FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Kovo]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!   I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

[wally_wabash]

NCC didn't get the breaks it needed with UW-Platteville losing Saturday and Wabash falling to Wittenberg a couple weeks ago, etc., but that's what happens sometimes when you put your destiny in someone else's hands.

Great post.  North Central likely would have been ranked ahead of Witt had they lost on 11/8.  And I think North Central lost their feather in the cap when Platteville lost (and probably fell out of the rankings).  That put North Central on the board with Oshkosh and Oshkosh had a favorable common opponent situation there- effectively blocking North Central.  The same way North Central would have blocked Platteville had the Pioneers won that game on Saturday. 

Kind of a perfect storm of bad luck there for the Cardinals. 

I know USee has mentioned this over the last few weeks, but the regional breakdown of Pool C bids:
North- 2
East- 1
West- 1
South- 2

It's hard to be third in line in the region and make the field. 

[CardinalAlum]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!   I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

[mr_b]

Well, it's pretty clear Greg and Q weren't at the IWU-NPU game.... 

IWU70

Greg was there doing the webcast.  I listened from afar and could also hear the IWU radio crew and PA announcer in the background.

With the one changed INT on the deflection which led to a NP score, the final easily could have been 42-14, not the final which was 35-21. 
IWU70

I definitely wasn't at the game, but according to the play-by-play I listened to, the Titans intercepted a North Park pass at their own 1 or 2.  Take that turnover away and the score could have been much closer.  But we could play this game of hypotheticals and it still doesn't approximate the 40-50 point margin that was being bandied about.

[kiko]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!   I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

I agree with this.  Scheduling up helps the program long-term, and IMO that is more important than any single year's result.  The program needs to be prioritized over what any individual player might get to experience.

[Kovo]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!   I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

The answer is yes.  Every year for the past 5-6 years we play a tough non-conference schedule, and all it does is beat our team up, and make us LESS playoff and conference season ready.  We are better off trying to stay healthy going into the big conference games since a solid SOS doesn't help you, and having good programs pounding at your team early in the season doesn't help you either.

Don't give me the old "playing tough competition gets you ready".  Ready for what?  Trips to the ortho doc?  Why do you think Alabama played Florida Atlantic in a non-conference game???!! (I realize that they are in a different division, but college football logic applies),.  Shouldn't they have scheduled Florida State to help them get ready for the SEC play?  Maybe we can get Whitewater, Mount Union, and MHB to open the season next year.  Then we will be really really ready for CCIW play!!

Did it help NPU to go 2-8 this year?  Heck, if I'm calling the shots there I find three tomato cans to knock over, and Wa La---I'm an instant 5-5, and a national success story.  (Apologies to GS for using his guys as an example).

[Kovo]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!  I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

Let's see.  You are excited about Wheaton's chances But you are certain that NC couldn't have made a deep run.  Is that because Wheaton kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to beat us by 3 AT Wheaton?    I'm confused.  It didn't seem that one team was so much better than the other.  Maybe, I watched the wrong game, and one team was awesome, and the other---not so good.

[Kovo]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley (2)
Centre (213)
Texas Lutheran  (97)
Muhlenberg  (122)
John Carroll  (90)
Wabash (66)
Delaware Valley (73)
St. Thomas  (115)

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

And, just for fun----before the dead horse is brought out.  I inserted the SOS numbers for B's and C's to illustrate how important it is to schedule those tough games.  Draw your own conclusions.

[CardinalAlum]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!  I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

Let's see.  You are excited about Wheaton's chances But you are certain that NC couldn't have made a deep run.  Is that because Wheaton kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to beat us by 3 AT Wheaton?    I'm confused.  It didn't seem that one team was so much better than the other.  Maybe, I watched the wrong game, and one team was awesome, and the other---not so good.

Having watched these games in person, I could see the injuries that have piled up for the Cards.  The defense didn't all of a sudden turn into Swiss Cheese.  They finished the season playing a lot of young kids.  Those kids are talented but don't have the experience yet.   I'm excited about Wheaton's chances.  Correct!  As the lone CCIW team in the playoffs, I will support them as I would any other CCIW school in the playoffs and I love to see the school east of Naperville get pounded any chance I can.  We can agree to disagree at this point unless there's another part of my post you want to discuss next. 

[robertgoulet]

Bummed that NCC didn't make the playoffs, but as echoed above, this wasn't an NCC squad that was going to make a deep playoff run...so I'm not heartbroken. Sucks that Thorne had to go out on that note, though.

[USee]

I don't think there is any evidence that shows scheduling up helps you in the post season. Going forward, with less pool C bids, it will take on increasing significance. Mike Swider's strategy has been decidedly different. In the last 12 years Wheaton has been to the playoffs 6 times and via pool C 4 of those times. They have never played "up" in their schedule. They beat Bethel 2x a few years back and played Platteville when they were a below average WIAC team but Swider has always tried to find competitive middle tier schools to get his team ready. He believes the CCIW is too hard if you schedule teams where you get beat up early on. And he has "known" that 9-1 as a CCIW runner up gets you in the field in the past.

