FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[devildog29]

Is anyone making it out here to Southern California for the Carthage-Whittier game?  In case some of you haven't noticed, coincidentally the Bears are playing in San Diego the Sunday prior to that Carthage game.  Could make for a nice vacation week.  If anyone needs ideas on where to go or stay, I'm a pretty good with that info around here.  And will the Carthage folks let me sit on their sideline if I'm wearing an IWU shirt?

[Carthage Fan]

Is anyone making it out here to Southern California for the Carthage-Whittier game?  In case some of you haven't noticed, coincidentally the Bears are playing in San Diego the Sunday prior to that Carthage game.  Could make for a nice vacation week.  If anyone needs ideas on where to go or stay, I'm a pretty good with that info around here.  And will the Carthage folks let me sit on their sideline if I'm wearing an IWU shirt?

I have flight and hotel reservations and if my son makes the travel team I will be at the Carthage/Whittier game.  For those planning on going, the Anaheim Plaza Hotel has a Carthage rate of $66 a night. 

Devildog as far as the IWU shirt goes, I am sure we could find a Carthage shirt to put over it! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Aw, let him keep the IWU shirt!  It just emphasizes that outside the conference schedule, it is the CCIW vs. 'the aliens'!

[Carthage Fan]

OK, The IWU shirt can stay but DevilDog has to have some red clothing on!  HA!  Also, I believe the Whittier mascot is the "Poets."  Which brings up the topic of mascots....what are unusual ones that you know of. 

St Ambrose Fighting Bees

[Mr. Ypsi]

The "Interesting Player Names" thread on the "General Football" board gets into team names as well as individuals.

[NCC_alum62]

I know you all missed me. Everyone. Especially FormerCard.

Wheaton 9-1 (L to NCC)
North Central 8-2 (L @ Concordia and Carthage in nail-biters, w/ the Carthage game costing NCC the CCIW title)
Augie 8-2 (L to NCC and Wheaton)
Carthage 6-4
IWU 4-6
Elmhurst 4-6
Millikin 3-7
NP 2-8


Goulet.

If the Cardinals beat both Wheaton and Auggie, but loose to Carthage that would really surprise me.

A  loss at Concordia? after the end of season drubbing 35-6 and 17 starters returning? Especially with Concordia in a "rebuilding" year according to thier website?  I can't see them not being prepared for this game this time around.

Also the Cardinals are supposed to have a scrimmage this year (no idea who against) Thorne admitted not having one last year before playing a team that would have a game under thier belt was a mistake.

[matblake]

Ok, here goes for me
Team    Overall   (Conference)
Wheaton 10-0    (7-0)
North Central 9-1 (6-1)
Augustana 7-3     (5-2)
Carthage 6-4       (4-3)
Elmhurst 5-5        (3-4)
IWU 3-7               (2-5)
Millikin 2-8            (1-6)
North Park 2-8     (0-7)

[RedmenBigD]

Nice article on the Redmen and Donovan Moore in the Kenosha News.  Should be a great year for the Redmen.  Reminds me a little of the 2004 Season when the Redmen where flying a little under the radar around the league.  Lets just hope they stay healthy, if thats the case they will be a tough team to beat with all of those young players getting valuable playing experience last season.  Go Redmen!

http://kenoshanews.com/article_comments/view_comments.php?articleNum=1555447

[RedmenBigD]

Team                         Overall          (Conference)
Wheaton                      9-1                  (6-1) Loses a close one @NCC
Carthage                      9-1                  (6-1) Loses @ Wheaton
North Central                8-2                  (5-2) Loses on the road to Augie and Carthage
Augustana                    7-3                  (5-2) Loses on the road to Wheaton and Carthage
Elmhurst                        6-4                  (3-4) Easy Non-Conference doesn't prepare them for the Top 4.
Illinois Wesleyan           3-7                  (1-6) Beats Millikin @ home, Norm will be on hot seat.
North Park                     3-7                  (1-6) Beating IWU in a close one for only conference win.
Millikin                            2-8                  (1-6) Beats North Park

Once again it will come down to who can win on the road in this demanding conference.  Best of luck to all teams on the upcoming season.

