Quote from: robertgoulet on January 05, 2026, 08:56:14 AMOne thing that completely missed me when I was thinking about this matchup was that Wilson is in his 1st season as starting QB, is only a true sophomore and has not really been tested for more than 1/2 a game. Should have expected some growing pains, I guess.

Going to take a look at the NCC 2 deep and see what they lose going into next year, at some point.

It's really challenging to win a Stagg Bowl without a seasoned QB. Lehnen didn't win a title until his 3rd academic year. Wilson is in his 2nd academic year while Blaha is in his 6th. Experience matters a lot. I hope Wilson won't be too hard on himself, as he had an excellent season overall and has great potential. NCC's wide receiving corps lacked depth and (outside of Skokna) explosiveness. It will be a big question mark in the fall, with Skokna and Rummell graduating. Maybe Ashiru can convert to WR.

North Central's 2025 roster has finally been posted:
https://northcentralcardinals.com/sports/football/roster

Why is Wheaton hosting this year's Little Brass Bell game? It will be the 4th time in the past 5 seasons that NCC has played at Wheaton.

This would never happen with the Monon Bell game. Neither DePauw nor Wabash would tolerate it.

Quote from: wally_wabash on December 19, 2023, 12:36:32 PM

Quote from: Marmac on December 19, 2023, 11:00:43 AM
I saw Egbo playing in the first half (when Cortland scored 3 points). I didn't see him out there in the second half, though the stats show he assisted on a special teams tackle when the score was tied at 31. He was trying to gut it out. Unlike just about everyone else on the NCC roster, this was his one chance for a national championship.

I did a feature on Martin during the playoffs. He graduated from Concordia in three years and had two years of eligibility upon transfer to North Central.  The rest is also an awesome story that I hope you'll read!

My bad, I didn't realize Egbo has a year of eligibility left. I appreciated your feature on him.

Quote from: robertgoulet on December 19, 2023, 09:51:07 AM

Quote from: D3Navy on December 18, 2023, 06:06:48 PM

Quote from: robertgoulet on December 18, 2023, 09:48:48 AM

Quote from: Marmac on December 17, 2023, 05:47:08 PM
NCC led at the half, scored 30 points in the second half, and rushed for 404 yards. The post-game focus was on the failed two-point attempt, but the offense was plenty good enough to win. NCC's 37 points are the most ever scored by the losing team in a Stagg Bowl.

NCC allowed 24+ points seven times this season. Last season, they never allowed more than 21 points in a game.

NCC's offense this season was the most dominating I've seen at the D3 level. Their defense was middling, however, and it ultimately wasn't good enough to win a national title.

NCC lost AA DT Dan Lester early in the season. AA CB Antwain Walker in the early playoff rounds. CCIW DPOY DE Martin Egbo in the quarters. I think it's fair to say any defense losing that type of talent would likely face a steep drop off.

Egbo played in the final.

Right but considering it was a lower leg injury that took him out in the quarters, and then only played about a quarter and a half in the semi's (clearly nursing and not explosive) I'd say he was probably well under 100%. I'd have to rewatch but I don't think he played much at all in the 2nd half.

I saw Egbo playing in the first half (when Cortland scored 3 points). I didn't see him out there in the second half, though the stats show he assisted on a special teams tackle when the score was tied at 31. He was trying to gut it out. Unlike just about everyone else on the NCC roster, this was his one chance for a national championship.

If any one of those three players had been healthy on Friday, NCC likely wins. But they weren't, and the defense struggled mightily without them.

NCC led at the half, scored 30 points in the second half, and rushed for 404 yards. The post-game focus was on the failed two-point attempt, but the offense was plenty good enough to win. NCC's 37 points are the most ever scored by the losing team in a Stagg Bowl.

NCC allowed 24+ points seven times this season. Last season, they never allowed more than 21 points in a game.

NCC's offense this season was the most dominating I've seen at the D3 level. Their defense was middling, however, and it ultimately wasn't good enough to win a national title.

