FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[79jaybird]

Yeah, gone are the days of the great Irish 21,  SOT, and son of SOT.  Carthage has shown a new foundation,  making positives strides, and yet very few people on the bandwagon? Just like (on the flipside) a lot of blue has been lost in the Kool-Aid mix?? 

BTW- Saturday's win was the first for Olivet over Elmhurst.  Congrats to the Comets.   I do like Olivet as a non conf. game.  I think it is usually a pretty good tune up for CCIW action.

[USee]

This is obviously a huge contest of CCIW contenders as is Wheaton  @ Carthage in what I expect is a game that could be a lot closer than anyone thinks.

Not this guy.  I watched a fair portion of Carthage/Bethel on Saturday and that Carthage RB 19 is a serious dude.  Not sure if he's a Dante Washington type of dude yet, but he's real good.  On the flip side, I noticed that Wheaton took their best player off the shelf and promptly slapped a fifty burger on Kzoo in about 35 minutes, so there's that also.  Probably a bit too much depth to overcome for Carthage, but Wheaton will have to work to put them away.

The Thunder have given up less than 100 yds rushing total in 2 games and the defensive line for Wheaton is definitely a strength so the battle in the trenches (Carthage will play a couple tight ends and a big OL) is going to go a long way in deciding this contest.

[USee]

I'm surprised there are no Carthage fans to pump up the Red Men after beating an opponent from one of the premier conferences in the nation, the MIAC. I mean Bethel was a semi-finalist in 2010, a 2nd round team in 2012, and a quarterfinalish in 2013. Regardless of how Bethel's season plays out, this was a signature win, on the road, for the Red Men.

I don't think that it's as much of a "signature win" as you do. A few seasons ago? Sure, that's a great win, especially in suburban St. Paul. But Bethel went 5-5, 4-4 last season, and the Royals began this season in hideous fashion, surrendering 70 points and 735 yards of total offense to a Dubuque team that, however good, is not likely to be making travel plans to Salem, VA anytime in the foreseeable future.

I think it's a big win. While the Royals aren't going to contend for the MIAC crown or an NCAA playoff birth, Bethel is going to likely finish 3rd in one of the top conferences in the nation and I think when we all look back we are going to say Bethel played 2 pretty good teams in weeks 1 and 2. Carthage's win up in Arden Hills tells me the Redmen are for real and anyone in the CCIW who doubts them is going to get hung with an L.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm surprised there are no Carthage fans to pump up the Red Men after beating an opponent from one of the premier conferences in the nation, the MIAC. I mean Bethel was a semi-finalist in 2010, a 2nd round team in 2012, and a quarterfinalish in 2013. Regardless of how Bethel's season plays out, this was a signature win, on the road, for the Red Men.

I don't think that it's as much of a "signature win" as you do. A few seasons ago? Sure, that's a great win, especially in suburban St. Paul. But Bethel went 5-5, 4-4 last season, and the Royals began this season in hideous fashion, surrendering 70 points and 735 yards of total offense to a Dubuque team that, however good, is not likely to be making travel plans to Salem, VA anytime in the foreseeable future.

I think it's a big win. While the Royals aren't going to contend for the MIAC crown or an NCAA playoff birth, Bethel is going to likely finish 3rd in one of the top conferences in the nation and I think when we all look back we are going to say Bethel played 2 pretty good teams in weeks 1 and 2. Carthage's win up in Arden Hills tells me the Redmen are for real and anyone in the CCIW who doubts them is going to get hung with an L.

I definitely think the first two Bethel games are ones we're going to have to re-evaluate at least once this season. I'd be surprised if they finish third in the MIAC, but then again, I'm not sure who I can say is clearly better than Bethel other than SJU and UST.

[AndOne]

Congrats to NCC's Broc Rutter, and DJ Warkenthien, the CCIW's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week respectively.

