Quote from: iwu70 on January 12, 2026, 02:12:24 PMIWU has definitely come into better form with better three-point shooting and better perimeter defense.  Noah Cleveland is a load in the paint.  I haven't seen anyone really handle him yet this season.  He's an almost automatic double double. If they all stay healthy, I think IWU has a great chance to win the regular season.  And, IWU has a deep bench now with Boldt healthy, and David Williams and Brady Ruggles both playing well, especially Williams.  Niego is the stick that stirs the drink, with very few TOs.  Both Funk and Colak are playing better, with only fouls a concern for Funk.  He is a very under-rated defensive player.  Lawrence has improved on the defensive end in recent games and is hitting a better % from three now.  IWU in a good position for the stretch run in the CCIW.  IMHO.

Love them or hate them but IWU is starting to really play well.  CCIW teams will need to get them off their home court to beat them. 

IWU'70

Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 12, 2026, 12:20:28 PM

Quote from: Jbothe on January 12, 2026, 10:06:33 AMIt is the time of the year that teams are starting to separate themselves during the conference season. 

Everyone is chipper when they enter the new year with a winning record.  But the real tests occur every Wednesday and Saturday now.

Wesleyan is going to be hard to beat from here on out.  Carthage looks to be playing better.  Who steps up behind those two will be the question. 

There has been no separation yet. Carthage is 4-1 and remains the only team in the league with one loss, but there are three teams -- IWU at 4-2, NPU and Wheaton at 3-2 -- with two losses apiece that are within a game of the lead. Heck, the entire league except for 1-5 North Central is within two games of first place.

Oh the separation is starting on the courts.  The standings will catch up over the next few weeks, it always does.

Quote from: markerickson on January 09, 2026, 10:20:47 PMI watched only the second half of the Stagg Bowl. Going into the game, NCC had to know they faced the top D3 football player.  NCC just didn't seem to have an answer for Blaha - same defensive scheme.  NCC did not respond well to altering formations in the second half.  And then the INT!  So happy I got to see it live!  NCC looked confused on O, and River Falls' D and coaches deservedly won the game by pitching a shutout against a team that averaged 52-5ppg during the regular season.

I will admit is was pretty shocking to see how the second half of the Stagg Bowl played out.  But credit to UWRF as they were the better team.

Their offense puts a ton of stress on the defense and they play so fast you cannot do a whole lot scheme wise from down to down.

The real story was the UWRF defense and the job they did.

And...if you want to win a Stagg Bowl it helps to have a Gagliardi winner at QB.  There seems to be a pattern there.

It is the time of the year that teams are starting to separate themselves during the conference season. 

Everyone is chipper when they enter the new year with a winning record.  But the real tests occur every Wednesday and Saturday now.

Wesleyan is going to be hard to beat from here on out.  Carthage looks to be playing better.  Who steps up behind those two will be the question. 

IWU-Carthage was a blast to watch last night.  Both teams going at it.  Refs called the game real loose both ways.

Wesleyan physical strength took its toll eventually last night.  They were the tougher team.

Carthage is off to a rough start.  All their losses are to good teams but they are still losses. 

Whitewater is a real tough team.

Quote from: Gregory Sager on November 17, 2025, 05:24:49 PM

Quote from: Jbothe on November 17, 2025, 03:07:50 PMWhen IWU was healthy they were a real good team.  They took WashU to the wire and were dominant some weeks against bottom half CCIW teams.  Big wins over Millikin and Carthage.

[snip]

When they were banged up it was rough.  Big losses to Augie and Carroll.

This is a contradiction. In the final assessment, Illinois Wesleyan wasn't a "real good" team. The Titans were a house of cards.

Football is the ultimate game of attrition; because it is the most violent major sport it is also the most injury-inducing. Therefore, you measure how good a college football team is by its' two-deep -- if not its' three-deep -- and not simply by the quality of the starters. Thus, the phrase "when they were banged up it was rough" is not an excuse when you're trying to make the case that a particular team is "real good." What seemed like a high level of competence earlier in the season for IWU was an illusion, because the Titans lacked the necessary depth to sustain it when injuries inevitably began to take their toll.

Interesting perspective.

I still don't see a candidate to take over that third spot other than Augie or Wesleyan.

Obviously hope it's Augie.

Bottom half of CCIW has a ways to go.

When IWU was healthy they were a real good team.  They took WashU to the wire and were dominant some weeks against bottom half CCIW teams.  Big wins over Millikin and Carthage.

