FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ExTartanPlayer]

I'll take a few stabs.

*Can Wabash find a QB?

Yes.  Maybe not a game-changer right away but they don't need one with the quality RB's returning.  Someone will take the reins and be good enough to play ball.

*Will Hiram win a conference game?

No.

*Will Wittenberg finish unbeaten, after Butler (or even with Butler)?

No.  They lose at 'Bash.

*How close will Kenyon come to matching 6-4?

They'll miss by at least three wins.  Partly a function of the schedule getting tougher, so it's not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison; I actually don't think the team will be that much "worse" - but losing their top QB, RB, and WR hurts.  Offense will take a step back without those guys. 

*Will Oberlin survive the season without having to make a decision?

See my note on the injury question at the bottom.  I don't think they'll forfeit any games but I can see one finishing with a running clock and/or several guys going both ways.

*How much will DePauw and Wooster improve with new head coaches?

DPU will have a better record because last season looks a bit worse than it was.  After getting whacked by three good teams early, they got on the board against WashU and then lost three straight close ones, but as a net I think you have to say they played better as the season went on, and with a good coach some of those might be wins.  They also missed Hiram and Oberlin last year, so in theory they played almost the "hardest" possible NCAC schedule, right?  I think they'll go at least 5-5, maybe 6-4.

Wooster wins 3 or 4 games.

*Can Denison find adequate replacements for Fioroni and Paulus  (oh, and their wide receivers)?

Not right away.  Denison's record will still be okay this year because the middle of the conference is so muddled in mediocrity, but there were a bunch of games last year when Paulus/Fioroni were the entire offense.  Look how many games every play was a Paulus pass, Paulus run, or Fioroni run.  No experience behind them anywhere.  Retooling season for the Big Red.

*Which of the three Ws is most likely to lose a conference game to a team other than themselves?

Wooster has to be the pick here, right?  Am I misunderstanding the question?  Then again, perhaps I shouldn't be so certain in light of Wabash's surprising losses last year.

*Can OWU keep it going when they play both Wabash and Wittenberg--and will they finish with two losses or fewer?

Bishops go 7-3 with losses to the powerful W's and one loss that we don't see coming.  Love the progress that OWU made last year but they won every close game last year and needed some breaks to do it; that was a 7-3 or 8-2 team that scrapped its way to 9-1 (which they deserve credit for, don't get me wrong).  This year the bounces go the other way at least once.

*Will more than one NCAC team make the playoffs?

No.  Pool C is going to be insanely competitive this year.

And a bonus:  Which team will suffer most from injuries to key players?  (none, we all hope.)

I hate saying this, but Oberlin, just because every player on their team is a key player with only 36 guys.  I am afraid the Yeomen will have to finish at least one game this season with a running clock and/or with multiple guys playing both ways.

[wally_wabash]

*Will Wittenberg finish unbeaten, after Butler (or even with Butler)?

No.  They lose at 'Bash.

Now here's a guy that knows his audience. 

*Will more than one NCAC team make the playoffs?

No.  Pool C is going to be insanely competitive this year.

Agree, and just to reiterate my earlier point on this...I think if Wabash and Witt played on Oct. 5 and the loser of that game won out, they'd probably get in.  But I don't think you can lose in week 10, which is going to knock that team down below a 1-loss CCIW or OAC runner up (or maybe even a 2-loss team depending on how the SOS calculus plays out), and with one game left in the season there just isn't enough time to get back to the top of the at-large list in the region (barring some kind of wild 2008 week 11 carnage).  The only way this might not play out that way is if Wittenberg puts it on Butler and Butler turns out to be pretty good and Wabash beats Witt.  Then and maybe only then, Witt could hold a place at the top of the at-large pecking order. But it's going to take that kind of result, which is coloring way outside the lines of the selection rules BTW, for an NCAC team to take a week 10 loss and not get buried in the rankings. 

