FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Baldini]

Some have already touched on this and I will just echo some of the same.

Sport gives us some great lessons in life, good and not so good. The errors by Wheaton at the end of the game will be carried in their memories for the remainder of their lives. It will make many of them stronger for it and more determined not to make silly mistakes all throughout their lives. But as for the 2019 team, well they can only dream of what might have been. Sport and life are both harsh sometimes and today was one of those times for the Wheaton football team.

[Gregory Sager]

[HScoach]

This game reminds me of a thought I've had for years.  There seems to be so many more ways to lose a game than there is to win it. 

[shepherd]

Some have already touched on this and I will just echo some of the same.

Sport gives us some great lessons in life, good and not so good. The errors by Wheaton at the end of the game will be carried in their memories for the remainder of their lives. It will make many of them stronger for it and more determined not to make silly mistakes all throughout their lives. But as for the 2019 team, well they can only dream of what might have been. Sport and life are both harsh sometimes and today was one of those times for the Wheaton football team.

Its a team sport and the late adjustments and the two fumbles one around the 5 yard line all weigh the same.  Making a scapegoat out of one player is not fair.
The team lost.  Learn from your mistakes.
I am so proud of what this TEAM did this year.  I never enjoyed watching a TEAM play football more than I did watching Wheaton play this year.
They were an awesome team and that's their legacy period.

[OzJohnnie]

Had the unsportsmanlike penalty not happened, I wonder if Wheaton would have gone for 2?

And if Wheaton hadn't been penalized for illegal substitution resulting in offsetting penalty during the roughing the kicker, they would have been back at the 2 yardline again.

Swider has a history of doing so, and Wheaton was quite effective running the ball - particularly in the 2nd half.  I think he goes for it.

Asking a general question here, how was 12 men on the field not a dead ball foul and marked off before the kick? 

I was wondering the same so I had to look it up.  If the refs don't notice the infraction until after the play is in motion (or complete) then it's treated as a live ball foul.  It's only a dead ball foul if they call 12 men before the ball is snapped.

It seems this OAC crew was pretty good.  Lucky buggers in Ohio.

https://www.ruletool.info/ncaa-rule-3-periods-time-factors-and-substitutions/5/

[DuffMan]

Congrats on a great season, Wheaton.  All week, the thought in my head was that Wheaton would win by 3 TDs.  I was elated after the first half and nervous as hell the entire second half.  Unbelievable game.  Hold your heads high!

[blue_jays]

There are just no words for this one. What can you even say that wouldn't sound inadequate?
Best team in Wheaton history IMO, and when you have that in your hands, anything less than a title will feel tough to swallow. And for an ending of this nature, there are no words to describe it. Just the empty sinking feeling. I've known the feeling from other sports/teams, so I sympathize with all of Wheaton on this one. Frankly, it's one that you never get over. It will sting less with time, but you still never get over it. You only hope to recapture the magic another time, and see if you can take it even farther.

[Mugsy]

Had the unsportsmanlike penalty not happened, I wonder if Wheaton would have gone for 2?

And if Wheaton hadn't been penalized for illegal substitution resulting in offsetting penalty during the roughing the kicker, they would have been back at the 2 yardline again.

Swider has a history of doing so, and Wheaton was quite effective running the ball - particularly in the 2nd half.  I think he goes for it.

What do I know?  In the post game interviews, Swider said they had zero intent on going for 2 points.  With 6 minutes left in the game he told the OC they would not be going for 2 if it came down to the end of the game.

If it went to OT, he felt they had a better kicking game (which didn't quite show itself).  He felt the defense was getting beat on the long passes over the head of defenders, "which doesn't happen as much from the 25 going in."

[kiko]

Wheaton had a tremendous team this year.

Given Mount Union's run of 25 consecutive semifinal appearances, I suspect we have never seen a year where none of the four top seeds made the semifinals.  If it has happened, it was a long long long time ago.

[formerd3db]

Go Thunder;
No one is making a scapegoat out of any of the players. Gregory and Baldoni said it best. Although just a game, and while as players, none of us were (back in our own playing days)/nor the present day players are thinking about this- that football teaches us much about life. And this game is the first one of those times. As Gregory said, rules are rules and everyone knows what those are. It is unfortunate that it (the spike) occurred and the subsequent consequences p0and pressure it put on the kicker, but it happened and that's just the way it is. As you say, also, these young men will learn from these mistakes and be better for it, both in football and in other life endeavors.

Wheaton did have a great season and all congrats to them. Congrats also to St. John's for surviving and a great game is as well. I think the semifinal games will be just as good.

[hazzben]

Congrats on a great year Wheaton. I figured this would be a great game against SJU, didn't expect it to be an instant classic with that sort of plot twist at the end. Just a really complete Thunder football team.

I wonder if this ends up like last year, where SJU lost to UMHB in the quarters, but by the time the Stagg was over they looked like the second best team in the country. Still a lot left to play out. UWW is looking old school, NCC is rolling. Should be an great semi-finals, so much drama with a wide open final 4.

Also, congrats NCC. About what I expected from you, Rutter is rolling. I'll just flat out say a Rutter v. Erdmann Stagg would be amazing drama! Good luck Cards!

[wally_wabash]

What do I know?  In the post game interviews, Swider said they had zero intent on going for 2 points.  With 6 minutes left in the game he told the OC they would not be going for 2 if it came down to the end of the game.

If it went to OT, he felt they had a better kicking game (which didn't quite show itself).  He felt the defense was getting beat on the long passes over the head of defenders, "which doesn't happen as much from the 25 going in."

Huh. 

St. John's has mega kicking issues and I think Erdmann gets less scary as the field condenses.  Not saying he wouldn't have gone for two or that I wouldn't have loved to see it (I find the 2-pointer-to-win at the end of regulation or in OT to be the most exciting play in football), but I think OT favored Wheaton ever so slightly. 

[DuffMan]

I think SJUs kicking issues can be downgraded from "mega" to "somewhat worrisome." 

[New Tradition]

Great job by the NCC TV crew.

Wish I could've been there (I've been Del Val's radio guy for years) but they made it enjoyable to follow the game.

Ice Bear says the NVM commentators are just excellent and a pleasure to listen to.

Thanks, fellas! Glad you enjoyed!

[Pat Coleman]

Wheaton had a tremendous team this year.

Given Mount Union's run of 25 consecutive semifinal appearances, I suspect we have never seen a year where none of the four top seeds made the semifinals.  If it has happened, it was a long long long time ago.

In 2005, none of the top seeds made the semifinals.