FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[blue_jays]

Disagree on the way more experienced part. The Maroons do not have a single super senior on the roster, all 20 guys from the Class of 2021 graduated and moved on. They replaced their entire offensive line (5 new starters). Only 2 starters back on defense. The starting QB only threw 6 career passes before Saturday. 4 of the top 5 tacklers on the day were making their collegiate debuts. Only 1 all-conference player on the roster (RB D'Ambrose, who looks like the next version of Chandler Carroll for them). Brand new kicker and punter.
The fact UChicago came out looking good despite how green they are as a group was pretty impressive.

Both teams have the same number of graduate students (1) and Washington University only has three who returned for a fifth season.

The Bears QB played his first game as a quarterback (he did get for a few minutes in one game two years ago).

I guess if I cared more, I would go position by position...

Still 3 more than UChicago has. The QB matchup is a wash. There isn't an experience gap like you suggest. Those are 2 teams figuring out who they are now, and UChicago was able to produce in the clutch moments.

[blue_jays]

Blue Jays, if WashU is #4 or #5 who are you putting ahead of them? Every other possibility lost to teams that were worse than Chicago. IWU is an option but that's a bad loss at home while WashU lost on the road. Millikin's loss was really bad and Carthage may be better than their result indicates but we won't know until they play again.

I think IWU bounces back and gets to #3. which puts WashU and Millikin at 4/5. I don't see much separation between those 3 teams, regardless of Week 1 results. It all comes down to who establishes their identity early enough to become a threat. I've got no love for Norm, so if IWU falls off, I won't be sad about it.

[USee]

Hansen has the Cards as 34 pt favorites this weekend:

https://twitter.com/LogHanRatings/status/1434733715268190210/photo/4

[WashedUpCard]

That seems a bit aggressive for the first game of the season... not to mention the 600+ days between games and having new players in important positions.

I hope he is right, though!

[USee]

You also have to remember the players in "new positions", particularly the QB, has had practices since Jan 2020 which number in excess of probably 60 practices. That's in contrast to freshmen who reported a month ago and have probably less than 20 practices. Lehnen is essentially a redshirt freshman QB.

[Next Man Up]

Trench Warfare..........

The weather prediction for Saturday in Naperville is sunny and 88 miserably hot and energy sapping degrees. Might this make victory largely dependent on not only skill, but depth in the trenches? You need not be the sharpest tack in the box to realize that this type of playing environment will be capable of quickly sapping the strength and energy of the lumbering 275-300 pound behemoths constantly pounding the hell out of each other along the O and D lines. 🥵

[SpartanHouse]

North Central doing anything to recognize the national Championship Saturday night?

[Next Man Up]

North Central doing anything to recognize the national Championship Saturday night?

My understanding is that shortly prior to the scheduled kickoff time, there will be a fairly short celebratory video played on the Cardinals large video scoreboard.
Additionally, in recognition of the significant date in our history, there will be a moment of silence/tribute to the 9/11 victims and responding heroes.

[BIG BLUE BEN]

Thats great to hear all around! Congrats again to NC, it was well deserved.

[CardinalAlum]

20 years tomorrow since that dreadful day and always am thankful for Wheaton's Todd Beamer and his heroics. I didn't know him but most likely shook his hand after a baseball game as we were in school at the same time.  Little did I know the impact he would make on other people and on 9/11. I saw the article below on him and it reminded me to be thankful there are people like Todd Beamer in this world.


https://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/todd-beamer-american-hero-wheaton-college-grad-remembered

[Gregory Sager]

Hear, hear.

Beamer's kids were and are Wheaton athletes as well. His older son Dave was a backup QB on the football team, his younger son Drew is currently a senior defender on the men's soccer team, and his daughter Morgan (who was born after 9/11) is a sophomore defender on the women's soccer team.

[SpartanHouse]

Any predictions for the AU/NC game? Should be a nice atmosphere with two quality programs not far from each other. Curious to see NC without Rutter.

NC 42
AU 38

[79jaybird]

I bet this game is fairly close for 3 quarters before NC pulls away in the 4th.   I have NC as a 2-3 touchdown favorite.

[USee]

Not to burst anyone's bubble but NCC is likely going to win this easily. Aurora has no answer for Ethan Greenfield and a running QB and that keeps Zimbleman and Co. off the field. When he is in, the experienced NCC secondary will limit his damage.

NCC 54
AU 21

[robertgoulet]

Not to burst anyone's bubble but NCC is likely going to win this easily. Aurora has no answer for Ethan Greenfield and a running QB and that keeps Zimbleman and Co. off the field. When he is in, the experienced NCC secondary will limit his damage.

NCC 54
AU 21

Even after the National Title I still default to NCC of 10 yrs. The level below the purple powers. A dominant win in this type of game would go a long way to proving that maybe they've moved up to that top tier (or at least continues to close the gap).