FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Augie6]

Just an incredible game at Langhorst Saturday afternoon.  Despite the grey and the gloom, no amount of rain or wind could have dampened the buzz around this BIG game.  Generations of EC players and families filled the stands, lined the sidelines, and flooded the campus with Bluejay Pride.  This one will not soon be forgotten by the EC faithful and could very well serve as the signature victory this program needed to get to the next level in a season so full of promise, on Homecoming weekend.  So proud of my alma mater.

The retro-active devaluation of Wheaton seems a bit of a backhanded swipe at the 'Jays - this was a top 20 team in the NATION with one of the most explosive offenses and a top 5 defense in the country and suddenly...there just not that good?  Well, maybe that is the case, maybe not - i guess we'll find out as the CCIW season unfolds.  I can tell you this much, however, Bluejay Nation will be rooting for the Thunder the rest of the way - certainly to lift the value of this win in the bigger picture for the 'Jays and to knock the Fighting Norms off the top of the ladder.  Not sure how to feel about the Bell Game - we'll have to see where the season shakes out before i pick a side - whatever works in EC's favor. The 'Jays will still have to keep winning - with a tough test in Decatur and the Greenies still down thw road, there are certainly some challenges ahead - but thanks to Saturday's victory, EC still controls their own destiny at this point - win out and Coach Lester and the staff will be getting a phone call on Selection Sunday.

Much of the analysis on the message board prior to this post sums up the feel of the contest, and i would echo most of the sentiments, but i would also add this...while Wheaton dominated much of the box score and put up Tecmo Bowl numbers in the second half, the only numbers that really matter, in the end, are the ones on the scoreboard - 35 to 30 Final.  'Jays O-Line was dominant against a top line defense, Scottie was relentless (running into 9 man boxes all day), the D was opportunistic and the secondary held their own - and no, Wheaton did not simply fumble the football away or throw a bad interception, the EC secondary flat out took the ball away, ripping the ball out of the receiver's hands on the fumble and smacking Roberts on a backside blitz to force an errand throw on the pick six.  Roberts could have had another big turnover right before the half as well - frantically flipping the ball forward as his protection broke down right into the lap of an unexpecting EC d-lineman on their own side of the 50.  As for the 4th down stop - maybe when we look back at this season, if the 'Jays can run the table, we will identify that as the play that defined the season.

It's a Great Day to be a Jay!!!!!

Kool-Aid!

Mugsy,

Agree totally.  This is the same type of post that JB79 would get grief from the board about.  Is it a great win for Elmhurst?  Sure it is.  But it needs to be put in perspective.  Based on Wheaton's loss to Albion earlier in the season, I think there were a lot of questions about Wheaton heading into the CCIW schedule.  As we all know, the fact that any team is ranked early in the season has much more to do with past teams success than it does the current team.  So how good is Elmhurst?  I would say the jury is still out on that one.  3-0 heading into the CCIW schedule, but as we know that's pretty common for Elmhurst based on the quality of the teams they schedule for their non-conference games.  So in the first 3 games of the conference schedule, they get destroyed by NCC, they give up 425+ yards to a below average Augie team and score in the last minute to win, then give up 600 yards in a tight win over Wheaton.  Based on this, I certainly don't see Elmhurst finishing at 9-1.  I think they will compete and be in their remaining games, but I don't believe they are good enough, particularly on defense, to beat all of the remaining teams on their schedule.  Time will tell. 

[79jaybird]

GREAT POST Augie- and this was point to L-Ghost and BJ4Ever in that it is still too early to really put Elmhurst at the NC or IWU level.  If they keep winning big games consistently, then I will be more inclined to say Elmhurst is a 1 or 2 CCIW slotted team.  If their D continues to give up 300+ yds of offense, it is hard to believe they will get more W's than L's in the end.

[Mugsy]

Exactly Mugsy with a lot of sugar mixed in.

Folks- This Wheaton team, while good is NOT  the Stalwart Wheaton squads we have seen recently. This is/was a nice win for Elmhurst.  Happy for the Jays, however reality is this is just a nice win in conference play that puts them up 2-1 in the conference.  Calling it the biggest win in college history etc.  is going a little extreme at this point. 

