FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Mugsy]

matblake please tell me the CCIW is very strong this year, I noticed the MIAA is not doing well VS them this season.

A quick, unofficial tabulation of CCIW vs. MIAA contests since 2000 resulted in a 22-5 record in favor of the CCIW. 

Wheaton is 11-3 against the MIAA since 2000, with 2 of the losses going to Hope in 2000 & 2001.  Wheaton also lost to Alma the first game of the season in 2001, but Wheaton won the rematch during the playoffs.  So Wheaton has won their last 10 games against the MIAA.

The rest of the CCIW is 11-2 against the MIAA since 2000.

[79jaybird]

Elmhurst is 3-4 lifetime against the MIAA
Alma  0-4
Olivet 3-0

Alma's games were pretty lopsided.  Elmhurst and Olivet's games have been more competitive.  Elmhurst has won 16 straight non-conference games but has continued to be sub .500 in the CCIW.  (Makes me think EC should consider switching i.e. NAC).
Looking at some of the series Elmhurst has a winning series record vs. only 1 school NPU.

[matblake]

matblake please tell me the CCIW is very strong this year, I noticed the MIAA is not doing well VS them this season.

I hate to be an annoying nit-picker, but it depends on what you mean by strong.  I would say at this point in the season, the front runners Wheaton and North Central competed well. Despite the scheme change, Augustana has looked like Augustana as far as the wins go so far and you can't rule them out to challenge for the conference crown.  With the personnel losses that IWU and Carthage had due to graduation and enlistment, we are still in a wait and see mode as far as their strength, although Carthage's point total is impressive and IWU has beaten 2 of the top teams in the MIAA. I would characterize Elmhurst to be a wait and see mode too.  Millikin is unknown and North Park has struggled.  

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

formerd3db:

What happened on saturday?  I dont know that I have ever seen or heard of a Hope team giving up points on that scale.  A credible source informs me that the Dutch had a hard time adjusting to trips all day, but that seems a bit far fetched as reasoning for 70 pts.

Adrians defense looks tough again, Id say it is an improvement  over what was a very solid unit last year, very fast to the ball with a nose for negative yardage plays.  Having watched them saturday against Defiance id say they will give all the other MIAA teams a hard time this season.

[dc_has_been]

formerd3db:
Adrians defense looks tough again, Id say it is an improvement  over what was a very solid unit last year, very fast to the ball with a nose for negative yardage plays.  Having watched them saturday against Defiance id say they will give all the other MIAA teams a hard time this season.

I wouldn't get too excited about how tough their d looked against Defiance.  DC is going to struggle offensively this year against all of their opponents. 
They did on the other hand do a good job shutting down Cap's run game.  They'll have another field day against Bluffton & should beat Lake Erie too. 

[SaintsFAN]

I second what dc_hasbeen said.  Defiance doesn't have a legitimate passing offense. 

I don't doubt that Adrian's defense will be good (they've come a long way since we've played them), but I don't think Defiance tested them one bit.  Good luck this year.

Sounds like formerd3db could be in for a long year.  Sorry to hear that.  You're one of the most classy people on this website.  Its probably a blessing in disguise with all the wedding planning going on.  Sidenote, I know we talk about this annually, but I haven't yet got to thank you for what you did for me that day at Alma in 1999.  This is the year I think, my cousin and I are meeting in Salem for the Stagg Bowl.  I'll even lend you a TMC shirt, should you make it!

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

I agree with Dc_has_been and SaintsFAN, DC hasnt had a legit offense overall for several years.  Not knocking DC as they were a very solid program in my playing days but it seems that recently when they can run thy cant pass and vis versa.

[sac]

"long season"

This is Hope's non-conference results from a year ago.......

Sep 01   UW-RIVER FALLS......... 24-54 L
Sep 08   CENTRAL................ 17-36 L
Sep 22   at Wheaton College.....  7-42 L

They ended up MIAA co-champs, as I've said before losing non-conf games is nothing new to Hope, we're up to 14 in row now.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

"long season"

This is Hope's non-conference results from a year ago.......

