FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[FormerCard]

it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

Whew, feeling better already!  Usee is usually on the mark about the Bell game. 

Here's hoping that:
-Kniss/Fanthorpe come up with their best effort to date.
-Team is healthy.
-NCC is able to run the football effectively.
-Studebaker decides to run the marathon with Mugsy instead of playing football on Saturday!

I believe the race starts at 8:00am
He would still make the evening game and have 3 sacks. 

[matblake]

Sulo is definitely the best back that the Thunder has faced all year.  I'm sure the D-line will try, but you can't really expect to keep him under wraps every time he touches the ball.  

The question for me will be how the Naperville school offensive line plays.  Will they allow Sulo continued chances to make cuts?  What is the protection like on the pass?  Will they allow Kniss/Fanthorpe to be able to make some throws deeper down the field?  Currently, the longest pass for the Cardinals is 35 yards.  You have to challenge the Thunder secondary deep to keep them honest.  

[matblake]

it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

Whew, feeling better already!  Usee is usually on the mark about the Bell game. 

Here's hoping that:
-Kniss/Fanthorpe come up with their best effort to date.
-Team is healthy.
-NCC is able to run the football effectively.
-Studebaker decides to run the marathon with Mugsy instead of playing football on Saturday!

I believe the race starts at 8:00am
He would still make the evening game and have 3 sacks. 

Isn't the marathon on Sunday morning?  This is Studebaker we're talking about, he could get 5 sacks on Saturday night and still carry Mugsy his last 6 miles. 

[usee]

 Will they allow Kniss/Fanthorpe to be able to make some throws deeper down the field?  

It looks like they have decided on Fanthorpe as the main guy. Kniss only played 1 series in the first half vs NPU and then a little at the end of the game. The Thunder can expect to face Fanthorpe for a full game on saturday night.

[Mugsy]

it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

Whew, feeling better already!  Usee is usually on the mark about the Bell game. 

Here's hoping that:
-Kniss/Fanthorpe come up with their best effort to date.
-Team is healthy.
-NCC is able to run the football effectively.
-Studebaker decides to run the marathon with Mugsy instead of playing football on Saturday!

I believe the race starts at 8:00am
He would still make the evening game and have 3 sacks. 

Isn't the marathon on Sunday morning?  This is Studebaker we're talking about, he could get 5 sacks on Saturday night and still carry Mugsy his last 6 miles. 

yeah...

If it were on Saturday I'd be going to the game in Naperville that evening, even if I had to enter the stadium using the wheelchair access area.

[matblake]

 Will they allow Kniss/Fanthorpe to be able to make some throws deeper down the field?  

It looks like they have decided on Fanthorpe as the main guy. Kniss only played 1 series in the first half vs NPU and then a little at the end of the game. The Thunder can expect to face Fanthorpe for a full game on saturday night.

That makes sense, I think that the Naperville school supporters were bemoaning Fanthorpe's illness vs. Wash U.  Found the post

Listened to final quarter of the NCC-Wash U game on NCC radio and have now viewed the stats. 
Thru the 1st 2 games it seemed Fanthorpe was the more efficient QB so I was a little surprised that Kniss was playing. The radio announcers were being fairly critical of his passing during the time I was listening. Then, near the end of the game they really went crazy when he threw an interception. They described the play as Kniss trying to force a screen pass in among about 6 WU defenders. They made it sound like there was absolutely no chance the pass could have been caught by anyone other than a WU defender. Now I see that Fanthorpe didn't play at all.

[matblake]

If it (the marathon) were on Saturday I'd be going to the game in Naperville that evening, even if I had to enter the stadium using the wheelchair access area.

"Isn't that how you would normally get into the stadium?" Preemptive strike so that CardinalAlum doesn't have to waste his time typing it.   

[WahooThunder]

Being a Cardinal fan, I believe Wheaton has the upper hand this week.   Anybody have a line they want to set?  I would open with Wheaton -14.5

Being a rivalry game, the fact that it is in Naperville, and the fact that Wheaton has typically started slow in their games this year I would set it at Wheaton -10.5.

I will take Wheaton -10.5 then.

This is a sucker bet. I would put this spread at less than 7 for sure. Wheaton has a new qb, in naperville under lights, bell game. it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

Words of wisdom from usee... don't forget the game 2 years ago, that is the one thing that has been coming to my mind every time I think that this year's game is a sure thing.  That said, if Wheaton is able to shut down Sulo I could also see it being a blowout... but I'm not counting on it.

[Mugsy]

If it (the marathon) were on Saturday I'd be going to the game in Naperville that evening, even if I had to enter the stadium using the wheelchair access area.