I am starting to give Elmhurst a little deeper look.  Right now they are 1-1 in the games that "matter/make statements" this year.  I agree with the Top 25 pollsters, that it is still premature to put them as a Top 25 team in the nation.

Yes, as pointed out by the exuberant Elmhurst posters, Elmhurst MAY have out executed Wheaton on the turnovers, but IF one of those plays goes the other direction (particularly the pick 6), we would be talking about how Wheaton squeaked out a win against an upstart Elmhurst team.  We would also be in "broken record" mode talkiing about how Elmhurst fails to beat the top teams.  Elmhurst has beaten one of the "good" teams on their home field (which they have done to Wheaton several times before) and was creamed by the best of the CCIW. 

I'm compiling a response for tonight, but I've gone back to post since July and you will not find a single post from any Wheaton fan that even hints at Wheaton winning conference this year or even going 8-2.  Because I coached at Wheaton for 5 years and I respect the coaching staff and program, I general try not to express much in the way of negative comments against Wheaton.  I do voice my opinion on the outcomes of games and how Wheaton played, but I did not post my prediction on where Wheaton would finish this year.  Recently I posted that I feel they will end up 6-4 based on what I've seen thus far.  Truth be told, I've discussed this via email and in person to other Wheaton fans that I felt Wheaton would end up 7-3 this year due to questions on the Defensive Line and Secondary.   I did not have them losing to Elmhurst, so now I have them at 6-4.  At 7-3 or 6-4, I would put Wheaton and Elmhurst on par with each other.  I don't see Elmhurst on the level of IWU or NCC.  Their offense is capable of playing at that level, but their defense just isn't there yet.  NCC had 550 yards offense and scored over 40 points.  Wheaton had nearly 600 yards of offense, but only scored 30 due to turnovers and lack of possessions (caused by Elmhurst offense).  Wheaton's defense is not on par with NCC and Elmhurst offense exposed that.  Sure Wheaton's was ranked nationally in several categories coming it, but that is attributed to who Wheaton has played thus far - Benedictine, Luther, Augie, and Carthage will make your defense look better than it may be.  IWU and NCC will likely put up bigger numbers against this defense than Elmhurst.

I hope for the best and that Wheaton will win out.  That would be my wish and I don't count out the character and fight of the program.  But looking at it realistically based on current performance, I don't see it.

[Mugsy]

Just an incredible game at Langhorst Saturday afternoon.  Despite the grey and the gloom, no amount of rain or wind could have dampened the buzz around this BIG game.  Generations of EC players and families filled the stands, lined the sidelines, and flooded the campus with Bluejay Pride.  This one will not soon be forgotten by the EC faithful and could very well serve as the signature victory this program needed to get to the next level in a season so full of promise, on Homecoming weekend.  So proud of my alma mater.

The retro-active devaluation of Wheaton seems a bit of a backhanded swipe at the 'Jays - this was a top 20 team in the NATION with one of the most explosive offenses and a top 5 defense in the country and suddenly...there just not that good?  Well, maybe that is the case, maybe not - i guess we'll find out as the CCIW season unfolds.  I can tell you this much, however, Bluejay Nation will be rooting for the Thunder the rest of the way - certainly to lift the value of this win in the bigger picture for the 'Jays and to knock the Fighting Norms off the top of the ladder.  Not sure how to feel about the Bell Game - we'll have to see where the season shakes out before i pick a side - whatever works in EC's favor. The 'Jays will still have to keep winning - with a tough test in Decatur and the Greenies still down thw road, there are certainly some challenges ahead - but thanks to Saturday's victory, EC still controls their own destiny at this point - win out and Coach Lester and the staff will be getting a phone call on Selection Sunday.

Much of the analysis on the message board prior to this post sums up the feel of the contest, and i would echo most of the sentiments, but i would also add this...while Wheaton dominated much of the box score and put up Tecmo Bowl numbers in the second half, the only numbers that really matter, in the end, are the ones on the scoreboard - 35 to 30 Final.  'Jays O-Line was dominant against a top line defense, Scottie was relentless (running into 9 man boxes all day), the D was opportunistic and the secondary held their own - and no, Wheaton did not simply fumble the football away or throw a bad interception, the EC secondary flat out took the ball away, ripping the ball out of the receiver's hands on the fumble and smacking Roberts on a backside blitz to force an errand throw on the pick six.  Roberts could have had another big turnover right before the half as well - frantically flipping the ball forward as his protection broke down right into the lap of an unexpecting EC d-lineman on their own side of the 50.  As for the 4th down stop - maybe when we look back at this season, if the 'Jays can run the table, we will identify that as the play that defined the season.

