Rats 28- Bearcats-14 with 13:28 to play in the 4th

Whitworth 21..Willamette 14 with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.  Difference in the game is a fake FG by the Rats on the last play of the half.
Last Wu-Cat score was a 16 play drive.  Not saying the Bearcats will win, but this is the same scenario as recent Rat/Cat games.....B-cats pounding it on the ground and win late!!! Will history repeat itself?

Pineconefan mentioned that WU has had the Rats number over the past 3 or 4 years....and it's a fact that they have!!!  The only Rat victory in the last four years was a OT win in Spokane in 2002 (note: the Bearcats ran for 399 yards and totaled 484 in the loss).   In 2003 Willamette beat WC 24-7
and packed the ball for 371 yards on the ground.  The 2004 tilt ruined the Pirates trip to the NCAA playoffs as the B-cats rushed for 311 yards and passed for 246 (557 yards of offense) and landed Willamette in the post season field.  Last year Whitworth looked primed to finally make a playoff appearance when the Wu-cats rallied from two TD's down twice in the fourth quarter to win in OT 40-34..(same scenario 280 yards rushing and another 143 in the air=414 yards.  If you look at these stats, I'm not sure Pinconefans assessment that the Rats were more talented is correct.  I'd say that the talent of the two teams was different....while the Rats moved through the air the Bearcats basically were kicking the Rats in the teeth on the ground. Drew Ecklund had a big day in 2002 along with Greg Reed, in 03 Reed and TK Matthews had their way vs. the Rats and in 04 & 05 Quentin Brock pounded for almost 300 yards and 5 TD's to lead the ground assualt.  Now this all sounds like bad news for Whitworth...but in reality it's the very reason why I think they will win the NWC this year (in particular their showdown with Linfield).  If..............they can break the pattern of getting "boatraced" by the Wu-cats, and actually win.....then I believe they will out dual the Wildcats for the title.  The two teams both move the ball well in the air ..........and and Linfield has absolutely no running game to pound the Rats with (ala Willamette).  Plus Whitworth has the most experienced defense in the conference.  This is the right match up for Whitworth to finally de-throne the Wildcats from their amazing run in the conference.  But they have to beat Willamette first....and that has not been an easy task for the past four years. If the Bearcats rise up again and win in the Pine Bowl this week....then Linfield will finish off the Rats again for the NWC title.   
   

Wu-cats intercept pass on last possession............to win first of the year!!!!

Willamette drives down and kicks FG...........to lead 41-35............Wu-cats just stopped the Qaks at their own 26 yard line .....1st and 10 Bearcats with 2 minutes deep in Oaks territory!

Bearcats blew one last week at Cal Lu (led 16-6 at half time)....they have rallied from 11 points down in the 4th quarter to lead the Oaks 38-35 with about 7 minutes to go!!!!! ............Bearcats just recovered at the Oaks 35
(listening to the web feed).

The conference has been very strong for the last four years.  Linfield has been the torch carrier with a stellar group of D3 and (D1) athletes (Haze, BE, Carter, Jenkins, Ford, Meck and Allen)..  The Wildcats ahve destroyred everything in their paths.  Wilamette had 4 straight winning seasons (and 2nd place finishes) that included wins over Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Western Oregon, Redlands and good Whitworth and PLU teams.  Only the Bearcats stopped Whitworth from back to back play-off spots....the WU-cats appearred in the 2004 play-off at Occidental.  Puget Sound made a run from terrible to repsectable. It was not that long ago that the Lutes were at the top of the D3 football world. But things may have changed very fast. The Wildcats are sufferring from graduation....and the drop off from lasts years back-ups to this years starters appears to be more than some on here thought.  A few were calling Benzel an "All-American." I previously posted that guiding the Wildcat offense to anything similar to what BE did....was a lose lose situation.  And it has proven to be just that.  In 2004 BE producted 104 point in the first two games of the season and 11 TD passes.  In 2005 he slowed a little to 94 points and 9 TD passes in weeks 1 and 2.  This years edition of Linfield football produced just 20 points (make that 14...one TD was a KO return).  I also mentioned that it was possible that the Wildcats could lose up to 50% of their point production while the Cats QB throws 25 to 30 TD's (a more than respectable total).  Up to this point the offensive point production is off 85% percent over the last two years.  Instead of 7 TD's a game they are only managing 1,  which will lead to many more close games in the league (somethign Cat faithfull have not experience since the arrival of BE in 2004.  The Wilcat defense is playing fairly well.....and is not far off....but the offense is a million miles away from recent editions.  As for Willamette who could go 0-4 before meeting Linfiled in two weeks, they too.....are having trouble replacing key players who led them to 4 straight winning seasons.  The Bearcats returned over 90 players from last years NWC runner-ups....but have struggled to find a QB and RB to replace Cam Walton  and Quentin Brock.  Walton was the perfect match for the B-cat "fly" and Brock was the best inside runner in the confernce over the last two years.   This year the Bearcats have already lost their starting TB to a serious facial trauma injury and ....lost their starting sweeper in the first half down at Cal Lu.  This could be a crazy year.....but I think the Rats are going to win it..........finally!!!  Not only could Willamette and Linfield play winless at 04 and 0-2...but they could also be on 5 and 3 game losing streaks!  Man have things changed fast!!!!!    