Go Redmen!!

[Mugsy]

My 2007 CCIW Predictions

Team	Overall	CCIW
Wheaton	10-0	7-0
NCC	9-1	6-1
Carthage	7-3	4-3
Augustana	6-4	4-3
Elmhurst	6-4	3-4
IWU	3-7	2-5
NPU	3-7	1-6
Millikin	2-8	1-6

[79jaybird]

This thing gets tougher and tougher to come up with predictions. Guess that's just an outcome of having such a competitive conference.
I agree with most that Wheaton is going to run the table and have minimal competition. 
I then see Augie finishing right behind Wheaton. 
After that,  EC/NC/Car (not necessarily in that order just those schools) are going to battle for spots 3-6.  I think NC has a little bit of an upper on the other two, but all 3 of these schools are dependent upon staying healthy.  In particular, their "core" guys staying healthy.  They don't have the depths of Wheaton or Augie.
Millikin and IWU, I don't see the RT 51 gang having much to cheer for this year. 
North Park- I am going to gamble and say NPU gets a win this year.  I'm hoping for their sake.

[Mugsy]

This thing gets tougher and tougher to come up with predictions. Guess that's just an outcome of having such a competitive conference.
I agree with most that Wheaton is going to run the table and have minimal competition. 
I then see Augie finishing right behind Wheaton. 
After that,  EC/NC/Car (not necessarily in that order just those schools) are going to battle for spots 3-6.  I think NC has a little bit of an upper on the other two, but all 3 of these schools are dependent upon staying healthy.  In particular, their "core" guys staying healthy.  They don't have the depths of Wheaton or Augie.
Millikin and IWU, I don't see the RT 51 gang having much to cheer for this year. 
North Park- I am going to gamble and say NPU gets a win this year.  I'm hoping for their sake.

While I am predicting that Wheaton runs the table (partly because I think they have the horses to do so, partly because I'm a homer and that is what you are supposed to do), I'd disagree that "they'll have minimal competition" as you suggest. 

It is still a brutal conference schedule with no gimme's...  Teams had better not assume a victory over NPU, like in years past.  If the top running teams let up at all, then look for the upsets...

[matblake]

It is still a brutal conference schedule with no gimme's...  Teams had better not assume a victory over NPU, like in years past.  If the top running teams let up at all, then look for the upsets...

No doubt.  While I don't think that playing NP will be a gimmie as in years past, I still believe they are 1 year away from that conference win.  Next year, Coach Pethtel will  have 3 years of recruits under his belt, and enough time for some natural attrition that always occurs at any level will have had a chance to take place.  It will also be enough time to make his own imprint on the team. 

[NCC_alum62]

Now that I've jumped on someone else for thier picks...

Wheaton 9-1, 6-1
NCC 9-1, 6-1
Auggie 8-2, 6-1
Carthage 7-3, 4-3
Elmhurst, 5-5, 3-4
Millikin 3-7, 2-5
IWU 2-8, 2-5
North Park 1-9, 0-7

My CCIW top three and why

Wheaton (9-1, 6-1 loss toNCC , Has a chance to go 10-0, the only stumbling block I see is thier away game in Naperville.  They get Carthage, Auggie, and Milliken at home this year.  Both Wheaton and NCC play extremly well at home.  In non-conference they make two long trips to Albion and Washington U., but they are both very winnable games.  They get the MIAA champ, Hope, at home.

North Central (9-1, 6-1 loss to Augustana , Home field advantage is crucial this year for Wheaton, Auggie, and NCC.  Thorne has yet to win in Rock Island, and Augustana is very good at home.  The Cardinals should start the season 3-0, They're undefeated against WashU in the Thorne era and Benedictine isn't ready for the Cardinals this year.  They get a balanced schedule in the CCIW with home games against Millikin and IWU, and Carthage. 6 home games and three very winnable away games for the Cardinals.