It's a Great Day to be a Jay!!!!!

Show me where anyone said Wheaton is not good.  They are a good team, just not as good as in the past, nor the elite of the CCIW this year.  All this discussion around where Elmhurst sits is somewhat noise if you ask me.  Right now (and as in the past 6 years) it is NCC, then everyone else is some order or another, with the "top of the rest" fighting for "Pool C" considerations.

Until someone finds a way to beat NCC in conference, which there hasn't been a close game against them in conference in 20+ games, it is a moot point.

As I stated on Saturday, congrats to Elmhurst on beating Wheaton.  It is a good win.  But you have beaten Wheaton at home in the past, and for the season it hasn't meant too much.  You were trounced by NCC and you still have some tough games ahead.  If you beat IWU (and thus 2 of the good/better CCIW teams in a season) then we can talk Pool C and Elmhurst's relative rise in CCIW ranking.

All this Elmhurst debate reminds me of the same chest thumping "give us respect" dialog coming from NCC fans a decade or so ago when they started building the program in the early years of Coach Thorne.  Or 20+ years ago when a dismal Wheaton program was turned around by Coach Bishop & Swider.  Wheaton and NCC got over the hump and sustained it for a long time.

Carthage faithful had the same volume of "we should be considered" the elite of the CCIW, but could only do so for a 2-3 years.

Elmhurst has improved and has beaten a good Wheaton team.  Until Elmhurst can beat 2 of the better teams in the CCIW, while taking care of business against the weaker teams, I've grown tired of hearing all this.  You beat Wheaton, that's a start.  You squeaked by an Augie team that Wheaton trounced.  NCC demolished you.  You still have IWU.

[ncc58]

In the past four seasons (including this one) NC has 3 games at Augie, Carthage and Millikin. We have Wheaton and North Park at home 3 times. The only two teams we have alternated home/away with are Elmhurst and IWU.

Playing NPU at home in 2011 was a special case. North Central had asked NPU to flip the 2011 and 2012 locations in order to schedule the 2011 game in Naperville since it was the date of  the 150th anniversary of the school. NCC had several activities planned that weekend and wanted the football game at home.

You used to be able to easily determine the dates and locations of games against conference teams. For a long time, home/away alternated every season and schedules would slide every two years. The last conference game would move to the first conference game every two years, and the other games would slide down a week.

I don't like the new scheduling. I think it's wrong that the NCC-Wheaton doesn't alternate every year between Naperville and wheaton.

[79jaybird]

Looks like Mugsy and I are preaching the same passages.  You will not find a better leader, heart, motivator, or person who cares about you (and not how much $$ you have or BS things that don't matter) than Coach Swider. He is a great friend on and off the field.

Like Mugsy and I have indicated, while the win over Wheaton was a nice win for Elmhurst, to put them in the #1 or #2 slot is premature and just wasting time.  North Central is the big dog until somebody dethrones them, which I don't think will be this year. 

North Central and Wheaton have earned their respect with CCIW titles, big wins, and playoff experience.  IWU to a lesser extent, but still would be picked and viewed to be as a solid #2 right now. 

[ncc58]

From this week's AFCA Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Waynesburg (Pa.), 69; Concordia (Ill.), 61; Franklin (Ind.), 59; Huntingdon (Ala.), 49; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 43; Augsburg (Minn.), 40; North Park (Ill.), 32; Alfred (N.Y.), 27; Lycoming (Pa.), 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 24; Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 21; Elmhurst (Ill.), 20; Louisiana College, 15; Washington & Lee (Va.), 13; Trinity (Texas), 10; Otterbein (Ohio), 7; Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 7; Gettysburg (Pa.), 5; Cortland St. (N.Y.), 4; Concordia (Wis.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 2; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 1; Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

Note: Elmhurst with 20, Wheaton with 24, but North Park (Ill.) with 32.