Quote from: BigRedScots on January 11, 2022, 01:19:37 PM
https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

Quote from: BigRedScots on November 24, 2021, 02:55:30 PM
Not following

I'm saying the CCIW wasn't a good conference this year. MIAC and WIAC were pretty good.

If Wheaton beats Central and North Central beats UWL, will you still believe that the CCIW "wasn't good" and the MIAC was "pretty good"?

If your conference has a pair of Top 8 teams, you have, at the very least, a pretty good conference.

And if Wheaton beats the team that just thumped the MIAC's second best team, I don't see how the MIAC can be viewed as stronger than the CCIW.

But let's see what happens on Saturday...

Quote from: matblake on October 24, 2021, 08:08:59 PM

Quote from: CardinalAlum on October 24, 2021, 05:59:38 PM

Quote from: matblake on October 24, 2021, 05:53:16 PM
Kudos to the Wheaton broadcast team for honestly going over the perilous situation Wheaton is in with its Pool C status. Detailed explanation of the selection process and criteria as well as distinguishing from Division I. Good reminder for the well versed and tutorial to someone newer to D3.

What were the key points in that discussion?

1.  Pool A (Automatic Bids)-Given to conference champions
2.  Pool C (At Large Bids)- At Large Bids which covers all 6 regions-5 Pool C berths available this year
3.  Assuming that both North Central and Wheaton win out or that both Wheaton and North Central finish with identical 8-1 records, Wheaton not eligible for a Pool A Berth, as NCC won head to head.
4.  Each region will have a final ranking of teams within that region decided by a committee from that specific region
5.  Pool C Bids decided by a National Committee based on specific criteria from remaining regionally ranked teams not given an automatic bid by Pool A.
6.  One of the criteria is strength of schedule.
7. Strength of schedule is partially determined by both opponents winning percentage and the opponents opponents winning percentage (the winning percentage of the teams your opponent played).
8.  Wheaton will have a low strength of schedule in light of playing Northwestern who has a poor record and plays in a conference with a poor out of conference winning percentage.
9.  Wheaton will also have a low strength of schedule as the CCIW performed uncharacteristically poor in their non-conference games this year.  As a result, Wheaton's CCIW opponents will also have lower strength of schedule.
10.  There is no such thing as the "eye test" with regards to selection.
11.  With there being 6 regions and only 5 at large berths, Wheaton may be blocked from being considered by other teams from other regions with identical records and better strength of schedule.
12.  Where Wash U and Chicago are ranked regionally will be important for the Thunder's selection.

Wheaton will get a Pool C bid.

It's fun to overanalyze, but the Thunder will be in the playoffs.

Quote from: Augie6 on September 12, 2021, 01:04:56 PM

Quote from: Marmac on September 12, 2021, 12:25:48 PM
Why are two consecutive Little Brass Bell games being played at Wheaton? And why is the game being played so early in the season?

I can't imagine the Monon Bell game being played in September. And do you think either DePauw or Wabash would allow the game to be played at the same school two consecutive times?

Can't address the reason why the game is being played in Wheaton for two consecutive seasons.  I know that Augie is playing at NCC, Wheaton, IWU and Carthage, just like the did in 2019 so it's not like there aren't other teams having the same thing happen.  As to why the game is being played early in the season, it's because, outside of the Wheaton and NCC communities, the Little Brass Bell is not that well known of a rivalry game.  It's only really become more important in the 15 years (or so), when NCC's ascension to consistently being at the top of the CCIW, began.  Football has been played in the CCIW for a lot longer than that.  NCC won the conference title in 1960 and didn't win again until 2006.  Starting from that same 1960 season, Wheaton did not win a conference championship until 1995 and then won or were co-champions in 00, 02, 03, 04 and 06.  When I played in the 1980s, I had never heard of the Little Brass Bell.  Historically, it has just not been that important of game (outside of the participating schools) to warrant that it always be the last game of the season for both teams.

Wheaton and NCC have been consistently excellent the past two decades. Was NCC QB Luke Lehnen even alive the last time either school had a losing record (2001)? The two schools have dominated the CCIW this century, and they are each school's main rival -- and not just in football. By scheduling this game in mid-September, the CCIW sends a message, albeit unintentionally, that it doesn't view it as a big rivalry game. What other conference rivalry games are played in September?

