FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

FormerCard, I can understand the sting of missing the playoffs due to the ONU loss, and certainly UW-EC was a respectable non-con opponent.  But what can possibly be the gain in playing 0-7 Cornell or 0-7 Olivet?  It doesn't help prepare for the conference (practices were no doubt more strenuous than those games) and hurts the SOS in case a pool C is needed.

Surely there is a great deal of 'middle-ground' between ONU and Cornell/Olivet.

[Though I have to admit, it certainly doesn't seem to have hurt so far this year! ]

[Mr. Ypsi]

As expected not much movement in the new Top 25, North Central moves up to #5, Wheaton remains at #17.

Another sign of respect for NCC (besides edging past UMHB for 5th) - despite the thrashing they took from the Cards, IWU still retained 7 points (in the poll as well as the game)!

[usee]

For you NCC fans wanting to step up to the big boys you can easily compare results agains UWEC to gauge where you are.

UWW pounded Eau Claire AT Eau Claire. If you compare the games you get very similar results from the defenses (NCC held them to 180 yds and UWW to 150 total yds). Offensively the Warhawks gained 220 yds on the ground and scored on 7 of their first 10 possessions en route to a 45-0 win. By contrast the Cardinal went punt, punt, TD, FG, punt, punt, punt, TD, FG, punt on their 10 possessions.

I think it highlights the point that the Cardinal offense is still evolving while the defense is for real.

Wheaton will be the best team NCC faces this year when they play in 2 weeks. Rock Island is first for the Thunder and Elmhurst for the Cardinal.

[lakeshore]

At this point its fairly obvious that statistically NCC has the best D in the CCIW....however which team has the better offense heading into week 8 Wheaton or the Cards?

[FormerCard]

FormerCard, I can understand the sting of missing the playoffs due to the ONU loss, and certainly UW-EC was a respectable non-con opponent.  But what can possibly be the gain in playing 0-7 Cornell or 0-7 Olivet?  It doesn't help prepare for the conference (practices were no doubt more strenuous than those games) and hurts the SOS in case a pool C is needed.

Surely there is a great deal of 'middle-ground' between ONU and Cornell/Olivet.

[Though I have to admit, it certainly doesn't seem to have hurt so far this year! ]

It may not be the case where NCC hasnt tried getting other opponents (i know a few have turned them down), as it does take 2 teams to agree to play each other.  Seven years ago, I doubt a team like Aurora, for example, would have had no problem playing NCC.....I dont think this is the case anymore.

[Mugsy]

CCIW players of the week posted:

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Elmhurst's Joe Furco, along with North Central's Matt Wenger and Joe Antonacci were named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Football Players of the Week Monday.

Furco, a sophomore quarterback from Wheaton, Ill., and Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, finished with nearly 400 yards of total offense and accounted for all five of Elmhurst's touchdowns in a 40-34 road victory over Millikin on Saturday. He completed 28-of-40 pass attempts (70.0 percent completion percentage) for 377 yards and four touchdown passes of six, 56, three, and 10 yards. He also scored on a 17-yard quarterback keeper to account for an Elmhurst touchdown. His 377 passing yards was the seventh-highest single-game total in Elmhurst history. Furco accounted for 394 of the Bluejays' 518 yards of total offense. He is a Physical Education major.

Wenger, a senior linebacker from Davis, Ill., and Dakota High School, totaled a season-high 14 tackles (seven solo) despite missing a significant portion of the second quarter due to a shoulder stinger in a 30-7 victory over Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday. He had a tackle for loss and also returned a fumble 21 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter as North Central held the Titans scoreless for the first three quarters of play. Wenger is a Management/Economics/Finance major.

Antonacci,a junior return specialist from Naperville, Ill., and Neuqua Valley High School, accounted for 128 all-purpose yards in the Cardinals' win over Illinois Wesleyan. He returned three punts for 74 yards (24.7 average), with a long of 36 yards, to set his team up with field position on Illinois Wesleyan's half of the field each time. Two of those possessions led to touchdowns, one of which was a 13-yard scoring reception by Antonacci. He also had one kickoff return for 29 yards. Antonacci is a Finance major.

