FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

The commentator on the Wheaton broadcast called tonight's tilt in DuPage County a "championship game." I guess the Wheaton AD doesn't need to bother signing the invoice for theIr charter bus next Saturday.

It was in fact a championship game tonight for both teams. With NCC already sporting 1 loss, they could not afford a second loss and with Wheaton having such a weak strength of schedule, they knew a loss would likely eliminate them from  the playoffs so it was a championship game. Saturday morning there were 3 undefeated CCIW teams. Now there are two. It's Elmhurst's turn for a championship game. Wheaton is 1-3 at Elmhurst dating back to 2008 the one win was by 3 pts.

[thunder38]

Several numbers jumped off the page in this one that speak to the effectiveness of both offenses tonight.

Scoring Drives:
NCC: 9 plays-81 yards, 13 plays-57 yards, 8 plays-63 yards, 11 plays-60 yards, six plays-80 yards
Wheaton: 9 plays-50 yards, 7 plays-76 yards, 10 plays-74 yards, 14 plays-87 yards, 15 plays-83 yards, 13 plays-56 yards

Both of these offense had to earn it and grind out drives. The 59-yard TD pass to Ulmer on 4th and 8 to tie the game was the only real explosive play of the game. Each team had a handful of plays in the 15-25 yard range but other than that it was long, methodical drives.

3rd Down
NCC: 6-10
Wheaton: 9-12

As evidenced by there being only one punt in the game, both teams did a terrific job of staying ahead of the chains and out of third and long.

4th Down
NCC: 2-2
Wheaton: 1-1

Red Zone Chances
NCC: 4-4 (3 TD, 1 FG)
Wheaton: 6-6 (4 TD, 2 FG)

[Pat Coleman]

Having seen the video clip, I enjoyed the exuberance with which the LBB was collected.

[Gotberg]

North Park 26
Millikin 7

T.D. Conway: 29-53, 325 yds, 4 tds, 1 int
Drew Walkington: 17 carries, 92 yds
Filo Langkilde: 11 carries, 73 yds
Devin Childress: 8 catches, 114 yds, 2 tds
Dakota Conway: 8 catches, 44 yds, 1 td
Anthony Burton: 6 catches, 89 yds, 1 td

Tony Pippin: 21-47, 170 yds, 1 td, 1 int
Brady Cufaude: 8 catches, 77 yds, 1 td

This was the breakout game that Vikings fans were waiting for. The Park was totally dominant today, racking up 529 yards of offense and 31 first downs to MU's 284 and 15. In fact, the one tarnish on the game was the fact that NPU's final score was so low. The Vikings should've scored in the forties today, if not the fifties, as they came up empty five times in the red zone (they were also in the red zone when the game ended on a kneeldown). Three times the Vikings turned the ball over on downs in the red zone (once when they had the ball on the one-foot line and T.D. Conway had the ball snapped over his head on fourth down), a fourth trip came up empty when they missed a 25-yard FG attempt, and on a fifth trip to the money end of the field Conway was picked off on one of the very few bad balls he threw all day.

Considering that he was saddled with having three of his first four passes dropped by his receivers, T.D. Conway ended up having a terrific day. He even made things happen with his feet, something you don't see every day from a 6'4, 220 quarterback; in the first quarter, with the Vikings backed up to their own one-yard line he ran a simple sneak play for 13 yards, starting a 75-yard drive that completely flipped field position. And in the fourth quarter he converted a 4th and 1 by faking a handoff to Filo Langkilde and rambling 15 yards. Perhaps this quote:

His QB sneak is practically unstoppable.

... should be applied to T.D. Conway rather than Johnny Peltz.

It feels churlish to complain about all of NPU's blown red-zone opportunities, because it never felt as though Millikin was going to make NPU pay for them. The Vikings D was very stingy all day, and they were bringing the hits as well. It was definitely the best performance I've seen yet from a Mike Conway defense. The Big Blue were just never really in the game at all.

As much as I griped about NPU holding Homecoming so late this year, it turned out to be a fantastic day weatherwise. The stands were packed, the crowd was pumped, and the Vikings broke out the North Park haka (created and choreographed by the team's Samoan contingent) for the first time in public. In fact, after the game they reprised the haka, to the delight of the crowd. Everybody's got a fight song, but how many college football teams (aside from perhaps the University of Hawaii) have a haka?

