FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

New poll is up.  NCC didn't rise, but gained 21 points (cutting the gap on #4 St. Thomas from 44 to 20).  Wheaton fell only 3 slots (15 to 18), despite losing 127 points.  After being shut out last week, IWU rejoined ORV with 2 points.

While officially the poll is absolutely irrelevant to seeding, this is good news just in case!  IMO (assuming no upsets this coming week) UWW, Mt. Union, and Wesley have #1 seeds, with the 4th #1 between the Tommies and the Cards.  Let's keep UWW out of the 'north'!

[Titan Q]

Wheaton hosted THREE conference championships today (all in football/futbol):

NCC 28, Wheaton 6
(men) NPU 3, Wheaton 2 (OT)
(women) IWU 0, Wheaton 0 (IWU wins shootout, 3-1)

Who'd a thunk the Thunder would go 0 for 3?!

(In fairness, I still consider Wheaton to be among the favorites to go all the way in both men's and women's soccer [especially women's].)

I think Wheaton actually hosted four CCIW championship games yesterday...volleyball too?  That is crazy...4 in one day.

[Titan Q]

So what would the spread be if North Central and NAIA St. Xavier (11-0) squared off on a neutral field?

http://www.sxucougars.com/sport/0/5.php

(Being a Brother Rice grad, I'm always interested in the happenings between 103rd & 99th, and Pulaski and Central Park.  SXU seems to be really good.)

[footballfan413]

So what would the spread be if North Central and NAIA St. Xavier (11-0) squared off on a neutral field?

http://www.sxucougars.com/sport/0/5.php

(Being a Brother Rice grad, I'm always interested in the happenings between 103rd & 99th, and Pulaski and Central Park.  SXU seems to be really good.)

I might be able to throw in a little perspective on this by using 3 past games with the Warhawks as a common opponent as a basis for comparison.  In 2004-05, we played a home-home series against the Cougars and found the games to be very competitive.  I believe they were ranked about 14th-16th in the NAIA at the time and are now ranked 3rd this season.  Hawks won in 2004, 19-10 and in 2005, (first Stagg Bowl appearance,) 34-20.  I personally feel that while they came up short in Salem, in many ways, the 05 team was the most talented of our teams the last 5 years and SXU played them tough.  The first Stagg champs beat NC 59-28 in 07.  NCC appears to be a better team this season than the 07 version we played, at least defensively I am told, and SXU appears to be better than the version we played in 04-05 so in grasping at straws to come up with an answer to your hypothetical question using empirical data that probably means absolutely nothing, I am going to go out on a limb and say that.....................Cougars/Cardinals win by 3!!!!!!  
  Seriously, if both teams are better, my gut tells me to fear the Cougars over the Cards for what it is worth but I would expect a very competitive game between the two that could go either way. Much on the NAIA is a joke, especially considering they give scholarships but the top is not, IMHO.    

[Son of Tailgater]

Blah Blah Blah.....all this yakking, what if's and pondering over who, what, where, when, why during the NCC/Wheaton game has given me a splitting headache after reading the last four or five pages. Suffice it to say....Congratulations to NCC for their big win and soon to be crowned CCIW conference title along with the AQ. Congratulations to Wheaton who with a victory in the final week will be 9-1, receive a pool C selection and will also represent the CCIW in the playoffs. Two fine and deserving programs to represent the CCIW in post season play. What a great thing for our conference to be able to have sent 2 teams to the playoffs in many of the past several years. Yes they both have to play the games first next week, but.......

So if Wheaton should happen to face NCC in the playoffs would the Brass Bell again be up for grabs?  

I think it is safe to say that you and I are pretty salty about both the IWU and the Wheaton games with Carthage this year. Both games that they "could" have one or were in but it didn't work out. Regardless, NCC has made it clear that they are #1 in the CCIW.

The only question I have for NCC this weekend is.....do you give starters/ dinged up guys a week off next week or do you go full throttle for the first half and then make sure to fine tune key traveling back ups?

If IWU wins this weekend do they even have a shot to get in? I am not sure but am doubtful as I think Hanover or Wabash would get in before them.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Barring wholesale carnage this Saturday, there are just too many worthy one-loss teams for ANY two-loss team to have a chance.

[02 Warhawk]

So what would the spread be if North Central and NAIA St. Xavier (11-0) squared off on a neutral field?

http://www.sxucougars.com/sport/0/5.php

(Being a Brother Rice grad, I'm always interested in the happenings between 103rd & 99th, and Pulaski and Central Park.  SXU seems to be really good.)

NCC would be the favored

[Mugsy]

So what would the spread be if North Central and NAIA St. Xavier (11-0) squared off on a neutral field?

http://www.sxucougars.com/sport/0/5.php

(Being a Brother Rice grad, I'm always interested in the happenings between 103rd & 99th, and Pulaski and Central Park.  SXU seems to be really good.)

<In the best South-side Chicago accent possible>

What would be the spread if North Central and Ditka squared off on a neutral field?   

[Mugsy]

Congrats to CCIW Players of the Week:

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Elmhurst's Scottie Williams, North Central's Matt Wenger and Illinois Wesleyan's Bret Swango were named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Football Players of the Week Monday.

