FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCC2010]

Interesting sequence with regards to clearing the snow in Waverly. I should start by saying I was watching 3-4 games and Wartburg was by far the best at clearing snow. They had an army and some big heavy equipment. NCC was at the other end of that spectrum.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped try to keep the field clear, but in the first half NCC's field looked significantly worse than any of the other fields I saw.

The Hope/UWL first half was probably the second-worst in terms of conditions and contributed to the 0–0 halftime score. UWL's starting QB is back and healthy, which makes for a very tough third-round matchup in Naperville this coming weekend. UWL's front seven will be the best NCC has faced thus far and a real test for this offensive line.

If McNeal is unable to play again, I think this game will be much closer than Logan or Massey currently have it lined.

Congrats to Wheaton on the big W and hope both CCIW teams can continue their winning ways this weekend

[JCUStreaks70]

DePauw strikes me as very similar to Wartburg. A great rush D, that hasn't faced an offense that is the combo of balanced and as good up front as Wheaton is. Wartburg's offense scored 17 (at "vaunted" Walton-Hoover) against a Coe squad that other Top 10 teams laid 50 on. They just weren't going to keep pace offensively and needed a defensive score and Wheaton with some redzone TO's. Better weather would have only helped Wheaton IMO.

DePauw run D was the perfect poison for UWW, who is totally one dimensional. Good neutralizing good. But Wheaton's best weapon is their passing efficiency and a mobile QB. That's what will open up the run game for them against DePauw. That and the weather can't be anything but better Saturday, which will only make the passing attack that much more potent.

JCU says hi. lol, sorry couldn't resist. But as a team, JCU averages almost 200 on the ground, and 263 through the air per game. Against DePauw, the numbers shifted to 72 rushing and 292 passing

[Fripp52]

You mean 297 passing and 39 rushing.

[JCUStreaks70]

I did mean 39, my bad! My eyes were looking at the incorrect chart. Please forgive me!

[Fripp52]

Forgiven.  Good luck to JCU this weekend.

[wally_wabash]

DePauw strikes me as very similar to Wartburg. A great rush D, that hasn't faced an offense that is the combo of balanced and as good up front as Wheaton is. Wartburg's offense scored 17 (at "vaunted" Walton-Hoover) against a Coe squad that other Top 10 teams laid 50 on. They just weren't going to keep pace offensively and needed a defensive score and Wheaton with some redzone TO's. Better weather would have only helped Wheaton IMO.

DePauw run D was the perfect poison for UWW, who is totally one dimensional. Good neutralizing good. But Wheaton's best weapon is their passing efficiency and a mobile QB. That's what will open up the run game for them against DePauw. That and the weather can't be anything but better Saturday, which will only make the passing attack that much more potent.

I think this is a good take and I think Wheaton's success this weekend is pegged to how stubborn they're going to be and how many possessions they're going to throw away trying to run.  The temptation is to take DPU's rush D stats with a grain of salt because they played "only" in the NCAC. But this isn't your nephew's NCAC and that run D is legit.  My POV is that DPU went up to UWW five years ago, got walloped 45-0 and have spent the last five years getting iteratively better (successfully!) at the LOS, and now they're legitimately excellent where it counts.  Teams just don't by accident go up to UW-Whitewater and shove that team around in a game that was only going to be about who can shove who around better.  That should be validating regardless of how one might correct for the perceived level of competition in the NCAC. 

Teams that have had success against DPU have thrown.  JCU did the deed thanks to Semptimphelter & Montgomery. Denison nearly pulled it off by just not running at all period.  I think Wheaton can take advantage of Seth K./Juska/Titherington/Jewett with a high volume game from Forcucci. 

[JCUStreaks70]

Forgiven.  Good luck to JCU this weekend.

Phew! lol. But thanks!

[JCUStreaks70]

Forgiven.  Good luck to JCU this weekend.

Phew! lol. But thanks!

and good luck to DePauw of course! With the addition of Wash U next year, it will be quite the competitive conference at the top