FB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

Luther is a tough situation to figure out.  The Norse seem to be competitive in most other sports, so you would think football would be similar.  Only 2nd hand stories from me, but you hear stories about football recruits needing a 25 ACT to be admitted.  When my daughter and I toured Luther the wrestling alum admissions counselor told us he scored a 20 on his ACT.  Now maybe the story about football players needing a 25 are false, and it is possible that admissions counselor was trying to make my daughter feel better about getting a 22 on her ACT, I don't know.  To me it doesn't make sense the overall Norse athletic department is typically near the top of the all-sports trophy but their football team lags behind.

For the conference overall at this point of the season, it looks like Central and Wartburg are ahead of all other teams, Coe and Dubuque appear to be a notch below the Dutch and Knights, BVU, Loras, Luther, NWU, and Simpson are a notch below the Kohawks and Spartans.  Still a lot of football to be played and I have no idea how it will all shake out. 

[doolittledog]

10/23/2021 games...

Loras @ Central  1pm
Dubuque @ Wartburg  1pm
BVU @ Simpson  1pm
Luther @ Coe  1pm

Central is on a roll...that roll won't slow down against the Duhawks.  Dutch with the home victory.   

Dubuque is a decent team, but Wartburg always seems to have an answer for anything the Spartans can throw at them.  Wartburg with the home win.

Every week there is one game I have no idea how it will turn out.  BVU @ Simpson is this weeks version of that.  I'm going with home cooking and a Storm win in Indianola.

Coe, like Dubuque is a decent team, but not necessarily on par with Central/Wartburg.  Luther might already be looking towards 2022.  4 home wins this week, with a Coe victory. 

[5 Words or Less]

Luther inducted two teams into the athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday - the 1955 team that won the Corn Bowl against Western Illinois and the 1970 squad that was defeated in the Amos Alanzo Stagg Bowl in 1970.  oldNorse was proud to have played and coached in both of Luther's bowl appearances.  Saturday's game wasn't much to behold but it was fun hearing players recall stories from the past.

[Schipper Strong]

10/23/2021 games...

Loras @ Central  1pm
Dubuque @ Wartburg  1pm
BVU @ Simpson  1pm
Luther @ Coe  1pm

Central will be locked and loaded after a weekend off. Dutch roll.

Wartburg and Dubuque is a toss up for me. Central is much better this year than 2019. Is that why Wartburg was a relatively easy win or is Wartburg down? I give UD respect for beating Central easily in 2019, but Simpson played them fairly close after the blowout with Central. Prior to that game I picked UD, now I give the nod to Wartburg.

BVU surprised me last weekend. So did Simpson. Did Simpson find something that works? Hard to pick them after our game. I will go with BVU for the win.

Coe gets an easy win.

[Outside the Crate]

The idea that Luther requires a 25 ACT for football players is complete nonsense.  Nonsense!  Admission standards have nothing to do with their football team's demise.  In point of fact, Wartburg consistently has more academic honors for its football team than any other team in the conference, including Luther.  Since I wrote my comment about the Luther-Wartburg game I've heard from a good source that Luther has some big issues in the athletic department with regard to football.  I'm betting there will be a coaching change.   And, yes, this last weekend Luther honored two great former football teams.  Remember Bernie Peters?  He was back.  Can you imagine how embarrassing their current team's performance was for those alumni? Sad, sad, sad.

[Schipper Strong]

Can't wait to go watch Central play again today. Hard to believe there are only 4 games left in the regular season. It was such a long wait, even with the two games and a scrimmage last spring. No conference championship or playoffs to compete for took much of the excitement out of those games. The season has gone too fast! Go Dutch! Keep rolling along. Everyone stay healthy!

[Schipper Strong]

Another great first half for the Dutch! Start of the second was good too. Then the subs came in and the Central machine seems to grind to a halt. Another 650 yards of offense for the Dutch. Another day of fantastic running the offense by Hawkins. He broke his own record for most passes without an interception, added 6 more passing TDs and one rushing to his credit. He just simply shines. He was not alone though. Egli was phenomenal today with three interceptions! It would just be so nice to keep the momentum going once the starters come out. This is a team that rates up there with the best in a storied Central football history. Keep the focus guys!