Sure feels great to finally get that first win.

Haka can be seen here:  http://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2014/10/25/FB_1025141746.aspx?path=football

Looks like they are having fun with it.

[hazzben]

Having seen the video clip, I enjoyed the exuberance with which the LBB was collected.

I thought it was pretty cool as well.

Equally as cool, how level headed and respectful the NCC coaches and players were. There wasn't a hint of guy ready to pummel a Wheaton player for coming onto their sideline. And then their players were quick to walk towards Wheaton's celebration and congratulate them.

The mutual respect was evident. Great game, classy programs.

[Son of Tailgater]

Wheaton derails NCC this week. I'll say it and deal with the consequences of not explaining my prediction. All four of the games really could go either way and I wouldn't be surprised.

A small wager on your assertion, Son of T?

Why small?  If Son of T is so confident let's make it a "real" wager!

Alas, but the weekly allowance the Queen gives this poor knave is but a pittance. 

No wager needed  but just this re post.

[iwu70]

Congrats to the Thunder for knocking the champions off.  The game vs. EC should be another very good one.

Sadly, my predictions, assessments about the Titans proved correct, esp. poor D.  EC has a nice O and did a great job down the stretch on two 4th Q drives to come from 28-17 down with about 10 minutes to go to win.  The Titans in the middle of the D have been very weak on the quick slant and it proved so again today on several very big plays when they had EC on the mat.  Couldn't finish them off.  The O played well enough to win and the 4th QB of the season played pretty well, all things considered.   IMHO, the Titans need to re-consider a number of things to return to elite levels in the CCIW.  One is get bigger and better athletes.  Another is to redo the O, become more creative in play-making and play-calling --esp in the run game.  There's way way too much predictability to the Titan O, little trickeration, little mis-direction.  The D was generally good this year, as the stats show, but that's not the entire picture.  They were way too soft on the run and were very vulnerable in the middle slants and to mis-direction, back side scrambling.  It hurt them numerous times.  The Titans have good receivers and a bright future with Warner at QB, but my feeling is the overall O needs to be re-made, opened up and made much more crisp and creative. 

4-6 looks very likely now.  I thought 5-5- earlier, but this has gone pretty badly in recent weeks. 

I'm sure the Titans will be back. 

WC vs. EC for the title next week.  Should be another great game.  EC is better than many predicted. 

Again, congrats to Wheaton on their big win, de-throwning the 8-time champs, NCC.

IWU70

[thunderdog]

Let's show up in droves Thunder fans and be ready to make some NOISE~!

BRAVO Wheaton fans, BRAVO!  The most electric I've seen McCully Stadium in a long time... possibly ever (that I've seen, of course). 

The student section Orange Crush brought their A+ game...

[thunderdog]

I dont know if you insiders know but I have no clue to who is starting QB for Wheaton although I hope its Peltz.  He just really knows how to win.  I would especially use him on QB sneaks as he has an incredible way of using his linemen and stretching out his body.  His QB sneak is practically unstoppable.

Go Thunder,

Obviously Wheaton didn't QB-sneak their way to a victory, but Peltz's ability to run the ball, and fall forward, extending his 6'3" frame while being tackled played a huge role in the game.  Whether it was a read option or straight QB draw, Peltz is a very shifty runner and knows how to find the holes and pick up those extra 2-3 yards that others just miss.  If Peltz didn't answer the question as to who the starting QB is... well, I think it's pretty obvious moving forward.

And oh year, besides a couple of overthrows on 2 deep ball in the 4th qtr, his ability to throw the ball was phenomal.  His pocket presence and timing of when to release the ball was just awesome.  On multiple occasions, he stood in there with big, bad NCC defenders zeroing in on him and delivered an accurate pass just before getting hit.

[thunderdog]

Couldn't agree more. Last year Coach Swider brought the Bell out to Coach Thorne for the handshake but Thorson making a beeline to the NCC sideline to take the Bell away wasn't the greatest way to cap off an absolutely incredible football game.

