FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

North Central 55
Millikin 7

It wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated.

[CardinalAlum]

One thing NPU absolutely HAS to fix is kickoff coverage.  On four kickoffs, IWU got 225 yards!

It's hard to fix kickoff coverage when neither of the kickers you've used can get the ball deeper than the 20-yard line. It means that, basically, the kick returner hits the wedge at the same time that the defenders hit it, giving the defenders little chance to draw a bead on the returner and/or box him in.

Unless NPU soccer coach John Born wants to lend Mike Conway somebody who's got a big leg, the shallow-kickoff problem is going to be a chronic one this season.

It's time to go to the squib kick then!

[CardinalAlum]

North Central 55
Millikin 7

It wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated.

Completely agree!  This was over very early.  The Cardinals dominated the first half. That was the best I've seen the defense play this year.  Not to nitpick but Cards are having issues with Center snaps and the kicking game.   More missed kicks and the punter takes way too long to get the punt off.  That needs fixing in the next couple of weeks.   Other than that, great effort tonight.  Millikin was not very impressive. 

[Titan Q]

"Early gloom, no doom for IWU's Eash" -- http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/columnists/kindred/kindred-early-gloom-no-doom-for-iwu-s-eash/article_4ab85b3c-33b6-11e3-a4d0-001a4bcf887a.html

And the game story from the win over North Park -- http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/no-iwu-handles-north-park-for-eash-s-record-win/article_453a4394-339a-11e3-848d-001a4bcf887a.html


Congrats to Coach Eash for becoming IWU's all-time wins leader!

[formerd3db]

Mr. Ypsi, iwu70, Titan Q and other IWU'ers:

Congrats on IWU's win yesterday.  They continue to "roll on".

Also, Mr. Ypsi...Eastern Michigan got blasted yesterday by Army at the latter's stadium (it looked like a huge crowd and excellent weather day at the game).  It appears that they have imploded back to their bottom dweller days and that even their new offensive coordinator/QB coach, veteran Stan Parrish can't even save them. 

If the administration didn't think former coach Jeff Grenke couldn't save them and only gave him those few years, I wonder how long it will be now before they fire Ron English?  I remember people telling him to not take that job as some have referred it as "The Graveyard of Coaches" (compared to Miami Ohio's "Cradle of Coaches", although the latter seems to be heading the same way as EMU as they just fired their alum/former player, former Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell after only 2 1/2 seasons).  Doesn't sound good.
 

[AO]

And since you asked:

2011:
Week 8 Montclair loses to TCNJ (7-3) and drops from #9-17
Week 10 Thomas More loses to Waynesburg (5-5) and drops from #8-#21
Week 11 Hardin Simmons loses to Louisiana College (7-3) and drops from #7-#19
Final Poll Wittenberg drops from #9-#17 after going 10-1 and losing in the playoffs to ONU (10-2) whose only losses were to NCC and UMU

Shall I continue? Your assertion is not supported by the data. Drops in the poll are similar in nature week 1, week 8, week 14, it hasn't mattered but St Thomas was different. I get it, I just don't agree with it.

TCNJ - not ranked, unimpressed
Waynesburg - not ranked, unimpressed
LaCollege - not ranked, unimpressed

I'm being facetious, but you can't have it both ways.  You don't get to pretend in one post that it doesn't matter because "any loss to an unranked team is a loss to an unranked team" and then use these as examples of teams being docked for losses to good teams.

Since this is my home board I will take the podium last: to be clear, I only listed the "good team" because you made the assertion that all my examples were losses by top 10 teams to bad unranked teams.

And for the record, I thought Wheaton should have fallen farther than they did last year. I think part of that is due to the same anomaly we are seeing with UST, the benefit of the doubt as Emma called it.

Moving on......Thanks for the discussion.

I'm late to the argument, but the voters clearly didn't think St. John's was an unranked team, as they were #21 in the poll after the Tommie game and they may make another appearance in the poll after having the best win of the weekend amongst the teams knocking on the door.

[USee]

And UST continues to unimpress with a ho-hum win (barely) over another unranked team. 

[AO]

And UST continues to unimpress with a ho-hum win (barely) over another unranked team.