Is this a different North Park (?), an error, or some shady voting?

[79jaybird]

To further compliment the points Mugsy/Augie6, and I have made.  What happens if Millikin beats Elmhurst this week?  I picked Elmhurst in the pick em's however Millikin is one of those "sleeper teams" (like EC has been the past) that could pick up a home upset.  If this happens, then what do you make of Elmhurst and all this "noise"?

[Stagg Again!!]

From this week's AFCA Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Waynesburg (Pa.), 69; Concordia (Ill.), 61; Franklin (Ind.), 59; Huntingdon (Ala.), 49; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 43; Augsburg (Minn.), 40; North Park (Ill.), 32; Alfred (N.Y.), 27; Lycoming (Pa.), 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 24; Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 21; Elmhurst (Ill.), 20; Louisiana College, 15; Washington & Lee (Va.), 13; Trinity (Texas), 10; Otterbein (Ohio), 7; Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 7; Gettysburg (Pa.), 5; Cortland St. (N.Y.), 4; Concordia (Wis.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 2; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 1; Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

Note: Elmhurst with 20, Wheaton with 24, but North Park (Ill.) with 32.

Is this a different North Park (?), an error, or some shady voting?

I noticed that as well -- just goes to show how deep the conference is with five out of eight teams either ranked in the AFCA Top 25 or getting votes.  I wonder what it was about North Park's performances in the last two weeks that swayed the voters.

[Wabash Hokie]

From this week's AFCA Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Waynesburg (Pa.), 69; Concordia (Ill.), 61; Franklin (Ind.), 59; Huntingdon (Ala.), 49; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 43; Augsburg (Minn.), 40; North Park (Ill.), 32; Alfred (N.Y.), 27; Lycoming (Pa.), 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 24; Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 21; Elmhurst (Ill.), 20; Louisiana College, 15; Washington & Lee (Va.), 13; Trinity (Texas), 10; Otterbein (Ohio), 7; Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 7; Gettysburg (Pa.), 5; Cortland St. (N.Y.), 4; Concordia (Wis.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 2; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 1; Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

Note: Elmhurst with 20, Wheaton with 24, but North Park (Ill.) with 32.

Is this a different North Park (?), an error, or some shady voting?

If it is anything like the USA Today poll, some people may think they are voting for North Central.  No way North Park should be garnering that kind of vote total.

[NCF]

In the past four seasons (including this one) NC has 3 games at Augie, Carthage and Millikin. We have Wheaton and North Park at home 3 times. The only two teams we have alternated home/away with are Elmhurst and IWU.

Playing NPU at home in 2011 was a special case. North Central had asked NPU to flip the 2011 and 2012 locations in order to schedule the 2011 game in Naperville since it was the date of  the 150th anniversary of the school. NCC had several activities planned that weekend and wanted the football game at home.

You used to be able to easily determine the dates and locations of games against conference teams. For a long time, home/away alternated every season and schedules would slide every two years. The last conference game would move to the first conference game every two years, and the other games would slide down a week.

I don't like the new scheduling. I think it's wrong that the NCC-Wheaton doesn't alternate every year between Naperville and wheaton.

I agree. But I think we should be alternating home and away with every team. The flip with North Park I can understand.

[AndOne]

I happened to be scanning through Wheatons future schedules and noticed that the Wheaton North Central games were scheduled at 2 years at NCC 2011-12 then two years at Wheaton 2013-14 then two years back to NCC 2015-16.  Then they last schedule shows back at Wheaton 2017 and I would guess probably in 2018 to even things up.  I am not a big fan of this. Has this happened in the CCIW before?  Do other Wheaton fans or NCC fans like this format?  I can tell you it seems like forever when you are playing away and losing.  I suppose if your winning not so much.    
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/2007/5/23/fbfschedule.aspx?path=football

What could possibly be the reasoning behind such a strange scheduling arrangement? I can't imagine either of the schools would be in favor of anything like this. Without an explanation as to why, I'm hesitant to believe this isn't a misprint. If so, it wouldn't be the first time we've seen an incorrect future schedule. Its happened before in basketball scheduling.

