FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[usee]

You haven't? This is the second year of it!

I wasn't aware Augustana/Wheaton was a big rivalry game AUGIE2000. What's the trophy?

Pat-that explains it. i am running at least 2 years behind.

augiedogie-while the wheaton/augie rivalry has flourished the past 10 years it doesn't hold a candle to wabash/depaw and some of the other rivalries listed. I personally view IWU as wheaton's biggest rival. as i have said before it would be ok if we were 1-9 as long as the 1 was IWU. that makes this year particularly painful but a win this saturday will cure most of that.

[redman04]

I wasn't aware Augustana/Wheaton was a big rivalry game AUGIE2000. What's the trophy?

Maybe we could get a new one started.  They could play for the Coleman Cup!

[CardinalAlum]

Usee, Pat,

Do you really feel that our 1st round game has no chance of being at home?(assuming that we beat North Park)

Secondly, is Mt. Union looking like a real possibility?

[usee]

On the augie v wheaton game this week:

there is no question in my mind that wheaton will try and run the football at augie. the thunder defense is playing well and is an entirely different defense than augie saw a year ago (same is true of augie). wheaton's defense is not far behind carthage's in terms of defensive front. i expect this to be a fast game w low scoring and a few big plays and turnovers making the difference. the big difference is that wheaton can go ahead and try to run it 60x this weekend but have the ability to pass the ball down the field for big plays. I think wheaton can stand in there toe to toe w augie in a grind it out game for most of the way. however, if it gets to the 4th quarter wheaton better have a lead or it could be trouble. the strength of the augie team in my view is the ability to go the length of the field w 5min or less left in the game for a grind it out game winning score. they have done that consistently against all the best teams (see ncc last week). they have done that to wheaton the last 2 years but have left too much time for wheaton to respond. i don't think wheaton has the firepower to do this again so they better have it in hand prior to the last half of the 4th quarter.

[redman04]

augiedogie-while the wheaton/augie rivalry has flourished the past 10 years it doesn't hold a candle to wabash/depaw and some of the other rivalries listed. I personally view IWU as wheaton's biggest rival. as i have said before it would be ok if we were 1-9 as long as the 1 was IWU. that makes this year particularly painful but a win this saturday will cure most of that.

I think that this conference has so many teams that love to play against each other that almost every week is the biggest of the year.  For example, I'm with Jaybird I always thought that Elmhurst was a big game for Carthage, but it is not really a rival.  The only trophy game that Carthage has is the "Old Musket" game against Carrol.  That one started from when Carrol was in the CCIW.

[redman04]

On the augie v wheaton game this week:

there is no question in my mind that wheaton will try and run the football at augie.

From what I saw them do to Carthage, they should run the ball 90% of the time.  They looked very good at it.

[79jaybird]

I see the Montagues and the Capulets are still whining/*itching/whatever you want to call it  at each other about the Augie/NC game.  People, the *amn game is over and no matter how much talk the score isn't going to change.  Attitudes, game plans, and execution can change.  What's that old prayer???  God give me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
I'm happy the CCIW will get 2 teams in and I hope both go far in the playoffs.  Could you imagine (and I know this can't happen) 2 CCIW playing for a Nat'l Championship.
What's the outlook for Carthage this weekend?  I'm looking forward to the "arch rival" game.  Elmhurst is 6-4, 4-6 and currently 6-3 right now.  Signs that the program is ready to take the next step after many seasons in the 1990's of 2-3 wins.  Looking forward to a great game this weekend.

[Brick]

To be a rivalry game does there have to be a trophy?

[augiedogie]

Usee:

I wasn't the one asking why the Augie vs Wheaton rivalry wasn't on the front page. I just made the comment that it is the biggest rivalry in the CCIW today in terms of who is conference champs.

[79jaybird]

Usually there is a trophy for a rivalry game  i.e. Cortaca Jug, Paul Bunyon Ax, Oaken Bucket, etc.  but not always.  Many rivalries are based on geography and sometimes which school you love the beat the most. 

[CardinalAlum]

I see the Montagues and the Capulets are still whining/*itching/whatever you want to call it  at each other about the Augie/NC game.  People, the *amn game is over and no matter how much talk the score isn't going to change.  Attitudes, game plans, and execution can change.  What's that old prayer???  God give me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Actually, nobody has talked about it for a good 16 hours or so until you brought it up again.  Follow your own advice and move on.

[redman04]

Besides the little brass bell are there any other CCIW games that are "trophy games"

Sorry for my ignorance

[cardinal20]

Thinking in BCS mode:

How much will it hurt the Cards playoff chances if they struggle with North Park, but still win? I'm sure that would hurt them in one way or another. i.e. it could cost them a potential home game in the first round.

P.S. I don't envision the Cards struggling, but stranger things have happened.

[CardinalAlum]

Just looking into the regional seedings and teams that are considered in, I agree with USee and don't see how NCC gets a home playoff game.  Mount Union could very well be the opening game for the beloved Cardinals in Alliance. 

[usee]

there are a number of scenarios in my view that need to play out to correctly determine who plays where/whom in the playoffs. none of those scenarios have anything to do w ncc and how they play v north park. as long as they win they are in and whether they get a home game is out of their hands. heres what i think are the issues:

MUC will beat cellardwellar heidleberg and be a top 3 seed in the north
wabash will be a top 4 seed win or lose v depauw
an augie win makes them a top 4 seed in my view

many are calling for whitewater to move north as the #1 or #2. the committee has never done this (but they might). they usually move a lower seed to balance things out. the problem with that is the west has 5 undefeated teams ranked high and if wabash loses saturday, the north will have none.assuming no two loss teams get in, the committee needs to move 2 teams to the north and since there are probably 10 west teams eligible, two can move easily to the north. the candidates are: whitwater, monmouth, central, coe. i think monmouth is easy since its in illinois an hour from augie. whitewater is also just 91 miles north but they come w a #1 or #2 seed. central is also proximal. so possible brackets could be:

Wabash
MUC
augie
monmouth
ncc
mt st joe
albion
central

or

UWW
wabash
muc
augie
monmouth
ncc
mt st joe
albion

the many variables to seeding include augie's outcome saturday, wabash outcome saturday, who the committee moves and where they seed them, etc. if they end up taking a 2 loss team, the only team that qualifies in my mind is capital (although there is a 3 way in the oac w ONU, JCU but cap wins on qow).

so in short, who knows?

look for pat's playoff projections on the main page later in the week. he is usually pretty accurate.