FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Speaking of Massey:

Augustana 31, @ Carroll 20	(AC 77%, CU 23%)
@ Wheaton 30, Carthage 16	(WC 80%, CC 20%)
Elmhurst 21, @ North Park 14	(EC 70%, NPU 30%)
@ North Central 28, Illinois Wesleyan 21	(NCC 72%, IWU 28%)

Millikin has the bye.

It's interesting how Ken Massey's HAL 9000 doesn't forecast any particularly close CCIW games this week.

I think the AC/Carroll and WC/Carthage games are about right.
It seems the EC/NP game is pretty much a toss-up. Does either team have an especially good FG kicker?

NPU's field goal kicker, sophomore Alex Santillan, is accurate but hasn't exhibited great range. He is 7-7 thus far in his career at NPU, but his longest is the one he kicked at Anderson two weeks ago, and that was a relatively modest 34 yards. NPU drove the ball all the way down to the Midland 23 on the Vikings' first drive last Saturday, and then elected to go for it on 4th and 8 rather than have Santillan attempt a 40-yarder from the middle of the hashmarks. The Vikings failed on that 4th and 8, turning over the ball on downs. (It was the first of two straight drives in which they went from deep in their own territory to inside the Midland 35 and then turned it over after failing to make a 4th and long.) The fact that the North Park head coach is gambling with the offense in that sort of situation rather than trotting out Santillan tells me that Mike Conway's confidence in Santillan's leg strength is limited.

In the Anderson game, after Santillan had kicked the 34-yarder, Mike Conway sent out freshman Noah Reich, who appears to have a stronger leg than Santillan (based upon what I've seen of the two of them both in place-kicking and on kickoffs), kick a 43-yard attempt. It sailed wide right.

Elmhurst's kicker, Blake Bailey, has a 41-yarder to his credit (last season against IWU), and he's 7-9 as a FG kicker in his twelve games as the kicker for the 'jays. His problem seems to be PATs; he was 31-35 last season and is only 2-4 this season. Santillan, by contrast, is a perfect 25-25 on PATs at this point in his career for North Park.

Perhaps,  I just have a gut feeling Elmhurst is going to have their hands full Saturday. 

I didn't say that Elmhurst wouldn't have its hands full. I'm just saying that I'm skeptical that the 'jays should be considered the underdog at NPU on Saturday.

[AndOne]

Based on the relative merits (or DEmerits) of the two kickers as detailed above, perhaps both kickers either make or miss a FG, and the ultimate outcome is determined by a missed point after. NPU by 1?

[thunder38]

Worth noting for all those planning on attending the Wheaton/Carthage game on Saturday night, the Wheaton student section is collecting donations to benefit hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Florida. They're looking to collect lightly used clothes and shoes and also lists school supplies, hygiene products, kids toys and cash donations. Wheaton has a number of student-athletes from Florida and Texas who I'm sure have had their focus split between school work and life at home. Please consider donating to this cause on Saturday night if you're able.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2017/9/14/football-rykens-rowdies-to-host-hurricane-relief-drive-on-saturday.aspx

[Kovo]

Worth noting for all those planning on attending the Wheaton/Carthage game on Saturday night, the Wheaton student section is collecting donations to benefit hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Florida. They're looking to collect lightly used clothes and shoes and also lists school supplies, hygiene products, kids toys and cash donations. Wheaton has a number of student-athletes from Florida and Texas who I'm sure have had their focus split between school work and life at home. Please consider donating to this cause on Saturday night if you're able.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2017/9/14/football-rykens-rowdies-to-host-hurricane-relief-drive-on-saturday.aspx

You won't hear me say this often, but good work to the Crusaders for helping out.  And, man am I glad to have my power back to be on line-----even though most of my neighborhood is still in the dark.  Palm Beach County is still a mess but it is getting better.  Lots of hurricane clean up scheduled for this weekend----only to be interrupted by the small matter of some team dressed in green invading my beloved NCC campus.

Kudos to AT&T for all the free data while the WIFI is down so I can catch the action on an IPAD.  It is nice to get back to normal and catch up with the board! 

[79jaybird]

Agree Greg.  I also think some of my mojo was seeing Elmhurst lose both games at home, to decent- but again not stellar, teams at home.   I think this is going to be a close, exciting game.  Actually all (4) will be.   On the Pick Em's board it is about 50/50 with some picking the Vikes and others the Jays.  Wish I could be there but have a commitment Saturday. 

[CardinalAlum]

I am a Wheaton guy (as a fan and in principle--so I don't typically wager) but I'll take Carthage and 14 points for as much as anyone wants. Any takers?

I will take that bet as well.  Lunch before or after the battle for the Bell.   Wheaton front 7 is as good as I've seen.   DB problems or not, you still have to have time to throw it.  Wheaton easily covers 14.

