FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Might be the ONLY time Ohio Wesleyan gets any votes...at least for an instant...it felt like we belonged.....

OWU was No. 13 in the AFCA in 2002 before the voters got a reality check from Albion.

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2002/09/28/Albion+helps+pollsters

This was among the reasons we started our own poll in 2003.

[bashbrother]

Mistake on the NCAC Weekly press release 

"Wabash and Wittenberg have met 10 times previously, seven of those since the 2000 campaign. The Tigers hold a 6-4 advantage overall and are 4-3 in the matchups as North Coast members, including last-season's 19-17 nail-biter that ultimately gave both teams a share of the 2006 NCAC title and the Tigers the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament."

Since Wabash joined the NCAC, the series is actually 4-4.  They missed the playoff game in 2002. 

The eight games from 2000 - Present have included:

Lightning storms
Last second field goal made (Great moment in Bash history)
Last second field goal missed (Tough moment in Bash history)
2 shootouts in 2002 (46-43 Bash) & 2004 (49-35 Witt)
2 dominating wins in 2000 (41-10 Witt) & 2003 (41-14 Bash)
and four pretty close games.

Plus a few personal foul penalties.  These teams don't like each other much.

Should be a great one.....wish it was Friday night.

Play ball!

[smedindy]

In the eyes of the NCAC, the playoff game doesn't count. It's not a 'league game'. But it was a win for the good guys so I'll count it!

[nike]

Why such hostility between Witt and Wabash?   Because of successes of both programs the last few years or something deeper?  Will a lot of Witt people make the trip?
Witt has looked very strong these last few weeks. Will CC stay with starting qb if he is playing well, or go with a scripted scheme? Watching your All-American linebacker is as much fun as watching offense.  He is so active. For four years we would watch Drushal and see the licks he put on the defense and we came away with a real appreciation of his talent. I think the biggest difference in Wooster's offense this year is that Sheppard does not have Drushal in front of him. Drushal was guaranteed yards.  He is more sorely missed than the qb I think.

[bashbrother]

Nike -

I think it really comes down to a "turf battle" that started back when Wabash joined the NCAC.   Witt was pretty much dominating the NCAC having won the conference championship in 95,97,98, 99, 00 and 01.  The Little Giants then established themselves in 2002 with the two victories over the evil empire.   

After 2002,  the games have just been very intense and very important to each school.  Having only played each other 10 times in the recent past, it is pretty cool how the rivalry has developed.

The road to the NCAC Championship for the last three years has been decided by this game.  That alone is incentive enough to beat the other.

oh yeah...and it has been said that Witt may throw a cheap shot in every once in a while.   

[wittdaone]

Nike -

I think it really comes down to a "turf battle" that started back when Wabash joined the NCAC.   Witt was pretty much dominating the NCAC having won the conference championship in 95,97,98, 99, 00 and 01.  The Little Giants then establish themselves in 2002 with the two victories over the evil empire.   

After 2002,  the games have just been very intense and very important to each school.  Having only played each other 10 times in the recent past, it is pretty cool how the rivalry has developed.

The road to the NCAC Championship for the last three years has been decided by this game.  That alone is incentive enough to beat the other.

oh yeah...and it has been said that Witt may throw a cheap shot in every once in a while.   

By turf battle you mean "Grub Bowl".  Sorry that was a cheap shot.   

[wally_wabash]

Why such hostility between Witt and Wabash?   

A number of things come to mind....

- Wallies are predisposed to have a strong dislike for Tigers of any kind.

- In the 2000 game, Witt "played" after the whistle more than anybody I've seen.  And they were completely dominating the game.  It was like kicking a puppy for them...and it did nothing to endear the program to the new guys out west. 

- In 2002, Wabash traveled to Springfield and beat the highly ranked Tigers on their own field, on their own homecoming...to make matters worse, the few hundred Wabash fans in the crowd spent most of the afternoon drowning out the few thousand Witt fans and when Server's overtime field goal went through the uprights, those Wabash fans met on the field to celebrate with their team.  This did nothing to endear the new guys from out west to the king of the NCAC mountain. 

And ever since the two teams show up and play hard hitting, mega intense football games because everybody there knows that the winner of this game has the inside track to a championship.  Every Saturday afternoon fans on both sides are looking around for scores to see if maybe, just maybe the other team slipped up.  This is the the sort of thing that brews and builds when two very proud teams get together.  It really is a lot of fun...a little hostile, sure.  But lots and lots of fun. 

[nike]

Thanks so much. Now I understand a lot better.
Might be a good trip for a father and son to bond.  And momma too. 
The 2002 Witt team IMO was stronger than  this Witt team. They were loaded.  Were both teams undefeated in 2002?

[wally_wabash]

Thanks so much. Now I understand a lot better.
Might be a good trip for a father and son to bond.  And momma too. 
The 2002 Witt team IMO was stronger than  this Witt team. They were loaded.  Were both teams undefeated in 2002?

Oh there's no question that the 2002 Witt team was better than the 2007 team.  Both teams were undefeated going into the regular season game in 2002.  Wabash finished the regular season 10-0, Witt went 9-1 (only the OT loss to Wabash) and earned an at-large bid to the playoffs.  I think they beat Hanover in the first round and came to C'ville for the second round game which also went to Wabash.  Wabash then went to Alliance and got pummeled by one of the better MUC teams during the current MUC dynasty. 

[BashDad]

Please don't compare this Witt team to the 2002 team. Please.

I'll throw up.

Also: For fun, can y'all wabash folks throw out some rankings for the top bash WRs in recent memory? I'm missing my favorite roommate and thinking of that major introduction to the ncac c/o of knott for 93 yards and a touch. He's gotta be top 5, right?

