FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

Thinking off the top of my head I think only 1 of our 6 losses to Mt Union were by that much.

[thunderdog]

From the most knowledgeable fans in the OAC, on the 'pick ems' board, the Thunder are 28.5 pt underdogs at home vs JCU.

BRING IT!!!

LET'S ROLL!!!

[02 Warhawk]

From the most knowledgeable fans in the OAC, on the 'pick ems' board, the Thunder are 28.5 pt underdogs at home vs JCU.

Me thinks that spread is a little bit too high.  Mr Mom tries to set that spread so 50% take each team and thus far 11 out of the 13 have taken Wheaton +28.5

I bet he'd redo that number, if given the chance.  I'd bet my life savings on Wheaton +28.5 based on what I've seen from Swider-coached teams.

I think that's the whole essence of creating the spread.

I like Wheaton (@ homes) at +28.5

[HScoach]

From the most knowledgeable fans in the OAC, on the 'pick ems' board, the Thunder are 28.5 pt underdogs at home vs JCU.

Mr Mom has done a good job with the spreads the last couple years, so I would have to imagine this one is a mistake.  Even with a heavy "OAC slant", I would have expected 8.5 to be as high as I could consider.  I know there were times I mistakenly posted a spread that people had already picked before I noticed the error.   Kind of hard to move it after the fact.     

In a vacuum, I would have think this game is an even pick-em.   But posting spreads on the OAC page where the majority of the participants are biased, I would have probably went with JCU as a 3.5 to 5.5 point favorite.   

The hard part of predicting JCU is that we don't really know that much about them.   Are they the team that pushed Mount to the limit in back-to-back years or are they the team that couldn't handle a little adversity from Mother Nature that laid a huge egg against SJF in Round 1 last year?    I'm guessing the former, but this Saturday will tell.   If they can beat Wheaton on the road, they're for real.

[ExTartanPlayer]

The hard part of predicting JCU is that we don't really know that much about them.   Are they the team that pushed Mount to the limit in back-to-back years or are they the team that couldn't handle a little adversity from Mother Nature that laid a huge egg against SJF in Round 1 last year?   I'm guessing the former, but this Saturday will tell.   If they can beat Wheaton on the road, they're for real.

That's kind of my take as well.  JCU is definitely a much prettier team than Wheaton by stats and by the eyeball test, but the Wheaties are undefeated and JCU's reputation right now is mostly because of the close losses to Mount.  This is not to take away from the impressive nature of their wins, but we simply don't know how those blowouts against what appears to be a very mediocre OAC translate to readiness for playoff-caliber competition.  Last year, it didn't translate well.  This year's team might well be a more hardened unit, and all indications from the Mount folks are that 2014 MU is much better than 2013 MU, suggesting that JCU may have improved as well.  This weekend is a nice chance to prove that.

[USee]

Wheaton's game plan will be relatively simple.

Limit big plays
Don't turn it over
Win the special teams battle

If they do those things, which will be very difficult as JUC has done these things well all year, they have a chance. The Wheaton D has played all year by making teams execute drive after drive on offense and not giving up big plays. They will take that approach again against their toughest opponent yet. The JCU D is a man to man pressure defense. By nature it will be the outhouse or the penthouse.The Wheaton Offense will have to handle this pressure, as well as the best defensive front they have faced, with poise and patience.

[bleedpurple]

Even though I am not from Missouri, I am a "show me" kind of guy when it comes to football. I think Wheaton wins this game.  I would take them straight up.

[emma17]

Even though I am not from Missouri, I am a "show me" kind of guy when it comes to football. I think Wheaton wins this game.  I would take them straight up.

And Bam- just like that heads are nodding. Or is it just mine.

[formerd3db]

I wish all of you CCIW/colleagues here a safe and blessed Thanksgiving holiday with your families.

[Gregory Sager]

Right back atcha, formerd3db.

[formerd3db]

Right back atcha, formerd3db.

Thank you, friend.

[matblake]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  For those who can remember the media desert that D3 athletics used to be, let's all be thankful for this site and the others on the D3 Network.

[DadofBashWarrior..]

To the Gentlemen of Wheaton...get yourselves some asskicking attitudes and whip those boys from the OAC...

[USee]

This is from the preview on JCU website and I think it sums up the strengths of each team and the winner of these stats likely wins the game. 

Two of the country's top third down units will square off. The Thunder featured the nation's second-ranked third down conversion offense at 53.7 percent while the Blue Streaks counter with their fourth-ranked third down conversion defense at 21.3 percent. On the flip side, JCU ranks fourth converting 51.9 percent of its third down chances while WC has held opposition to a 30.7 percent clip.

[shepherd]

With John Carroll favored to win tomorrow here are some things Wheaton will need to be aware of to win the game besides the great points USEE had.
1.  Left handed JC QB Mark Myers will roll out left and throw across his body to the right side a lot.  Even to a bubble screen on the right side.  Every once in a while he will throw a long pass that is a floater and interceptable.  His delivery being left handed is very deceptive as he hides the ball so that d backs won get a good break on the ball.
2.  RB Tommy Michals is very hard to bring down.  In the Mount union game he was making 3-4 defenders miss or slide off tackles.
     Wheaton will have to wrap up and none of that shoulder tackle stuff from d backs will work.
3.  JC put a lot of pressure on Mount Unions QB.  Every time the Mount O-line went to a two point stance backing off the line of scrimmage the pressure came.
Wheaton needs to pass block from the 3 point stance close to the line of scrimmage.  Not allowing pass rushers to get momentum.
JC rt def tackle had two sacks against Mount using a low lean technique pass rush.  You have to stand him up.  Once the pass rusher gets the lean in towards the hip arm on the back side there is no defense against it.  Although it is very vulnerable to QBs that like to run the ball.  Not the best may to pass rush unless your desperate.

Wheaton can win this game if they come out like they did against NCC.