FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Mugsy, I take your point.  We'll see how well the IWU running attack has developed, surely much stronger than last year.  Surely, if NCC can contain the run on Saturday, you'll see Warner and company air it out more than usual.  Should be a great challenge on both sides.

So delighted to know that NCC plans to use a QB this weekend.  Should make the game just that much more interesting. 

'70

[thunderdog]

What is the QB situation for North Central?

I believe Warden gives NCC the best shot at winning on Saturday, regardless.  If weather is an issue, a ground and pound approach would seem more prudent... especially if Hunniford is hurting.  Warden is a good player.  However, IMO, rarely did he sit in the pocket and make reads.  It was read #1, run around and try to make something happen.  If it is raining/wet maybe they lean even more heavily on the run.

Also, for discussion, how far down do we believe NCC is this year?  Looking back of the last ten years NCC is 9-1.  The average score of that game, 35.5 to 12.5.  I expect this game to be close but is there anything to one team having another team's number (see Wheaton in Bloomington)?  It sure seems NCC has handles IWU fairly easily.  It has been even worse the last five years, 39.4 to 9.6 with two shutouts.  Past results don't predict the future but that is why I ask... how far down does the board believe NCC is and how up is IWU?

My sources say that NCC plans to use a QB again this week.   

You just did, went, and done it again, didn't u NCC fan? Have you already forgotten that Wheaton used this same inside info to come up with a brilliant game plan against the Cards?

[thunderdog]

Comparing TFLs and Sacks for IWU, NCC, and Wheaton, respectively, we have:
IWU 38 & 6
NCC 44 & 18
Wheaton 45 & 12

Losing #97 Kyle Venhuizen looks as if it has had a significant (negative) impact on IWUs ability to cause disruption in the opponents backfield. For all the talk about how good IWU's defense is, statistically, there are some holes...

[USee]

I think IWU will have their hands full on Saturday with NCC. They are a dangerous team with significant talent. Wheaton has tremendous speed on defense and controlled the line of scrimmage last Saturday. Some of the plays Adam Dandsdill and Logan McCrae made were ridiculous. Dandsdill ran down Dylan Warden and Austin Bruenig several times and those two guys are as fast as it gets in our league. I haven't seen a Linebacker in the CCIW like that since Matt Wenger. McRae had 2 sacks, two holding penalties and  a half a dozen disruptions. Those two, along with Ashby are difference makers to go with great talent at several other defensive spots. That's why the Thunder held NCC to a 9 point output. I think IWU's defense is stellar, but I don't see the same speed up front. The IWU secondary is faster than Wheaton's and NCC doesn't have great speed so the key to the game in my view is the ability of North Central to handle the physical nature of the IWU perimeter. I also think IWU will have to be very efficient on offense. They have demonstrated the ability to do so at times (Franklin, Millikin, Elmhurst) but have also disappeared for long stretches as well (Carthage and Augie). North Central still has an outside shot at the AQ so they will be playing with their backs against the wall. If Hunniford plays (I seriously doubt it) I would like NCC's chances better. Dylan Warden doesn't throw the ball well at all right now, which makes NCC a bit one dimensional on offense in my opinion.

[Titan Q]

Article on the IWU/NCC game...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/no-iwu-not-looking-at-north-central-s-record/article_220b5914-5f27-527a-9ce1-9fd728bd702a.html

[CardinalAlum]

Huge loss for IWU as Checchin is carried off the field, injured on the extra point.

[Mugsy]

Final at McCully: Wheaton 31, Elmhurst 0

(modified by GS because Mugsy forgot to type the zero)

[Augie6]

Augie finally puts it together on both sides of the ball in a dominating 45-7 win vs NPU.  Augie with 516 yds of total offense while only giving up 146 yds to NPU.  I'm hopeful this is a game that Augie can build on for the remainder of this season. 

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 45
North Park 7

NPU was absolutely terrible today. As the team broadcaster it pains me to say that, but there's really no other way to put it. Aside from a nifty late touchdown reception by Devin Childress, the Vikings didn't really do anything right in any phase of the game.

North Park has really taken a few steps backwards over the past two Saturdays.

[Titan Q]

Final:

North Central 33
Illinois Wesleyan 15

Pretty obvious from watching this one that NCC is the better team (just bigger and stronger upfront, and certainly deeper), but boy did the Titans make some huge mistakes today:

* Bad punt snap on opening possession = NCC safety.
* Shoemaker-Gilmore fumble in NCC territory leads to NCC TD.
* Bad punt snap in 3rd Q = NCC TD.
* A few big holding penalties and an offside that killed drives.

IWU did not give the ball to Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore on either of their first two drives (one that led to the safety, and the next leading to a punt).  They came out throwing, which I did not like.  When they did give it to Shoemaker-Gilmore today, he was pretty good.

IWU got to within 23-15 in the 3rd Q, but couldn't get anything going after that.

