FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Absolutely, NCC2019!  People need to understand that you can thump your chest without belittling or demeaning the accomplishments of the opposition.

These players are hard working kids who wanted to live out just four more years of football before they hang up the cleats.  Shame on those NCC fans who can't recognize what it takes fore everyone to get to the field on any given Saturday.

I've got a quick one for you Cardinal fan's who could use a history lesson:

I ran into an old teammate at the Field Museum a number of years ago.  He was a junior offensive linemen when I was a freshmen d-linemen back in the mid 90's.  I did what I could to work him as hard as I was able on the scout team.  We struggled mightily in the CCIW back then, but he gave us everything he had in his time there.  It was an honor for us to carry him off the field after his last practice (as was our tradition at the time).  At the Field Museum,  he introduced me to his kids as tough and hard-working.  He told my kid just as much, and that was just the best.  Over the last two years he has been an extremely professional, wildly enthusiastic O-line coach for North Park.  He's definitely a huge part of North Park's resurgence.  That man who gave blood, sweat and tears for North Central should NEVER get **** from anyone.  Period.

John Lizak's a terrific coach and a great guy!

[USee]

That projection uses the NPI system. But it also relies on projecting every other game that is yet to be played as well -- Wheaton only controls its remaining games.

I know he is using NPI, I am just worried his flux capacitor is broken!

[CarollFan]

Logan just published a mock playoff bracket with WashU and Wheaton in the playoffs.

https://x.com/LogHanRatings/status/1849047405414477830?t=criQ48mJWVM2Q1q0-SzxgA&s=19

If somehow that happens then 4rth place team goes to Isthmus Bowl.

Also looks like D3 Datacast crew talking about NPI tonight.

https://youtu.be/94_NTM2k1nc?si=dbWnitL1OVNLLE-I

[NCC2010]

Logan just published a mock playoff bracket with WashU and Wheaton in the playoffs.

https://x.com/LogHanRatings/status/1849047405414477830?t=criQ48mJWVM2Q1q0-SzxgA&s=19

If somehow that happens then 4rth place team goes to Isthmus Bowl.

Also looks like D3 Datacast crew talking about NPI tonight.

https://youtu.be/94_NTM2k1nc?si=dbWnitL1OVNLLE-I

will definitely be checking out the D3 datacast tonight to learn more bout NPI but it seems clear to me already that NCC really lucked out having Aurora as their non-conference game this year.  A team that was basically guaranteed to go 9-1 and the game was played at their place which matters a little bit more. I think i heard the D3Football guys say this current NPI iteration is only set for 1-2 years.  I hope they are able to adjust because it seems like all the good out of conference matchups we see throughout the nation would really dwindle based on how NPI works.  Not much incentive to risk playing a really good team out of conference. The Wheaton-Mount Union home and home that starts in 2026 (i think?) really jumps to mind as a game that would not be worth it for either school in the new playoff setup.

[Patrick Coleman]

The "dials" (balance between SOS and WP%) are set for two years at a time and can then be re-evaluated. They could choose to keep the current dials in place, of course, at that time.

[SpartanHouse4]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?


At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

[D3Rookie]

That projection uses the NPI system. But it also relies on projecting every other game that is yet to be played as well -- Wheaton only controls its remaining games.

I know he is using NPI, I am just worried his flux capacitor is broken!

While I love Logan's full-season scenarios .... I am worried it may cause Frank R. to have a coronary. We need to keep all the D3 analysts/media guys heathy!

[D3Rookie]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?


At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

Rookie question. What drives D3 realignment? I can understand the drivers in D1 where there is so much money at stake but (to me) D3 is a mystery. For example, I thought WashU was a good mutual fit with CCIW so their ouster was confusing. If Aurora were to join, why would that fit the existing CCIW members better? Why would AU want to move?

[CarollFan]

That projection uses the NPI system. But it also relies on projecting every other game that is yet to be played as well -- Wheaton only controls its remaining games.

I know he is using NPI, I am just worried his flux capacitor is broken!

While I love Logan's full-season scenarios .... I am worried it may cause Frank R. to have a coronary. We need to keep all the D3 analysts/media guys heathy!

Looks like Frank is doing crunchtime tonight with NPI discussion.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Xyrus94dw_g?si=jKCHKzTMkD9VhFHE

[Patrick Coleman]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?


At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

Rookie question. What drives D3 realignment? I can understand the drivers in D1 where there is so much money at stake but (to me) D3 is a mystery. For example, I thought WashU was a good mutual fit with CCIW so their ouster was confusing. If Aurora were to join, why would that fit the existing CCIW members better? Why would AU want to move?

I wrote a story about this a couple of years ago.
https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/03/conference-affiliation-changes-why

One new trend since this was written in 2022 is that some conferences have looked and are looking to get larger because it's a hedge against some of their schools closing.

Most conferences, including the CCIW, would prefer to have full members rather than associate members, which is why Aurora is attractive.

[Gregory Sager]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?

No. In fact, I have been told repeatedly by NPU's athletic director, and as recently as early September when the CCIW voted to jettison Wash U from associate membership in football, that the CCIW is not actively searching for either a new full member (i.e., Aurora, Benedictine, Lake Forest, DePauw, etc.) or for a football-only associate member to replace Wash U in this one sport.