Times are changing. Less pool C's means 9-1 wouldn't get you in. In fact, Wheaton would have had a hard time getting in this year at 9-1. Schools from conferences who have weaker teams in the middle and at the bottom, have to try and schedule up to improve their profile. Most years the CCIW usually has 2 and sometimes 3 regionally ranked teams. That's plenty to improve your SOS. This year, the CCIW was a young league and lost more non-conference games than usual. That meant SOS wasn't as strong.  SOS isn't about just scheduling the top WIAC and MIAC teams. In 2010 Wheaton had a high SOS and scheduled Albion, Olivet and Platteville in a year none of them had a winning record. St Thomas played UWEC (1-9) and UWLaCrosse this year (3-7). They got in over NCC when both were on the table to pick. NCC had the higher SOS.

The fact is if NCC had scheduled Alma instead of UWSP this year they would be playing this week. And the "It's good for the program" bravado sounds important but it's not proven by the data. If you go 10-0/9-1 and make the playoffs, you will get all the "scheduling up" you need in November/December. Wheaton is about to play Benedictine and John Carroll. And if they are lucky, the prize for winning those games is Mt Union, followed by Wesley and UWW (or Wabash if you ask them  ).

I like what NCC has done. I would prefer to see teams "schedule up". If you are in a weaker conference you have to (See TLU and Wabash this year). The system has rewarded schools from stronger conferences who avoid the top teams. It shouldn't be that way but it is.

[Kovo]

The B's and C's went to:

Wesley
Centre
Texas Lutheran
Muhlenberg
John Carroll
Wabash
Delaware Valley
St. Thomas

If I interpreted the language correctly, Wesley and Centre were the B's as they referenced TLU and Muhlenberg as 'at-large' teams.  But don't hold me to that.

Wheaton will likely get John Carroll in Round 2 assuming they take care of business against the Bennies.

There must be a misprint. If not a 8-2 Franklin team with a 145 SOS and a loss  to IWU was selected over NC. If that is the case the Selection Committee is a clueless joke or outright liars as to what is important to the process. Should I go on to St. Thomas and their 105 SOS ?  What clowns. No wonder the NCAA is universally disrespected.

Kovo,

Franklin won their conference and received an AQ. They were not selected above NCC. That's simply not a fact. St Thomas, however was picked. That means Platteville likely dropped out of the West rankings and Concordia Moorehead came in at #10. That means St Thomas had a Regionally ranked win and NCC did not. That was the difference.

I stand corrected on Franklin. But heck St.T lost head to head to Bethel!  Who was their RRO win against?

Bottom line is don't lose to Stevens Point or any other middle of the road team early in the season.  UWSP proved to not be a very strong team when it came down to the end of the season.   NCC was very thin on defense as the season wound down and it surely showed.   One thing this does is gets the coaches on the road earlier for recruiting, which has been a chore when they have been playing into December.  There's my look on the bright side.  Coach Thorne goes out with a win in his last game as the head coach and the greatest football coach in NCC history.  Go Wheaton!  I might even pull out my Navy and Orange for a trip down Naper Blvd. next Saturday!

No, don't schedule WIAC teams because you could lose.  It is better to have a 105 SOS instead of a 30 SOS like NC--that is how you earn an at large bid.  And, yes I would rather go 7-0 and have the AQ EVERY year, but that isn't reality.  So as I have said before, anyone who schedules decent out of conference games is a fool.  The NCAA makes sure of that.

So you'd rather play the Benedictine's and Augsburg's (Sorry Bethel)?  That does nothing to prepare for the conference season which is where you have to win your bid.  This was NOT an NCC team that was going to make a deep run.  Having seen the biggest chunk of the games in person, defense was nowhere near the level needed to make a run in the playoffs.   I'm disappointed that they didn't get a bid but hopefully it puts the pressure on the players to not let your guard down and lay an egg in non conference games.

Let's see.  You are excited about Wheaton's chances But you are certain that NC couldn't have made a deep run.  Is that because Wheaton kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to beat us by 3 AT Wheaton?    I'm confused.  It didn't seem that one team was so much better than the other.  Maybe, I watched the wrong game, and one team was awesome, and the other---not so good.

Having watched these games in person, I could see the injuries that have piled up for the Cards.  The defense didn't all of a sudden turn into Swiss Cheese.  They finished the season playing a lot of young kids.  Those kids are talented but don't have the experience yet.   I'm excited about Wheaton's chances.  Correct!  As the lone CCIW team in the playoffs, I will support them as I would any other CCIW school in the playoffs and I love to see the school east of Naperville get pounded any chance I can.  We can agree to disagree at this point unless there's another part of my post you want to discuss next.