I'm going to try to get some clarification on this. Hasta manana.

In the past four seasons (including this one) NC has 3 games at Augie, Carthage and Millikin. We have Wheaton and North Park at home 3 times. The only two teams we have alternated home/away with are Elmhurst and IWU.

Playing NPU at home in 2011 was a special case. North Central had asked NPU to flip the 2011 and 2012 locations in order to schedule the 2011 game in Naperville since it was the date of  the 150th anniversary of the school. NCC had several activities planned that weekend and wanted the football game at home.

You used to be able to easily determine the dates and locations of games against conference teams. For a long time, home/away alternated every season and schedules would slide every two years. The last conference game would move to the first conference game every two years, and the other games would slide down a week.

I don't like the new scheduling. I think it's wrong that the NCC-Wheaton doesn't alternate every year between Naperville and wheaton.

I agree. But I think we should be alternating home and away with every team. The flip with North Park I can understand.

Go Thunder has it correct regarding the non-alternating schedule. The consensus seems to be that CCIW fandom is not fond of this type scheduling. I had such a hard time comprehending why scheduling would be done in this manner, that I went right to the top and contacted the CCIW Commissioner, Chris Martin. Here is his response re the official conference position on this issue:

That is correct as our schedule maker created schedules that are based on a two year matrix so that means that the 2012 and 2013 years were done together....and the same for 2013 and 2014 years were created together.  So, for the two year period created together (2013 and 2014 for example), the WC vs NCC game would be played once at WC and once at NCC regardless of where the game was played the previous year.

Our coaches and ADs approved such schedules, which is why you noted the quirks, if you will, of creating schedules for two year windows.  Our ADs and coaches approved future football schedules through 2021 based on this two year matrix.

[Gregory Sager]

I happened to be scanning through Wheatons future schedules and noticed that the Wheaton North Central games were scheduled at 2 years at NCC 2011-12 then two years at Wheaton 2013-14 then two years back to NCC 2015-16.  Then they last schedule shows back at Wheaton 2017 and I would guess probably in 2018 to even things up.  I am not a big fan of this. Has this happened in the CCIW before?  Do other Wheaton fans or NCC fans like this format?  I can tell you it seems like forever when you are playing away and losing.  I suppose if your winning not so much.    
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/2007/5/23/fbfschedule.aspx?path=football

What could possibly be the reasoning behind such a strange scheduling arrangement? I can't imagine either of the schools would be in favor of anything like this. Without an explanation as to why, I'm hesitant to believe this isn't a misprint. If so, it wouldn't be the first time we've seen an incorrect future schedule. Its happened before in basketball scheduling.

I'm going to try to get some clarification on this. Hasta manana.

In the past four seasons (including this one) NC has 3 games at Augie, Carthage and Millikin. We have Wheaton and North Park at home 3 times. The only two teams we have alternated home/away with are Elmhurst and IWU.

Playing NPU at home in 2011 was a special case. North Central had asked NPU to flip the 2011 and 2012 locations in order to schedule the 2011 game in Naperville since it was the date of  the 150th anniversary of the school. NCC had several activities planned that weekend and wanted the football game at home.

You used to be able to easily determine the dates and locations of games against conference teams. For a long time, home/away alternated every season and schedules would slide every two years. The last conference game would move to the first conference game every two years, and the other games would slide down a week.

I don't like the new scheduling. I think it's wrong that the NCC-Wheaton doesn't alternate every year between Naperville and wheaton.

I agree. But I think we should be alternating home and away with every team. The flip with North Park I can understand.

Go Thunder has it correct regarding the non-alternating schedule. The consensus seems to be that CCIW fandom is not fond of this type scheduling. I had such a hard time comprehending why scheduling would be done in this manner, that I went right to the top and contacted the CCIW Commissioner, Chris Martin. Here is his response re the official conference position on this issue:

That is correct as our schedule maker created schedules that are based on a two year matrix so that means that the 2012 and 2013 years were done together....and the same for 2013 and 2014 years were created together.  So, for the two year period created together (2013 and 2014 for example), the WC vs NCC game would be played once at WC and once at NCC regardless of where the game was played the previous year.