Why are two consecutive Little Brass Bell games being played at Wheaton? And why is the game being played so early in the season?

I can't imagine the Monon Bell game being played in September. And do you think either DePauw or Wabash would allow the game to be played at the same school two consecutive times?

Quote from: Gregory Sager on September 23, 2019, 06:12:19 PM

Quote from: Marmac on September 23, 2019, 05:01:44 PM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on September 23, 2019, 03:45:01 PM

Quote from: Marmac on September 22, 2019, 05:47:47 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 22, 2019, 12:17:16 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on September 21, 2019, 10:00:33 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 21, 2019, 09:53:42 PM
One other thing...if I'm an IWU fan and I watch my team burn not one but two timeouts on 4th and a half yard only to put Bauer in the shotgun and get stuffed on a QB run?  Well, I would have poured the stiffest drink I could find immediately.  That was so demoralizing.

It wasn't good, but for the most part the game felt over before that anyway.

And I didn't mind the play call.  It probably works for a yard most of the time.  Wheaton had a couple guys make big-time plays to completely blow that up.

That whole sequence highlighted the fact Wheaton beat IWU badly on the lines all game long.  IWU obviously didn't feel like they could go under center and hand the ball off for one yard.

Good point, Q.  You're probably right.  I guess that was more the last gasp for IWU.  On the play call it was interesting because right before that they'd tried to sneak from under center and snap exchange was muffed, but they had called TO (thankfully).  Maybe that's why they opted to go back to the shotgun.  I liked the under center sneak only because I'd want to give 54 as little time as possible to beat my OL, but if the QB/C aren't used to under center it could have been a repeat of what Eash had just seen.

Burning two TOs was confounding in that situation. Wheaton's defense was excellent, but the weather also played a role in shutting down IWU's passing game. It rained hard throughout the second half, and both teams struggled to move the ball.

It rained hard throughout the second half at NPU, too. Didn't seem to hurt the effectiveness of the Millikin receivers or Big Blue QB Cal Pohrte even one little bit. In fact, there wasn't a slip, a dropped pass, or a slick-ball fumble by either the Vikings or the Big Blue all day.

Maybe you can pin the blame on the ballboys at McCully for insufficient toweling.

At McCully, 27 points were scored in the rain-free first half; 7 points were scored in the very rainy second half. The rain slowed both offenses.

If you say so. All I'm saying is that it was also raining hard 30 miles away at Hedstrand Field in the second half, with no appreciable effect upon how the game was played.

Quote from: Marmac on September 23, 2019, 05:01:44 PMIf one team had been clearly inferior to the other (as NP is to Millikin), I'm sure we would have seen more second-half points at McCully. 

You're sure about that, eh? In one post you're blaming rain for a team's inability to move the ball, and in the next you're saying that the rain wouldn't have made any difference if the opponent was clearly inferior, as NPU definitely was to MU.

Speaking of clearly inferior, you seem to have a difference of opinion with your fellow Titans fan on that matter:

Quote from: Titan Q on September 21, 2019, 09:33:14 PM
Final:

Wheaton 24
IWU 10

IWU is a really good team, but the better team won tonight -- Wheaton has a chance to have a big season.

TJ Williams is really a special player.  The Titans just couldn't handle him in the 1st half, and that sort of set the tone for the rest of the game.  The adjustments IWU had to make defensively to contain him created a lot of other opportunities for the Thunder.

And Wheaton has a strong defense.  IWU's offense is pretty elite and the Titans could not move the ball tonight.

This looks like the great Wheaton teams of a few years back w/ a lot of difference makers on both sides of the ball.  I think overall NCC is a little better, but it's close...and the NCC/WC game is at Wheaton.  I consider it a toss-up between NCC and Wheaton. 

I do not think IWU or Wash U can contend with NCC and Wheaton...but I think both are Top 25 teams.  The top of the CCIW is great this year.