But I'm not sure on how much we disagree.  I agree that injuries piled up on defense (and Ryan Kent on offense didn't help), but that isn't my point.  My point is that even with injuries (which everyone has, and I'm not going into the whole IWU "that all the breaks went against us"----so all you Crusaders can refrain from listing all of your injured guys) we were life and death with Wheaton, who I believe could do very well in the playoffs, which causes me to draw the conclusion that we would not be overmatched in the first round or two depending on the draw.

But, more importantly, why did the injuries pile up?  Bad Luck?  The way that it is? Or getting beaten up with the #30 SOS in a year that the CCIW is supposed to be down?  Maybe it is all random.  But, then again maybe not.

[CardinalAlum]

I don't think there is any evidence that shows scheduling up helps you in the post season. Going forward, with less pool C bids, it will take on increasing significance. Mike Swider's strategy has been decidedly different. In the last 12 years Wheaton has been to the playoffs 6 times and via pool C 4 of those times. They have never played "up" in their schedule. They beat Bethel 2x a few years back and played Platteville when they were a below average WIAC team but Swider has always tried to find competitive middle tier schools to get his team ready. He believes the CCIW is too hard if you schedule teams where you get beat up early on. And he has "known" that 9-1 as a CCIW runner up gets you in the field in the past.

Times are changing. Less pool C's means 9-1 wouldn't get you in. In fact, Wheaton would have had a hard time getting in this year at 9-1. Schools from conferences who have weaker teams in the middle and at the bottom, have to try and schedule up to improve their profile. Most years the CCIW usually has 2 and sometimes 3 regionally ranked teams. That's plenty to improve your SOS. This year, the CCIW was a young league and lost more non-conference games than usual. That meant SOS wasn't as strong.  SOS isn't about just scheduling the top WIAC and MIAC teams. In 2010 Wheaton had a high SOS and scheduled Albion, Olivet and Platteville in a year none of them had a winning record. St Thomas played UWEC (1-9) and UWLaCrosse this year (3-7). They got in over NCC when both were on the table to pick. NCC had the higher SOS.

The fact is if NCC had scheduled Alma instead of UWSP this year they would be playing this week. And the "It's good for the program" bravado sounds important but it's not proven by the data. If you go 10-0/9-1 and make the playoffs, you will get all the "scheduling up" you need in November/December. Wheaton is about to play Benedictine and John Carroll. And if they are lucky, the prize for winning those games is Mt Union, followed by Wesley and UWW (or Wabash if you ask them  ).

I like what NCC has done. I would prefer to see teams "schedule up". If you are in a weaker conference you have to (See TLU and Wabash this year). The system has rewarded schools from stronger conferences who avoid the top teams. It shouldn't be that way but it is.

I get that argument but the reality is that other than the WIAC, there are not a lot of schools that are looking to put NCC on their schedule.

[Kovo]

I don't think there is any evidence that shows scheduling up helps you in the post season. Going forward, with less pool C bids, it will take on increasing significance. Mike Swider's strategy has been decidedly different. In the last 12 years Wheaton has been to the playoffs 6 times and via pool C 4 of those times. They have never played "up" in their schedule. They beat Bethel 2x a few years back and played Platteville when they were a below average WIAC team but Swider has always tried to find competitive middle tier schools to get his team ready. He believes the CCIW is too hard if you schedule teams where you get beat up early on. And he has "known" that 9-1 as a CCIW runner up gets you in the field in the past.

Times are changing. Less pool C's means 9-1 wouldn't get you in. In fact, Wheaton would have had a hard time getting in this year at 9-1. Schools from conferences who have weaker teams in the middle and at the bottom, have to try and schedule up to improve their profile. Most years the CCIW usually has 2 and sometimes 3 regionally ranked teams. That's plenty to improve your SOS. This year, the CCIW was a young league and lost more non-conference games than usual. That meant SOS wasn't as strong.  SOS isn't about just scheduling the top WIAC and MIAC teams. In 2010 Wheaton had a high SOS and scheduled Albion, Olivet and Platteville in a year none of them had a winning record. St Thomas played UWEC (1-9) and UWLaCrosse this year (3-7). They got in over NCC when both were on the table to pick. NCC had the higher SOS.

The fact is if NCC had scheduled Alma instead of UWSP this year they would be playing this week. And the "It's good for the program" bravado sounds important but it's not proven by the data. If you go 10-0/9-1 and make the playoffs, you will get all the "scheduling up" you need in November/December. Wheaton is about to play Benedictine and John Carroll. And if they are lucky, the prize for winning those games is Mt Union, followed by Wesley and UWW (or Wabash if you ask them  ).

I like what NCC has done. I would prefer to see teams "schedule up". If you are in a weaker conference you have to (See TLU and Wabash this year). The system has rewarded schools from stronger conferences who avoid the top teams. It shouldn't be that way but it is.

You are absolutely correct, Sir.

[USee]

I think NCC would have been a very dangerous team in the playoffs. They can play with anyone in the top 10 in my opinion.