FB: Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

Started by admin, August 16, 2005, 05:21:31 AM

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02 Warhawk

Let me know if anyone is interested in participating in this year's West Region Fan Poll. I'm looking for two (maybe three) participants.

Much appreciated

Gray Fox

2019 UMAC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Martin Luther – 61 points (6 First Place Votes)
2. Northwestern – 54 points (2 First Place Votes)
3. MacMurray – 49 points
4. St. Scholastica – 47 points (1 First Place Votes)
5. Westminster – 35 points
6. Greenville – 29 points
7. Minnesota Morris – 22 points
8. Iowa Wesleyan – 17 points
9. Crown – 10 points
Fierce When Roused

Baldini

I'll rep one time here for the UMAC and see what happens.

The 4 games on the schedule for this coming week are not overly exciting, but those at the top of the conference standing will attempt not to lose ground in a tight race for the title.

Westminster (Mo.) travels to Minnesota-Morris. The Blue Jays have played good ball the last 2 weeks with a 33-30 win against MacMurray and a tough lose to conference leading MLC last weekend. In the MLC game, Westminster was tied at 14-14 and driving in the final minute of the first half when their QB Wyatt Ellis was knocked out of the game (concussion?). The Blue Jays were held scoreless after that and took the lose 24-14, a good effort none the less. This is a 667 mile bus ride for Westminster and the weather could also play a factor, but in the end I believe the Blue Jays will be too much for the offensively challenged Minnesota-Morris squad.

Greenville travels to Crown. Greenville is coming off of 2 impressive wins with a wildly exciting 40-34 game last weekend against St. Scholastica and their game prior to that was a 36-0 beatdown of Westminster. Greenville seems to being playing their best football right now and that is probably bad news for the Storm. This is also a long bus ride (620 miles) and again the weather may effect this game. Greenville is 3-1 in conference play and right in the middle of the title hunt, with the added motivation the Panthers will probably enjoy the long trip home after a victory.

Northwestern (Minn.) travels to Martin Luther College. These are the two teams picked 1-2 in the preseason coaches poll, but seem to have gone in opposite directions since that voting. At first glance most might think this is an easy win for MLC, but the Eagles were the one team in conference play that slowed MLC's rushing attack last season (MLC is averaging 302 yards rushing a game this season) and held them to a season low 21 points in conference play. MLC has not beaten Northwestern at home since 2009. I believe MLC will wear down the Eagles in the end and get the W, but it will not be an easy one, IMHO.

MacMurray travels to Iowa Wesleyan. On paper this is a mismatch, MacMurray has the top scoring offense in the UMAC and IWU has the last place scoring defense. MacMurray is 3-1 in conference and controls their own destiny to post season play, but with Greenville, MLC and CSS as the next 3 on the schedule it will not be an easy road for the Highlanders. As for IWU, I believe the threat of closing their doors has been too much for this group to overcome. Hopefully the future looms brighter for the Tigers then this season has. Outside of a major look ahead, MacMurray should get the win going away with ease.

St. Scholastica is on a bye this coming week.       

DuffMan

Wow!  Great synopses.  Thanks for getting some action going in here.

A tradition unrivaled...
MIAC Champions: 1932, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
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Baldini

Quote from: DuffMan on October 22, 2019, 09:37:47 PM
Wow!  Great synopses.  Thanks for getting some action going in here.

Thanks DuffMan, I would think there would be some interest in all 27 fishbowls that make up D-3 Football. Hopefully that is correct thinking on my part.

OzJohnnie

[  

57Johnnie

Thanks for keeping this board alive.
+k  :)
The older the violin - the sweeter the music!

Baldini

Westminster and Minnesota-Morris have went to the half and the offenses have yet to show much for either team. Westminster is playing with backup QB Bryce Moorman who played the 2nd half last week and was held scoreless and has add only two FG's so far today. The highlight of the 1st half was Westminster kicker Tim Branneky hitting a 58 yard FG to close out the half. 6-0 Westminster.

Greenville and Crown also are at the half and Greenville is continuing their good play leading 20-0. Paul Garrett has racked up 142 yards rushing on 18 carries in the first half for Greenville. The Greenville defense is pitched in with 3 TO's to help the cause.

The other 2 games will kickoff shortly.