Unfortunately it looks like the Titans lost their star WR Artie Checchin for the season to injury (something lower body).  I hope I'm wrong about that, but with him getting carried off the field it just doesn't look good.

Big game in Bloomington next week as the Titans try to grind out a share.

[kiko]

With North Central's 33-15 win over Illinois Wesleyan today, here is how the AQ sorts out assuming the big three win their remaining games:

1. If Wheaton beats the Titans next week, obviously, they win the AQ.  This is clearly the most likely outcome.

2. Currently the teams' +/- in head-to-head games are:
     - North Central +10
     - Wheaton +8
     - Illinois Wesleyan -18

3. Wheaton cannot win the AQ in a three-way tie.  Their +/- would only get worse with a loss, and North Central's +/- is currently superior to theirs.  They are more or less a Pool C lock if they do not win the AQ.

4. Illinois Wesleyan would need to beat Wheaton by 29 points to win the AQ in a three-way tie.  Let's assume the Titans win 39-10.  (Again, highly unlikely...)  That would leave the three at:
     - Illinois Wesleyan +11
     - North Central +10
     - Wheaton -21

5. While winning by that margin would be tough for the Titans, their path to a Pool C bid is much much smoother if they enter that conversation as a one-loss team as opposed to a two-loss team.

[Kovo]

From Millikin coach Patric Etherton:

"I think Wesleyan is better than North Central," Etherton said. "They have a very talented running back group and they have a big line up front."

But Wesleyan's biggest playmaker is receiver Artie Checchin, who Etherton called the "best receiver in the conference."

Genius.  Pure genius.

North Central 33 IWU 15 in Bloomington. 

Bit of an ugly end in Weenieville with some personal fouls and ejections.

[iwu70]

Q pretty well summed it up.  Too many errors, esp. on punt snaps and NCC a good team getting points each time.  Warner had a bad day, with less than stellar accuracy, perhaps caused in part by the conditions -- a constant, even heavy rain throughout the game.  Doubt if he was 50% for the day.   NCC a very good running attack, well-suited for the game conditions today.  Their D played well, with only 1-2 big plays by the Titans.  AC14 likely out for the year, end of career.  A truly huge and sad loss for the Titans, for this All-Conference player.  Titans have to regroup, focus on next week vs. WC.  Without AC14, likely WC a 3 TD favorite. 

I said very early on I thought this IWU team was a good team, likely 7-3 or if fortunate 8-2 or even 9-1.  Looks like 8-2 coming to be.  We'll see next week, but WC surely the heavy favorite now to go undefeated for the year.

Sure would like to see the rain stop, the sun come back out.  Grim and grey today, just a raw late Fall football Saturday.

IWU70

[AndOne]

Final:

North Central 33
Illinois Wesleyan 15

Pretty obvious from watching this one that NCC is the better team (just bigger and stronger upfront, and certainly deeper), but boy did the Titans make some huge mistakes today:

* Bad punt snap on opening possession = NCC safety.
* Shoemaker-Gilmore fumble in NCC territory leads to NCC TD.
* Bad punt snap in 3rd Q = NCC TD.
* A few big holding penalties and an offside that killed drives.

IWU did not give the ball to Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore on either of their first two drives (one that led to the safety, and the next leading to a punt).  They came out throwing, which I did not like.  When they did give it to Shoemaker-Gilmore today, he was pretty good.

IWU got to within 23-15 in the 3rd Q, but couldn't get anything going after that.

Unfortunately it looks like the Titans lost their star WR Artie Checchin for the season to injury (something lower body).  I hope I'm wrong about that, but with him getting carried off the field it just doesn't look good.

Big game in Bloomington next week as the Titans try to grind out a share.

The best 3 loss team in the nation takes down previously undefeated IWU, 33-15. Unfortunately, it looks like the Cards are going to pay for having the guts to take on national power Wesley, and highly ranked UW-P.

As TQ indicated, the Green team came out throwing today, a strategy he indicated he did not care for, implying he would have preferred they give the ball to RB Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore as opposed to the initial ariel attack. However, from observing several of this season's previous NCC contests, I think the initial Wesleyan strategy was proper as attacking the relatively young and largely vertically challenged Cardinal secondary has yielded fruitful results to this point in the season. Furthermore, when Mr. S-G did start seeing the pigskin on a more regular basis, one of his "pretty good" plays was a very costly fumble. In truth, while the Redbird offense had several shining moments throughout the battle, the war was principally won by the entire Cardinal defense-D line, backers, and secondary-applying stifling pressure over the course of the entire afternoon, their cumulative effort resulting in limiting their vanquished foes to 184 yards of total offense, an average of only 2.4 yards per play.

[Mugsy]

Final at McCully: Wheaton 31, Elmhurst 0

(modified by GS because Mugsy forgot to type the zero)

Thanks GS.  That is what happens when a flood of trick or treaters arrive at door and I hastily hit post.