Rutter, a freshman quarterback from Naperville, Illinois and Neuqua Valley High School (Marketing major), completed 84.6 percent of his passes, the sixth-best single-game accuracy in North Central history, during a 38-21 win over Webber International on Saturday. He finished 22-of-26 for 284 yards and three touchdown passes and went a perfect 10-of-10 passing for 163 yards in the third quarter. He threw touchdown passes of 41, 26 and 22 yards on successive drives to break open what had been a close game. It was the Cardinals' second-straight win against a scholarship opponent.

In the season's first two games Rutter has completed 38 of 52 passes (73.1%) for 572 yards. He has been intercepted once. His efficiency rating stands at 206.1

Warkenthien, a sophomore linebacker from Naperville, Illinois and Neuqua Valley High School (Marketing major), led the Cardinals with eight tackles, including two sacks and a forced fumble against Webber International. The Cardinals allowed just 109 yards of total offense before the starters left the game with a 38-0 third quarter lead. He had two of the team's seven sacks, which were one short of matching North Central's single-game record of eight, and his forced fumble came on a third quarter kickoff return.

[USee]

In the season's first two games Rutter has completed 38 of 53 passes (73.1%) for 572 yards. He has been intercepted once. His efficiency rating stands at 206.1

I was thinking, man this stat line looks familiar and then I went back and looked at this:

The Wheaton QB story is continuing. The Thunder have 2 QB's who have led the team to undefeated conference titles the last two years.  Andrew Bowers started the first game against Benedictine and Johnny Peltz started against Kalamazoo. Here are the two stat lines:

Andrew Bowers: 19-29-0 (66%) 261 yds 3 TD's 175.3 Eff; 6 rush 19 yds 1.7 ypc

Johnny Peltz: 16-21-1 (76%) 265 yds 4 TD's 235.5 Eff; 6 rush 40 yds 6.7 ypc

Combined these guys are:

35-50-1 (70%) 526 yds 7 TD's 205.4 Eff; 12 rush 59 yds 4.9 ypc

Rutter has also thrown for 7 Td's by the way.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm surprised there are no Carthage fans to pump up the Red Men after beating an opponent from one of the premier conferences in the nation, the MIAC. I mean Bethel was a semi-finalist in 2010, a 2nd round team in 2012, and a quarterfinalish in 2013. Regardless of how Bethel's season plays out, this was a signature win, on the road, for the Red Men.

I don't think that it's as much of a "signature win" as you do. A few seasons ago? Sure, that's a great win, especially in suburban St. Paul. But Bethel went 5-5, 4-4 last season, and the Royals began this season in hideous fashion, surrendering 70 points and 735 yards of total offense to a Dubuque team that, however good, is not likely to be making travel plans to Salem, VA anytime in the foreseeable future.

I think it's a big win. While the Royals aren't going to contend for the MIAC crown or an NCAA playoff birth, Bethel is going to likely finish 3rd in one of the top conferences in the nation and I think when we all look back we are going to say Bethel played 2 pretty good teams in weeks 1 and 2. Carthage's win up in Arden Hills tells me the Redmen are for real and anyone in the CCIW who doubts them is going to get hung with an L.

Big win? Sure. It's a long road trip, and Bethel's no slouch. (The Royals did put up 53 points in the Dubuque debacle, after all.) Signature win? No.

It's all semantics, of course, so thunderdog's certainly entitled to have a different definition of "signature win" than mine. But, to me, a signature win is a victory over a legit Top 25 team, and Bethel doesn't fit that description.

I didn't need this outcome to tell me that Carthage was for real. If I'd been forced to bet on the final standings back in the preseason, based upon what they had coming back I would've pegged the Red Men rather than Illinois Wesleyan as the most likely #3 in the league. Annihilating Aurora and beating Bethel only confirmed their for-realness.

[AndOne]

Basically a standoff with regard to the eye popping stats of Wheaton's Bowers & Peltz, and NCC's Rutter.

Bowers and Peltz are both seniors. Rutter, however, is only a freshman. He has been out of high school for a year, during which he attended D1 FCS Indiana State. However, he redshirted at IN ST., and did not play, thus still being a freshman eligibility wise.

