FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Tailgater]

I would add that Cathage only beating Lakeland by a TD is also very telling to me.  I saw them play against UWW and Lakeland looked terrible which is to be expected but they couldn't stop the massacre even against UWW's 3rd, 4th and 5th string.  (Starters all out before halftime.) I would have expected a mid to upper level tier CCIW team to have beaten them by much more.

I don't think there is much meaning in how big or little Carthage defeated Lakelend. This game has been within single digits the last 4 years I've been watching.

17-16 Lakeland in 2003
18-14 Carthage in 2004
20-16 Carthage in 2005
21-14 Carthage in 2006

Heck, this years results could be considered a blowout seeing as the point differential is as large as it has been in some time. Barely surviving Lakeland (and Carroll for that matter) has not stopped the Red Men from putting together successful seasons the past 2 years and I am confident they will do so again this year. You can't underestimate DESIRE. These guys want to and expect to win every game they play. They have an unmeasurable ability to create conditions which lead them to success. Maybe UWW is just that good.......again. Their depth comes from years of success and because of that many High School recruits want to be part of it. I don't hear of many players racing to get into the Lakeland program.  They do have some talent, but not nearly the depth of schools like UWW, MU, ONU, Augie, Wheaton, etc...

[Goal Line Stand]

Thanks Taigater,
  I wasn't aware of the history of match ups between these two. 

[dansand]

I was just taking a look at the new top 25.. congrats to  Wheaton for jumping up to #25.  Augie, CUW, and NC are all receiving votes also.  IMy point is just that IMO the balance of power is not looking very pretty right now.  It appears the OAC, IIAC, WIAC, and east regional teams are starting to strengthen the gaps between them and the CCIW.  (Maybe this is just me)  Baldwin Wallace upsetting Augie,  CUW knocking off NC, and Ohio Northern defeating Millikin are just some small signs that tell me, the CCIW is not where it has been in the past.

jaybird,

I don't think that ONU beating Millikin proves that the CCIW is slipping, but BW beating Augie most likely does.  ONU right now would be considered to be much better than Millikin.  I don't think anybody was surprised that the Polar Bears won.  

I'd have to agree with both of you. I made the same point last October:

CCIW,
I agree. As tough and deep as the league is, they still haven't advanced anyone past the quarterfinals since Augie's run in the '80s. I think until they can consistently advance teams deep into the playoffs and even make an occasional Stagg bowl appearance, it'll be considered a very good, but not great, conference.

No question. Mt. Union has been a huge roadblock for a decade-and-a-half. But in that time, the CCIW's had eight shots at the Raiders and only one game was closer than 18 points. After five of those losses the Mount didn't go on to win the Stagg Bowl. You might be right that the CCIW would have gotten a team to the semi's if Mt. Union wasn't there, but the fact that they haven't really been all that competitive, even agianst the non-title Raider teams, makes that far from a certainty. In fairness, Wheaton's 42-21 loss in '02 was the closest game Mt. Union had in the playoffs that year.

[vikes35]

All this comparison of the CCIW to the IBFC is comical. Congrats to CUW for a nice upset against NCC, but that is exactly what it is "an upset". Sounds like NCC was flat and it still took CUW 2 OTs to beat them. NCC fans would probably agree with me if they came out flat against Wheaton, Augie, Carthage or Millikin the game would be over (those 4 teams are just good and know how to make a struggling team pay for it). The IBFC might be able to get the occasional win against the CCIW teams, but if they had to play in the CCIW they would struggle annually.


As for the OAC/CCIW battles this weekend, congrats to both BW and ONU for good wins. Augie sounded like they struggled but BW still had to make them pay for it, and late in the game they did. ONU seems to always be strong, and beating MUC last year should always make them a tought team to play. The OAC definitely showed the CCIW that it has work to do before it can claim to have the strongest conference in D3.

[thunderdog]

Something special is brewing in Wheaton!

The new uni's are sweet... much better than the old!  (with the exception of the helmet of course)

I heard there were 6,000+ fans at the first night game... way to go thunderbackers!

Something special brewing in Wheaton... Wash U gets the next taste!

[BluPhi35]

what's with all this comparison between CCIW and IBFC?  i don't get it.  if you're any kind of competitor, win or lose you pay your respects to the opposing team.  quit whinning about officiating and excuses.  The better teams won last Saturday, plain and simple.......  show some respect.......

as an individual i don't care what conference your from, who you played last week, who's officiating the game and i definitely don't care about what happened a year ago!!!  i'm going to take the field with the attitude of," i'm going to kick your a*s, TODAY for the next 2hrs"!!!!!

[FalconsFootball]

I am prety sure I payed them a lot of respect and still do.