[doolittledog]

Conference games thus far...
BVU = Through 5 conference games has shown they only lose to teams from Dubuque 
Central = Potent offense, they are who we thought they were
Coe = Good team, just not Central or Wartburg level
Dubuque = Good team, just not Central or Wartburg level
Loras = better than BVU, Luther, NWU, Simpson...not better then Central, Coe, Dubuque, Wartburg?
Luther = Norse need to hang in there and look to next year
NWU = Battling it out with Simpson to beat someone other than Luther
Simpson = Battling it out with NWU to beat someone other than Luther
Wartburg = Better than everyone but Central

Does that sound right?  I'm not paying as close of attention as I normally do.

[BLynn]

Schipper Strong: how far do you see this Central going in the Playoffs? Quarters? further?

[Schipper Strong]

Schipper Strong: how far do you see this Central going in the Playoffs? Quarters? further?

That is hard to say because of our location. I have been watching Central football for decades and have seen them play in 3 championship games. This team ranks up there with all three of the teams that made it to the Stagg Bowl including the team that won it if you flip the offensive and defensive strengths. That team had 5 shutouts, this team can out score and put the reserves in early.

The problem with saying how far we can go is that in an attempt  to save money, Central is driving distance to St Johns, Whitewater, Wheaton and  North Central. Central has beaten Whitewater and St Johns in the past and this Central team is better than the one that lost badly to Wheaton last year. But any of those teams is going to be a huge challenge. Then again a prior Central team played Mary Hardin Baylor down there and gave them a fantastic game. I believe in this Central team. I think it could be the best we ever had and I have seen all of the best ones. They could go all the way or one or two and done. They have to beat the best to do so and maybe over and over again because the best are too close! The best team they are playing is the next team they are playing. One game at a time, keep the focus.

[Schipper Strong]

Conference games thus far...
BVU = Through 5 conference games has shown they only lose to teams from Dubuque 
Central = Potent offense, they are who we thought they were
Coe = Good team, just not Central or Wartburg level
Dubuque = Good team, just not Central or Wartburg level
Loras = better than BVU, Luther, NWU, Simpson...not better then Central, Coe, Dubuque, Wartburg?
Luther = Norse need to hang in there and look to next year
NWU = Battling it out with Simpson to beat someone other than Luther
Simpson = Battling it out with NWU to beat someone other than Luther
Wartburg = Better than everyone but Central

Does that sound right?  I'm not paying as close of attention as I normally do.

Central's starting defense is pretty good too. Most opponents points come in 4 th qtr. I would say you have it right.

[Schipper Strong]

Congratulations to the #9 Central Dutch.

[doolittledog]

10/30/2021...

Central @ Luther  1pm
Coe @ Dubuque  1pm
Simpson @ NWU  1pm
Wartburg @ BVU  1pm

Central seems to be a team of destiny right now.  Luther is having a forgettable season.  Dutch win
Dubuque offense worries me, but the Spartans are 8-2 in their last 10 against Coe, including a win last spring with this same offense.  Spartans win.
Simpson @ NWU could be a fun one.  Both teams will be motivated to get the win.  I will go with the home team.
Will the Beavers catch the Knights napping after that long drive over on Hwy 20?  I think not, Wartburg wins and BVU will finally lose a conference game outside of the Dubuque city limits. 

[Schipper Strong]

10/30/2021...

Central @ Luther  1pm
Coe @ Dubuque  1pm
Simpson @ NWU  1pm
Wartburg @ BVU  1pm

Central keeps the focus and puts more records seemingly out of reach with a win at Luther.
Coe and Dubuque should be a good game. Dubuque is not the team they were in 2019, but home field advantage should give them the win.
Simpson and NWU could be another good game. NWU played well against Central, but has not reached my expectations. Simpson surprised me by showing up to get out of the cellar against Luther. They also gave UD a decent game. Will the real Simpson team please stand up? By our games with both teams, NWU should win easily. NWU has home field advantage. I have to go with NWU for the win, but if Simpson wins I won't, no sorry, I would still probably be surprised.
BV is improving as a team over prior recent years, but Wartburg wants desperately to stay in the playoff hunt. Wartburg wants to prove something with a big win.

[Schipper Strong]

Congratulations to Wartburg's Jordan Downing and Central's Brayden Egli fir making the D3 Team of the Week!