Back in 1996 when DePauw won the Monon Bell for the first time in a long time, their team did the same sort of sprint, crash through the sideline kind of thing that helped incite a pretty nasty brawl involving players, fans...pretty much anybody who was in the area (which was everybody).   Glad there wasn't anything extra happening when Thorson and some teammates stormed through there.  After that little incident, we came up with some protocol for trophy transitions.  I'd rather we not have that kind of protocol because that kind of spontaneous excitement after  big rivalry win is fun...until it isn't.  Don't ever cross that line.   

Legend has it this goes back to the win in Naperville in 2012. In previous years Swider has brought the bell out at the handshake after a loss. In 2012 Thorne came across the field without the bell and when Swider asked where it was, Thorne said he would get it to him. Swider said something to the effect of "Don't worry we'll go get it" and sent his captains into the NCC bench to retrieve the bell. 

I agree a post game protocol should be instituted.

Couldn't agree more.  While there was obvious joy and exuberance on the Wheaton side, I certainly can understand how this didn't sit well on the NCC side.  That being said, when you beat a team that has won the conference (some were shared, yes) for the past 8 straight years, that's a place for EXUBERANCE (as moderator Pat Coleman put it) to happen.

From what I could tell though, there wasn't much of a handshake between the 2 teams, and that should've happened, IMO.  2 great teams, battling it out, in a game that came down to the last 3 seconds deserves a moment for the players to show their mutual respect.

[kiko]

The Wheaties deserved the win -- they punched the Cardinal D in the mouth from the first possession through to the final gun.  I come away from this scratching my head around how an offense that looked more like a juggernaut last night could be so underwhelming against Augie, and how this quarterback could possibly have not been the answer from Day 1.

From the Cards' perspective, this game reminded me of how I felt watching the latter stages of the Wabash loss a couple of years ago -- you knew that the Cardinal defense just had no ability to get off the field.  This is the first time in a while that a team imposed their will on the Cards via the ground (excepting Mount Union in a blizzard), and it raised a lot of questions about where the Cards are at right now.

I guess I'm an Elmhurst fan next weekend, but if this same Wheaton team shows up next Saturday, it won't matter.

[Langhorst_Ghost]

The commentator on the Wheaton broadcast called tonight's tilt in DuPage County a "championship game." I guess the Wheaton AD doesn't need to bother signing the invoice for theIr charter bus next Saturday.

What would you expect a biased commentator to say?  And do you honestly think that is the way the Wheaton staff will approach the game?  Gimme a break.

Well, as one who certainly knows his way around a biased broadcast, I would definitely expect a partisan perspective, but with a balance of respect for the league. Whether it was ignorance or arrogance, or just plain homer-ism, and Crusader shades on or not, it definitely ruffled my feathers, especially considering EC's recent successful run at home v. Swider's squad.

Honestly, as I think a little more deeply about my irratation with the preemptive declaration, its not so much that a Wheaton apologist is crowning the Thunder on a webacst in week 7, but I am definitely projecting my frustration. As a pro-EC poster, I am most definitely all in on the Jays all the time - but repectful, never tearing down another program - an informed fan being a fan. Its incredibly difficult here to support my program, to be a fan on a fans chatboard - I feel like a have thoughtful, well presented takes on Bluejay football that do not degrade other teams in the process - I just hope there's space here for that voice.

As a player, I took it in the teeth for years in this conference, winning just 8 games in my 4 letter winning seasons on a very bad Jays squad.  As a coach, I was a part of the rise up to the middle of the conference, working through some up and down seasons. And as a broadcaster, I called the best of the Jays recent run, and witnessed a program rise to finish as one of the 16 best in the country in 2012.  My point is - I love d3 ball, I love this conference, and I love my Jays - and I have earned so much respect for the coaches, players, and programs in the cciw through 3 different lenses over the last 18 years. If my exuberance for bluejay football is ever mis-interpreted as anything other than  educated passion, then I am not presenting myself the way I woild hope for. Just love my Jays and love this conference we all support, and this place is really the only meeting ground to share that passion. My apologies if it comes off any other way.

