I am not sure what to think about the Bell game this week. While NCC is objectively not as dominant this year I do know they don't beat themselves, you have to go win it. Through 4 games they have turned it over only 3 times, given up just 2 sacks, and are 100% in the redzone on offense (17-17 with 13 TDs). They aren't going to make mistakes. Their run game is not as prolific (4.9 yd per carry vs 6.4 last year, 200 yds per game vs 260 last year. Garret Wilson is throwing more as a result and his numbers are slightly off the pace of a year ago. They also have only gone for it on 4th down 2x this year when they averaged 1-2x a game last year. They have just 5 explosive runs of 20+ yds so far this year, well off their usual production. But through the air they have 13 explosive plays. Their main horse on offense is David Ballard III and he has been highly productive. On defense Medina is elite and has been dominant but the defense overall has given up 12 explosive pass plays and 105 yds per game on the ground (vs 75 ypg last year.

None of this is catasrophic, it just means they have been less dominant so far.

Wheaton's biggest change is on defense where they are a top 20 unit and have only given up 1 run of over 20 yds all season. Zeke Harris is as good a LB as you will see in D3 and their safeties are really good combined with a front that has been really good agains the run. The Wheaton offense hasn't been as productive this year which has manifest itself mainly on 3rd down (53% a year ago vs 42% this year). Forcucci had thrown for 18 TD's through 5 games last year and has just 11 this year. All that and NCC shut out Wheaton last year.

He will have to have his most productive game as a member of the Thunder for this to be close. If Wheaton wins they will have to find ways to get more possessions (turnovers, stops, kicking game) and manufacture 4+ scores while somehow limiting Wilson and the NCC offense to a much lower output than they have so far. A tall task given this NCC team, while shorter on star power, doesn't make too many mistakes.

Quote from: Patrick Coleman on October 06, 2026, 02:14:50 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on October 06, 2026, 01:40:04 PM

Quote from: Patrick Coleman on October 06, 2026, 01:09:57 PMYou should be more worried about someone else beating Wheaton and having a common opponent advantage against Mount Union.

sure thing Pat.  Like your #2 team in the country would ever get two losses

In the first two minutes of the podcast I point out that Wheaton is not my No. 2 team in the country.

Blasphemy!

Quote from: CarollFan on October 05, 2026, 11:46:04 AMNCC with that last game moved up to #1 in conference in avg. rushing yds per game.
Only team that has run at all on Wheaton is Mount Union who had 107 rushing yds.

Looking at conference stats:

Wheaton #2 passing offense and #2 passing defense as far as avg. yds per game.
NCC #3 passing offense and #3 passing defense as far as avg. yds per game.

I won't mention who is #1 in those categories

Nice selective stats! To clarify:

Wheaton #1 Total Offense
North Central #2 Total Offense
(Carroll #3)

Wheaton #1 Total Defense
North Central #2 Total Defense
(Carroll #3)

Wheaton #1 Scoring Offense
North Central #2 Scoring Offense
(Carroll is #4)

Wheaton #1 Scoring Defense
North Central #3 Scoring Defense
(Carrol is #2)

how did he do on the spread?

#2 Wheaton @ #1 Naperville this week. It's on....

I want some of whatever you guys are on. Smh.

I have an honest question for you guys. I understand the desire to make a change at HC. I also realize that to win national championships consistently it takes institutional alignment across the University (recruiting, admissions, financial aid, compensation, etc). I remember Augustana in the 80's (4 straight National Championships) had a massive advantage in financial aid that allowed them to capture much more of the Chicago area talent than their conference competitors. I know North Central has an athletic friendly administration, access to a lot of funding (6+ full time coaches), and collaboration with admissions on recruiting and financial aid. Brad Spencer has benefitted from the structure put in place with the Thorne regimes. Augustana lost much of their advantage after Bob Reade Retired. UWW has struggled to get back to the top under new head coaches and some of their recruiting advantage has seemingly spread to other WIAC schools. 

Has anything outside of the HC changed for Mt Union? If so, changing the HC, while its the lowest hanging fruit, may not be the (only) answer.