Before I start this post.....let me state that Linfield has always been a winner and will probably end up with another winning season this year (I was not at the game to wintness the dissaster that other posters are discribing vs. WOU.  But here are some takes on the situation.

#1.  Although the Wildcats have won alot....the conference has for the most part been competitive (with the exception of the last two years).

#2  The Wildcat faithfull are now finding it out what the effects are of losing some of the best D3 players in the nation (all at once) not to mention a damn good D1 player (Elliott: who transferred down 3 divisions).

#3 The new QB (Benzel) is in a lose lose situation.  Even if the kid throws 25 TD's this years  he will be a dissapointment to those that will compare him to BE tossing 55 to 60 a year.  If he were to throw 25 to 30 TD's the Cats will lose anywhere from 50 to 40% of last years offensive productioon
(and this is a very possible scenario).

#4 With an anemic running game which has been in moth balls for the last 2 years (while Linfield was tossing it around for 500 yards a game) the offensive problems could be magnified.  In 2004 and 05...defenses had to respect the Cats formations (usually spread) and their superior personnel.  Now fewer people will be committed to the pass (opposing defenses) and more to the box..which means more pressure for a less talented, inexperienced QB and more heat for an O-line that in recent years only had to block three D-linemen at a time (with most teams defending in nickle and dime packages).  Running the ball is the staple of most offensive schemes...in McMinnville running the ball has been a novelty (something to do when you get bored with your passing orgy).  Now the Cats may have to attempt running the ball with some very undersized backs.  There's a good chance...if the Cats had a good banger last year they would have repeated as Nat'l champs.

#5  Sometimes it's easy to think that back-ups are not that less talented than starters....when they enter the game late and do some good stuff.  But often it's a case of the opposing team being broken down by the frist unit.  I think the drop off in talent from last year is significant....not to the point the Cats can't win....but to the point they will no longer be on cruise control in the second half of games.

The Cats fans aren't the only ones concerned about their season...Lewis and Clark may have ressurected their program for a complete season of football...but the result could be the same.  PLU is finding it hard to win (had 37 winning season streak stopped last year) and finished 0-4 in the NWC last year.  The Bearcats of Willamette may finally be out of runningbacks (which is dangerous in a "fly" attack....just 4 years ago they were stocked with Drew EkLand, Justin Peteren, TK Matthews, Greg Reed, Calvin-Keyser Allen and Quentin Brock (all-are gone now).  Puget Sound has won more in recent years, but have played a suspect pre-season schedule...which has usually been followed by a next to last place finish in the conference.  Not to mention they have an inch worm offense!  And Menlo has one only once in their last 18 contest.  The only team who may not be rebuilding are the Rats.  Whitworth has been good for 3 years (not Linfield good), but they have been exposed by the Willamette ground attack.  So before it's all over the Wildcats may not be as bad as they looked yesterday....but they may never look like they did the past two years.  JMO!     

I don't see any problems for Linfield in their run to the D3  title.  Expect another blow out this Saturday vs. Concordia.  As for USC's close call vs. Fresno State (comparing D3 #1 and D1 #1) and the possibility of complacency seting in on the Wildcats.....No chance of that happening.  All things being relative, Linfield is a far more dominant #1 (D3) than the Trojans are in their respective division.   Secondly, there is probably no competition in the country equal to the Wildcats as Fresno State was to USC.  I only see one scenario where something strange could happen (and it almost did last year vs. UMHB).  And that is.....Elliott is a little off....the opposition can run the football effectively...and the Cats are on grass..not turf!  That's three big iffffffffs!!!  I support the NWC and it looks like another title for the northwest.
  One more thing...I see where the East has some D3 Bowl games for teams that did not make the field.  Would have been nice to see Willamette (Second place in the NWC) vs.
9-1 Cal Lutheran in the West Coast Bowl.

