FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Oh, Mugsy, Wags, here.  Still waiting for your game prediction for IWU vs. NCC.  You officianado you!! 

Come on NCC fans, show Mugsy some love!  He has had a very tough week since last Saturday! 

Ok... in line with Mike & Mike's "Prediction sure to go wrong..."  The real question to me is how healthy is Ladd?

I view IWU's defense as stronger than Wheaton's, but without a healthy Ladd the IWU offense isn't quite as good as Wheaton's.  Game is at Bloomington...

So I'm thinking NCC comes out on top 24-10.

OK, I see why you wouldn't give me a 20-point spread on pickems.  So ... a 14-point spread?

I say again... prediction sure to go wrong.  So either a 3 point spread or 35!

OK, I accept 35!  I'll remember that for pickems!

[And will continue to hope I need no spread at all! ]

[Mr. Ypsi]

I think the Titans will surprise a lot of people on Saturday...including the Cardinals.  The IWU receiving corps will benefit greatly from Ladd's return, and the change of pace offense that Rooney directs for a few series every game should keep the Cards on their heels.  No doubt that NCC is a well-established, sound team, but they still have to play the game.  I stick by my prediction, a very competitive game: IWU 28, NCC 24.

Yeah, after a dominating offensive performance  in a loss against Millikin (13 points) and then hanging an impressive 7 points on Augie and a big 20 spot on Elmhurst, I can see IWU putting up 4 touchdowns against North Central and limiting the #1 ranked offense in the country to 24 points.

Makes complete sense.

But thats why you play the game, right Berman?    ahhh..i love ESPN

And Ladd was not present for the IWU offensive numbers you cited.

Ladd is a good quarterback, no doubt.  However, I think the Cards have already seen the second best QB in the conference (next to Fanthorpe) in Jones.  Ladd is good, Jones is better.  And the Carthage numbers are skewed because any time you pass 84 times a game, there will be a lot of yards... that's just the way it is.  The "change of pace" offense you speak of will not be anything that NCC hasn't seen in the past.  Knowing how well the Cards prepare for the game, they'll be ready for anything IWU can throw at them.  They also have an extremely fast defense.  Again, the d-line will be able to get pressure on Ladd, and will be able to stuff the run.

To that, my only response is: IWU 42, Carthage 16 (seemingly Ladd's last healthy game).

[SaintsFAN]

To that, my only response is: IWU 42, Carthage 16 (seemingly Ladd's last healthy game).

Looks like Ryan Coleman shares this perspective in "Triple Take" ---- Sounds like it could be a great game. 

[Son of Tailgater]

SOT, you whiffed on NCC's playoff record. They have three wins in the last four years - CUW, Franklin, and Tommie Moore. They lost to two very good Capital teams, UWW, and Franklin. They have three straight CCIW titles and four straight playoff appearances. The 2005 Carthage season doesn't compare to the run that NCC is on. Like it or not, the CCIW title goes through Naperville (Prior to that, it went through Wheaton).

Opps yeah I did whiff on those stats. No sure how I missed it. Thank you for the correction. I used the main page but it looks like I can't count wins and losses.

BTW, in no way did I even try to compare the Carthage 2004 season to any of NCC's last four years. I just stated that out of all of the recent playoff runs that NCC's have been the shortest.

[CardinalAlum]

I didn't think that fans and parents could choose who the archrivals are??  Learn something new everyday.

Mugsy... I know Wheaton will be back next year --- with a healthy Gingg..  I saw them play at MUC last year in the Semi-finals and was very impressed with the poise at QB and how Swider coached the guys up.  Solid program.

Sorry about whiffing on who SOT was affiliated with..

I am just glad you didn't associate me with IWU, Coach Rucks has been all over me since I was moved down here for work. He keeps asking me how Norm is doing, how many green shirts I have....ect  

Note to all: there ARE worse things in life than rooting for the Titans!

Sure, there's the Taliban and the Packers!!  Other than that.....  

[CardinalAlum]

I keep waiting for Mugsy to come defend himself against these vile slurs - he must be in a coma.

Who is this Mugsy guy you keep referring to?     Ohhhhh, that guy!!  The Wheatie fan!! 

[ncc58]

I didn't think that fans and parents could choose who the archrivals are??  Learn something new everyday.

Mugsy... I know Wheaton will be back next year --- with a healthy Gingg..  I saw them play at MUC last year in the Semi-finals and was very impressed with the poise at QB and how Swider coached the guys up.  Solid program.

Sorry about whiffing on who SOT was affiliated with..

I am just glad you didn't associate me with IWU, Coach Rucks has been all over me since I was moved down here for work. He keeps asking me how Norm is doing, how many green shirts I have....ect  

Note to all: there ARE worse things in life than rooting for the Titans!

Sure, there's the Taliban and the Packers!!  Other than that.....  

All things green!!!