Gustavus is far better than usual this year.   The MIAC is the 2nd ranked conference for a reason.  I don't think Wheaton or North Central would be favored if they make a trip to St. Paul.

[USee]

Of course they wouldn't be favored. That's not the issue.  But if that makes you feel better I agree.

[AO]

Of course they wouldn't be favored. That's not the issue.  But if that makes you feel better I agree.

or on a neutral field.  This is why they are ranked above Wheaton.  You might not have to worry about it though; I'm picking Bethel next week and 8-2 might not get you in this year, even though they might stay in the top 10.

[USee]

I have no issue with UST being ranked ahead of Wheaton. They should not have stayed in the too ten after losing to an unranked team IMO.  They got a grace check that other teams haven't received.  It will sort itself out.  And Gustavus isn't any better than Augie or Elmhurst in the CCIW

[AndOne]

North Central 55
Millikin 7

It wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated.

Completely agree!  This was over very early.  The Cardinals dominated the first half. That was the best I've seen the defense play this year.  Not to nitpick but Cards are having issues with Center snaps and the kicking game.   More missed kicks and the punter takes way too long to get the punt off.  That needs fixing in the next couple of weeks.   Other than that, great effort tonight.  Millikin was not very impressive.

This game was over as early as the 9:11 mark of the first quarter when the Cardinals had a 3rd and 30 at the Millikin 36. NCC already led 7-0. Stanek had to jump to get his hands on a high snap, and deflected the ball straight up in the air. He then caught the deflection, and fired a perfect 36 yard rainbow strike hitting Chad O'Kane in stride for a TD. 

* Spencer Stanek--15 of 16 for 98.3% for 3 TDs. Also ran for a 4th TD.
* 4th team RB, freshman Zach Pattat the leader with 149 yards rushing, and a TD.
* TE A.J. Thomas with 2 receptions--both for TDs. 5 of his 10 receptions this season have gone for TDs.
* Defense paced by Alex Tripp's 7 tackles and Richard Zirngibl's 6 held MU to 71 net rushing yards with 12 TsFL 4 Sacks, and 2 INTs
* NCC with TDs on its fist 5 possessions.
* 8 different receivers with receptions.

* As CardinalAlum indicated, the Cardinals need to greatly improve many aspects of their kicking/return game.
       * They are last in the CCIW in net yards punting (27.7). Several punts nearly blocked.
       * They are last in KO return yardage (9.0)!
       * Nick Dace who has historically been excellent is 1 for 6 on FGs, and has missed 4 PATs. He definitely
          has the talent to improve these percentages. 

[AO]

I have no issue with UST being ranked ahead of Wheaton. They should not have stayed in the too ten after losing to an unranked team IMO.  They got a grace check that other teams haven't received.  It will sort itself out.  And Gustavus isn't any better than Augie or Elmhurst in the CCIW

I think you're thinking of 2012 Elmhurst.  Both squads were within a score of the Tommies in the 4th quarter last year, but from looking at the scores this year, I'm not sure 2013 Elmhurst could hang.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm eagerly awaiting the new Top 25 - IWU should finally enter this week, as Lycoming, Thomas More (and possibly Concordia-Moorhead) should fall out.  I'd predict the new Top 25 teams will be IWU and St. John's (and, perhaps Salisbury or Pacific, if C-M does indeed fall out).

To me, the poll just looks better with three CCIW teams in it!

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm eagerly awaiting the new Top 25 - IWU should finally enter this week, as Lycoming, Thomas More (and possibly Concordia-Moorhead) should fall out.  I'd predict the new Top 25 teams will be IWU and St. John's (and, perhaps Salisbury or Pacific, if C-M does indeed fall out).

To me, the poll just looks better with three CCIW teams in it!

Awright!  Nailed it!

IWU enters at #23, St. John's at #25; Lyco and TM fall out.  C-M drops to #24 (I approve; Bethel is awfully good, and the final score was due to C-M losing the TO battle 7-0; C-M is a good team having a bad day).

NCC and Wheaton hold steady: NCC at 4, Wheaton at 13.

(My only whiff was that Pacific and Salisbury are both still buried well down in the ARV.)