Grove City at the top of the heap, Allegheny and Westminster as pretenders, and the rest of the conference as cannon fader. The addition of Hiram added absolutely nothing. I am starting to question the future viability of the PAC. At least one school is basically bankrupt, and several others are marginal.

W&J joined the PAC one year after its founding, I know that coach Sirianni loves being home for dinner on Saturdays in the Fall, but maybe it is time to make a change.

When the NCAC was formed I thought it might be a great fit for W&J but I can understand their rational to stay put (see Allegheny). So best wishes to CMU and CWRU in their new ventures, and with their leaving I will be the only poster left on the PAC board, so I guess it is goodby to D# Boards for me after many years.

[smedindy]

Long road trips are relative. Because of budgets, our softball and baseball teams take buses over to Billings from Ellensburg, WA. And every year for the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, CA, the softball team is on a bus.

The Alaska schools fly into Seattle, of course, then bus everywhere from there except for Billings. Our travel partner is Northwest Nazarene, so one of the Alaska teams flys into Seattle, buses to Nampa, gets on a bus the next morning to Ellensburg, plays, and then takes a bus back to Seattle for the plane ride.

In our football conference, Western Oregon and CWU fly to Texas or New Mexico five times a year. Because it's hard to fit a football team on a puddle jumper, they take flights to places like Dallas or Tucson or Albuquerque to get to locales like Portales, NM; Canyon, TX; Alpine, TX; Odesssa, TX; and Silver City, NM. This week CWU plays at Colorado-Mesa in Grand Junction. I think we fly into Salt Lake City and bus it over that way - else its Denver and you go the other way.

To me, a roadie from Indiana to Cleveland isn't so bad.

[ADL70]

Now that Carnegie-Mellon has announced that it's leaving the PAC, does anyone here think that Case Western Reserve U. might join John Carroll University in the NCAC?

The News Herald mentioned that there were scheduling discussions between JCU and CWRU. If CWRU joins NCAC (9 conf games) and can keep the Academic Bowl with CMU. No more scheduling worries! Seems like a win/win. Bring back the Baird Bros trophy came with Wooster. Does anyone remember the Baird Bros?
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baird_Brothers_Trophy

[ADL70]

Case Western Reserve is a classy place and would be a good addition to the NCAC.  Except for the Indiana schools.  They would obviously be another long road trip.  When Allegheny left the conference, that eliminated the farthest away contests--in all sports.  When JCU joined, the Indiana schools were back in the same place as when they went to Hiram.  I am on record--and yes--I do not get much support in this--as saying that for 24 years Wabash, and more recently DePauw, have burdensome road trips--again for all teams.
The academic peer situation was, and remains, the reason both Indiana teams are NCAC members. If CWR comes in, even just as an affiliate in football (though I think they might want to join completely while keeping their AAU membership), add one more long trip.  I have traveled to Hiram, Allegheny, Wooster (and now will be going to JCU every other year for as long as I am able), and even by car the trip is long and tiring. 
  So, beat me up on this if you like; I am used to it.  But that is where I stand.

Wabash was already scheduled to play CWRU in '25 and '26.

[DagarmanSpartan]

The Baird Brothers Trophy is the coolest rivalry trophy EVER!!!

I had Robert Baird for Microeconomics 33 years ago at CWRU.

[DePauwalum05]

Not so fast, Spartan ... ; )

https://youtu.be/nICS8oWjHn8?si=GHC5hS_vxyP6XrVY