FB: Midwest Conference

[WW]

It could/would/should mean the end of the divisional lineup/championship game, unless another associate member is found...

I think there could be a few more dominoes to fall regarding MWC football

[Just the stats]

I can't imagine the road trips that SNC (and consequently opponents) have endured. Almost 400 miles to Illinois College and Grinnell. That's a lot to ask for student-athletes on busses for regular-season games.

[gbpuckfan]

I can't imagine the road trips that SNC (and consequently opponents) have endured. Almost 400 miles to Illinois College and Grinnell. That's a lot to ask for student-athletes on busses for regular-season games.

Waaaay back when I went with football, the team left Friday morning, sometimes worked out somewhere along the way, and got to the visiting city for dinner. All the way home afterwards, though ... so maybe 1 or 2 am arrival at SNC, IIRC. But that was 25 years ago. Not sure how they did it in modern times.

[judgetrainer]

I know Lawrence does an overnight for the long trips (Iowa in particular). In my student days basketball used to do a Friday night/Saturday schedule and schools were partnered (play in Appleton Friday and play in DePere on Saturday. Visiting teams would flip sites).

[gbpuckfan]

SNC kicker gets his NFL workout:

https://fox11online.com/sports/packers-and-nfl/st-norbert-kicker-thompson-meyers-holds-nfl-pro-day?fbclid=IwAR3hJK2lcfVjjB6NH4dcOVmR-1eRj3IzEHqgKJQbPuAEiBud9idXy6tyLfo

[Ryan Stoppable]

I'm guessing [SNC] can hang on to their upcoming NC schedule, which is set through 2021 (NACC plays 7 conf games a year, or has in the past). I will miss some of the MWC rivalries but the local ones haven't been competitive for years.

The NACC has actually only ever had 7 or 8 teams for football until now. I'd guess it will add an 8th conference game, assuming existing scheduling agreements permit it.

[Ralph Turner]

I can't imagine the road trips that SNC (and consequently opponents) have endured. Almost 400 miles to Illinois College and Grinnell. That's a lot to ask for student-athletes on busses for regular-season games.

Closer to 420 miles... That road trip is of near ASC proportions!

[judgetrainer]

It could/would/should mean the end of the divisional lineup/championship game, unless another associate member is found...

I think there could be a few more dominoes to fall regarding MWC football

What are you hearing or thinking? Honestly curious.

[WW]

It could/would/should mean the end of the divisional lineup/championship game, unless another associate member is found...

I think there could be a few more dominoes to fall regarding MWC football

What are you hearing or thinking? Honestly curious.

Hearing nothing. Thinking? Well, that's often debatable, but some things make ya wonder, such as...

The state of Beloit and Grinnell rosters.

Macalester... why aren't they in with their neighbors, as they are in other sports?

Monmouth... not sure where they could go, but in so many sports they battle with SNC for titles. At some point domination gets a little less fun (or does it?) and it becomes about fit.

U of C... would they be a better fit in CCIW or NACC if they remain football-only? They have no MWC allegiances in other sports.

MWC, on the other hand, might be an attractive destination for other programs. I've often said that if you ripped up the current alignments and started from scratch, you'd come up with better geographical and competitive alignments within the MWC, NACC and CCIW footprint.

So no inside dope here, far from it. Just thinking out loud......

[doolittledog]

It could/would/should mean the end of the divisional lineup/championship game, unless another associate member is found...

I think there could be a few more dominoes to fall regarding MWC football

What are you hearing or thinking? Honestly curious.

Hearing nothing. Thinking? Well, that's often debatable, but some things make ya wonder, such as...

The state of Beloit and Grinnell rosters.

Macalester... why aren't they in with their neighbors, as they are in other sports?

Monmouth... not sure where they could go, but in so many sports they battle with SNC for titles. At some point domination gets a little less fun (or does it?) and it becomes about fit.

U of C... would they be a better fit in CCIW or NACC if they remain football-only? They have no MWC allegiances in other sports.

MWC, on the other hand, might be an attractive destination for other programs. I've often said that if you ripped up the current alignments and started from scratch, you'd come up with better geographical and competitive alignments within the MWC, NACC and CCIW footprint.

So no inside dope here, far from it. Just thinking out loud......

How about St Thomas stays MIAC and then St Olaf and Carleton bolt for the MWC and Macalester moves all sports to the MWC.  Monmouth then jumps to the CCIW.  Likely?  Probably not.  Fun to speculate?  During this time of year...yes!

[fulbakdad]

Crazy good recruiting year in the Forest.  51 incoming freshman!  That brings their total expected at camp opening at 108!  When my son first went there, some 9 years ago, there were only 61 total players in camp and 30 of them were Freshman.  That was Cat's second Interim Head Coaching year.  Coach Cat is doing some awesome things! 

[WW]

Crazy good recruiting year in the Forest.  51 incoming freshman!  That brings their total expected at camp opening at 108!  When my son first went there, some 9 years ago, there were only 61 total players in camp and 30 of them were Freshman.  That was Cat's second Interim Head Coaching year.  Coach Cat is doing some awesome things!

Future looks bright, FBD. I think both Ripon and LFC could push the Green Knights in the reconfigured North this year.

[WW]

Only surprise in the preseason coaches poll is the gap in the North between SNC and Ripon, given Ripon influx of bodies and SNC's outflux of seniors. And at first I was surprised by the closeness of the South poll, but U of C was just a blocked PAT from OT with SNC last season.

MWC North Division

St. Norbert College (12), 72 points
Ripon College, 52 points
Lake Forest College, 51 points
Macalester College, 40 points
Lawrence University, 24 points
Beloit College, 13 points

MWC South Division

Monmouth College (7), 66 points
University of Chicago (5), 65 points
Illinois College, 46 points
Knox College, 33 points
Cornell College, 30 points
Grinnell College, 12 points

[WW]

Check you out, SNC! First preseason Top 25 ranking for the MWC since 2010. #respect

[gbpuckfan]

Check you out, SNC! First preseason Top 25 ranking for the MWC since 2010. #respect

That is nice. Coming off a playoff win certainly helps, I'm sure. As does having the starting quarterback coming back.

Interesting that SNC got only six more points than Monmouth in the conference poll. and the Scots didn't even get one 25th place vote.

I wonder if some of it indeed some respect for SNC, and some is -"Who else made the playoffs last year?" or "Who is the best team in the MWC? I'll put them in at 22nd."

SNC averaged about the 22nd team on every ballot - obviously could have been higher on some, not included at all on others. And that doesn't leave much room for a second MWC team.

On the bright side, SNC was higher than all but one WIAC school, which is nice. Not sure that's particularly realistic on the field but I'll take it.