FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CardinalAlum]

Hey whats the point spread on the Wheaton v.s Elmhurst game this weekend. I say Wheaton by 10 1/2.

Oh I would think that Wheaton wins by 14-17 points.  The previous is for educational information only.  It is not to be used for gambling!  

[Comet 14]

I don,t bet on games. I was just stating that if I was setting the spread on this game I would put it at about 10 1/2. Even with my son on the team I think it would be a huge upset for the Jays to win this game on the road. I hope they can stay with-in one score in the second half and then you never know.

[matblake]

Is Rockford still playing mainly cupcake teams?  I'd bet they'd be beat by middle tier CCIW teams.

Rockford's schedule: http://www.d3football.com/school_info.php?school=Rockford&year=2006

[Mugsy]

Hey whats the point spread on the Wheaton v.s Elmhurst game this weekend. I say Wheaton by 10 1/2.

Since 2000 the spread is vastly different depending on the location of the game.

Games at Elmhurst:
2000: 28-24
2003: 23-19
2005: 24-7
Average point diff: 8.333

Games at Wheaton:
2001: 48-14
2002: 62-7
2004: 56-6
Average point diff: 46.3333

Each year is a new year, but recent history indicates Wheaton has had Elmhurst number at home by a whopping 46 pts a game.  Yikes!  

Obviously while I really wouldn't mind it at all if that history continued, I doubt that will be the case on Saturday.    Actually 10 1/2 probably isn't that far off...

[CardinalAlum]

Is Rockford still playing mainly cupcake teams?  I'd bet they'd be beat by middle tier CCIW teams.

Rockford's schedule: http://www.d3football.com/school_info.php?school=Rockford&year=2006

That is a fairly weak schedule.   I don't see them getting in the playoffs.

[matblake]

Rockford is in the new Northern Athletics conference, but they aren't starting football until 2008.  I don't know if they will have an automatic qualifier then, if it will come later, or if they will ever get one.

[79jaybird]

Games @ Elmhurst recently,  Mugsy how come you didn't mention the one before that?? hmmm?    A certain 22-16 score comes to mind.  (Mainly because I was on the team then.  )
Historically, Elmhurst has not played well at McCully Field and I attribute it mostly to coming out flat and falling behind (2-3 TD's) early.  I can recall a few recent trips to Wheaton when (up in the booth) we knew the game was over by the first quarter.
This weekend, as I mentioned before, Elmhurst has to execute and get their offense going.  The defense will keep them in the game, but the Offense has to wake up out of it's slumber and start mounting time consuming drives. Also putting an APB on Studebaker would be a good idea on defense also.
While I think Wheaton is the stronger team, I don't think they will "run away" with the game.  The key point in all this is if Elmhurst is going to hang with the big boys, they have to have a strong start and execute!

[79jaybird]

Interesting rankings but I am not surprised that MUC and Capital are 1 and 2.  There is some quality football being played in Ohio.
Quick question:  So if Concordia-WI goes on to win the IBFC and Augie wins the CCIW, (if the two teams were to meet), would Concordia host?  Seeing as how they are #4 and Augie #5?  Pat, what do you think and what do you see being the first round matchups?

[Comet 14]

I agree Blue-jay. I don't think Wheaton will run away with it either. Thats why I put my hypothetical point spread at 10 1/2. I think if Elmhurst keeps it under 2 touchdowns they will have played a good game. That being said I hope they win.

[79jaybird]

"I think if Elmhurst keeps it under 2 touchdowns they will have played a good game"
huh? I feel that if Elmhurst loses then there they didn't play a good game.  I mean you play to WIN THE GAME, not play to finish 7-10 points down.
Wheaton showed they are not untouchable and Augie showed they are beatable.  Elmhurst played Augie tough and hung tough with NC for a half and then some.  There is no reason why Elmhurst can't give Wheaton a good fight.  Just like NPU will give IWU a good fight, and Carthage giving Augie a fight last week.
The point being that I think Elmhurst has to have a mindset that they are able to fight with the Thunder and their goal(s) should be A) Execute B) No turnovers, then it's just a matter of what happens on the field.

[Mugsy]

Games @ Elmhurst recently,  Mugsy how come you didn't mention the one before that?? hmmm?    A certain 22-16 score comes to mind.  (Mainly because I was on the team then.  )

Hmm... that's funny.  I have no recollection of any game with Elmhurst in 1999.  Did Wheaton play Elmhurst in 1999?  I believe you are mistaken. 

[devildog29]

I'm curious about this weekend's game in Bloomington with IWU facing NPU.  NPU seems to be hanging tough at times while IWU is having trouble finishing games.  How many believe that NPU may pull off an upset?