[FalconsFootball]

sorry, i shouldnt have disrespected this conference because it is a lot better than the IBFC.Also, the IBFC and CUW were getting disrespected on their board....CUW was looking for respect and that win should have gotten them that respect but it hasnt...good luck to the CCIW

dido

[Mugsy]

what's with all this comparison between CCIW and IBFC?  i don't get it.  if you're any kind of competitor, win or lose you pay your respects to the opposing team.  quit whinning about officiating and excuses.  The better teams won last Saturday, plain and simple.......  show some respect.......

as an individual i don't care what conference your from, who you played last week, who's officiating the game and i definitely don't care about what happened a year ago!!!  i'm going to take the field with the attitude of," i'm going to kick your a*s, TODAY for the next 2hrs"!!!!!

Yup... Concordia (Wis) beat NCC in 2 OTs. Congrats.  It sounds like it was a hard-fought, very close game.  Recognition should go the Concordia on a fine victory.  And yes... this year is the important year and the next game is the most important game.

It should be noted the comparing the CCIW vs. IBC is not a one way discussion.  Just check both boards during last season as Lakeland was preparing to play Augustana.  IBC posters were just as guilty as CCIW posters beating their chests about their conference.  That is a part of virtually every board on the D3Football website.

Please excuse the perceived arrogance of some CCIW posters, but there is a reason for our pride in the CCIW - particularly in relation to the IBC. 

IBC record against the CCIW since the 2000 season:

Concordia (Wis.): 1-0 (last weeks 30-24 2OT game against NCC)
Greenville: 0-3 (include 58-7 & 65-6 blowouts from Wheaton & loss to NorthPark)
Benedictine: 2-16 (avg score in losses: 38.2 - 10.5)
Concordia (Ill.): 0-4 (2 losses to North Park)
Eureka: 0-8 (4 losses to North Park, other losses: 60-14, 40-6, 50-7, 61-0)
Aurora: 0-2
Lakeland: 2-6 (beat Carthage twice in tight games)
MacMurray: 1-1 (victory over North Park & 53-7 drubbing by Augustana 2 weeks ago)

Cumulative record against the CCIW since 2000 is a paltry 6-40 (.150 winning percentage).  2 of 6 victories have come at the expense of North Park, which hasn't won a CCIW game since the 2000 season!  While North Park hasn't defeated a single CCIW team since 2000, they are 7-2 against the IBC

So when 1 or 2 IBC posters start rippin' on the CCIW after a single victory (albeit a quality win), you can see why some have reacted the way they have.

All this doesn't even bring into consideration that the IBC has yet to win a playoff game, while the CCIW has 4 national championships (yes, I know... in the 80's) and playoff victories by Augustana, Wheaton, Carthage, Millikin and Illinois Wesleyan in the last decade.

[BluPhi35]

Mugsy

Straight up!?
No doubt  you are a true statistician!  I've also witnessed  the chest beating of some programs and i didn't agree then and defintiely don't now

No offense taken at all.  thanks for all the information.

PRIDE is all about  proper dignity and self-respect.  it's not about talking about, show it through actions on the field.  like i said,"i'm gonn kick your butt and still reach out my hand and help you up".....

[augiefan]

The decline of the CCIW in FB has been evident for many years come playoff time. It has not helped that the CCIW champ inevitably seems to meet and lose to Mt. Union in the second round of the playoffs. No matter how you spin it Augie's home loss to B-W is a bad sign for the conference, and NCC's loss is even more disturbing. Wheaton may well go undefeated in conference based on games to date. Certainly the remaining 7 teams have displayed serious weaknesses.

[79jaybird]

As Mugsy points out perfectly,  there is no legitimate reason why any IBFC poster would WANT to discuss comparing the CCIW to their conf.  The old line "you may have won the battle, but you lost the war"  fits this situation.  CUW won 1 game, but in the long haul the CCIW's trophies, reputation, and end results ( in the form of W's) are much greater.

[matblake]

No matter how you spin it Augie's home loss to B-W is a bad sign for the conference, and NCC's loss is even more disturbing. Wheaton may well go undefeated in conference based on games to date. Certainly the remaining 7 teams have displayed serious weaknesses.

I agree that NCC loss is disturbing.  Let's not forget last year when we were all bemoaning Augie's loss to Central.  That seemed to work out ok although the playoff crushing at the hands of the Purple Raiders was tough to endure.  The season is just getting started.  Lets hold back on the "We're losing strength as a conference" talk until we have had the complete non-conference schedule. 

[matblake]

Interestingly enough, I remember a Cardinal fan (sorry guys, can't remember who) wondering why NC wasn't scrimmaging anyone this year.  I looked for it, but couldn't find the particular post.  Looks like that fan may have had a point.

[TitanBacker]

Hey all!  I'm new to the board but have been following it since the days I played in green and white.  I was at the IWU vs. Coe game and IWU did have some fleeting moments of greatness.  I believe they just could not recapture momentum when they needed it most. 

Seems like this Saturday the defense proved to be the team.  Great job guys!  Any information on Cotter's play?  I think he'll come into his own as the season progresses. 

Good luck to all teams this week.

fightintitan-
Any more information you have on the Titans??  And go to some games!!!