FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

Finally! It's put up or shut up Round 1! Thoughts on IWU/Wheaton?

[Titan Q]

#13 Wheaton @ #23 Illinois Wesleyan Saturday in Bloomington.  Obviously a huge game with CCIW championship implications.

Based on what I've seen online from IWU and Wheaton this year, I struggle to find any separation at all between the two heading into this one.  I think these are two extremely evenly matched teams.

IWU has won four in a row vs Wheaton in Bloomington... 

2011: IWU 24 WC 19
2009: IWU 20 WC 17
2007: IWU 18 WC 14
2005: IWU 23 WC 14

Early line = IWU -3.5

Go Titans!

[Titan Q]

I watched a lot of the Wheaton/Elmhurst game yesterday, which reminded me that the best Division III broadcast color guy I have ever heard is WETN's Doug Rothschild.  Every time I listen to him I'm just really impressed with his knowledge of the game -- some serious X's and O's there.  I actually learn stuff about football when I catch a WETN football broadcast that Doug is part of.

Kudos to Doug.  Now here's hoping his team gets pasted Saturday in Bloomington.

[hazzben]

Check out the discussion between usee and others re: pass interference in the Bethel win on the MIAC board.  Pretty good stuff.  usee is good to have around.  I missed him when he took his sabbatical.

That was a good discussion, seems the call was a good one. I followed that game until I had to pick-up my daughter from work. Bethel will be play-off ready. Is there a possibility that either a MIAC or WIAC team gets put in the North Region? The West will be stacked.

It'll depend on how things play out (obviously!) but I can't imagine the West & North having undefeated teams from the OAC, CCIW, MIAC, NWC and WIAC. Too much concentration of quality in half the bracket.

I would assume OAC goes East and the remaining four are divided between North and West. That's what they've shown a willingness to do in recent years anyway. That, and the teams with the inside track in the CCIW, MIAC and WIAC could all be placed according to the geographic criteria in either region.

[USee]

I will post my thoughts on Wheaton @ IWU later after I have had time to think more about. Actually, I have been thinking about it for weeks........

early line Wheaton -2.5

It's on!!   

[USee]

some serious gold colored glasses on in the MIAC room. they must think I am a closet Johnnie or Tommie fan. 

[Gregory Sager]

great game up in Arden Hills, MN today with Bethel knocking off #9 St Thomas. I thought the pass interference call against St Thomas with under a minute to play on 3rd and 9 was very questionable. The Royals got a 1st and goal at the 2 and punched it in, adding the 2 pt conversion, with 35 seconds left to win 28-21. Tough call to make in that situation.

It shouldn't be. The mark of a good ref in any sport is to make the same call in the final seconds that you'd make at any other point in the game. A penalty/foul is a penalty/foul, no matter when it's committed.

While he converted all 6 of his PATs yesterday, he has missed 4 so far this year. 2 more field goal tries were wide

You're being unfair to Dace. Those field goal tries (only the first was wide; the second was on target but short by three yards or so) were from 49 and 50 yards out. No kicker on the D3 level should be blamed for missing FG attempts from those distances.

I guess he just spoiled me last year, Greg, when he made 2 FGs over 50 yards, and one of 49. I know successful kicks of that distance are basically a bonus, but I worry a kick of such distance might be necessary against WC, IWU, or in the playoffs. Additionally, if we subtract today's misses, he was 1/6. He has also missed 4 PATs. Not a great number, but last season he was a perfect 58/58. It just seems this year's numbers are uncharacteristic for a kicker of Nick's ability level and past accomplishments, both of which lead me to believe he will come through if/when the chips are really down.

I'm not disagreeing with your overall assessment of Dace's season, Mark. Nor am I disagreeing with your rationale that a long field goal could spell the difference one way or the other for NCC in a key game. I'm simply saying that it's unfair to tag any D3 kicker with the expectation that a field goal from a distance longer than 40 yards should be automatic -- even if he's made them in the past. As you said, successful kicks of that distance are basically a bonus, even if it's a matter of a big game being on the line. The key as a team is to not put yourself in the position of having to make a 50-yard field goal in order to win. If he misses and you lose the game, I think you have to blame a lot of other people before you blame the kicker.