[USee]

You guys are nuts.  Carthage hasn't given up a score this season.  There might not be 14 total pts scored in this game.

I will say, ironically, the team with the  QB who plays the best probably wins because points will only be scored on big plays in my view. This is going to be a smash mouth old school physical style game.

[CardinalAlum]

You guys are nuts.  Carthage hasn't given up a score this season.  There might not be 14 total pts scored in this game.

I will say, ironically, the team with the  QB who plays the best probably wins because points will only be scored on big plays in my view. This is going to be a smash mouth old school physical style game.

I must be nuts, Im disagreeing with you that YOUR team is better than you're believing.   I know you're going to say Carthage is way better than I'm giving them credit for but I want to see it against a good team first.   This week tell us if they are real or still behind the "Top 2".  Go Thunder!

[CardinalAlum]

On that same note, I can say the same about the Green Weenies.  Are they for real or not?   This week will begin to sort out the pecking order in the conference.   Hoping for a fun night in Naperville and sending Norm home with another L on his resume.  Go Cards!

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst @ North Park is the only afternoon game today, as the other three contests are 6 pm starts. And, since Elmhurst didn't bring a broadcast crew with them, it means that I'm the only guy who is calling a CCIW football game this afternoon.

Cool.

[kiko]

Elmhurst @ North Park is the only afternoon game today, as the other three contests are 6 pm starts. And, since Elmhurst didn't bring a broadcast crew with them, it means that I'm the only guy who is calling a CCIW football game this afternoon.

Cool.

You're the worst best CCIW PBP man on the internet today...

[Gotberg]

North Park needs to pick a starting quarterback.   Alternating quarterbacks isn't fair to the team as a whole - difficult to get any rhythm going.

[Mugsy]

According to Live Stats: Elmhurst 23 - NPU 20

[Gotberg]

North Park needs to pick a starting quarterback.   Alternating quarterbacks isn't fair to the team as a whole - difficult to get any rhythm going.

Ironically after this post, they generally stuck with the freshman - I take no credit.

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst edged NPU in a seesaw battle, 23-20. As I suspected would be the case, the difference in the game was at the quarterback position. Orlando Hernandez is a veteran, and he played like one on Elmhurst's game-winning scoring drive in the waning minutes of the contest. He played a solid game today both with his feet and with his right arm. North Park, on the other hand, has two inexperienced quarterbacks in Frank Mauigoa and Anthony DiNardo who are still works in progress. DiNardo held on to the too long several times and got sacked three times for his pains; Mauigoa, as talented as he is, still has to develop better touch, as a few of his throws while rolling out were overthrown -- a tendency that was especially problematic in the fourth quarter.

Games this close can turn on bad calls, and there was an egregiously bad one towards the end of the first half. With NPU up, 14-6, in the final minute of the first half, Elmhurst had the ball 3rd and 2 at the NPU 24. Hernandez bounced a throw a good couple of feet in front of his receiver, with the ball caroming upward into the receiver's hands. Inexplicably, it was called a catch, and EC thus sustained its drive -- and the entire North Park section roared in disapproval. On the next play, Hernandez completed a touchdown pass to pull the 'jays to within one at the half. We looked at the disputed catch again on the monitor at halftime, and it was even more obvious the second time around that the ball had bounced off of the turf and into the EC receiver's hands. It spelled the difference between Elmhurst scoring seven points and Elmhurst facing a 4th and 2.

On the other hand, NPU blew some great chances, none better than the dropped pass in the end zone early in the second quarter. The Vikings had recovered an Elmhurst fumble at the EC 22, and after being stopped on their first three downs the Vikings went for it on 4th and 11 at the EC 23. Mauigoa threw the ball into the end zone, where the 'jays didn't have a defender within five yards of the Vikings receiver cutting over the middle -- and he simply had the ball go right through his hands, no excuses, taking six points off the board for North Park and giving Elmhurst the ball back in one fell swoop.

Mauigoa did have a big day, more in terms of rushing than passing, as he carried the ball 13 times for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Enrique Moises Menendez had a tough time running the football, but he did take a swing pass 52 yards to paydirt in the second quarter.

But, for the second week in a row, the Vikings shot themselves in the foot by interfering with a punt returner, as for the second week in a row the opponent turned that 15-yard penalty into a short-field score. And, also for the second week in a row, an opposing kick returner took one back a long way to set up yet another short-field score. This time it was Elmhurst's lightning-quick Jawan Gaines, who was the All-CCIW first-team return specialist last season, who carted it back for huge yardage ... all the way to the NPU 42, in fact, setting up the final EC touchdown. North Park is really damaging itself on special teams thus far this season.

This makes two Saturdays in a row that North Park has blown a fourth-quarter lead and lost the game. It's very disappointing.