As for next Saturday - still a few conference possibilities to shake out. If Wheaton takes care of of business on the road, they would control their path to the cciw crown, having defeated the two late season challengers.  Should EC bring another spirited effort at home and work some of that Langhorst mojo Saturday for the W, now suddenly NCC is back in the conversation with a possible chance to three-way the title by beating EC (same scenario as 2012).  Not sure how that might shake out, but with the schedule lined up the way it did,  its definitely exciting to have my Jays in the conversation in November.

[USee]

The commentator on the Wheaton broadcast called tonight's tilt in DuPage County a "championship game." I guess the Wheaton AD doesn't need to bother signing the invoice for theIr charter bus next Saturday.

What would you expect a biased commentator to say?  And do you honestly think that is the way the Wheaton staff will approach the game?  Gimme a break.

Well, as one who certainly knows his way around a biased broadcast, I would definitely expect a partisan perspective, but with a balance of respect for the league. Whether it was ignorance or arrogance, or just plain homer-ism, and Crusader shades on or not, it definitely ruffled my feathers, especially considering EC's recent successful run at home v. Swider's squad.

Honestly, as I think a little more deeply about my irratation with the preemptive declaration, its not so much that a Wheaton apologist is crowning the Thunder on a webacst in week 7, but I am definitely projecting my frustration. As a pro-EC poster, I am most definitely all in on the Jays all the time - but repectful, never tearing down another program - an informed fan being a fan. Its incredibly difficult here to support my program, to be a fan on a fans chatboard - I feel like a have thoughtful, well presented takes on Bluejay football that do not degrade other teams in the process - I just hope there's space here for that voice.

As a player, I took it in the teeth for years in this conference, winning just 8 games in my 4 letter winning seasons on a very bad Jays squad.  As a coach, I was a part of the rise up to the middle of the conference, working through some up and down seasons. And as a broadcaster, I called the best of the Jays recent run, and witnessed a program rise to finish as one of the 16 best in the country in 2012.  My point is - I love d3 ball, I love this conference, and I love my Jays - and I have earned so much respect for the coaches, players, and programs in the cciw through 3 different lenses over the last 18 years. If my exuberance for bluejay football is ever mis-interpreted as anything other than  educated passion, then I am not presenting myself the way I woild hope for. Just love my Jays and love this conference we all support, and this place is really the only meeting ground to share that passion. My apologies if it comes off any other way.

As for next Saturday - still a few conference possibilities to shake out. If Wheaton takes care of of business on the road, they would control their path to the cciw crown, having defeated the two late season challengers.  Should EC bring another spirited effort at home and work some of that Langhorst mojo Saturday for the W, now suddenly NCC is back in the conversation with a possible chance to three-way the title by beating EC (same scenario as 2012).  Not sure how that might shake out, but with the schedule lined up the way it did,  its definitely exciting to have my Jays in the conversation in November.

Langhorst,

You are way, way over-reacting. Last night was absolutely a championship game. Two undefeated teams playing for the top spot. That is in no way demeaning to Elmhurst. Certainly not "ignorance, arrogance, or homer-ism". There are no 3 team jamborees in the CCIW. You gotta play everybody. Last night was 2 of the three undefeated teams playing. This week the Jays get their chance. Your effort at bulletin board material is far fetched at best. And your claim of "pre-emptive declaration" is just wrong. IWU70 called NCC the 8-time champion in his post. You should be much more offended by the slight to Elmhurst's 2012 co-championship than any description last night of a "championship game". No one got crowned last night but winning that game gave the victor the inside track. It wouldn't have been any different if it was Elmhurst v NCC last night. This week  is a championship game for Elmhurst and Wheaton. Does that offend NCC? Of course not. As a player you have to look at the games against the top teams as championship games. If you knock of the guy on top of the hill, you are king until someone knocks you off. Last night the Thunder knocked of the 8 time champ/co-champs. It had the look and feel of a championship game. 1 turnover, very few penalties. Two heavy weights going toe-to-toe. Now the Jays get to step up to the plate and see if they are ready to reclaim the magic they had in 2012.

Drink your kool-aid and wear your  Blue Jay glasses, but don't make misguided accusations of "ignorance, arrogance or just plain homer-ism".

