FB: American Rivers Conference

[D3Dutchman]

DUTCH WIN!  huge goal line stand late, after a PI call in the endzone, block the game typing FG, returns the block for a 10 point margin. The Dutch defense is proving to be one of the best in the conference.  Probably is the best, but Warty fans would have an argument.  The offense is not holding up their end, but did got one good drive in for a score when it mattered.  Nice Win!

The Dutch D looks good, but giving up 3rd and longs has been killer.  Has cost them games this year, and nearly did again today.  Gotta clean that up...still...good win!

[Old Dutch]

absolutely, get a team and 3rd and 15+ they should be stopped.  They've always been bend but don't break though.

[notlongago]

Dutch played a good game against what was probably an inferior opponent, but while the defense is solid (I wouldnt try to argue they are the best in the conference though  ) the offense just has too much talent to continually under perform like they are. I dont think, as a whole, the Dutch played any better this week than they have in previous, which is concerning....but a win is a win and im happy for the day.

On an unrelated note, looks like DBQ may have wrapped up the conference race (not really, but very far ahead of the competition and the wheels would really have to fall off for anything else to happen.)

[Old Dutch]

Dutch played a good game against what was probably an inferior opponent, but while the defense is solid (I wouldnt try to argue they are the best in the conference though  ) the offense just has too much talent to continually under perform like they are. I dont think, as a whole, the Dutch played any better this week than they have in previous, which is concerning....but a win is a win and im happy for the day.

With the big points by the Spartans today, holding them to 2 offensive touchdowns and Simpson to 14 points total, plus the goal line stands today makes for  strong argument.  If they were getting any help at all from the O they'd be 4-0 in conference play.  Of course this win was a fluke again, but thats just Willie U's future opinion.   

[notlongago]

Dutch played a good game against what was probably an inferior opponent, but while the defense is solid (I wouldnt try to argue they are the best in the conference though  ) the offense just has too much talent to continually under perform like they are. I dont think, as a whole, the Dutch played any better this week than they have in previous, which is concerning....but a win is a win and im happy for the day.

With the big points by the Spartans today, holding them to 2 offensive touchdowns and Simpson to 14 points total, plus the goal line stands today makes for  strong argument.  If they were getting any help at all from the O they'd be 4-0 in conference play.  Of course this win was a fluke again, but thats just Willie U's future opinion.   

If its and buts were candy and nuts yada yada yada haha. There is rarely a year where a strong case couldnt be made that Central couldve/shouldve won the conference. Nothing is different this year...the problem is identifying why those and ifs and buts didnt come to fruition. I suppose if I could answer that, Id be getting paid to do so.

[D3Dutchman]

The offense has definitely looked challenged at times, and I think inexplicably so.  Lots of speed and talent, but not a lot of scoring to show for it...they don't seem improved from week to week...BUT, that's easy for me to say from the stands and my lazy boy.  Looked better today when they went up tempo, and I think they need to stick with that.  Not getting much mileage from the "standing in formation and looking at the sideline thing," plus it drives me crazy to watch.  I get what they are trying to do, but let's remember what the definition of crazy is. 

[Phred]

RECAPS and reflections

Simpson....going to the mid IIAC group.  Out of the race early!  Loras meets BV next...a loss.

DUBUQUE.....crown them now.  All others are pretenders.  Steve settles for second,

CENTRAL.........who said Dutch had a great defense?  Blinders!  Even Luther will pile big yards.

BEATIFUL VIEW......good luck, but

WARTBURG.........received a gift from the referee crew.  Warts are clearly second tier after seeing them on KCRG 9.2.  Really bad calls against Norse especially "taunting" in 4th Q.
QB's can't throw, RB is slow.......but OLine redeemed Wartburg.

LUTHER......may win another game.  More next year.








Good thing Maryland is joining the Big 10 plus ?  Possibly Hawkeyes could beat somebody!

[Phred]

It was obvious without replay, that 2 tacklers were on the Wartburg runner.  A third Luther guy suddenly stopped so to not pile on, waved his arms to keep balance and the ref called "taunting".  That play turned the game.  Refs gave a gift !

[warthog]

It may have been a terrible call,but since you were watching it on television, I don't know how you could tell.

There was no replay of the event, nor was there any audio to verify what may have or have not been said.

RECAPS and reflections

Simpson....going to the mid IIAC group.  Out of the race early!  Loras meets BV next...a loss.

DUBUQUE.....crown them now.  All others are pretenders.  Steve settles for second,

CENTRAL.........who said Dutch had a great defense?  Blinders!  Even Luther will pile big yards.

BEATIFUL VIEW......good luck, but

WARTBURG.........received a gift from the referee crew.  Warts are clearly second tier after seeing them on KCRG 9.2.  Really bad calls against Norse especially "taunting" in 4th Q.
QB's can't throw, RB is slow.......but OLine redeemed Wartburg.
LUTHER......may win another game.  More next year.


Good thing Maryland is joining the Big 10 plus ?  Possibly Hawkeyes could beat somebody!

[Willie University]

Dutch played a good game against what was probably an inferior opponent, but while the defense is solid (I wouldnt try to argue they are the best in the conference though  ) the offense just has too much talent to continually under perform like they are. I dont think, as a whole, the Dutch played any better this week than they have in previous, which is concerning....but a win is a win and im happy for the day.

With the big points by the Spartans today, holding them to 2 offensive touchdowns and Simpson to 14 points total, plus the goal line stands today makes for  strong argument.  If they were getting any help at all from the O they'd be 4-0 in conference play.  Of course this win was a fluke again, but thats just Willie U's future opinion.   