Baldini

All 4 teams higher in the standing held serve today and keeps the race for the automatic qualifier fairly open. Both Martin Luther College and MacMurray control their own destiny with 3 games remaining for each, if either wins out they will be conference champions and automatic qualifiers. Greenville checks in at 4-1 in conference play, but needs help to win the qualifier because MLC owns the head-to-head tie-breaker with them.

Recapping todays games.

Westminster was all out to get the win today at Morris and needed a 4th quarter 86 yard pass play to supply the winning edge. The Blue Jays can enjoy their long ride home with the W in their column, but if starting QB Wyatt Ellis doesn't return to the starting lineup Westminster is probably going to struggle to get wins against even the bottom teams in the UMAC. They finish the year with games with Crown and Northwestern and both are winnable games to try and finish the year on a positive note. As for Minnesota-Morris, I tip my hat to them for the gritty effort day. But their short comings on offense where they are average 14.5 points a game this season again was too much to overcome. The bad news for them is that they probably do not have a winnable game for them left on their schedule, they finish with MLC, CSS and Greenville.

Greenville did the expected on their visit to St. Bonifacius to face the Crown Storm. Greenville was in control from the start, Paul Garrett rushed for 193 yards and the defense turned the Storm over 7 times in a 32-6 victory. Greenville now heads to MacMurray next weekend for a showdown with the Highlanders that is probably an elimination game for someone. Win that one and the likelihood of a 7-1 conference season is fairly strong with the final 2 games with IWU and Minnesota-Morris. Crown has two games remaining this season, travel to Westminster and finish at home against MLC.

MLC took care of their business and pulled away to win by 3 TD's in the end 41-20. A key swing in this game was right before the half with the score 17-7. Inside of a minute to go Northwestern had 1st and goal from the 4, 2nd and goal from the 1 and were stopped on 3rd down also. Their FG try on 4th down was blocked with seconds left in the half and the Eagles came away with nothing. In typical MLC grinding fashion they kept the ball moving and forced Northwestern to play catchup the last 30 minutes, forcing Northwestern out of their ground attack and making them one dimensional. Something Northwestern was unable to overcome as MLC captures their 13th straight conference win. MLC will finish conference play with games with Minnesota-Morris, @ MacMurray and @ Crown. Northwestern will finish out what has to be a very disappointing season with games with Westminster and IWU.

MacMurray had a ho-hum day at Mount Pleasant and dispatched of Iowa Wesleyan on their Homecoming day 21-12. Nothing eyepopping about their play, but they did what was needed and got the W to keep their title hopes alive. If MacMurray runs the table from here they certainly will earn the title with Greenville, MLC and CSS on the horizon. Sadly Iowa Wesleyan is staring down the gun barrel of a winless season with CSS, Greenville and Northwestern on the dance card.       

Baldini

The 4 games this week probably have 2 overmatched games, one game that could be tight and a game that might be the conference game of the year so far.

Iowa Wesleyan travels to Duluth this weekend to take on St. Scholastica in a game that doesn't look close on paper. CSS is averaging 30.3 points a game on offense this season and Iowa Wesleyan is the last place team in the UMAC in scoring defense at a give up rate of 35.3 a game. Add in that IWU is only average 7.4 points a game on offense and St. Scholastica is coming off a bye week, well lets just say this one looks a little one sided from my front porch. The good news is that the bus probably has Wi-Fi for the 470 mile ride back home for the Tigers.

Crown travels south to take on Westminster in a game with some question marks. Westminster has been two different teams with and without their starting QB Wyatt Ellis and in the world of D-3 football and injuries we will just remain in the dark until the Blue Jays first snap on offense. If Ellis does line up Westminster should be a two score winner here, but if not the Crown defense does sport the top ranked passing defense in the UMAC and could make this a very tight game for 4 quarters. This is another long bus ride in the UMAC schedule as Crown has to travel 527 miles and that may take some toll also. In the end Westminster should get the win, but an upset would not be shocking here.

Minnesota-Morris takes a trip down to New Ulm to take on Martin Luther College. Statistically this is another game that seems to be a complete mismatch as MLC comes into this game with the #1 scoring offense and the #1 scoring defense in the conference and Minnesota-Morris is 8th ranked in both departments. Ball control will probably be dominated by MLC who averages 294 yards a game over land, where as UMM has struggled stopping the run giving up an average of 193.4 yard a game on the ground. It is hard to see the Cougars being able to keep pace in this one, which will probably lead to a lopsided score in the end. MSC rolls to their 14th straight conference win this week.