"Isn't that how you would normally get into the stadium?" Preemptive strike so that CardinalAlum doesn't have to waste his time typing it.   

While I appreciate the thought... I think I'd rather force CardinalAlum to spend an hour trying to think of a response and then take another hour to use the "hunt and peck" typing method.  It's better to keep him busy that way.

[Mugsy]

Words of wisdom from usee... don't forget the game 2 years ago, that is the one thing that has been coming to my mind every time I think that this year's game is a sure thing.  That said, if Wheaton is able to shut down Sulo I could also see it being a blowout... but I'm not counting on it.

Not to state the obvious, but I see it coming down to the line play.  If NCC o-line can control Wheaton's front 7 allowing Sulo to run wild, then NCC has a good chance.  If Sulo is contained, then barring a large disparity in turnovers, Wheaton will likely win.

In the same way Wheaton's line can not allow 7 sacks like last week, and must provide lanes for Jackson, Hershey and/or Gingg to run effectively.  Wheaton needs to continue the balanced attack.

On paper (and that is a huge qualifier), I see Wheaton's secondary having the advantage over the NCC passing attack and likewise Wheaton's pass attack has the advantage over NCC pass defense.

[CardinalAlum]

If it (the marathon) were on Saturday I'd be going to the game in Naperville that evening, even if I had to enter the stadium using the wheelchair access area.

"Isn't that how you would normally get into the stadium?" Preemptive strike so that CardinalAlum doesn't have to waste his time typing it.   

Oh man, somebody is always ruining my fun!   

[usee]

Couple of thoughts about this upcoming weekend's games.
Elmhurst vs. Augie  I think the pressure is really on Augie coming off an unexpected loss at IWU.  Elmhurst has played Augie close the last 2 years and really made life difficult for the Vikings.    The 2007 Bluejays are a little better on defense and I look for them to really plug up the gaps forcing Augie to throw the ball more than they would like.
This year I don't have the feeling "Oh gosh, what's the score going to be?" going out to Rock Island, as I feel pretty confident that if Elmhurst plays how they can play,  they will have a great shot.

I have said it before and will likely again but the CCIW title will be won by the team that triumphs on the road. For this reason I see the pressure squarely on Elmhurst in this game. They haven't won a big road game (debate about win in Kenosha in 2006) and if they are to conted they have to win in Rock Island. I think the worst thing that could have happened to Elmhurst is to have IWU beat Augie last Saturday. They will come out like a wounded animal. They know they can make the playoffs if they win out and beating them at their place just got harder in my opinion.

I don't yet have an opinon on this game but will post my thoughts later in the week.

[FormerCard]

it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

Whew, feeling better already!  Usee is usually on the mark about the Bell game. 

Here's hoping that:
-Kniss/Fanthorpe come up with their best effort to date.
-Team is healthy.
-NCC is able to run the football effectively.
-Studebaker decides to run the marathon with Mugsy instead of playing football on Saturday!

I believe the race starts at 8:00am
He would still make the evening game and have 3 sacks. 

Isn't the marathon on Sunday morning?  This is Studebaker we're talking about, he could get 5 sacks on Saturday night and still carry Mugsy his last 6 miles. 

yeah, my bad...sunday am

[Mugsy]

I don't yet have an opinon on this game...

Wow... a rare occurrence.  

[Mugsy]

Being a Cardinal fan, I believe Wheaton has the upper hand this week.   Anybody have a line they want to set?  I would open with Wheaton -14.5

Being a rivalry game, the fact that it is in Naperville, and the fact that Wheaton has typically started slow in their games this year I would set it at Wheaton -10.5.

I will take Wheaton -10.5 then.

This is a sucker bet. I would put this spread at less than 7 for sure. Wheaton has a new qb, in naperville under lights, bell game. it's going to be closer than anyone thinks in my view.

I would have to disagree with you there Usee.  I have seen both teams play and this a dominant Wheaton team who is playing well.  I do not see us moving the ball on Wheatons D.  We are way to one-dimensional.   

I have seen plenty of sucker bets, this is not one of them.

If you would like to take NC +6  (less then 7 points, like you said)  I will gladly do that with you.


That being said...I would really like NC to win this game and next week be talking about a CCIW championship because we looked 10 times better in week 5 than we did in weeks 3 and 4.

well, after I posted this I noticed the spread on the OAC pickems is Wheaton -13.5. 8)

You mention the game should be tighter than most think (less than 7 points), yet you are taking Wheaton to cover the 13.5 points over on the OAC pick-em's.