FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

Irish---

The fact is that Benedictine is a good football team, BUT only in a bad conference. Overall, as Greg Sager indicated, they are NOT a very good team. Since becoming a member of the NATHC in 2008, their record from 2008-2011 within the conference is 22-6. However, in non-conference games within that same time frame, they are only 3-11. The Benedictine-NPU game was an exercise matching perhaps the best team in a weaker conference with the worst team in a very strong conference. And the "good" team beat the "bad" team by only 8 points. Not exactly a strong statement by an (overall) good team.

Thank you, Mark. Yes, that is precisely my point. Whether it's because he's a BU fan or because he's been watching a steady diet of NAthCon football -- or both -- Irish is apparently deluded in his view of what constitutes a good football team. Is BU good by NAthCon standards? Probably; we'll see as the season wears on. Was BU good the last two years by NAthCon standards? Sure was; the Eagles won the league title both times. Were they good by overall D3 football standards? Well, you tell me, Irish. Your Eagles lost both years to an NPU program that hasn't won a CCIW game in over a decade. And the Eagles lost their playoff games by scores of 57-10 and 47-7. And, as Mark indicates, last year's Eagles seniors only went 3-11 in non-conference play for their careers.

So, no, Benedictine is not a good football team by overall D3 standards, which are the only standards that really interest anyone who reads the CCIW football room. The Eagles are the prettiest woman in the nursing home, the tastiest chocolate in a box of Ex-Lax, and the best downhill skier in Libya.

Always like to start my day with a good laugh. Thanks

[79jaybird]

Bluejay4ever/L-Ghost-

As others have chimed in with me,  it's nice Elmhurst picked up a home win yes, agreed.  However, to think Elmhurst is suddenly playoff caliber, or 1 of the top 3 teams in the CCIW (presently), is premature because they have yet to prove themselves against A) A currently playoff positioned team and B) the incumbent 1, 2, 3, etc. of the CCIW.  Namely NC/IWU/Wheaton (in any particular order). 

IMO- Right now it's still too early to really gauge where the CCIW is going to pan out, but an arbitrary view would be
1) NC
2) IWU
3) WHEATON (injuries and health is going to make WC a 3 or 4)
4) Carthage/EC
5) rest of the conference

Again, this is just going by the 1 game I have seen thus far, and some stats in the paper/net.

[79jaybird]

Benedictine is a great school academically and many of their facilities are high class,  however their fb team is not very good at the moment.  There is a reason teams like EC & NC are no longer playing them.  Reasons from both schools.  A dominant NATHC team would be middle to lower end of the pack in the CCIW.

[NCF]

Bluejay4ever/L-Ghost-

As others have chimed in with me,  it's nice Elmhurst picked up a home win yes, agreed.  However, to think Elmhurst is suddenly playoff caliber, or 1 of the top 3 teams in the CCIW (presently), is premature because they have yet to prove themselves against A) A currently playoff positioned team and B) the incumbent 1, 2, 3, etc. of the CCIW.  Namely NC/IWU/Wheaton (in any particular order). 

IMO- Right now it's still too early to really gauge where the CCIW is going to pan out, but an arbitrary view would be
1) NC
2) IWU
3) WHEATON (injuries and health is going to make WC a 3 or 4)
4) Carthage/EC
5) rest of the conference

Again, this is just going by the 1 game I have seen thus far, and some stats in the paper/net.

We'll find out in just a few weeks! This could be a wild CCIW season. Looking forward to every minute of it. Good luck to every team playing this week-end!

[Son of Tailgater]

Benedictine is a great school academically and many of their facilities are high class,  however their fb team is not very good at the moment.  There is a reason teams like EC & NC are no longer playing them.  Reasons from both schools.  A dominant NATHC team would be middle to lower end of the pack in the CCIW.

Carthage had also dropped Benedictine from their schedule back in 2005. It was convenient for travel home/ away but the games never proved to be competitive enough and would turn into a JV game. In 2005 I remember being up 42-0 or something at half time and being more tired walking back and forth to the field house (which was about .5 miles away) at halftime than I was in the first half since our scoring drives were 5-10 plays each. Starters wouldn't play much of the second half.