Greenville travels to MacMurray and on paper this should be a great game to watch. MacMurray has the #2 scoring offense (32.0) in the UMAC and Greenville has the #3 scoring offense (31.0). Greenville has the #2 scoring defense (22.5) and MacMurray has the #3 scoring defense (26.0). With both team having one lose and tied in the second spot in the conference this is an elimination game for the loser. Two of the top teams in the UMAC playing with a playoff type intensity should make for a fun game for all that are watching. In the end I do think Greenville go's into Jacksonville and gets this win, but it should be a close game that could go either way.             

Baldini

Iowa Wesleyan @ St. Scholastica - Temperature 34 degrees, no precipitation expected, winds at 15 MPH.

Crown @ Westminster - Temperature 47 degrees, sunny day and no precipitation expected, winds at 10 MPH

Minnesota-Morris @ Martin Luther College - 38 degrees, partly cloudy day and no precipitation expected, winds at 16 MPH

Greenville @ MacMurray - 45 degrees, partly cloudy and no precipitation expected, winds at 14 MPH

All things considered a nice weather day across the UMAC. A little breezy, but weather shouldn't play a factor in any of the outcomes today.

Pat Coleman

A perfectly reasonable Nov. 2, all things considered!
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Baldini

Backup QB Bryce Moorman again gets the start for Westminster. I would not be surprised to see the Blue Jays struggle to move the ball today.

Baldini

Quote from: Baldini on November 02, 2019, 01:29:23 PM
Backup QB Bryce Moorman again gets the start for Westminster. I would not be surprised to see the Blue Jays struggle to move the ball today.

Scoreless game in the 2nd quarter and starting QB Wyatt Ellis has returned to action for Westminster, it will be interesting to see if he can jumpstart their offense.

Baldini

Recapping yesterdays games.

St. Scholastica had the easy time which was expected with Iowa Wesleyan, the Saints cruised to a 61-8 victory. The most interesting play of the game may have been after CSS took the opening drive 6 plays for a TD, IWU blocked the PAT and returned it the distance for a 2 point defensive PAT. CSS looks to finish the season strong and end the season in the top half of the standing as is the norm for the Saints. The Tigers chances of gaining a win this season are looking rather long from here as they close out the season with Greenville and Northwestern. Winter sports can't get here quick enough for IWU.

Westminster received an offensive lift when QB Wyatt Ellis returned to the field and lead the Blue Jays to 3 second half TD's to break open a game that was 3-0 at the half. The sophomore QB seems to be a difference maker for Westminster and probably will make the Blue Jays a dangerous team the next couple of seasons in the UMAC. The Crown team just keeps battling. They have a very small and young roster, but even so they battle ever week regardless of what the score is. There is some good UMAC talent in their freshmen class and if they can keep it together and add a little each year it will be an interesting team in a few seasons.

Martin Luther cruised to the easiest of wins, dominating in all phases in a 49-0 victory that could of been much worse. The Knights out total yarded the Cougars 565-57 and that was with backups playing a good portion of the second half. Minnesota-Morris managed two 1st downs in the game, one on their first drive of the game and one on the last drive of the game. They never came close to scoring a point. Coach Hoffmann in Morris has a tough project ahead of him, starting with recruiting volume is probably the first step. The good news for them is that it is the UMAC and one good recruiting class can go a long ways.

Greenville continues with their good play by going to MacMurray and ending the Highlanders title hopes 41-30. It looked to be a good game going in and they did not disappoint, but in the end MacMurray couldn't go blow for blow offensively with the Panthers who's balanced attack racked 534 yards in total offense (250 rushing, 284 passing). Greenville has probably stamped themselves as the early favorite for next season with their continued good play from a very young roster. As for MacMurray they will lose 9 starters on the offense and defense combined, but do return their QB and most of their key defensive players. Fill a few holes and they are right back in the hunt next season.

That is back-to-back 4-0 weeks on the late start to the games analysis for the UMAC, now the question is there a single individual out there who is reading this board?  :)