[uknowme22]

But it was a win for the good guys so I'll count it!

The Tigers lost that game, didn't they?

A number of things come to mind....

- Wallies are predisposed to have a strong dislike for Tigers of any kind.

- In the 2000 game, Witt "played" after the whistle more than anybody I've seen.  And they were completely dominating the game.  It was like kicking a puppy for them...and it did nothing to endear the program to the new guys out west. 

- In 2002, Wabash traveled to Springfield and beat the highly ranked Tigers on their own field, on their own homecoming...to make matters worse, the few hundred Wabash fans in the crowd spent most of the afternoon drowning out the few thousand Witt fans and when Server's overtime field goal went through the uprights, those Wabash fans met on the field to celebrate with their team.  This did nothing to endear the new guys from out west to the king of the NCAC mountain. 

And ever since the two teams show up and play hard hitting, mega intense football games because everybody there knows that the winner of this game has the inside track to a championship.  Every Saturday afternoon fans on both sides are looking around for scores to see if maybe, just maybe the other team slipped up.  This is the the sort of thing that brews and builds when two very proud teams get together.  It really is a lot of fun...a little hostile, sure.  But lots and lots of fun. 

I think Wally hit the nail right on the head.  Even though the rivalry is realatively new, there have been some moments that have set things off. 

-First, this new team comes into the conference.  New kids in town (insert Little Giants) generally aren't liked by the town bully (insert Tigers).

-Second, the bully was taking care of business most years and then wham, the new kid in town slugs the bully in the face and takes his candy.  The new kid in town's friends help him celebrate...  The bully shows up to take his candy back, but gets slapped around again.

Ever since then the new kid has established himself as another bully, and we all know that there can't be two bullies in town.  So the two square off, year after year, in the best fight in town.

Without question these games have been amazing.  It is what makes college football so interesting.  The guys show up on Saturday, everything they've worked so hard for is on the line.  These two programs have tremendous amounts of heart and pride.  And neither accepts losing.  That's what makes them great.  They have great players, great coaches, and great fans (although Wabash's fans are more enthusiastic).  I've seen 7 of the last 8 meetings.  I was directly involved in 5.  Aside from the Allegheny rivalry in the mid to late 90's; these are the most intense games I've ever been a part of.  Saturday's game will be a slugfest, you can take that to the bank.

[BashBacker#16]

BashDad,

Tough to rank.  Players to consider:

#1 Kurt Casper - 200+ career receptions, #1 based on production & durability
#1 Eric Summers - injuries slowed production, speed, routes, hands, YAC...tough as nails
#1 Brandon Clifton - had one great year, big, physical
#1 Josh Bronaugh - exciting playmaker, best returner over the past decade
#1 Mike Russell - huge Junior year, most talent - physically BEST speed, athleticism, injuries slowed 4-year production
#1 Geoff Walker - very solid, injury senior year limited numbers, efficient, incredible hands, great slot
#83 Jay Dee Flynn - has to be up there, WHAT IF HE PLAYED WITH KNOTT MORE THEN 1 YEAR???

Yes, I'd put Summers in the top 5.  Casper would be on top based on season highs and career numbers.

GREAT Wabash BAR TRIVIA...Traditional jersey #1 has gone from Casper to Bronaugh to Clifton to Summers to Walker to Russell.  Who's next?

Ryan Short's a wild card and would definitely be #1 but was technically a TE (even though he rarely lined up as one).  47 career TDs (tops in Indiana Collegiate football history) - 2 time 1st team All American, 240+ career receptions for #1 all time list.  Those are some serious numbers....

[wally_wabash]

Also: For fun, can y'all wabash folks throw out some rankings for the top bash WRs in recent memory? I'm missing my favorite roommate and thinking of that major introduction to the ncac c/o of knott for 93 yards and a touch. He's gotta be top 5, right?

Wow, what a great question.  I'll give this a shot...

5) Geoff Walker...did he ever catch a pass that didn't go for a first down?  Undersized, but he was a lot of fun to watch and came up with so many huge catches. 

4) Brandon Clifton...Clifton had some injury trouble during his time at Wabash, but his senior year was monster.  He had good size, good speed, good hands...all around a very good receiver. 

3) Eric Summers...that huge catch and run at Witt in 2002 was awesome.  Very quietly, Summers is #7 on the career receiving list at Wabash.  He also had a great year wearing the #1 jersey his senior year. 

2) Kurt Casper...great career.  Casper had the two best receiving days in Wabash history and would be the career leader in receiving yards were it not for getting shut out at DePauw in 2001...well mostly shut out anyway.   

1) Ryan Short...the guy has more receiving TDs than anybody in Indiana college history and his catch in the back of the end zone in the first round game against MacMurry stands as probably the best catch I've ever seen in person.  Multiple time All-American, etc. etc.  The guy was a beast. 

So that's my top five...and I'm not even mentioning some other guys that were huge...Bronaugh, Jay Dee Flynn, Mike Russell could be included (he'd be #1 by a long long way if he had Short's hands), Jaime Bowers....there are a lot of guys to choose from. 

[wabashcpa]

I seem to recall Mike Funk being pretty good, as well as Chris Wiesehan and Eric Snively.  Not sure how they rate as far as Top 5, but I would think they're in the team picture, anyway.

Or maybe that's too far back to be considered recent memory (I'm getting old)!

[uknowme22]

I haven't seen as many games as you Bash posters, but Ryan Short was amazing.  I haven't seen a kid like him at this level before or since.  Clifton was obviously a very good reciever.  But whenever the Little Giants wanted to make something happen, they threw it to Short and he made the catch.  In my limited experience with the Little Giants, and I had to pick; I'd take Short.