[USee]

I'm surprised there are no Carthage fans to pump up the Red Men after beating an opponent from one of the premier conferences in the nation, the MIAC. I mean Bethel was a semi-finalist in 2010, a 2nd round team in 2012, and a quarterfinalish in 2013. Regardless of how Bethel's season plays out, this was a signature win, on the road, for the Red Men.

I don't think that it's as much of a "signature win" as you do. A few seasons ago? Sure, that's a great win, especially in suburban St. Paul. But Bethel went 5-5, 4-4 last season, and the Royals began this season in hideous fashion, surrendering 70 points and 735 yards of total offense to a Dubuque team that, however good, is not likely to be making travel plans to Salem, VA anytime in the foreseeable future.

I think it's a big win. While the Royals aren't going to contend for the MIAC crown or an NCAA playoff birth, Bethel is going to likely finish 3rd in one of the top conferences in the nation and I think when we all look back we are going to say Bethel played 2 pretty good teams in weeks 1 and 2. Carthage's win up in Arden Hills tells me the Redmen are for real and anyone in the CCIW who doubts them is going to get hung with an L.

Big win? Sure. It's a long road trip, and Bethel's no slouch. (The Royals did put up 53 points in the Dubuque debacle, after all.) Signature win? No.

It's all semantics, of course, so thunderdog's certainly entitled to have a different definition of "signature win" than mine. But, to me, a signature win is a victory over a legit Top 25 team, and Bethel doesn't fit that description.

I didn't need this outcome to tell me that Carthage was for real. If I'd been forced to bet on the final standings back in the preseason, based upon what they had coming back I would've pegged the Red Men rather than Illinois Wesleyan as the most likely #3 in the league. Annihilating Aurora and beating Bethel only confirmed their for-realness.

And yet you didn't....but I did.  right now you are just guilty of a J.O.P.

And for Carthage, beating Bethel up in Minnesota is the best win they have had in many years so I am guessing their definition of "signature win" and yours are quite different.

[Gregory Sager]

"J.O.P."?

Oh, I would not at all be surprised if Mike Yeager is more in line with thunderdog's thinking than mine on the subject of signature wins. But my contention is that the phrase should be used objectively and measured by a common standard, rather than subjectively to an in-house standard.

Now, if the Red Men were to beat Wheaton on Saturday up at Keller Field, that would most certainly be a signature win.

[USee]

J.O.P. = a little known statistic favored mostly by defensive backs who are trying to build up their stat line. It usually occurs at the end of a play after or near the whistle when their is a mass of humanity, at the bottom of which is the ballcarrier. The statisticians in the press box are, of course, trying to determine who made the tackle and the hope of said defensive backs is that the spotters in the box will see them arise from the ruins and give them (partial) credit for the takedown. Thus the term J.O.P. which is an acronym for "Jump On Pile".

I will let your genius mind infer as to what application it may have on these boards. 

[Gregory Sager]

That was the only way I'd ever get credit for anything when I played DB back in Pop Warner.

[AndOne]

That was the only way I'd ever get credit for anything when I played DB back in Pop Warner.

Certainly only because teams were afraid to throw or even run much in your direction! 
Accordingly, with little opportunity, a lack of statistical data to prove your worth!   

[Mugsy]

J.O.P. = a little known statistic favored mostly by defensive backs who are trying to build up their stat line. It usually occurs at the end of a play after or near the whistle when their is a mass of humanity, at the bottom of which is the ballcarrier. The statisticians in the press box are, of course, trying to determine who made the tackle and the hope of said defensive backs is that the spotters in the box will see them arise from the ruins and give them (partial) credit for the takedown. Thus the term J.O.P. which is an acronym for "Jump On Pile".

I will let your genius mind infer as to what application it may have on these boards. 

Spoken like a true D-lineman.

[USee]

As far as IWU's Jack Warner is concerned. If he JUST got his stitches out after a "knee surgery this summer" that implies the surgery is only a couple weeks old and there is no way he is playing within a month of that I would guess. I would bet it's fairly unlikely we see him against Cardinals this weekend.