Williams, a sophomore running back from Woodridge, Ill., and Downers Grove South High School, rushed for 175 yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win over Augustana on Saturday. The win was the Bluejays' first over the Vikings since 1979. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and scored on touchdown runs of eight, four and six yards. He also caught one pass for 15 yards to account for 190 yards on the day. Williams has now rushed for 1,108 yards, becoming the first Bluejay to eclipse 1,100 rushing yards since the 1985 season. He needs only 58 yards to become the Bluejays' new single-season record holder for rushing yardage. Williams is a Marketing major.

Wenger, a senior linebacker from Davis, Ill., and Dakota High School, finished with a game-high 13 tackles, one short of his season high, during the Cardinals' 28-6 win over Wheaton on Saturday. The win clinched North Central at least a share of its fifth-straight CCIW title. Wenger also turned in two tackles for loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass as the Cardinals surrendered their lowest yardage total in CCIW play this season. Wenger is a Management/Economics/Finance major.

Swango, a junior defensive back from Cuba, Ill., and Cuba High School, scored two touchdowns in the first quarter on blocked punts during the Titans' 49-42 win over Carthage on Saturday. Swango ran the first punt, which was blocked by Ted Delicath (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone), 20 yards for a score to give Illinois Wesleyan a 10-0 lead with 6:24 to play in the first quarter. The second blocked punt, this time by P.J. Cummings (Chicago, Ill./Niles-Notre Dame), was scooped up at the 2-yard line and run in to give the Titans a 17-0 lead with five minutes to go in the first quarter. Swango is a Business major.

[Pat Coleman]

Ahh, Mugsy, that's a trick question. NO field is neutral when Ditka is involved.

[Stagg Again!!]

Congrats to CCIW Players of the Week:

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Elmhurst's Scottie Williams, North Central's Matt Wenger and Illinois Wesleyan's Bret Swango were named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Football Players of the Week Monday.

Williams, a sophomore running back from Woodridge, Ill., and Downers Grove South High School, rushed for 175 yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win over Augustana on Saturday. The win was the Bluejays' first over the Vikings since 1979. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and scored on touchdown runs of eight, four and six yards. He also caught one pass for 15 yards to account for 190 yards on the day. Williams has now rushed for 1,108 yards, becoming the first Bluejay to eclipse 1,100 rushing yards since the 1985 season. He needs only 58 yards to become the Bluejays' new single-season record holder for rushing yardage. Williams is a Marketing major.

Wenger, a senior linebacker from Davis, Ill., and Dakota High School, finished with a game-high 13 tackles, one short of his season high, during the Cardinals' 28-6 win over Wheaton on Saturday. The win clinched North Central at least a share of its fifth-straight CCIW title. Wenger also turned in two tackles for loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass as the Cardinals surrendered their lowest yardage total in CCIW play this season. Wenger is a Management/Economics/Finance major.

Swango, a junior defensive back from Cuba, Ill., and Cuba High School, scored two touchdowns in the first quarter on blocked punts during the Titans' 49-42 win over Carthage on Saturday. Swango ran the first punt, which was blocked by Ted Delicath (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone), 20 yards for a score to give Illinois Wesleyan a 10-0 lead with 6:24 to play in the first quarter. The second blocked punt, this time by P.J. Cummings (Chicago, Ill./Niles-Notre Dame), was scooped up at the 2-yard line and run in to give the Titans a 17-0 lead with five minutes to go in the first quarter. Swango is a Business major.

Might this have clinched the DPOY for Wenger?

[New Tradition]

/quote]
The only question I have for NCC this weekend is.....do you give starters/ dinged up guys a week off next week or do you go full throttle for the first half and then make sure to fine tune key traveling back ups?

My guess would be that people that are even the slightest bit dinged up will probably not see the field much, but I would imagine that if starters are healthy that they will play until the game is well in hand.  I spoke with Coach Ponx after the game last week and he didn't even want to talk about the fact that they just beat Wheaton.  His mind was already on shutting down the Vikings.  That's pretty amazing considering the magnitude of the game they had just won.  I'm sure the players have the same mindset and won't take North Park lightly.  Can't have any let down here.

[New Tradition]

So if Wheaton should happen to face NCC in the playoffs would the Brass Bell again be up for grabs?  

I don't believe so.

[footballfan413]

So what would the spread be if North Central and NAIA St. Xavier (11-0) squared off on a neutral field?

http://www.sxucougars.com/sport/0/5.php

(Being a Brother Rice grad, I'm always interested in the happenings between 103rd & 99th, and Pulaski and Central Park.  SXU seems to be really good.)

<In the best South-side Chicago accent possible>

What would be the spread if North Central and Ditka  Bill Brasky squared off on a neutral field?   

Fixed it for ya.   
http://www.hulu.com/watch/70821/saturday-night-live-bill-brasky-little-league

[Mr. Ypsi]

/quote]
The only question I have for NCC this weekend is.....do you give starters/ dinged up guys a week off next week or do you go full throttle for the first half and then make sure to fine tune key traveling back ups?

My guess would be that people that are even the slightest bit dinged up will probably not see the field much, but I would imagine that if starters are healthy that they will play until the game is well in hand.  I spoke with Coach Ponx after the game last week and he didn't even want to talk about the fact that they just beat Wheaton.  His mind was already on shutting down the Vikings.  That's pretty amazing considering the magnitude of the game they had just won.  I'm sure the players have the same mindset and won't take North Park lightly.  Can't have any let down here.

That is classic coach mindset, but it is almost inconceivable that NCC could have SUCH a letdown that they win by less than 6 TDs.