FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CardinalAlum]

Behind Mt. Union and Whitewater, North Central is ranked #3 pre-season by Lindy's Sports Annuals. Sounds like reason for a high level of excitement on the part of Cardinals fans. Of course we all the value of a high pre-season ranking, especially from such an esteemed publication as Lindy's. 

While the Cards do have a formidable collection of talent returning, especially considering the number of senior stalwarts coming back after a Covid year, it seems a black hole exists at the QB position, where any truly elite team must receive stellar play. Right now, the only QB appearing on the NCC roster is Soph Jake Johnson. In mop-up duty in 2019, he completed 17 of 33 passes for 231 yards and 3 TDs, and ran 16 times for 129 yards and 3 more TDs. Is he the answer? Fans can hope so but, as in the Rutter case, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a D1 transfer taking the opening snap of the 2021 season. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if the upcoming season's starting Cardinal QB wasn't even enrolled at NCC when the 2020-2021 school year ended last month. We'll see.

I'll disagree here. Should be an interesting camp. Can't wait for the Fall!

[kiko]

Not surprising at all that no other CCIW teams were mentioned. The omission of Wheaton, who returns a loaded team including their QB tells you Lindy does no research (which we all knew). The D3.Com poll will be much more informed, as usual. I wouldn't pay attention to a single name on the Lindy ranking, it's meaningless.

Completely agree.  Wheaton is a top 5 team. What a joke they're not mentioned.

Yeah, we knew this already, but that omission tells you everything you need to know about the how much weight you should put on their POV.

[Titan Q]

IWU's new DC...

https://www.iwusports.com/news/2021/6/15/football-matt-williamson-named-iwu-defensive-coordinator.aspx

[USee]

Nice hire. Makes me think we may be in for some Vince Kehres type pressure defenses.

[Stagg Again!!]

Not surprising at all that no other CCIW teams were mentioned. The omission of Wheaton, who returns a loaded team including their QB tells you Lindy does no research (which we all knew). The D3.Com poll will be much more informed, as usual. I wouldn't pay attention to a single name on the Lindy ranking, it's meaningless.

Completely agree.  Wheaton is a top 5 team. What a joke they're not mentioned.

Yeah, we knew this already, but that omission tells you everything you need to know about the how much weight you should put on their POV.

https://d3football.com/notables/2021/07/division-iii-football-new-look-2021

Regardless of the Lindy's poll, it looks like NCC and Wheaton should be the two top dogs in the NCAA's new Region 5.  As an aside, Region 6 looks like the most challenging Region by far, while Del Val should win Region 1 every year.

[USee]

CCIW should be favored in Region 5 every year. I'm not sure what a region without Mt Union in it looks like for CCIW fans. Region 6 is a beast with WIAC, MIAC, ASC, NWC and SCIAC all in one region? WOW.

[Titan Q]

CCIW vs WIAC bowl game?

http://isthmusbowl.com

[WUPHF]

CCIW vs WIAC bowl game?

http://isthmusbowl.com

That looks awesome.

I hope it becomes an annual tradition.

[MRMIKESMITH]

CCIW vs WIAC bowl game?

http://isthmusbowl.com

That looks awesome.

I hope it becomes an annual tradition.

This really awesome for the teams in this region. No reason why teams in such strong and respectable conferences don't deserve an extra game. I too hope this becomes an annual tradition and other midwest/west region conferences follow suit.

[Gregory Sager]

The Culver's Isthmus Bowl doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, or jump off the page, but it's a great idea.

[USee]

Pretty cool. Basically the two best teams from each conference that don't make the field will play each other. Guarantees that at least 2 (possibly 3) CCIW and WIAC teams will have an extra game.

I love it.

[WW]

I like it too, but the site goes to lengths to explain the matchup possibilities and appears to preclude the possibility of a league 4th place finisher participating in the Isthmus Bowl should three teams from either league make the playoffs. While certainly rare, it happened as recently as 2016 when Whitewater, Oshkosh and Platteville all made the playoffs.

[lmitzel]

I like it too, but the site goes to lengths to explain the matchup possibilities and appears to preclude the possibility of a league 4th place finisher participating in the Isthmus Bowl should three teams from either league make the playoffs. While certainly rare, it happened as recently as 2016 when Whitewater, Oshkosh and Platteville all made the playoffs.

I'd assume though, if this game is officially on the books, that if the improbable does happen and either league gets three teams in, they'd go down the list to the 4th place team from that league. But the scenarios they list only cover if each conference has an identical number of teams make the playoffs and not what would happen if, say, Wheaton and NCC both make it out of the CCIW and the WIAC is a one-bid league. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they'd go 3rd from the CCIW vs the WIAC runner-up in that scenario.

[WW]

I like it too, but the site goes to lengths to explain the matchup possibilities and appears to preclude the possibility of a league 4th place finisher participating in the Isthmus Bowl should three teams from either league make the playoffs. While certainly rare, it happened as recently as 2016 when Whitewater, Oshkosh and Platteville all made the playoffs.

I'd assume though, if this game is officially on the books, that if the improbable does happen and either league gets three teams in, they'd go down the list to the 4th place team from that league. But the scenarios they list only cover if each conference has an identical number of teams make the playoffs and not what would happen if, say, Wheaton and NCC both make it out of the CCIW and the WIAC is a one-bid league. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they'd go 3rd from the CCIW vs the WIAC runner-up in that scenario.

Scenario #3 does identify the possibility of pitting one league runner-up vs the other's 3rd place finisher. But it's just weird to go to such lengths to explain the selection process if it's just the highest-standing, non-playoff-qualifying team in each league playing each other.

Not to sidetrack the general awesomeness of the idea for an unlikely-to-occur possibility. It should be a quality game. Had it occurred in 2019, you'd have LaCrosse vs WashU, which would've been some fun.

[Next Man Up]

Pretty cool. Basically the two best teams from each conference that don't make the field will play each other. Guarantees that at least 2 (possibly 3) CCIW and WIAC teams will have an extra game.

I love it.

My wife is one of six kids (3/3) who grew up in SW Wis. I have a brother-in-law who attended Whitewater, and of my 14 nieces/nephews, 2 attended Stout, 2 attended Eau Claire, and 2 Stevens Point. The BIL, and 3 of my nephews have already contacted me about the game so it seems that it is already generating a fair degree of interest.

* One event that conflicts with the game date, and might put somewhat of a damper on attendance is an annual rite of passage, and what could be declared a State Holiday in Wisconsin, namely opening day of gun deer hunting season in Cheeseland.