[usee]

Interesting stuff this week. We get our first look at the Regional rankings on Wednesday afternoon and can begin speculation on post season possibilities. For the CCIW obviously NCC and Wheaton are in the driver's seat but if Augie can beat the Thunder in Rock Island and win out, combined with a Wheaton win over NCC there is a chance for a 3 way tie for the AQ. Pat Coleman thinks the likely initial North Regional rankings could be:

1. Mt Union
2. Wheaton
3. North Central
4. Case Western
5. Trine
6. Wittenberg
7. Ohio Northern
8. Franklin
9. Wabash

Wheaton would be ahead of NCC by virtue of the SOS numbers but that will resolve itself w their HTH matchup next week. (I should note Pat only listed 7 teams so 8,9 are my speculation.)

[usee]

In terms of scheduling another interesting possible scenario is developing. If Wheaton finishes 9-1 w a loss to NCC (finishing 10-0) Wheaton is a virtual lock for a pool C given its strong strength of schedule (SOS) number. But if the situation is reversed, NCC could very well be on the outside looking in at 9-1 because their SOS is about 15th best among possible pool C 1-loss candidates. It is looking ver possible some 9-1 teams will not make the field (though there are a lot of games left). NCC could actually be punished for playing such a weak non-conf schedule where last year they lost a playoff spot for playing a strong non conference schedule.

The SOS number is calulated using 2/3 of a teams Opponents winning percentage (OWP) and 1/3 of their Oponents-Opponents winning percentage (OOWP). That means that Wheaton gets a benefit for beating Plattevill because the OOWP for platteville will include Whitewater and the other WIAC schools. The interesting scheduling wrinkle in all of this may result in coaches scheduling mid-lower level teams in stronger conferences.

Regardless, there is a real chance that if NCC does not win out they may not make the playoffs,even at 9-1 where Wheaton is a virtual lock at 9-1. Interesting.

[02 Warhawk]

I must say if Mount stays in the North, with NCC and Wheaton...that'll be a tough region to come out of...even for Mount. Then that will mean UWW will play in the West against Linfield, St. Thomas and Bethel (possibly).

I would love to see Mount stay in the North and face a NCC and/or Wheation. but i imagine the rest of you would disagree 

[usee]

Well, it's something we have come to expect. And trading Mount for UWW hasn't exactly been a picnic!

[ncc58]

If you'd like UWW to stay in the West and Mount Union in the North, who is the #1 seed in the East?

If you say Wesley, then MHB is the #1 seed in the South? I know the line that the 4 #1 seeds aren't necessarily the four best seeds but it doesn't seem to recognize the seasons that Wheaton, NCC, and St. Thomas have had.

I'm still working through the scenario where NCC loses to Wheaton, perhaps stays in the Top Ten, and doesn't make the playoffs yet unranked Benedictine (who no longer plays NCC because the games were too one-sided) does.

[usee]

The scenario includes the fact that the top 25 rankings mean absolutely nothing in selecting playoff teams. Benedictine is at the top of their conference and would go as an AQ. It wouldn't be remotely fair but it is distinctly possible.

The list of #1 seeds is this (from podcast)

UWW
Mount
Wesley
UMHB,CCIW Champ, St Thomas, Montclair St

those last 4 would all compete for the final #1. It is really about the committee picking the best 4 they can build a bracket around using geographic proximity. They have a lot of flexibility with Mount near the East and UWW near the North (as well as Wesley near the East).

If all these teams finish undefeated I think it likely the committee keeps things from being disruptive which would keep Mount North with CCIW champ, UWW West along w St Thomas, Linfield, Etc; Wesley South with UMHB and Montclair as the East #1.

[ncc58]

Yeah, I listened to ATN. I wanted to see what the opinions around the CCIW were.

Montclair has a SOS ranking of #150. The remaining teams on their schedule are a combined 13-9 (with 6-1 Cortland St this week). If Wheaton goes undefeated, I'd say they would be deserving of a #1 seed.

[usee]

Keep in mind that NCC's SOS will improve as they play Elmhurst and Wheaton and then dip a bit w NPU at the end.

[Gregory Sager]

The scenario includes the fact that the top 25 rankings mean absolutely nothing in selecting playoff teams. Benedictine is at the top of their conference and would go as an AQ. It wouldn't be remotely fair but it is distinctly possible.

Sure, it'd be fair. You're just not considering the frame of reference within which it is considered fair. The NCAA is all about participation for its member schools and conferences, and the NAthCon is just as much a full-fledged member conference of the NCAA as is the CCIW, the WIAC, or the OAC. Therefore, it's fair that the NAthCon receives a postseason autobid to the D3 football tournament, just like every other member conference. It's no different than the Alcorn States, Wagners, and Arkansas-Pine Bluffs of the world getting berths to participate in March Madness. It's all about equal access.