If you just look at the first team picks (all leagues get a little warm and fuzzey after the first team selections) its a very deserving team.  There are only two first team RB's (repeat selections Brock and Lee).  At QB are two excellent QB's...what they should have done was name Elliott Offensive Player of the Year and then not listed him on the first team (it's a given he's on it).  The team gets a little strange at Rec.  But looking at the stats of all the selections......who would you leave off?  They could have just picked C. Allen, Snell and Chiado (3 top rec. in the NWC)...but Hazenburg (Haze could have been listed only as the return specialists) , Mckechie and Reed were oustanding in their own respect and very deserving also.  Who can argue with the TE pick (M. Allen of Whitworth). It looks like a good OL too!!  The league was dominated by passing stats with the exception of Lee and Brock (who were 1 and 2 in both rushing and all-purpose yards).  So I really don't have a problem with a top rated passing conference recognizing those type of skill people.  It would have been a travesty to pick only one Linfield reciever (Allen), when all their wide outs were such a vital part of their success.  Anyone disagree?  The second team defense has 11 of 13 picks as under classmen (kind of a prelude to next seasons possible stars) and the second team offense has 9 of 11 returning next year.  If you just look at the first team selections I'd play them against any D3 conference all-stars in the nation and most D2' as well!!!!!!

While the Wildcats of McMinnville are the undisputed kings of D3 football in the west (and specifically the NWC).  There is little doubt that the Bearcats of Willamette are the second best program on the west coast.  Sure....Occidental is riding high at the present with D1 kickback Collins at the helm...but where were they just a few years ago.....at the bottom of the heap.  Remeber, Redlands was the king pin of the SCIAC...and was getting thumped regularly by the Bearcats
(I think the last two meetings were 52-38....and 35-14 WUcat wins).  Southland independent Chapman also cut the Bearcats off after back to back 52-21 and 54-0 beatings by the Salem pack.  The proof that the Bearcats are the second best the NWC has to offer is evident in their conference record over the past four years.  4-0 vs. Pacific Lutheran, 4-0 vs. UPS, 3-0 vs. Lewis and Clark and 3-1 vs, Whitworth.  The loan loss to the Pirates was in over-time two years ago.   So that makes the Bearcats 14-1 vs. the balance of the league since 2002.  Of the 13 losses the WUcats have suffered since "02"..... 4 have come at the hands of perennial  power UMHB..and 3 in NWC title games vs. Linfield.  This is not a push for the B-cats to be placed in the NCAA field but rather evidence that supports their place as second best in the west (not the region).  I'd love to see them make the play-off....but they need to pull off a shocker this Saturday to make a clear cut case....and well thats......why they play the games. Regardless of the outcome Saturday....I said earlier in the year that Willamette would be the thorn in the side of the NWC contenders .........and that they have been....they ended Puget Sounds hoped early....they ended PLU winning season streak and did Whitworth in two years in a row (just when they were on the brink of a play-off bid).  So who knows....maybe a little more majic in Salem this Sat-Nite.

First of all, a minor correction of a previous post by Cat-fa- natic.  He stated that the Wildcat/Bearcat showdown on Nov. the 12th in Salem should not be much of a struggle based on the fact that UPS held Willamette to less than 100 yards rushing.  The Bearcats actually ran the ball very efficiently  vs. the Loggers..a quick check of both team box scores..indicated that the WUCats ran the ball 40 times for 235 yards...thats almost 6.0 ypc.  Regardless of this stat...the Wildcats are probably about a 29 (5 scores) point favorite in that one, but not because Willamette won't be able to run the ball (last year they moved it into scoring poistion relatively easily on the W-cat defense in the first half)..but failed to cash in on all three trips to the red-zone.  The reason the WUCats have their hands full vs. Linfield..is the same as every other D3 team they encounter...when ever you take one of ther best D1 QB's in the nation and pit him against D3 defensive personal...well it's basically a turkey shoot.  And the scores, and level of resistance the Wildcat offense meets is reflective of my opinion.  I personally think Elliott is phenominal and would be excellent at any level (maybe even make an NFL roster).  I even gave the kid a Heisman vote!!!! But ..honestly I've grown bored with the competitive imbalance that he brought to the NWC/National D3 scene.  At first it was a novelty...BE throwing 6 to 7 TD's a game...even with this seasons slightly retarded stats BE will still throw 109 TD passes in two years at this pacel.  Does anyone else agree that these passing orgies have become relatively meaningless.  In one way, there is no pressure on the Linfield team because of BE's talent (which is far more than any other D3 QB in history...then again he's not really a D3 QB ....is he?  On the other hand, the pressure is really on in the play-offs...if the Wildcats stumble (with all their talent and D1 QB)...then the whole season is a massive failure!!!!
I guess what I'm saying is.....how much fun can it be going to games in Mcminnville over the last two years (and it's a great place to go watch a game), knowing full well that the out come of the game will be over in the first 15 minutes.  I guess that's why they call it a turkey shoot....cause the turkeys don't have guns!!!!!!!

