FB: Midwest Conference

[Dolph Stanley]

  If swimming were like football and broken down into regions Grinnell would be the St. John's of the west and Kenyon is the Mount Union of swimming.  Much respect to Coach Obermiller, Luther Davis, Joe Zimsen, David Ressner, and the rest of the early nineties pioneer swim teams. 8)

So you may stand bayer/berlex.

No question that Grinnell has a great swimming program but I think St Olaf may argue with you awarding them the St Johns comparison in football.  Olaf has been a consitently better swimming program than Grinnell.

[ScoutTeamHero]

1. Lawrence             9-1 
2. St. Norbert           9-1
3. Monmouth            7-3
4. Carroll                  6-4
5. Ripon                   5-5
6. Beloit                   4-6
7. Illinois College        4-6
8. Lake Forest           3-7
9. Knox                    1-9
10. Grinnell               0-10

Tiebreak goes to Lawrence who could start out 2-1 or 0-3.  I say 2-1, but if they get off to the bad start then the worst they finish is 3rd in the league.  Nubs as always then everyone else just playin to play

[Hawk Sighting]

1. Lawrence 9-1
2. St. Norbert 9-1
3. Monmouth 7-3
4. Carroll 6-4
5. Ripon 5-5
6. Beloit 4-6
7. Illinois College 4-6
8. Lake Forest 3-7
9. Knox 1-9
10. Grinnell 0-10

Tiebreak goes to Lawrence who could start out 2-1 or 0-3. I say 2-1, but if they get off to the bad start then the worst they finish is 3rd in the league. Nubs as always then everyone else just playin to play

You have got to be kidding me with putting Lawrence at even having a prayer at going 9-1.  The coach that they have now will def. help them win more games, but there is no way they will go 9-1.  I still see them as being under .500 this year.  They need a couple more years to bring in some outstanding players, but they will still have the problem they have always had.. getting quality players that have high accademic numbers.  I know that Lawrence has dropped some of their high requirements and have been able to bring in some players, but to go from a 4-5 record to a 9-1 record thats a big jump.  Plus the only games they won last year where at home.  So unless they are playing 9 home games this team needs another year or two to grow.  But don't get me wrong, i could see LU moving right up the rankings in years to come.   

[fightintitan2006]

I agree...I wasnt sure if Scoutteamhero was being sarcastic because some of the other posters had Lawrence moving up this year, but LU lost to Monmouth and St. Norbert by over 30 points apiece last year....a win over Carroll and blowout over Lake Forest showed they improved drastically throughout the year...but losses to Knox and Beloit show they are not ready to compete for a title yet. I think LU has a chance at 7-3, but could be as low 5-5 if they dont take care of business

[coolaw56]

Ya never know:

LFC 2001 (4 - 6)

LFC 2002 (9 - 2)

[fightintitan2006]

Good point...any former Foresters out there who can pinpoint the biggest reasons for the turnaround

I just looked at LU's schedule...how good will Minnesota-Morris be and is getting MC and SNC right away a good or bad thing.

I think Monmouth will be beatable next year espeically in week two...MC's QB situation could still be in question and if their offense is struggling, I think a team like LU or Ripon can beat them by controlling the clock with the run game.

I guess a win over MC would give the Vikes cofidence against SNC and Howard used to coach there so he might have the inside track, but the question of matching up talentwise still remains.

[Pat Coleman]

Lawrence should beat Minnesota-Morris.

[fightintitan2006]

anybody out there want to talk football???

[Hawk Sighting]

Hey I am game, what do you want to talk about?

[bayer/berlex]

I'm ready to talk some MWC football. My guess is that the MWC will see several teams around the 5-5 mark this year. Some great players have graduated from last year's powerhouses (Monmouth and St. Norbert). Some of last year's weaker teams will surprise people. Grinnell had numerous underclassmen gain lots of valuable gameday experience during last year's struggle. A healthy Sean Pfalzer returns for his senior season at QB. A large group of newcomers include several prep school standouts. Lawrence finished strong, however, I'm not convinced they will be an elite team so quickly. Anxious to see how Beloit responds to the coaching change. Did Lake Forest lose its starting QB (or was he inadvertently left off the 2006 roster)? Let's get the chatter started. Opening kickoff is a mere six weeks away!

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Can Carroll beat Carthage?

Can Ripon beat UW Oshkosh?

Can I.C. beat Millikin?

Can Lake Forest beat Washington U. ?

Can Monmouth beat Wartburg?

These five games will have a lot to say about the MWC's AQ seeding in the west region playoffs.   If all these games result in victories there may be chatter about an at large bid. The rest of the non-conference schedule should be all W's

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Can Grinnell beat Kenyon?

[ScoutTeamHero]

Carthage Wins
Oshkosh Wins
I.C. Should Win
Wash. U Wins
Toss Up but favoring Wartburg
Lawrence Wins
Norbs Win
Beloit Wins
Toss Up but favoring Grinell
Toss Up but favoring Knox


Maybe too soon for 9-1 Larry's but like I said it's all about their start 9-1 or 7-3

[fightintitan2006]

scoutteamhero..I think you need to lay of the MWC and LU koolaid a bit...
i pasted your picks and added my thoughts

Carthage Wins (CC played them to the wire last year and probably falls in a close one )
Oshkosh Wins (dont disagree at all)
I.C. Should Win (I think Millikin enters as the favorite here)
Wash. U Wins (by how much? i dont know anything about UAA football)
Toss Up but favoring Wartburg (Wartburg should be favored)
Lawrence Wins (dont disagree, but it will be tighter than expected)
Norbs Win (not sure about that...doesnt olivet have scholarships, not to mention being very good the last few years)
Beloit Wins (we shall see)
Toss Up but favoring Grinell (Kenyon won 6 games in a much better conference and should win going away)
Toss Up but favoring Knox (agreed I think)

my vote for the MWC nonconference record is 4-6

[fightintitan2006]

coocooforcoekohawk,

you had raised the point a few pages back that the biggest game of the year in the MWC is the Monmouth vs. Wartburg game...I have to respectfully disagree, although I certainly understand where you are coming from...

I still think Monmouth vs. St. Norbert will be the biggest again for a few reasons...

* Monmouth starts a new QB this year, possibly a freshman
** Wartburg will likely be bigger on the lines and more likely to wear out an opponent, especially in a season-opener
*** MWC teams are at an automatic disadvantage, as I believe that their conference restrictions give them either less practices or less scrimmages (please fill me on the exact rules or correct me if I am wrong)

I think the first and third points give Monmouth a shot of being a better team late in the season than in the opener and thus, if they can get by SNC, give them a chance at a win if they were to face Wartburg again in the playoffs...although a 10-0 record got them St. Johns last year, so a 9-1 mark may offer the same MIAC or WIAC fate...an MWC school will never upset that caliber of team, but St. Norbert certainly had top 15 and maybe top 10 teams in the past that were victims of being in a great regions