Our coaches and ADs approved such schedules, which is why you noted the quirks, if you will, of creating schedules for two year windows.  Our ADs and coaches approved future football schedules through 2021 based on this two year matrix.

Yeah, I haven't read the board in the past 24 hours, or I would've answered this question myself. NPU hosted Illinois Wesleyan both last year and this year, and played at Elmhurst last year and will do so again this year. That's part of the two-year scheduling matrix of which the commish speaks. As noted by ILGator, the NPU/NCC thing has to do with NCC's request of NPU to hold last season's game in Naperville in conjunction with North Central's 150th anniversary, so it has nothing to do with the two-year matrix. NPU will play host to NCC again next season.

From this week's AFCA Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Waynesburg (Pa.), 69; Concordia (Ill.), 61; Franklin (Ind.), 59; Huntingdon (Ala.), 49; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 43; Augsburg (Minn.), 40; North Park (Ill.), 32; Alfred (N.Y.), 27; Lycoming (Pa.), 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 24; Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 21; Elmhurst (Ill.), 20; Louisiana College, 15; Washington & Lee (Va.), 13; Trinity (Texas), 10; Otterbein (Ohio), 7; Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 7; Gettysburg (Pa.), 5; Cortland St. (N.Y.), 4; Concordia (Wis.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 2; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 1; Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

Note: Elmhurst with 20, Wheaton with 24, but North Park (Ill.) with 32.

Is this a different North Park (?), an error, or some shady voting?

If it is anything like the USA Today poll, some people may think they are voting for North Central.  No way North Park should be garnering that kind of vote total.

I hope that it's simply a case of voter ignorance. If someone's voting for NPU as a joke, I'm not laughing.

[Langhorst_Ghost]

All this discussion around where Elmhurst sits is somewhat noise if you ask me.  Right now (and as in the past 6 years) it is NCC, then everyone else is some order or another, with the "top of the rest" fighting for "Pool C" considerations.
Until someone finds a way to beat NCC in conference, which there hasn't been a close game against them in conference in 20+ games, it is a moot point.

With all due respect Mugsy (and i cartainly do respect your insight on the boards), by this rationale, anyone not wearing Cardinal Red should just kneel at the feet of Coach Thorne and the birds from Benedetti and cash in all our blue, green, or whatever colored chips.  This is never going to happen.  So NCC is dominant...great, congrats to them...does that then disqualify fans of other programs from rooting loud and proud for their respective teams - i sure as hell hope not. 

If even entertaining the idea that anyone but NCC winning is simply a "moot point" (as you put it), why then, do we even bother with this chatboard nonsense?  Maybe we should just let the Cardinal posters banter back and forth and let them pat each other on the backs week in and week out - they can high five eachother and talk about all the trophies on display down in Naperville.  And you know what - they have every right to do that if they choose, they've earned it.  NCC is the class of the conference, this we all accept, and no one (not even the "kool-aid" drinking EC fans) disputes their achievements or their reputation - but there is ZERO chance of me conceeding any game in this conference to any opponent because of the logo on their helmet or the numbers of banners hanging in their locker room.

As long as its respectful, thoughtful, stays above the belt, and doesn't aim to degrade another program - there is absolutely nothing wrong with whole-hearted, loud and proud support for your program - that's called being a fan. 

As for 79 Jaybird's comments,

First of all, nobody ever said this...

Calling it the biggest win in college history etc.  is going a little extreme at this point.

Second of all, what does this have anything to do with anything? Odd reference...

You will not find a better leader, heart, motivator, or person who cares about you (and not how much $$ you have or BS things that don't matter) than Coach Swider. He is a great friend on and off the field.

Third of all, if by "noise" you mean pride and optimism...it won't go away, it's always a great day to be a 'Jay, come high or low tide...no half-hearted support here...

What happens if Millikin beats Elmhurst this week? If this happens, then what do you make of Elmhurst and all this "noise"?

