FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Pat Coleman]

They don't.

I think we have Willamette severely underrated nationally, fwiw. Not that they should be in the top two but they should be higher than No. 10.

[redman04]

BTW.... What was the bet on last year? Was it OSU/MICH or REDMEN/THUNDERS 

Redman04 or was Tailgator... don't we have a bet this week?

yes we do.  I took Ohio state you took Michigan.  Don't know how it started, but winner get to pick losers screen name.

It was Ohio St. Michigan.  And I don't think REDMAN04 IS MY DADDY! will ever forget who he had a bet with again! 

Oh, poor Billy.

If you win the contest this year, I suggest that you make redman04 change his screen name to REDMAN04 HAS COME UNSTUCK IN TIME!

Not sure I follow you on that one 
Don't forget I was a lineman and not too bright... 
On top of the years of brain damage from drinking and head shots.

[Mr. Ypsi]

BTW.... What was the bet on last year? Was it OSU/MICH or REDMEN/THUNDERS 

Redman04 or was Tailgator... don't we have a bet this week?

yes we do.  I took Ohio state you took Michigan.  Don't know how it started, but winner get to pick losers screen name.

It was Ohio St. Michigan.  And I don't think REDMAN04 IS MY DADDY! will ever forget who he had a bet with again! 

Oh, poor Billy.

If you win the contest this year, I suggest that you make redman04 change his screen name to REDMAN04 HAS COME UNSTUCK IN TIME!

Not sure I follow you on that one 
Don't forget I was a lineman and not too bright... 
On top of the years of brain damage from drinking and head shots.

I was gonna warn Greg that might be a bit too obscure.   Think Billy Pilgrim.

[redman04]

I was gonna warn Greg that might be a bit too obscure.   Think Billy Pilgrim.

I get it now... Slaughterhouse Five.

I never made the connection, until you just pointed that out.  Then again when i read that book It was 16 years ago.

[79jaybird]

FYI

The Elmhurst vs. North Central game can be heard online at http://www.wrse.com  and click the "Listen Live" button
or
Conventional Radio
88.7 FM  (locally)

Unfortunately, I don't think I am going to be able ot sneak out to Fitz's after the game CardinalAlum & New Tradition.  I was asked to help with an Alumni Cabinet festivity on campus from 5pm-10pm in the Frick Center,  so I am going to be involved with that.  I will be taking down the equipment and banner after the game so if you swing past Langhorst's Press box I could chat briefly then and there.

Take care,

Mark

[Son of Tailgater]

BTW.... What was the bet on last year? Was it OSU/MICH or REDMEN/THUNDERS 

Redman04 or was Tailgator... don't we have a bet this week?

yes we do.  I took Ohio state you took Michigan.  Don't know how it started, but winner get to pick losers screen name.

It was Ohio St. Michigan.  And I don't think REDMAN04 IS MY DADDY! will ever forget who he had a bet with again! 

Oh, poor Billy.

If you win the contest this year, I suggest that you make redman04 change his screen name to REDMAN04 HAS COME UNSTUCK IN TIME!

Not sure I follow you on that one 
Don't forget I was a lineman and not too bright... 
On top of the years of brain damage from drinking and head shots.

That makes 3 of us. I mean 2. I am roughly 13 pounds of bacon behind you.

[AndOne]

Also, why would NCC not be a 1 seed?

Why would they be? They certainly are not a #1 over Mt Union in the North so then you have to make a case as to why they should be a #1 over willamette or any other undefeated. They are not a #1 over Cortland. I am not sure how you can say an undefeated team from one region is better than one from another region.

USee---

As Spock would say, "not logical!"

Granted, NCC (nor anyone else) would not be a #1 seed over Mt. Union no matter what region we're talking about. However, you yourself make a pretty good case for NCC being tabbed as a #1 in another region "over Willamette or any other undefeated." Folly, you might say. However, consider this. YOU are a regular visitor and poster both on the D3 football and basketball boards. Obviously, your wouldn't spend as much time reading, analyzing, and typing in here if you didn't think these sites contained some interesting, useful, and dare I say, correct information. Voters from around the country have given NCC the nod as the country's #2 team. Therefore, I wouldn't think you would have much of a problem with NCC receiving a #1 seed in any region other than the one Mt. Union was in. Also, don't you think the CCIW in general is one of the strongest overall conferences? As evidence, just look at Wheaton. Many people figured they had a good chance to go undefeated and/or win the conference championship. However, due to strong competition almost throughout the conference, they have tasted defeat not once, but twice within the conference. Accordingly, to say the #2 ranked team in the country doesn't deserve the #1 seed in any region besides the one in which the #1 team is included is not very logical. Its like saying the CCIW basketball POY (from Wheaton) wasn't good enough to be included on the All-American team. Remember that? Remember the outcry on the basketball board and the support he received from all the other teams posters? Same principle applies here.

[usee]

AO,

If you are asking me, I agree with you. The problem is the committee does not use nor look at the rankings compiled by D3.com. Nor do they consider strebght of conference. Not in the objectice criteria anyway. If there is any subjective room in their analysis (and I think there is) then NCC desreves a number 1 seed in my view. I just can't empirically prove it. I would love to see NCC play Willamette and see how they do though.

