FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[usee]

tailgater et al- i am not and never have been (as washdup card will attest) an ncc fan. I stated at the close of last season ncc would be the team to beat. that comes mainly from the fact that if you drafted the 10 best players in the cciw, ncc has 6 of them as seniors on their team. they have done nothing in the preseason to dispel my prediction. believe me, it is painful to admit it but the fact is that ncc has top 10 talent in d3. they will have to prove it and the world will know on saturday night if they are for real.

wheaton has done a good job getting ready and seems to be playing well. neither team has played a high quality opponent. wheaton has had to come from behind on the road already this year and was the only team who won on the road vs the top teams in cciw last year. all of ncc's losses were on the road last year. this wheaton team is entirely different than the last 3 title teams, but make no mistake, they are still pretty good and playing well. this fact and the knowledge that wheaton has had to overcome tough situations and circumstances over the past two years gives me hope. if wheaton has a small edge it is in experience in these types of games.

while i would love nothing more than for the thunder to put it to the cardinal saturday night, my head is telling me they will have their work cut out for them.

so in short I have predicted this is ncc's year and i hope i am wrong but we will know saturday night.

[Mugsy]

So what you are saying is usee is the Lou Holts (when Lou was at ND) of posting as Lou would always state that his next opponent (no matter how good or bad)  was the best team he ever saw, should be ranked #1 in the nation and that his team was in for a whooping next week? Then when ND won the game it was even more of an accomplishment.  

Hilarious Tailgater... I always laughed when Lou Holtz was questioned about his next opponent.

[Mugsy]

Ok... granted it wasn't the toughest cumulative schedule by the CCIW, but still 21-3 is rather impressive.  6 CCIW teams start 3-0. 

I'd say Wheaton, NCC, and Carthage were pretty much expected to have that kind of start.  Millikin could have been predicted - Albion was a tough opponent though.  Elmhurst based on weaker opponents wasn't a stretch, but NPU would be the main surprise here.

Has me wondering if there is any other conference with a better start in 05'?  (of course it's all relative based on schedule strength).

[Tailgater]

usee:
Thanks for the qualification. Seems to be of reasonable logic. Good luck to both NCC & Wheaton next weekend. Should be a D3 game of the week (at least in the midwest region).

[Pat Coleman]

I did just say above that I was looking forward to calling that game. That should be some signal that it would be our Game of the Week.

[b_holmgren]

Pat - I'm looking forward to hearing your call next weekend. Just don't forget to give me the time and score.

Sadly, I have to go with USee and give the edge to the Cardinals. I do think it would be interesting to see the differences were they to stage this game in the last week of the season vs. week four. I'm guessing Wheaton will be that much sharper in November. Regardless, I think they'll be ready to play Saturday. This game won't come close to deciding the AQ, but it'll be a big boost to whoever wins. Hopefully Wheaton fans and students will recognize this and make the trip over there.

[Mr. Ypsi]

"..and make the trip over there."

Wheaton and Naperville are, what, 10 miles apart?! 

After 2 years of NCC break-outs (with Wheaton winning the title each year), I'm gonna have to dissent and pick Wheaton.  But, whichever team wins, I suggest they don't think they have already won the championship - I think  Augie and the Blue (at least) may have some say in things!

[b_holmgren]

Wheaton students have a hard enough time making the 2 minute walk to games... asking them to go even more out of their way is tough

[washdupcard]

I'm getting scared...too many people trying to hex NCC (usee & co.).  If Usee and I pick NCC to win against Wheaton does that create some kind of paradox?  I would hate for the world to implode at the very moment when NCC explodes on the national spotlight.

Therefore, I think that WheatoN / Chupp&Co will win.

[Jim Matson]

Based on my view of the game on Saturday (and it was a lofty one), I know that Wheaton will be bringing a strong defense into Cardinal Stadium this weekend.  The speed of the line is quite impressive and I would agree with my fellow posters that it will be a battle between the O-line of the Cards and D-line of Wheaton.

The outcome may be decided by the ability of Wheaton to continue to rack up the yards, both through the air and on the ground.

I like Wheaton's chances and will be at that game - the first football related visit to Naperville in 8 years.

[usee]

washdup- i never said i was picking ncc to win....i just said on paper they should win.  8)

[Mugsy]

As much vested interest I have in the Wheaton/NCC game, which btw I'm picking Wheaton... gasp!  What a surprise.  I just can't pick against the 3 time defining champs and Swider & Co.  I just feel they'll find a way to make it happen, despite how things look on paper.

I'm intrigued by the Carthage/Millikin match-up.  I've stated several time (adnausem to most  ), that Millikin is my dark-horse team this year.

To me this has an upset special written on it.  Carthage, while unquestionably tough on D, hasn't been hitting on all cylinders on O (I'm not counting Benedictine, cause they haven't stopped ANYONE).  Millikin is 3-0 coming off a huge win against Albion.  Carthage has a long rode trip, with a huge game on the horizon with Augie next week.  Could be an interesting game as well.

[79jaybird]

Looks like the CCIW is proving again why it's one of the best confs. in D3  All CCIWsters won!
An earlier poster mentioned IWU came from behind to beat Chicago.  Chicago is not a bad team. What I noticed is that they march down the field effectively, then fall apart when they get in and/or near the red zone.
Any details on the IWU/Chicago game?
Should be a good battle between the Kudybas next week at Elmhurst.  IWU and Elm have had some good battles the last 3 years.
I would have liked to have seen the Millikin/Albion game.  Sounds like that was a thriller.
Any votes on which CCIW QB should play for the Bears??  Man did they make me want to puke!

[redman04]

Here are some of my thoughts on what will happen this week. I already said some of this on the pick 'em board, so sorry if it is redundant.

Augie will blow out NPU.  NPU has had a good start, but has yet to play anybody that is comparable to Augie

Wheaton will beat North Central by 14.  NCC, although improved, has not shown that they can beat a team like Wheaton.  Wheaton is too good and has been that way for a while.  Although I want NCC to win my gut tells me Wheaton by 14.

Carthage over Millikin (would I pick it any other way ?) this will be a close game and it is never an easy trip from Kenosha, but Carthage plays such tough Defense.  I think that Millikin will struggle to move the ball on them.  Should be a great game.

Elmhurst over IWU.  Again this will be a closer game than expected.  I really love to see Norm Eash and IWU struggle.  I do not know when the last time they beat IWU, but I'm gonna love to see it this week!

[Mugsy]

Wheaton students have a hard enough time making the 2 minute walk to games... asking them to go even more out of their way is tough

When I played at Wheaton, we always joked that if you closed the library on Saturday afternoon, attendence to the football games would double.