[Kovo]

I happened to be scanning through Wheatons future schedules and noticed that the Wheaton North Central games were scheduled at 2 years at NCC 2011-12 then two years at Wheaton 2013-14 then two years back to NCC 2015-16.  Then they last schedule shows back at Wheaton 2017 and I would guess probably in 2018 to even things up.  I am not a big fan of this. Has this happened in the CCIW before?  Do other Wheaton fans or NCC fans like this format?  I can tell you it seems like forever when you are playing away and losing.  I suppose if your winning not so much.    
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/2007/5/23/fbfschedule.aspx?path=football

What could possibly be the reasoning behind such a strange scheduling arrangement? I can't imagine either of the schools would be in favor of anything like this. Without an explanation as to why, I'm hesitant to believe this isn't a misprint. If so, it wouldn't be the first time we've seen an incorrect future schedule. Its happened before in basketball scheduling.

I'm going to try to get some clarification on this. Hasta manana.

In the past four seasons (including this one) NC has 3 games at Augie, Carthage and Millikin. We have Wheaton and North Park at home 3 times. The only two teams we have alternated home/away with are Elmhurst and IWU.

Playing NPU at home in 2011 was a special case. North Central had asked NPU to flip the 2011 and 2012 locations in order to schedule the 2011 game in Naperville since it was the date of  the 150th anniversary of the school. NCC had several activities planned that weekend and wanted the football game at home.

You used to be able to easily determine the dates and locations of games against conference teams. For a long time, home/away alternated every season and schedules would slide every two years. The last conference game would move to the first conference game every two years, and the other games would slide down a week.

I don't like the new scheduling. I think it's wrong that the NCC-Wheaton doesn't alternate every year between Naperville and wheaton.

I agree. But I think we should be alternating home and away with every team. The flip with North Park I can understand.

Go Thunder has it correct regarding the non-alternating schedule. The consensus seems to be that CCIW fandom is not fond of this type scheduling. I had such a hard time comprehending why scheduling would be done in this manner, that I went right to the top and contacted the CCIW Commissioner, Chris Martin. Here is his response re the official conference position on this issue:

That is correct as our schedule maker created schedules that are based on a two year matrix so that means that the 2012 and 2013 years were done together....and the same for 2013 and 2014 years were created together.  So, for the two year period created together (2013 and 2014 for example), the WC vs NCC game would be played once at WC and once at NCC regardless of where the game was played the previous year.

Our coaches and ADs approved such schedules, which is why you noted the quirks, if you will, of creating schedules for two year windows.  Our ADs and coaches approved future football schedules through 2021 based on this two year matrix.

Yeah, I haven't read the board in the past 24 hours, or I would've answered this question myself. NPU hosted Illinois Wesleyan both last year and this year, and played at Elmhurst last year and will do so again this year. That's part of the two-year scheduling matrix of which the commish speaks. As noted by ILGator, the NPU/NCC thing has to do with NCC's request of NPU to hold last season's game in Naperville in conjunction with North Central's 150th anniversary, so it has nothing to do with the two-year matrix. NPU will play host to NCC again next season.

From this week's AFCA Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Waynesburg (Pa.), 69; Concordia (Ill.), 61; Franklin (Ind.), 59; Huntingdon (Ala.), 49; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 43; Augsburg (Minn.), 40; North Park (Ill.), 32; Alfred (N.Y.), 27; Lycoming (Pa.), 26; Wheaton (Ill.), 24; Birmingham-Southern (Ala.), 21; Elmhurst (Ill.), 20; Louisiana College, 15; Washington & Lee (Va.), 13; Trinity (Texas), 10; Otterbein (Ohio), 7; Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), 7; Gettysburg (Pa.), 5; Cortland St. (N.Y.), 4; Concordia (Wis.), 3; Simpson (Iowa), 3; Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 2; Trinity (Conn.), 2; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 1; Ohio Wesleyan, 1.

Note: Elmhurst with 20, Wheaton with 24, but North Park (Ill.) with 32.

Is this a different North Park (?), an error, or some shady voting?

If it is anything like the USA Today poll, some people may think they are voting for North Central.  No way North Park should be garnering that kind of vote total.

I hope that it's simply a case of voter ignorance. If someone's voting for NPU as a joke, I'm not laughing.

Gregory---I throughly enjoyed your broadcast of the game Saturday, even if it was from the NPU perspective!  Tough to do a  good broadcast witout a color commentator (especially during a  long injury timeout), but you kept the flow.  Good Luck to NPU to get one this year.