No, actually I picked central to win so no fluke. A fluke would be if a team was in the red zone about to score for the go ahead TD to seal the game and a pass gets deflected, intercepted and return for a TD. Run that same play 20 times and that only happens once.....hence, a fluke 

Yes, holding the Spartan offense to 2 TD's was impressive. However, that was also UD's worst offensive performance of the season so far. I already said after the game, central has possibly the 2nd best defense in the IIAC (possibly only because I haven't seen Wartburg yet); Of course the Spartans have the best defense IMHO.

Speaking of which.......WOW, what a dominating performance on both sides of the ball today. On offense, running and passing game both were clicking on all cylinders. Nice to have Acker more healthy the past 2 weeks but what a great job by the O-LINE from what I heard. Those big hogs deserve some credit for opening holes and protecting bradshaw. Another great performance by Bradshaw and WR's.

This years Spartans remind me a lot of the 2011 Spartans with 1 major difference....DEFENSE. I could name some names but there are really too many. The Spartan defense is one reason I am going to go out on a limb and say that the 2013 Spartans are better then the 2011 version. Not to take anything away from the guys that led UD to it's first IIAC championship in 30 years but we were mostly built around offense 2 years ago. Now, we have an offense that can score and a defense that can shut people down.

BTW, UWP barely beat UWSP today by 1 point. UWSP's only 2 losses to north central and UWP so far (both top 10 teams). I don't expect the Spartans to make the Top 25 yet but in my opinion after the dominating performance today and narrow loss to UWSP and 2 TD loss to UWP, I can't imagine they are far away. I suppose this next weekends game against wartburg just got bigger 

[D O.C.]

Phred....did you mean BEATIFY VIEW?
I didn't realize they were a Catholic Institution.

[notlongago]

Dutch played a good game against what was probably an inferior opponent, but while the defense is solid (I wouldnt try to argue they are the best in the conference though  ) the offense just has too much talent to continually under perform like they are. I dont think, as a whole, the Dutch played any better this week than they have in previous, which is concerning....but a win is a win and im happy for the day.

With the big points by the Spartans today, holding them to 2 offensive touchdowns and Simpson to 14 points total, plus the goal line stands today makes for  strong argument.  If they were getting any help at all from the O they'd be 4-0 in conference play.  Of course this win was a fluke again, but thats just Willie U's future opinion.   

No, actually I picked central to win so no fluke. A fluke would be if a team was in the red zone about to score for the go ahead TD to seal the game and a pass gets deflected, intercepted and return for a TD. Run that same play 20 times and that only happens once.....hence, a fluke 

Yes, holding the Spartan offense to 2 TD's was impressive. However, that was also UD's worst offensive performance of the season so far. I already said after the game, central has possibly the 2nd best defense in the IIAC (possibly only because I haven't seen Wartburg yet); Of course the Spartans have the best defense IMHO.

Speaking of which.......WOW, what a dominating performance on both sides of the ball today. On offense, running and passing game both were clicking on all cylinders. Nice to have Acker more healthy the past 2 weeks but what a great job by the O-LINE from what I heard. Those big hogs deserve some credit for opening holes and protecting bradshaw. Another great performance by Bradshaw and WR's.

This years Spartans remind me a lot of the 2011 Spartans with 1 major difference....DEFENSE. I could name some names but there are really too many. The Spartan defense is one reason I am going to go out on a limb and say that the 2013 Spartans are better then the 2011 version. Not to take anything away from the guys that led UD to it's first IIAC championship in 30 years but we were mostly built around offense 2 years ago. Now, we have an offense that can score and a defense that can shut people down.

BTW, UWP barely beat UWSP today by 1 point. UWSP's only 2 losses to north central and UWP so far (both top 10 teams). I don't expect the Spartans to make the Top 25 yet but in my opinion after the dominating performance today and narrow loss to UWSP and 2 TD loss to UWP, I can't imagine they are far away. I suppose this next weekends game against wartburg just got bigger 

Funny how that seems to happen against one of the better defenses they will face this year...what a coincidence.....

[coocooforcoekohawk]

definitely not shocked the Kohawks lost today.  Dubuque has proven they can win at K Ray and got prepared by playing good teams early.
Still love my Kohawks.

[Klompen]

BV played a great game against the Dutch today, I really felt empathy fot them coming out just barely short on the scoreboard in their games as they have.  Nice to see Central finally get a close win.  I knew going in that BV was much better than their record showed and had high hopes of seeing Central come out with a little fire in their bellies after feeling more than a bit cheated out of a win last week.  I thought it was gut check time and the Central team I thought was playoff calibre early on would show up and hopefuuly dominate.

Instead I felt neither the offense or defense really showed up for the game.  BV was dominating the game, but thankfully not the scoreboard.  In the fourth qtr, they were making a masterful, clock eating final drive that I was afraid would land us 0-3 in the conference when I thought we had a title contending team heading into conference play.  No doubt BV caught a break on the PI call in the endzone on an uncatchable ball.  The defense definitely came to life keeping BV out on what looked like 1st and goal from the 1" line.  Heck from my angled view point it looked like the nose of the ball was on the goal line waiting to be snapped.  I was feeling lucky that we were likely headed for OT.  Unbelievable play of the game on the blocked FG turned touchdown.  I would not have argued one bit with that being a fluke TD.  All I could think was thank goodness BV had chewed up the game clock.

Not sure the better team won today, but thankful for a very ugly, but exciting win.  That blocked FG turned TD has my vote for outstanding play of the week.

[warthog]

A week ago when BV lost to Wartburg I, like Klompen, thought the Beavers were a better team than advertised.