FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hazzben]

From the WIAC website Stout will play Wheaton in the Isthmus Bowl on November 23rd, in Sun Prairie.

That should be a great game.

[palum]

From the WIAC website Stout will play Wheaton in the Isthmus Bowl on November 23rd, in Sun Prairie.

That should be a great game.

Two evenly matched teams. There are 2 common opponents Stout opened the season with a 28-16 loss to Carroll College. Wheaton beat Carroll College 22-10. Wheaton opened the season with a 21-14 loss to Oshkosh. Stout beat Oshkosh 45-42. I attended last years Culver's Isthmus Bowl it was a fun atmosphere and a great consolation prize for the WIAC and the CCIW.

[USee]

Don't know much about Stout, would be happy to learn from any informed posters. I'll do my research this week in advance of the game. Should be as good or better than any of the first round matchups this week, though I wish I was focused on one of those!

[palum]

Don't know much about Stout, would be happy to learn from any informed posters. I'll do my research this week in advance of the game. Should be as good or better than any of the first round matchups this week, though I wish I was focused on one of those!

Stout was the surprise team in the WIAC this year. They were picked to finish in the lower half of the WIAC. Coming off of 4&6 in 2023 and 5&5 in 2022 nobody thought they would be in the race for the title. I think Stout's season turned around after they beat Whitewater in the 2nd conference game. Two of the three WIAC loses came against LaCrosse on a last second FG and to Platteville after Platteville scored twice in the fourth quarter. Both Platteville and LaCrosse made the playoffs. Their other WIAC loss came in OT against River Falls. Listening to the Stout-Platteville game their announcers seemed to indicate that Stout has a lot of JR'S and SR's that have played together for a number of years.

[ziggy]

We ran NPI with four WP/SOS combinations differing from the 40/60 the dials were actually set at and the results are likely to be of interest to WIAC fans: https://d3datacast.com/2024/11/19/changing-npi-dials-change-2024-d3-football-playoff-field/

[emma17]

We ran NPI with four WP/SOS combinations differing from the 40/60 the dials were actually set at and the results are likely to be of interest to WIAC fans: https://d3datacast.com/2024/11/19/changing-npi-dials-change-2024-d3-football-playoff-field/

This dial-adjusted data is very interesting. A settings change to imitate other sports puts four WIAC teams in the playoffs. Although I see an argument for the four teams, my initial reaction is- I don't think any conference should have more than three teams (maybe even two teams).

[Sudsy]

Interesting point.  I suppose it depends on the objective of pool c.  Is it to get the best 12 "at-large" teams or to represent as many conferences as possible?  An almost impossible task with so little out of conference reference points.

Kind of a mess with no real solution.  Some conferences play zero non-conference games, others 3, and others play each other twice!  No perfect solution other than.....don't lose games! 

Would like to see the same setting used for all sports.  Why 40/60 for football?  I hope that does not lead to top teams not scheduling tough non-conference opponents, there have been some really good games in the past few years, be a shame to lose those. 

[Pat Coleman]

Not all sports are the same and using the same settings for all sports is a bad idea. Remember, too, that the 40/60 is not the only number that can be tweaked.

There's no need to use the at-large pool to represent as many conferences as possible. We already have automatic bids to perform that function.

[emma17]

I think I just saw UWL run a double pass- w their O lineman passing the ball for a completion. I don't believe I've ever seen that before.
Now St. John has to spend hours game planning

[Bofadeeznuts]

Had to have been a OL checking in eligible, right? Otherwise that is HIGHLY illegal.

I think the biggest surprise so far is Uranus losing.
I know i have always been a fan of the Uranus program. Follow it very closely. I guess that comes from my wife being an alumni there and her introducing me to the program. Very tight nit atmosphere there.
Hope this extra week of playing introduces the Uranus program to kids thinking about where to go. They might be surprised on well of a fit it might be for them

[gobigred425]

Studer the All American receiver did not play today for UWL? Anyone know why?

[Pat Coleman]

Studer the All American receiver did not play today for UWL? Anyone know why?

I do not know why but it was certainly an opportune weekend to give him some time off.

[DuffMan]

I think I just saw UWL run a double pass- w their O lineman passing the ball for a completion. I don't believe I've ever seen that before.

This sparked a fun memory for me.  Back in '01, we had a tackle, Tom Engwall, complete a pass for 39 yards vs. Carleton.  He had an astonishing arm--he actually threw javelin for the Texas Longhorns after he graduated from SJU.  He was a Big 12 champ and qualified for the US Olympic trials.
 

[emma17]

I think I just saw UWL run a double pass- w their O lineman passing the ball for a completion. I don't believe I've ever seen that before.

This sparked a fun memory for me.  Back in '01, we had a tackle, Tom Engwall, complete a pass for 39 yards vs. Carleton.  He had an astonishing arm--he actually threw javelin for the Texas Longhorns after he graduated from SJU.  He was a Big 12 champ and qualified for the US Olympic trials.
 

That's a good story. I've always been amazed by javelin throwers.

The UWL lineman is Levi Liedke- first team all conference.
Good athletes these big fellas.

[DuffMan]

It's pretty quiet in here, and @Redtooth asked me to share the backstory that lead up to our tackle pass.  The story is a little funnier if you knew Gagliardi, but it's entertaining either way.

Tom came to SJU as a 6'6" TE.  He didn't really fit into our offensive scheme at the time, so he moved to tackle sophomore or junior year.

One practice, we were working on kick returns.  For whatever reason, our kicker kept kicking it out of bounds or short--basically not what John wanted, and it was irritating him to no end.  So, after a few minutes, John says, "Aw $hit, just get a quarteback to throw it down there."

All of our QBs were doing something else, and we all knew what Tom could do with the ball, so we goaded Tom into kickoff duty.  He grabbed that ball and literally threw it 70+ yards, over the returner's head.    Bewildered, John said, "Aw $hit, Tom, just throw it to him."

At the time, Gary Fasching was the track and field throwing coach.  He quickly convinced Tom to try out the javelin, where he became an All-American, and like I mentioned, was a Big 12 champ for U of TX, and placed 20th at the 2004 Olympic Trials.

SJU Alum to Compete at U.S. Track & Field Championships