Everyone one knew it was Linfield...hell they have 5 or 6 players who are the best "ever" in the conference at their respective positions (Elliot, Allen, Hazenberg, Olson, Mckecnie, Boock, Donaldson, Brandon, Ort, etc.).......but  the cupboard could look a little thinner after graduation.  Elliott is one of the best D1 QB's in the nation let alone playing at D3. The Wilcats will find an able replacement for Elliott, but not 100 TD passes in two years type guy!  And the best group of recievers the NWC has ever seen will be all but depleted also (less the transfer, Thomas).  One of the reasons the Wildcats are throwing for a few less yards this year is the loss of George Carter who was a phenominal D3 talent who was practically irreplacable.  This all speaks well for the other four contenders.... PLU, Willamette, Whitworth and UPS.  Both Willamette and PLU are very young teams and UPS is starting to compete, while the Rats have put up the most resistance to Linfield as of late.  But it's still this season....and the spoiler is located in Salem.  The Bearcats..will play the Wildcats for the title for the fourth straight time if they can win one of their two games vs. the Lutes or Rats.  The bad news for the  NWC is...if the Bearcats take out Whitworth...only the Wildcats are headed for post season,  barring a Bearcat miricle against Linfield in the season finale. The B-Cats are at home vs. a suspect PLU defense in two weeks and the Rats gave up a alot on the ground vs. WU last year in Salem.  So both games could be very close.  The Rats and the Lutes will rule the air....while the Bearcats will hit the ground running....so whats new in the NWC....not a lot!!!!  An interesting stat...in the last three years Willamette is 5-1 vs. PLU and WC....with the lone loss coming vs. the Rats in over-time two years ago in Spokan.  All the pressure is on Whitworth....if they win out...they go to the dance...same scenario as last year when Willamette stole their thunder in week nine.  The last three weeks should be very interesting in the Pacific Northwest D3 circles!

The conference is taking shape with an expected Wildcat win...over PLU.  Cats win by 4 TD's, even when they don't play that well.  But, as I posted earlier...Willamette is the thorne in the side of the rest of the contenders..and UPS found out today.  The young Bearcats never quit and won in the last minute on the road 21-14.  In Legrand the Rats were beat'in by the Mountaineers.....seems like Whitworth is prone to surrendering points (much like last year)..they could get into a piss'in match with the Bearcats as well.  Lewis and Clark was getting beat 36-0 in the third quarter in LA vs. Chapman..this will bring an end to a sad tale of a season for the Pioneers.  

Looking at the NWC schedules it looks like Willamette is playing nothing but horses, while UPS, PLU and Whitworth are playing considerably weaker opponents. Willamette has played D2 WOU, 2nd ranked UMHB and previously #4 ranked (NAIA) Azusa Pacfic. While their competition for 2nd place in the conference are playing light-weights....Pomona-Pitzer, Clairmont Mudd, LaVern, Cal Lutheran and a decent Redlands
program.  My point is...looking at the Willamette team (only 4 seniors) with 96 under classmen..is improving every week against some of the best competition in the nation and could be ready to upset the plans of a couple of the NWC contenders.  The Bearcats only managed 174 yards in their opener vs WOU....but improved that to 325 vs. UMHB (one of the better defenses in the country..and then 390 vs. APU.
They actually dominated the statistics down in LA..23-17 first downs, 390 to 350 yards and held the ball 14 minutes longer.
It would be a stretch to think a team this young could threaten Linfield but I bet they give the rest of the conference all they want.  But, like a previous poster stated..Menlo is a must win for their confidence.  Should be interesting to see what happens as the young B-cats mature.