In the original message you had IWU as A+. The cushion makes sense with more money and less students. I was comparing them to Wheaton since they both were listed as A+ and was like their finances don't seem to compare.

With all the talk about the the pool of students shrinking multiple schools in the CCIW posted strong new student enrollment numbers in 2025.

NCC Record Number of New Students

Carroll Largest Freshmen Class in School History

Carthage Largest Incoming Class in School History

IWU Largest Incoming Class in 15 Years

NPU 3rd Largest Number of 1rst Year Students in School History

This site shows revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities per school. The data looks like it's from 2024 and 2025.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits

I checked each school. I don't understand how Forbes comes up with the individual grades when I compare the numbers between schools. I was surprised for example at IWU's revenue though Forbes grades them A+.

Quote from: FiredCoachesPod on June 19, 2026, 10:53:29 AM

Quote from: USee on June 19, 2026, 09:37:03 AMSaw this on the OAC board and was curious how CCIW stacked up. Forbes annual College Financial Grades report came out. Schools with A+ to B+ grades are in strong positions. Anyone with a C grade or worse is on life support as an institution.

CCIW:
Wheaton College  A+  4.5
IWU  A+  3.86
Augustana  A-  3.74
Elmhurst  B+  3.43
Concordia UW  B 3.02
North Park  B  3.01
North Central  B-  2.91
Carthage  C+ 2.64
Millikin  C  2.14
Carroll  C-  1.99 

I don't believe this is accurate at all.

I'm no expert in Carroll's finances but last I saw they had a $110 million endowment and the following projects going on:

https://www.carrollu.edu/articles/news/2025/08/carroll-university-invests-$52-million-in-campus-i

Early ranking.

https://www.flofootball.com/articles/15952489-way-too-early-d3-football-rankings-for-2026-season

I don't know about UWRF 3rd with all their changes. Expecting a big year out of Bethel after last year. They have NCC #1 and Wheaton #7.

Listening to latest ATN 408, they mention Demir Ashiru is playing at UWO this season.

Quote from: GoIrish7 on May 12, 2026, 05:49:26 PMNCC stays far ahead of the pack. I think IWU and Millikin make some moves.


NCC 10-0

Wheaton 8-2
IWU 8-2
Augie 7-3
Millikin 6-4

Caroll No Schedule on site... 4-6 / 5-5?
NPU 3-7
Carthage 3-7

Elmhurst No Schedule on site... 1-9. Rockford should be a W if still on schedule. Unsure who 2nd non-con is.

IWU has their conference opener vs. Augie in Rock Island where they lost last season 42-21. We'll find out early in the season if they have any chance at 8-2. See how they come out of their first 3 games before playing Wheaton.

Quote from: GoIrish7 on May 12, 2026, 05:49:26 PMNCC stays far ahead of the pack. I think IWU and Millikin make some moves.


NCC 10-0

Wheaton 8-2
IWU 8-2
Augie 7-3
Millikin 6-4

Caroll No Schedule on site... 4-6 / 5-5?
NPU 3-7
Carthage 3-7

Elmhurst No Schedule on site... 1-9. Rockford should be a W if still on schedule. Unsure who 2nd non-con is.

Carroll schedule.

https://gopios.com/news/2026/4/1/2026-pioneer-football-schedule-released.aspx

This should be Elmhurst schedule.
9/5 Illinois College
9/12 @Rockford
9/19 Carroll
9/26 Augie
10/3 BYE
10/10 @Carthage
10/17 NCC
10/24 @IWU
10/31 Millikin
11/7 @Wheaton
11/14 @NPU

Quote from: Jbothe on May 10, 2026, 09:21:34 PMIs North Central expected to continue its domination? 

Who moves into the three spot in CCIW now that WashU moves on? 

I would think NCC continues their dominance in CCIW for all the reasons mentioned before. I think for them it's more about can they win it all? Who are the other teams stepping up this upcoming season in D3.

Augie went 7-3 last year. Hard to tell without rosters out but I'm guessing their QB is back. I would think they would have a chance at 3rd. IWU needs to improve their D especially against the run where they were 9th. I don't know if Carroll and NPU have figured out their QB situations for 2026. Don't know enough about the other teams.

Nice to see Reed get a look with the Dolphins. I wonder if teams are talking to any other CCIW players?

https://d3football.com/notables/2026/04/nfl-free-agent-signings-2026

Frank has an interesting post on X where he is advocating a 8th round in the NFL draft.

https://x.com/FrankRossi/status/2048482264997298352?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Seeing some D3 players getting invited to rookie minicamps.


UWL's OL Dain Walter. I saw UWL posted he was invited to Packers minicamp and then on a Bears site it said the Bears invited him too.

Updated since IWU schedule published.

https://www.iwusports.com/sports/football/schedule/2026

Non Conference schedule.


9/3
Millikin @ University of Olivet

9/4
Lakeland @ Carthage

9/5
Bethel @ NCC
Mount Union @ Wheaton
Simpson @ Augie
IWU @ Albion
Carroll @ St. Norbert
NPU @ Franklin
Illinois College @ Elmhurst

9/12
NCC @ Wartburg
Wheaton @ Albion
Augie @ UWS
Trine @ IWU
UWEC @ Carroll
NPU @ University of Olivet
Luther @ Millikin
Elmhurst @ Rockford

9/19
Carthage @ UWEC

NIL and D3.

https://www.footballscoop.com/2026/03/26/division-iii-programs-are-wading-into-the-nil-waters-with-commitments-as-big-as-250k-to-300k

Quote from: Patrick Coleman on February 24, 2026, 05:34:52 PM

Quote from: CarollFan on February 24, 2026, 05:04:13 PMLooking at the CCIW schedules published with 9 teams, each team gets a different bye week.

Bye weeks:

Carthage 9/12
NCC 9/26
NPU 10/10
Augie 10/17
Wheaton 10/24
Millikin 11/14

You have an odd number of teams, so it would have to be an odd number of teams on bye during conference play.

Yes, makes sense. We've had the bye mostly in the first 2 weeks with 10 teams so this will be a little different.
I don't know if people have a preference of when they are getting the bye during
the season. Millikin looks like they have it the last week of the season so maybe that one is a bye bye week.

Just a heads up, speaking of 9 teams, on the Teams topic on the site WashU is still in region 5.

Looking at the CCIW schedules published with 9 teams, each team gets a different bye week.

Bye weeks:

Carthage 9/12
NCC 9/26
Elmhurst 10/3
NPU 10/10
Augie 10/17
Wheaton 10/24
IWU 10/31
Carroll 11/7
Millikin 11/14