SID's are heroes. They do all the work and usually get none of the credit. They often only get noticed when something goes wrong. The amount of information they process every week and disseminate is impressive. Just read the game notes for each contest each week. Every SID in the CCIW does quality work with multiple sports in season at the same time. I have nothing but respect and admiration for every SID.

Quote from: CarollFan on September 24, 2026, 12:46:36 PMA little info on IWU going into the Wheaton game. Not sure what the situation is with IWU QB.

https://herald-review.com/sports/community/article_329caa34-8ae5-5f96-98ef-99b086ece60b.html


Across all 3 games played:
IWU D leads conference in sacks with 14 and in interceptions with 8.
Wheaton D #1 scoring, #1 total yards, #1 rushing and #2 passing.

Quote from: CarollFan on September 24, 2026, 12:46:36 PMA little info on IWU going into the Wheaton game. Not sure what the situation is with IWU QB.

https://herald-review.com/sports/community/article_329caa34-8ae5-5f96-98ef-99b086ece60b.html


Across all 3 games played:
IWU D leads conference in sacks with 14 and in interceptions with 8.
Wheaton D #1 scoring, #1 total yards, #1 rushing and #2 passing.

I don't have any information on IWU QB Dermot Smyth other than seeing the play vs Augie where a defensive lineman landed on Smyth with his throwing shoulder smashing into the ground. Smyth played one more play and then I could see him trying to throw short passes on the sideline. He did not return and his coach described it afterwards as a "sprained shoulder". Smyth is obviously a huge piece of the IWU attack as both a passer and a runner (he is their leading rusher).

IWU and Wheaton have a common opponent in Albion (both games played at Sprankel-Sprandel Stadium). IWU won 24-10 in a game that was 10-10 going into the 4th quarter. IWU gained 325 yds and Albion put up 264.

Wheaton won 45-3 and gained 451 yds to Albion's 153.

Forcucci, who threw for 5 TD's vs Millikin, broke the Wheaton career TD passing record on Saturday that had stood for 40 years. Keith Bishop (son of then head coach JR Bishop) led the "Air Bishop Express" back then, starting for 3 years and setting a lot of NCAA records at the time when Wheaton would routinely throw for 400-500 yds in a game.

Millikin @ Wheaton kick was moved from 6pm to 12pm because of weather forecast.

Maloney needs to be more aware of his running. He took way too many hits as a runner last week considering his importance to this offense. He is a great running threat but go out of bounds and slide at the end of those runs.

Quote from: bleedpurple on September 11, 2026, 03:40:08 PM

Quote from: The Third Division on September 11, 2026, 10:44:36 AMSo brian stanton is off the UWW roster now?

https://x.com/JoshGolberg/status/2098381869532275140

This is new and I'm not in a position to provide information, but with the internet being what it is, I feel compelled to make one thing clear. This has nothing to do with legal trouble or anything like that. Just didn't want his reputation tarnished by unwarranted speculation.

Commence unwarranted speculation........

Coaches film is available to the refs which is three different angles. There is also the Webcast replay. Wheaton coaches have sideline camera and both endzone cameras. I have seen all the tape and the Caldwell play in the endzone was definitely not a catch and the Kortenhoeven 4th and 4 play was questionable at best (the endzone camera is a pretty good look. Don't think there was anywhere near enough evidence to overturn that one).

Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on September 06, 2026, 02:00:07 PMIt really does look like the referee made a poor call against Mount on the pass on the end zone.... https://x.com/d3football/status/2096314898548457740

Definitely not a catch though it should have been.  You can't see it on the video on X but the ball was on Deandre Caldwell's body as he lands on the ground but wasnt secured. When he rolls to his right side the official who puts up the TD sign is block by the defender's body. As Caldwell roll to his right side he is trying to bring the ball up from his waist area and as he rolls the ball comes in contact with the ground as he secures with is right arm and shoulder. This one was challenged by Dartt and was upheld via replay.

Caldwell dropped two other TD's by my count. A slant in the early 2nd quarter would have been a 65 yd TD, hit him in the hands and then a long skinny post where Maloney threw a great ball and Caldwell tried to one hand it when he should have used both hands (and easily could have). That kid's gonna be good but he didn't help his QB on Saturday as he should have had 3 TD's.