Personally, I believe IWU will take it but NPU won't be a pushover.  I'm almost betting that they're regarding this as their best chance for another win this season. 

Now that I've had time to let the disappointment of last weeks game at EC cool off a bit, I gotta say Backer, that I believe IWU actually has a ton of talent from what I saw (granted 1 game is a pretty small sample size).  I don't know what your impressions were when you saw them play, but I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of athleticism IWU had.  That being said, it comes back to our previous discussion about knowing how to win a game.  If they could find that mental strength to go along with their athletic strength, we'd be having a much different season, IMO.  I know it's an overused cliche, but we really do have the talent to play with anyone in the conference.  Now we just need to work on the mental preparation to accomplish that.

[Redmen96]

Joe Bear I am interested in your club.  I am afraid to type the letters of the name and you know why.  Of course where I work if you are the pitcher it is ok.

[TitanBacker]

I'm curious about this weekend's game in Bloomington with IWU facing NPU.  NPU seems to be hanging tough at times while IWU is having trouble finishing games.  How many believe that NPU may pull off an upset?

Personally, I believe IWU will take it but NPU won't be a pushover.  I'm almost betting that they're regarding this as their best chance for another win this season. 

Now that I've had time to let the disappointment of last weeks game at EC cool off a bit, I gotta say Backer, that I believe IWU actually has a ton of talent from what I saw (granted 1 game is a pretty small sample size).  I don't know what your impressions were when you saw them play, but I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of athleticism IWU had.  That being said, it comes back to our previous discussion about knowing how to win a game.  If they could find that mental strength to go along with their athletic strength, we'd be having a much different season, IMO.  I know it's an overused cliche, but we really do have the talent to play with anyone in the conference.  Now we just need to work on the mental preparation to accomplish that.

I agree that they're a talented team.  Any non-IWU allums care to chime in on if IWU is talented or not?  I think we've always been a team stacked with talent.  Sometimes that talent is misused or misguided depending on the coaching staff or the leaders on the team. 

We've talked about the three factors that will win IWU games.  1) Learning how to finish teams off (IMO this may take running up the scores on a few teams to get the swagger back). 2) Coaching coaching coaching (Different blocking schemes, etc.).  3)  A positive but relentless team attitude.

Harness the talent and you win championships.  Squander it and you are at the bottom of the CCIW

[Gregory Sager]

I want to preface the topic of this post by saying that I think recognition for personal achievement has merit, not only at the end of the season (All-Conference and All-American teams), but also on a week to week basis.

Second, I do not wish to take anything away from the individuals recognized as this weeks POW, both CCIW and D3Football.com "Team of the Week".

Third, I do not intend this comment to be a direct criticism of those who select these awards.  (I'm not losing sleep over this and I don't think it is a big issue at all)

That said... as general practice I find it odd to recognize players involved in games where the expected outcome is a blowout.  When there is a serious mismatch in talent it is much more logical that you will have some really inflated stats, both from the winning team due to putting on the "thumping" and also potentially for the losing team if starters continue to play when the opposition is playing their subs.

It seems to me those involved in much more competitive games might have had a much more significant affect on the outcoming, even if the stats aren't as "eye-popping".

Case in point:  A 3rd string RB from Wheaton wins the OPOW in the CCIW, but the opponent is North Park who is last in virtually every defensive category.  Brandon Watts, who is clearly one of the best receivers in the CCIW, receives "Team of the Week" honors and though he had a great game, some of his overall stats came against non-starters.

Again not a huge issue, but I'm curious as to what others of you think?

I will withhold comment about Andrew Hersey, but I think you're wrong to question Watts' Player of the Week achievement, Mugsy. As I said yesterday, I agree with you that there is an inflation factor that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at his receiving statistics from last Saturday, because some of his catches (including the 75-yard TD catch) came against Wheaton's reserves.

But the CCIW recognizes three categories of POW: Offensive Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, and Special Teams Player of the Week. Hersey won Offensive Player of the Week, and John Scardullo of Elmhurst was named the Defensive Player of the Week. Brandon Watts was the Special Teams Player of the Week. All of his 150 total return yards came against, presumably, the same eleven guys who normally play on Wheaton's kickoff unit. What is indisputable is that the play that garnered Watts the POW award, his 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter, is without any sort of taint that could be inferred from second-half offensive or defensive substitutions in a blowout. And it is also indisputable that the question of whether or not his receiving yards were the genuine article is irrelevant. He won as the Special Teams Player of the Week, not as the Offensive Player of the Week.

Brandon Watts earned this award, fair and square, and the fact that he ran back that kickoff in a mismatched blowout is irrelevant.