[wally_wabash]

great game up in Arden Hills, MN today with Bethel knocking off #9 St Thomas. I thought the pass interference call against St Thomas with under a minute to play on 3rd and 9 was very questionable. The Royals got a 1st and goal at the 2 and punched it in, adding the 2 pt conversion, with 35 seconds left to win 28-21. Tough call to make in that situation.

No one on the MIAC board seems to agree with this assessment. Cobber, Royal, Tommie or Johnnie. There were two plays that could have been flagged, one right after the other. Same DB on the same receiver, out of position both times. 

To quote a Johnnie who watched it live and after USee's comments went back and rewatched it:

I went back and watched both plays again. Ikuenobe was pushing Hilbrands off his route on both plays. I believe both plays were pass interference. Ikuenobe was using his arm to impede the receiver's progress both times.

Perhaps it's a good no-call if the contact is hip-to-hip and he is making a play on the ball--at least the contact in that hypothetical looks more like incidental contact. When you're riding the receiver out of bounds using your arms, it's a completely different story.

That, and no UST fans have said a thing about the call. miacmaniac, about as level headed a poster as you'll find (and UST backer) simply noted it was a great game between two excellent teams.

I was impressed by the continued fight of both teams. At different points they were each down and had their backs to the wall. Each time they clawed back into it. Good game all around.

I thought the Tommies got bailed out on the first one.  Let's say that you're in late game, swallow the whistle mode (which is never a good mode to be in), I guess you let the one go.  But you really can't let it go twice in a row.  I've got no dog in the MIAC hunt, and I thought it was the right call.  Kudos to the camera work on that stream by the way...we got some really up close looks at both of those plays.  Good job by the Bethel broadcast crew there. 

[USee]

Wally,  that's a good perspective and may be the right explanation.  My point was you have to call both plays the same way.  The problem may well have been the missed call on the first play, which I didn't see.  You cant call the second one because you missed the first one and visa versa.  Either way there is no excuse to call those two plays inconsistently in that kind of game.

[iwu70]

I'm with Q on thinking that the IWU-WC game is a toss up.  Both excellent teams, with play-makers, excellent defences, good coaching.  Of course, home field counts for something I would think.  We'll be hoping for the largest, most vocal IWU home crowd of the year, even bigger than Homecoming. 

Titans need to come out strong, get a good start offensively.  They haven't always done that this year.  Both teams will need to prevent the big play, the big momentum shift.  I look for both QBs to have good games.  Seems to me that the IWU receivers are a bit stronger this year.  Could come down to special teams play and a FG or two.  TOs always key, of course. 

I'd say 24-21 IWU.  Looks like the weather will be fine, with excellent playing conditions for such a marquee game.

GO TITANS!!!

IWU70

[markerickson]

Under the current coaching staff, when was the last time the pass-happy NCC of Naperville rush for over 300 yards?

[CardinalAlum]

Under the current coaching staff, when was the last time the pass-happy NCC of Naperville rush for over 300 yards?

I don't think they are a pass happy team at all.  They want to run the football first and foremost.  The early Thorne regime threw the ball more but the last few years, they've been of a run oriented offense.

[CardinalAlum]

Under the current coaching staff, when was the last time the pass-happy NCC of Naperville rush for over 300 yards?

To answer you question, that's the third time THIS YEAR they've rushed for over 300 yards. 

[newparker]

greg was our punter trying to kick the ball out of bounds to keep away from their receivers or trying to do directional punting?  i seem to remember like a couple years ago we had a decent directional punter, just wondering if that is what they are trying to get him to do

[matblake]

3 interesting stats for the upcoming game
1.  Illinois Wesleyan leads the conference in sacks with 20 while Wheaton only has 5 on the year.  Will IWU's defensive front force Roberts into a bad decision?  Or does the 5th year Senior show his poise?

2.  Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan are 6th and 7th in the league in penalties.  Will there be a major penalty by either squad which modifies the game?  Both teams seem to commit penalties.

3.  Wheaton is first in the league in Red Zone Offense.  Of their 23 trips to the red zone, they have scored 22 times with 20 TD and 2 field goals.  IWU has been the red zone more often with 33 trips and have scored 24 times with 21 TD and 3 field goals.  Pretty comparable.

I used season total stats instead of conference only stats as I wanted a larger sample size.