Unless you are hearing this "chatter" from someone on a CCIW school's athletics staff or from someone within the administration of a CCIW school who has access to president's-cabinet-level information, you are hearing nothing more than idle unsupported rumor.

At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

No offense, but this sounds like wishcasting to me.

P.S. It's shoo-in, not shoe in.

[robertgoulet]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?

No. In fact, I have been told repeatedly by NPU's athletic director, and as recently as early September when the CCIW voted to jettison Wash U from associate membership in football, that the CCIW is not actively searching for either a new full member (i.e., Aurora, Benedictine, Lake Forest, DePauw, etc.) or for a football-only associate member to replace Wash U in this one sport.

Unless you are hearing this "chatter" from someone on a CCIW school's athletics staff or from someone within the administration of a CCIW school who has access to president's-cabinet-level information, you are hearing nothing more than idle unsupported rumor.

At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

No offense, but this sounds like wishcasting to me.

P.S. It's shoo-in, not shoe in.

Not doubting your sources, but if the exact words used were "not actively looking" I think the door to expansion is still open.

How many times have you heard a coach or administrator say they are "not looking" to change jobs (or move conferences) but well well well look at that opportunity that just popped up I guess I'm leaving.

If you're the CCIW, I don't think you HAVE to be looking (actively or passively). There will be multiple schools who will reach out about joining. They can be telling the truth that they are not looking but also be open to adding if the right opportunity presents itself, which is what I fully expect to happen.

[WUPHF]

Not doubting your sources, but if the exact words used were "not actively looking" I think the door to expansion is still open.

In reading and thinking about the well-written Pat Coleman story on conference expansion, I would imagine almost every conference administration is somewhere between actively looking and open to suggestions.

[SpartanHouse4]

Im hearing more and more chatter about Aurora joining the CCIW. Anyone else hearing this?

No. In fact, I have been told repeatedly by NPU's athletic director, and as recently as early September when the CCIW voted to jettison Wash U from associate membership in football, that the CCIW is not actively searching for either a new full member (i.e., Aurora, Benedictine, Lake Forest, DePauw, etc.) or for a football-only associate member to replace Wash U in this one sport.

Unless you are hearing this "chatter" from someone on a CCIW school's athletics staff or from someone within the administration of a CCIW school who has access to president's-cabinet-level information, you are hearing nothing more than idle unsupported rumor.

At first I was against this as AU is basically a shoe in for the playoffs each year in the NACC. But with the new playoff format, they could still make it in with a conference loss or two in the CCIW.

Really hate the NACC and hope they are joining the CCIW soon.

No offense, but this sounds like wishcasting to me.

P.S. It's shoo-in, not shoe in.

The chatter when Wash U was ousted was a football only member could be ousted if a full member was available.

Why else would the CCIW want to push Wash U out?

The way the NACC is going in football - I think AU wants to move on.

[Gregory Sager]

Rookie question. What drives D3 realignment? I can understand the drivers in D1 where there is so much money at stake but (to me) D3 is a mystery.

The d3sports.com article to which Pat linked above is really the best starting point to get the answer to your question. And, as Pat mentioned, hedging against school closures is a new realignment driver that has emerged since the article was written two years ago.

Good question, though, since, as you said, the reasons behind D3 realignment aren't as well-known to the public as they are for D1 realignment.

For example, I thought WashU was a good mutual fit with CCIW so their ouster was confusing. If Aurora were to join, why would that fit the existing CCIW members better? Why would AU want to move?

Wash U wasn't really a realignment issue, because Wash U was and is not a full member of the CCIW. Only the nine full members of the CCIW can vote upon and establish general league policy as well as add or delete associate members (the CCIW has numerous associate members in various sports besides Wash U in football, such as Loras in men's volleyball; Marian in women's bowling; Chicago in women's lacrosse; Aurora, CUW, Lakeland, and MSOE in men's wrestling, etc.). Wash U is a member of the UAA, which doesn't sponsor a number of sports, including football, forcing UAA members that do sponsor those sports to come up with alternative affiliations for those particular programs on a single-sport basis. True realignment for Wash U would involve the school's leaving the UAA, which isn't going to happen.

The speculation about Aurora joining the CCIW as a full member -- which, again, is not on the table at all right now -- centers around the league having to provide an even number of teams for scheduling purposes in all of the CCIW sports that currently include only the nine full members (men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball, as well as the various running sports, and football starting in 2026). The CCIW's council of presidents does not view that as a sufficient reason to add a tenth full member, at least at this point. If an even number of full members was an overarching concern of the CCIW presidents, they probably would have either denied Carroll's application for re-entry into the league in 2016 or sought a partner to come into the league alongside Carroll at that time.

As to why Aurora would want to move to the CCIW, I'll leave that for the Aurora folks to discuss. All I'll say on that point is that the CCIW as a whole is generally stronger across the board in all sports in terms of competitive level and reputation than is the NACC, which is probably the motivation for folks like SpartanHouse4 to advocate for Aurora to move to the CCIW.