Sep 01   UW-RIVER FALLS......... 24-54 L
Sep 08   CENTRAL................ 17-36 L
Sep 22   at Wheaton College.....  7-42 L

They ended up MIAA co-champs, as I've said before losing non-conf games is nothing new to Hope, we're up to 14 in row now.

... and in 06 Hope went 7-0 in the conference after an 0-3 start.  So while these pre-conference games have long been a struggle for Hope, the conference games are more manageable.  Speaks volumes about the strength (or lack thereof) of the conference.

Makes me wonder if the tough pre-conf games make Hope that much hungrier when the conf games begin.  The fear of course is that you could end up with "beaten puppy syndrome" if your non-conf games are blow-outs.

[D306]

I think a tough non-conference schedule is a positive, though I would like to get 1 win at least and play a few teams that are competitive.
I agree I worry about the large blow-out, no chance to win games.

The sad truth is the MIAA has not been very competitive once we hit the Playoff's.  There are teams in many conferences that the MIAA upper echelon can compete and defeat.

I do not know what it will take to get there, the disparity in support from the College Admin. at many Colleges is obvious.
The sheer number of DI, DII, and DIII Colleges in area also is a issue.
This reduces the depth of talent available to MIAA teams, and also reduces the depth in a program, injuries become a killer as the 2nd string or younger players are not near the starters level.

I look forward to a very competitive MIAA, but do not see a long playoff run for the eventual conference champion. I hope I am wrong and a young team develops into a power through season.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

While a long play-off run would be great, I think we would all celebrate a single first round win in the tournament.  Given the recent history of the MIAA, I think that has to be the first step.

Oh well, all of that is still a long way off, and there are games to be played.  Best of luck to all the teams this weekend, and most importantly, here's to an injury free game (and practices)

[miaafbfan]

And speaking of games to be played, this week:

Saturday, September 20
Bluffton, Ohio at Adrian, 1 p.m. ET 
Albion at Millikin, Ill., 1 p.m. CT
Rockford, Ill. at Alma, 1 p.m. ET
Hope at UW-Eau Claire, 1 p.m. CT
Manchester, Ind. at Kalamazoo, 1 p.m. ET
Olivet at Concordia, Ill. 1 p.m. CT
Trine at Defiance, Ohio, 1:30 p.m. ET

I'm thinking the winners will be:

Adrian
Millikin
Alma
UW-Eau Claire
Manchester
Olivet
Trine

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Interesting discussion on Mike & Mike (on ESPN) this morning.  They were selecting their game of the week.  Each week they are picking a game between little known shools, and then asking their listeners to "name the game".  This morning they discussed the Hope vs Eua Clare game, but passed on it.  They did settle on Trine vs Defiance

[D306]

I am glad a DIII game was mentioned.

I never understood, how with America's love of Football.
The DIII games are not on ESPN Locals or ESPN 6 or what ever.

They have all kinds of HS games, Football and Basketball.
ESPN has non sports like paint ball league on TV for Gods sake.

OKO I am done with my whining. 

[formerd3db]

DAWG:

Sorry for the delay in this reply.  I don't know what happened last Sat but it was obviously not good (I was unable to attend and cover the game as I had to go to a required conference in Florida).  Anyway, it appears that Adrian has the upper edge so far in regards to the MIAA teams, although it is still way too early to tell.  As I mentioned here previously, these next two weekends should obviously give us all a little better indication - yet as we all know, the MIAA race is almost always unpredictable.

Anyway, for you and all our colleagues here, my picks for this week are:

Adrian (over Bluffton)
Milliken (over Albion)
Alma (over Rockford)
Hope (in an upset over Eau Claire )
Manchester (over Kazoo)
Olivet (over Concordia, IL)
Trine (over Defiance)

Good luck to everyone's teams and please drive safely for all of you who will traveling to the games.  We need you home safely!  It looks like we'll have some nice weather again after all that rain (hopefully!)   Later, friends.

formerd3db