[kiko]

The commentator on the Wheaton broadcast called tonight's tilt in DuPage County a "championship game." I guess the Wheaton AD doesn't need to bother signing the invoice for theIr charter bus next Saturday.

What would you expect a biased commentator to say?  And do you honestly think that is the way the Wheaton staff will approach the game?  Gimme a break.

Well, as one who certainly knows his way around a biased broadcast, I would definitely expect a partisan perspective, but with a balance of respect for the league. Whether it was ignorance or arrogance, or just plain homer-ism, and Crusader shades on or not, it definitely ruffled my feathers, especially considering EC's recent successful run at home v. Swider's squad.

Honestly, as I think a little more deeply about my irratation with the preemptive declaration, its not so much that a Wheaton apologist is crowning the Thunder on a webacst in week 7, but I am definitely projecting my frustration. As a pro-EC poster, I am most definitely all in on the Jays all the time - but repectful, never tearing down another program - an informed fan being a fan. Its incredibly difficult here to support my program, to be a fan on a fans chatboard - I feel like a have thoughtful, well presented takes on Bluejay football that do not degrade other teams in the process - I just hope there's space here for that voice.

As a player, I took it in the teeth for years in this conference, winning just 8 games in my 4 letter winning seasons on a very bad Jays squad.  As a coach, I was a part of the rise up to the middle of the conference, working through some up and down seasons. And as a broadcaster, I called the best of the Jays recent run, and witnessed a program rise to finish as one of the 16 best in the country in 2012.  My point is - I love d3 ball, I love this conference, and I love my Jays - and I have earned so much respect for the coaches, players, and programs in the cciw through 3 different lenses over the last 18 years. If my exuberance for bluejay football is ever mis-interpreted as anything other than  educated passion, then I am not presenting myself the way I woild hope for. Just love my Jays and love this conference we all support, and this place is really the only meeting ground to share that passion. My apologies if it comes off any other way.

As for next Saturday - still a few conference possibilities to shake out. If Wheaton takes care of of business on the road, they would control their path to the cciw crown, having defeated the two late season challengers.  Should EC bring another spirited effort at home and work some of that Langhorst mojo Saturday for the W, now suddenly NCC is back in the conversation with a possible chance to three-way the title by beating EC (same scenario as 2012).  Not sure how that might shake out, but with the schedule lined up the way it did,  its definitely exciting to have my Jays in the conversation in November.

Langhorst,

You are way, way over-reacting. Last night was absolutely a championship game. Two undefeated teams playing for the top spot. That is in no way demeaning to Elmhurst. Certainly not "ignorance, arrogance, or homer-ism". There are no 3 team jamborees in the CCIW. You gotta play everybody. Last night was 2 of the three undefeated teams playing. This week the Jays get their chance. Your effort at bulletin board material is far fetched at best. And your claim of "pre-emptive declaration" is just wrong. IWU70 called NCC the 8-time champion in his post. You should be much more offended by the slight to Elmhurst's 2012 co-championship than any description last night of a "championship game". No one got crowned last night but winning that game gave the victor the inside track. It wouldn't have been any different if it was Elmhurst v NCC last night. This week  is a championship game for Elmhurst and Wheaton. Does that offend NCC? Of course not. As a player you have to look at the games against the top teams as championship games. If you knock of the guy on top of the hill, you are king until someone knocks you off. Last night the Thunder knocked of the 8 time champ/co-champs. It had the look and feel of a championship game. 1 turnover, very few penalties. Two heavy weights going toe-to-toe. Now the Jays get to step up to the plate and see if they are ready to reclaim the magic they had in 2012.

Drink your kool-aid and wear your  Blue Jay glasses, but don't make misguided accusations of "ignorance, arrogance or just plain homer-ism".

You've said this twice now, and, well, you have a funny definition of what a championship game is.  Last night was an important game in determining how everything shakes out this year, but to call it a championship game really devalues what that actually is.  Last night could end up being a game between the second- and third-place teams in the conference.  I doubt that's the case, but it is possible.  And a game between #2 and #3 is by definition not a championship game.

[USee]

Kiko

I think I have been pretty clear what I meant.