[sigma one]

Yep, I messed up on the 3 W's question.  Should be:  Will Wab, Witt, or OWU lose a game to a game other than themselves.    Woo will lose several of them, me thinks. 
     Nice shot, firstdown.  Any other takers to pass the time?  Saturday can't get here fast enough so that we can stop these kinds of games.   Oh, also Saturday the 14th for Wabash fans.
     I'm off in several minutes to watch Lafayette Central Catholic win its 3,297 consecutive conference game.

[aueagle]

Look for the Bishops the use the combination of QB Espo & WR Mogilnicki to propel
the offense....MacKenzie led the NCAA D3 in FG's last year...the Bishop defense will
have to step-up for the Red & Black to make a run. The Watts era enters it's sophomore
season...Good luck to all NCAC teams....GO BISHOPS

[ExTartanPlayer]

Yep, I messed up on the 3 W's question.  Should be:  Will Wab, Witt, or OWU lose a game to a game other than themselves.    Woo will lose several of them, me thinks.

Figured that's what you had meant.  There was a time when the three W's would have been the appropriate question.  I'll still answer the amended question with a yes, as I've predicted OWU will drop one "surprise" game that we don't see coming.  Not sure to whom.

aueagle, nice to see you, been a while.  Don't mistake my prediction of a 7-3 season for OWU as a slap in the face; I like what the Bishops are building.  Just think last year's team may have overachieved a bit and that a slight dip is in order this season.

[The_Bishop]

I think that's fair, ExTartan.  A 47-yard field goal with seconds left on the clock got OWU the win against Case, at home no less, for a game that was easily heading into overtime and could have gone either way.  DPU turned the ball over 5 times in a fairly competitive game, in which OWU scored on what essentially was a hail mary to end the first half.  OWU was down for most of the CMU game and without a few key drives late in the game, easily could have lost that game.

As most posters know, I waive the red and black flag as proudly as anyone but there are some big challenges for the Bishops this season.  Will be interesting to see how they fill some of the holes on defense and what freshmen make an impact in Coach Watts' first full year of recruiting.  The Wabash game is in C-ville and believe it or not that's a blessing - Wabash has put the clamps down on OWU at every game at Selby I can remember going back to 2000.  It sure feels that way at least.

Should be a fun year.  I've got a trip to Delaware in the works this fall and am excited to get back on campus and see a game.

[BashDad]

Franklin wins the toss and takes the ball. Whattup, Mike Leonard.

[wally_wabash]

Kenyon is hammering Allegheny, y'all.  The Gators look BAAAAD.  Kenyon is playing with some serious swagger.  So far they've stuffed it in on 4th and G, faked a punt up 22 points, and ran in a two-pointer after their third TD.  Chris Monfiletto gives zero effs.  22-0 at halftime. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

Kenyon is hammering Allegheny, y'all.  The Gators look BAAAAD.  Kenyon is playing with some serious swagger.  So far they've stuffed it in on 4th and G, faked a punt up 22 points, and ran in a two-pointer after their third TD.  Chris Monfiletto gives zero effs.  22-0 at halftime.

Wow. Thanks for the update. I might regret the above prediction about Kenyon going 3-7...

[BashDad]

Sewanee just scored, too. 7-0.

In other news, if I ever get excited for another Franklin game ever in my whole stupid life, someone punch me. I'm going back to hating Franklin. Right now.

[sigma one]

Kenyon up 37-7 in the 4th.  They look great, and the Gators look terrible.  Don't know what that means.  Watching on my new TV, where I can get the internet on the screen.  I recommend it.  Props to gheny for the clarity of the telecast.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Sewanee just scored, too. 7-0.

In other news, if I ever get excited for another Franklin game ever in my whole stupid life, someone punch me. I'm going back to hating Franklin. Right now.

Franklin takes advantage of fumbled kickoff to make it 20-7. Can they make it a game?

[BashDad]

I love Franklin. Did I mention I love Franklin?

[BashDad]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ExTartanPlayer]

FRANKLIN!!!!