[Matilda]

Okay so here is a thought, or really a question I guess....

Since it looks like NCC will be headin out west, that means that there is the potential for them to have to go to Ohio again. Granted that this is merely potential and there would be three hard fought games before having to take that trip. But

My question is... What does everyone think is the best way to attack a team like MU?

[Matilda]

This is really a good question because from what I've seen just watching the last three national championships and game film (of other teams in the OAC) they seem to be extremely balanced on offense with a stingy/opportunistic defense. 

I would think that the best defense for this type of an opponent would be the ole ball control scheme and try to shorten the game.  This does not mean that a team wouldn't have to run, run and run some more--even though I personally wouldn't have any problem with that--because the same can be accomplished by short, timing route passing as well.  This way you tire out the defense while keeping the offense on the sidelines.

I think this would be better than going in to the game with the game plan of meeting at the O.K. Carral just doesn't seem like a great idea against them. 

[dansand]

This is really a good question because from what I've seen just watching the last three national championships and game film (of other teams in the OAC) they seem to be extremely balanced on offense with a stingy/opportunistic defense. 

I would think that the best defense for this type of an opponent would be the ole ball control scheme and try to shorten the game.  This does not mean that a team wouldn't have to run, run and run some more--even though I personally wouldn't have any problem with that--because the same can be accomplished by short, timing route passing as well.  This way you tire out the defense while keeping the offense on the sidelines.

I think this would be better than going in to the game with the game plan of meeting at the O.K. Carral just doesn't seem like a great idea against them. 

Matilda,

That's a great strategy against Mt. Union, but sometimes even that's not good enough. I know I've covered this before (so bear with me), but it's so amazing I'll mention it again.
In 1999:

• Augie ran 91 plays to MUC's 33
• Augie had a 48:08 to 11:52 advantage in TOP
• Augie outgained MUC 447-293 (including 398-189 on the ground)
• Each team had just one turnover

Mt. Union won the game 42-33.

[usee]

Okay so here is a thought, or really a question I guess....

Since it looks like NCC will be headin out west, that means that there is the potential for them to have to go to Ohio again. Granted that this is merely potential and there would be three hard fought games before having to take that trip. But

My question is... What does everyone think is the best way to attack a team like MU?

Sending NCC out west  is really only 1 of the possibilities and Pat, using a snapshot of where we are this week, put them in that spot. It makes a lot of sense given current circumstances but those circumstances can and will change today. For example, if Cortland loses to Ithaca today, it's actually more likley Mt Union gets shipped East as a #1 seed and NCC stays in the North as a #1 seed. there are a lot of games that have implications for the playoff field and they are all discussed on playoff board. Remember though, the committee is first charged with getting the right 32 teams in the field and only AFTER they have done that will they set up the brackets by Geography.

[HScoach]

Over the years last 15 years, the only teams that beat Mount all had a couple very key things in their favor that day:
1.  they could run the ball to keep the D off balance
2.  they controlled the line of scrimmage defensively and got pressure from the front 4
3.  Got a huge defensive stand or turnover that changed the game


Here's the MUC losses since 95 and they all applied as stated above:

07 Whitewater - strong running game / goal line stand to open the game

05 Ohio Northern - 3 rushing TD's in first half / goal line stand right before half / hung on at end

04 Mary Hardin Baylor - strong running game / stopped MUC on 3rd & inches to ge the ball back in final seconds to win it

03  St. Johns -  best tackling team I've ever seen / 100 yards INT return for TD, would have been a 3 point game if MUC scores / ran the ball down Mount's throat in 2nd half to end it

99 Rowan - QB sacked and fumble returned 50 yards for TD seconds before halftime / great pressure from D-line without blitzing

95 La Crosse - bigger, faster, stronger than MUC at the line on both sides of the ball



As Dansand said, this isn't a guarantee that you'll beat Mount by the above.  But if you can't do these, you're guaranteed to lose.

[FormerCard]

This is really a good question because from what I've seen just watching the last three national championships and game film (of other teams in the OAC) they seem to be extremely balanced on offense with a stingy/opportunistic defense. 

I would think that the best defense for this type of an opponent would be the ole ball control scheme and try to shorten the game.  This does not mean that a team wouldn't have to run, run and run some more--even though I personally wouldn't have any problem with that--because the same can be accomplished by short, timing route passing as well.  This way you tire out the defense while keeping the offense on the sidelines.

I think this would be better than going in to the game with the game plan of meeting at the O.K. Carral just doesn't seem like a great idea against them. 

Matilda,

That's a great strategy against Mt. Union, but sometimes even that's not good enough. I know I've covered this before (so bear with me), but it's so amazing I'll mention it again.
In 1999:

• Augie ran 91 plays to MUC's 33
• Augie had a 48:08 to 11:52 advantage in TOP
• Augie outgained MUC 447-293 (including 398-189 on the ground)
• Each team had just one turnover

Mt. Union won the game 42-33.

I have never seen that as it was before my time.... That is incredible.   

[AndOne]

Okay so here is a thought, or really a question I guess....

Since it looks like NCC will be headin out west, that means that there is the potential for them to have to go to Ohio again. Granted that this is merely potential and there would be three hard fought games before having to take that trip. But

My question is... What does everyone think is the best way to attack a team like MU?

Prayer?