(emphasis mine)

1. I said the better team (Wheaton) won. I'm not an IWU fan. I was working the game and don't care if IWU goes 0-10 or 10-0.
2. People on this board often don't have the opportunity to attend the games. Their opinions are based on box scores. With this in mind, I shared the seemingly benign observation that heavy rain seemed to slow down the offenses in the second half.
3. Regarding the Millikin @ NP game, 35 points were scored in the first half and 13 were scored in the second. Are you sure the second-half rain didn't slow down the offenses in that game?

Quote from: Gregory Sager on September 23, 2019, 03:45:01 PM

Quote from: Marmac on September 22, 2019, 05:47:47 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 22, 2019, 12:17:16 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on September 21, 2019, 10:00:33 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 21, 2019, 09:53:42 PM
One other thing...if I'm an IWU fan and I watch my team burn not one but two timeouts on 4th and a half yard only to put Bauer in the shotgun and get stuffed on a QB run?  Well, I would have poured the stiffest drink I could find immediately.  That was so demoralizing.

It wasn't good, but for the most part the game felt over before that anyway.

And I didn't mind the play call.  It probably works for a yard most of the time.  Wheaton had a couple guys make big-time plays to completely blow that up.

That whole sequence highlighted the fact Wheaton beat IWU badly on the lines all game long.  IWU obviously didn't feel like they could go under center and hand the ball off for one yard.

Good point, Q.  You're probably right.  I guess that was more the last gasp for IWU.  On the play call it was interesting because right before that they'd tried to sneak from under center and snap exchange was muffed, but they had called TO (thankfully).  Maybe that's why they opted to go back to the shotgun.  I liked the under center sneak only because I'd want to give 54 as little time as possible to beat my OL, but if the QB/C aren't used to under center it could have been a repeat of what Eash had just seen.

Burning two TOs was confounding in that situation. Wheaton's defense was excellent, but the weather also played a role in shutting down IWU's passing game. It rained hard throughout the second half, and both teams struggled to move the ball.

It rained hard throughout the second half at NPU, too. Didn't seem to hurt the effectiveness of the Millikin receivers or Big Blue QB Cal Pohrte even one little bit. In fact, there wasn't a slip, a dropped pass, or a slick-ball fumble by either the Vikings or the Big Blue all day.

Maybe you can pin the blame on the ballboys at McCully for insufficient toweling.

At McCully, 27 points were scored in the rain-free first half; 7 points were scored in the very rainy second half. The rain slowed both offenses. If one team had been clearly inferior to the other (as NP is to Millikin), I'm sure we would have seen more second-half points at McCully. 

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 22, 2019, 12:17:16 PM

Quote from: Titan Q on September 21, 2019, 10:00:33 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 21, 2019, 09:53:42 PM
One other thing...if I'm an IWU fan and I watch my team burn not one but two timeouts on 4th and a half yard only to put Bauer in the shotgun and get stuffed on a QB run?  Well, I would have poured the stiffest drink I could find immediately.  That was so demoralizing.

It wasn't good, but for the most part the game felt over before that anyway.

And I didn't mind the play call.  It probably works for a yard most of the time.  Wheaton had a couple guys make big-time plays to completely blow that up.

That whole sequence highlighted the fact Wheaton beat IWU badly on the lines all game long.  IWU obviously didn't feel like they could go under center and hand the ball off for one yard.

Good point, Q.  You're probably right.  I guess that was more the last gasp for IWU.  On the play call it was interesting because right before that they'd tried to sneak from under center and snap exchange was muffed, but they had called TO (thankfully).  Maybe that's why they opted to go back to the shotgun.  I liked the under center sneak only because I'd want to give 54 as little time as possible to beat my OL, but if the QB/C aren't used to under center it could have been a repeat of what Eash had just seen.

Burning two TOs was confounding in that situation. Wheaton's defense was excellent, but the weather also played a role in shutting down IWU's passing game. It rained hard throughout the second half, and both teams struggled to move the ball.

Speaking of passing game, that's the one question mark for this Wheaton team.