[oldnuthin]

I didn't think that fans and parents could choose who the archrivals are??  Learn something new everyday.

Mugsy... I know Wheaton will be back next year --- with a healthy Gingg..  I saw them play at MUC last year in the Semi-finals and was very impressed with the poise at QB and how Swider coached the guys up.  Solid program.

Sorry about whiffing on who SOT was affiliated with..

I am just glad you didn't associate me with IWU, Coach Rucks has been all over me since I was moved down here for work. He keeps asking me how Norm is doing, how many green shirts I have....ect  

Note to all: there ARE worse things in life than rooting for the Titans!

Sure, there's the Taliban and the Packers!!  Other than that.....  

All things green!!!

The Taliban team colors are green?

[Gregory Sager]

I didn't think that fans and parents could choose who the archrivals are??  Learn something new everyday.

Mugsy... I know Wheaton will be back next year --- with a healthy Gingg..  I saw them play at MUC last year in the Semi-finals and was very impressed with the poise at QB and how Swider coached the guys up.  Solid program.

Sorry about whiffing on who SOT was affiliated with..

I am just glad you didn't associate me with IWU, Coach Rucks has been all over me since I was moved down here for work. He keeps asking me how Norm is doing, how many green shirts I have....ect  

Note to all: there ARE worse things in life than rooting for the Titans!

Sure, there's the Taliban and the Packers!!  Other than that.....  

All things green!!!

The Taliban team colors are green?

Well, green is the sacred color of Islam, and many Islamic countries have green flags.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I just did an early peek at scoreboard, and the only link they have up for NCC @ IWU is audio.  Anyone know of video or livestats links?

[Titan Q]

The Pantagraph article on the NCC @ IWU game...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-wesleyan/article_e5b85312-c5b5-11de-a721-001cc4c03286.html

[Titan Q]

I just did an early peek at scoreboard, and the only link they have up for NCC @ IWU is audio.  Anyone know of video or livestats links?

All CCIW teams have live stats.  Just go to IWU's site, or CCIW.org.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I think the Titans will surprise a lot of people on Saturday...including the Cardinals.  The IWU receiving corps will benefit greatly from Ladd's return, and the change of pace offense that Rooney directs for a few series every game should keep the Cards on their heels.  No doubt that NCC is a well-established, sound team, but they still have to play the game.  I stick by my prediction, a very competitive game: IWU 28, NCC 24.

Yeah, after a dominating offensive performance  in a loss against Millikin (13 points) and then hanging an impressive 7 points on Augie and a big 20 spot on Elmhurst, I can see IWU putting up 4 touchdowns against North Central and limiting the #1 ranked offense in the country to 24 points.

Makes complete sense.

But thats why you play the game, right Berman?    ahhh..i love ESPN

While I hope to never understand the loss to Millikin, who still got only 19, 7 by their defense (we had 3.5 times the first downs and 2.5 times the yardage ), you forgot to mention that we shut out Augie and held Elmhurst to 7.  I'm not sure it will happen, but I see nothing illogical about holding "the #1 ranked offense" to 24.

And Ladd was not present for the IWU offensive numbers you cited.

NCC is obviously the favorite on Saturday.  I, for one, am not conceding them the game.

I just went back and checked the IWU/Millikin box.  My apologies to the Titan defense for under-crediting them!

Millikin's very first drive went 80 yards for a TD (apparently the Titan defense overslept that day); after that MU gained 78 yards the rest of the day!  Other than that first TD, none of the scoring can really be faulted on the Titan defense.  MU had a pick-6, got 2 on a return of a blocked PAT, and got a FG after a blocked punt.  (They did gain 13 yds in 5 plays after the block, so maybe the defense can be faulted for the 31[instead of 44]-yd FG, but I'd prefer to give them kudos for only a FG instead of a TD!)

[Pat Coleman]

To that, my only response is: IWU 42, Carthage 16 (seemingly Ladd's last healthy game).

Looks like Ryan Coleman shares this perspective in "Triple Take" ---- Sounds like it could be a great game. 

Ryan Tipps or Pat Coleman -- Ryan Coleman isn't part of the Triple Take crew. He's our photographer and lead tech person.

[hyrooster]

One factor I think many are missing for the NCC/IWU game is the fact that it'll be played in a mud bowl. I understand they still have a grass field. I've seen many "favored" teams with big time offenses get beat by the elements and these types of playing conditions feed right into the strengths of a good defense. If IWU's D is as good as eveyone says ( i haven't seen them play) then these type of conditions could make for a much closer game than anyone thinks.
Another factor that any player who's played for Coach Thorne will tell you is that as much as NCC doesn't want to lose to WC due to the cross town rivalry he really hates losing to IWU since he graduated from there. I can promise you that NCC went through a week of HELL in practice. 
Same as last week i think you'll see a low scoring game.
Prediction:
NCC - 21
IWU - 20