Augustana (8-2, 6-1 losses to Wheaton, and Baldwin Wallace), Auggie returns much of thier defense and offensive line thats a very good start, but they need to get over the hump in non-conference play. MacMurray shouldn't be a problem, Baldwin Wallace is a very dangerous OAC team, and UW has to come to Rock Island this year.  Augie has to make a tough trip to Wheaton and have had the Thunder's number of late, but I don't think they will win that game.

And the others:

Carthage (7-3, 3-3, loosing to Auggie, Wheaton, and NCC) has the chance to start the season 6-0 with a good non conference schedule of two home games and trip to Whittier, CA to face a perenial 2-7 dormat in the SCIAC (Carthage will have two games under thier belt before making the trip and Whittier will be playing thier first game on Sept 15th against the Redmen they will travel to Elmhurst and NPU, and get IWU at home, but Carthage faces all three top CCIW teams and an always physical Millikin in the last four weeks...ouch.

I've got to do some more research on the other teams especially IWU and Millikin, Its hard to not think NPU might win a conference game this year with all the talk of them improving this season and IWU has been bad of late and makes the trip to Foster Ave.  But here are some initial thoughts without a final prediction on records or place in conference:

IWU: Could start the season 0-5, ouch.  Tough trips to Coe and Olivet (who has a chance to win the MIAA this year), and Mt. St. Joseph HCAC champs last year and a favorite to repeat comming to Bloomington-Normal.  They get MSJ at home, so if there was ever a time for an upset this is it.  They get Millikin at home which could be thier first win of the season, they get Auggie and Wheaton at home, but don't have the talent in the trenches to get it done this year.

Elmhurst: Will start 2-0, but plays a very tough Olivet team and a tough opening 3 games of the CCIW (Carthage, Auggie, and NCC).  They also must travel to IWU (a close win in 2006) and Millikin whom they lost to at home.  I can see them beating Olivet with a good nucleus of player and some spring hitting that came with traveling to Europe, but they will not have a legitimate shot at the CCIW this year.  They do benefit from having NCC and Wheaton at home, and they've pushed hard for the upset before, especially against NCC where the past three games have been pretty tight.

North Park: Honestly they took a step back from thier 3 win 2005 performance by only gathering 1 win in 2006.  Coach Penthel may be doing good things, but they lost by double digits in every game last year (aside from thier lone win against lowly Eureka)  The D gave up 37 pts per game last year and the offense scored an average of just 10 pts per game and was shut out 3 times by Rose Hulman, IWU, and Auggie.  Dreadful.  They get Benedictine at home to open the season, but the once woeful Eagles have been better the past couple years and have been able to turn things around faster than NPU, they should contend for the last IBC football crown.  They get four CCIW home games, but none of them are easy.  The best chance for a win may come against Elmhurst in the last game of the year if the Bluejays don't take the Vikings seriously, but I doubt it.

Millikin: I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Millikin.  They play very tough physical football, and are usually pretty good in the trenches, two things I love.  That being said, they should beat Illinois College, but Ohio Northern and Wabash are significantly better teams than the Blue Boys of IC. Wabash is picked to wwin the NCAC, and ONU is always a tough OAC competitor.  They also play my top three picks on the road this year (Auggie, Wheaton, and NCC), But could upset Carthage who could be banged up from a monster final 4 games including the top three and the Big Blue.

[Red Reign]

I know you all missed me. Everyone. Especially FormerCard.

Wheaton 9-1 (L to NCC)
North Central 8-2 (L @ Concordia and Carthage in nail-biters, w/ the Carthage game costing NCC the CCIW title)
Augie 8-2 (L to NCC and Wheaton)
Carthage 6-4
IWU 4-6
Elmhurst 4-6
Millikin 3-7
NP 2-8


Goulet.

The way you set up the rankings, NC would win the Conf. not wheaton. It would go head-to-head between NC and WC with NC beating WC. So the loss to Carthage wouldn't have any effect on the Conf. title.

Also, whats with all these rankings having Carthage 2 or 3... didn't they lose their whole O-Line 3 or which were all conf. I'd consider that to be a big rebuilding year on offense