Smyth is a stud.  Williamson is a good coach.  Their is a culture change going on.

When they were banged up it was rough.  Big losses to Augie and Carroll.

They also only had 11 seniors this year. 

The next battle in the CCIW is the battle for 3rd behind NC and Wheaton.  WashU had been a clear #3 team during their time in the CCIW.  Both Augie and Wesleyan will bring a lot back next year.  Bell finally has his QB.

Is someone else poised to make a move?

North Central/IWU was closer than expected. Did IWU have a lot of time of possession?  NC miss some scoring opportunities? 

Quote from: CarollFan on November 15, 2025, 08:30:44 PM

Quote from: Jbothe on November 15, 2025, 08:13:29 PMAnyone watch WashU/Augie game?  Something strange must have happened on a KO to Augie that led to immediate score?  Went from 28-7 to 35-7.

Also looks like Augie final score was on an untimed down on last play of game?  If I'm reading box score correctly.

At 1:26 left score is WashU 28 Augie 7.
On a 4rth and 2, Augie hits a long pass for a TD. Xtra point is blocked.
Augie tries an onside kick, bounces right into a WashU players hands. Augie players run by him looking for the ball, he runs right into the end zone.

Not sure what happened at the end. We lose the steam with 42 seconds left.
Play by play stats looked messed up.

Thanks. Play by play and stats are hard to follow. Screwed up.

Looks like wheels fell off in critical situations for Augie.

Credit to the improvement in WashU defense as year has gone on.

Anyone watch WashU/Augie game?  Something strange must have happened on a KO to Augie that led to immediate score?  Went from 28-7 to 35-7.

Also looks like Augie final score was on an untimed down on last play of game?  If I'm reading box score correctly.

Does the new D3 playoff process have a clear set up for who hosts games after round one.  Or is there still a bid process for hosting a playoff game?

Quote from: USee on November 12, 2025, 04:29:05 PMIn terms of the Thunder in the playoffs, the good news is that it looks like they are in (barring some bizarre happenings on Saturday). The bad news is that most projected brackets (and likely the actual bracket) will put them is some version of a bracket of death which will include at least a couple WIAC teams, Wartburg/NCC, and/or 1-2 of the MIAC teams. Hopefully the seedings fall right and Wheaton can host a winnable 1st round game (at home would be a plus) before going on the road to one of the aforementioned places. Some of these matchups are better than others.

For NCC, though seeding them 5th is an atrocity, it likely would give them the best path to the Stagg. If Mt Union, UWRF, and Wartburg are all on the other side of the bracket and NCC can play CNU and JHopkins, that's much better for them IMO.

The fact that Wheaton did not make the playoffs last year blows my mind. Looks like they are in sound footing right now.

Looking forward to North Central run. Somehow I see a River Falls/North Central battle eventually.

WashU football has grown on me the last few years.

I will miss hearing their outstanding play by play man Jay Murry call CCIW games. He's outstanding.

My wife and I are parents of a WashU athlete, not a football player.

My perception is that the CCIW wanted a full member added to the conference that offered all major sports and fits the overall academic profile of the CCIW. 

I can pretty much guarantee that WashU has no intention of leaving the UAA. In fact if the 8 UAA schools all offered football (they don't) they would play UAA football. 

Quote from: CarollFan on November 09, 2025, 09:20:46 AM

Quote from: Jbothe on November 09, 2025, 09:06:26 AM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on November 08, 2025, 07:04:42 PM

Quote from: CarollFan on November 08, 2025, 04:58:16 PMIWU's starting QB did not play in this game.

That's no minor detail. (Not that you were implying otherwise, of course.) No team in the league is more dependent upon its starting quarterback than Illinois Wesleyan is upon Dermot Smythe.

That's tough is Smyth was out for Wesleyan. Titans have had a ton of injuries this season. Both sides of the ball. It has affected how they play greatly.

Yes IWU announcers mentioned the injuries and kind of called out their rush defense as Carroll controlled the second half mostly running.

WashU @ Augie should be a good game between both 7-2 teams. One of them going back to Isthmus.

I noticed WashU D held NPU to -34 yds rushing on 23 attempts and WashU had 14 TFL's, 5 sacks.

I think the IWU has basically had to change their defensive scheme due to injuries. DL and LB have been hit hard.

Top RB was lost for the season due to ACL in pre season I believe.