[Son of Tailgater]

Does anybody have any insight or information about Wartburg? The Wartburg @ Carthage game looks like it could be the game of the week and I know Wartburg is always a playoff contender from the IIAC. The fact that Wartburg beat MacMurry 73-0 isn't impressive but that the following week they hosted #15 Bethel and were blanked 21-0 leaves a few questions to be answered.

I am impressed that Carthage is increasing their SOS in non conference games and am glad to see games such as Adrian, Wartburg now on the schedule. Lakeland is never an easy game either even though Carthage has had their number since my freshman year in 2003.

Looking ahead...weeks 6,7,8 (Wheaton,IWU,NCC) for Carthage this year will be a huge test. If they can take care of business this week at home and then home against Lakeland & NPU they should be strong headed into the meat of the conference.

[New Tradition]

3 CCIW teams ranked and another receiving votes.

NCC - 13
IWU - 16
Wheaton - 19

Elmhurst has 5 votes. 

Jaybird,
With what has been going on early in the season here, I'm actually gonna start to drink the blue kool-aid myself, a little.  Granted, some crazy things have happened in the non-conferece schedule, but from everything I've read, Elmhurst has looked pretty impressive.  I'd love to see em knock off Wheaton (better yet, Wesleyan, though I don't think that will happen...sounds like the Weenies have got a fantastic team this year, much as I hate to say it) and jump into the #3 position in the conference.  The only problem is, Wheaton has an entire month to sort out any issues they had last Saturday, which I'm sure they will.  Elmhurst will have to bring their A-game, but it's certainly doable.

[NCF]

Does anybody have any insight or information about Wartburg? The Wartburg @ Carthage game looks like it could be the game of the week and I know Wartburg is always a playoff contender from the IIAC. The fact that Wartburg beat MacMurry 73-0 isn't impressive but that the following week they hosted #15 Bethel and were blanked 21-0 leaves a few questions to be answered.

I am impressed that Carthage is increasing their SOS in non conference games and am glad to see games such as Adrian, Wartburg now on the schedule. Lakeland is never an easy game either even though Carthage has had their number since my freshman year in 2003.

Looking ahead...weeks 6,7,8 (Wheaton,IWU,NCC) for Carthage this year will be a huge test. If they can take care of business this week at home and then home against Lakeland & NPU they should be strong headed into the meat of the conference.

I was thinking the same thing about the Carthage/Wartburg game. Was going to ask the same question on their board. This is the only pick I'm still unsure of.

[hazzben]

Does anybody have any insight or information about Wartburg? The Wartburg @ Carthage game looks like it could be the game of the week and I know Wartburg is always a playoff contender from the IIAC. The fact that Wartburg beat MacMurry 73-0 isn't impressive but that the following week they hosted #15 Bethel and were blanked 21-0 leaves a few questions to be answered.

I am impressed that Carthage is increasing their SOS in non conference games and am glad to see games such as Adrian, Wartburg now on the schedule. Lakeland is never an easy game either even though Carthage has had their number since my freshman year in 2003.

Looking ahead...weeks 6,7,8 (Wheaton,IWU,NCC) for Carthage this year will be a huge test. If they can take care of business this week at home and then home against Lakeland & NPU they should be strong headed into the meat of the conference.

Bethel fan here.

Wartburg is a solid squad. There D was tough, especially against the run. They've got some good skill position players. Biggest problem right now is probably their true freshman QB. I think he'll actually be pretty good, but Bethel exposed his inexperience. They got pressure on him and got some picks in key situations.

THey are always well coached. They could definitely still make a run for the IIAC's pool A. At this point no one in the IIAC will be in Pool C consideration given what happened to them in non-con.

[kiko]

3 CCIW teams ranked and another receiving votes.

NCC - 13
IWU - 16
Wheaton - 19

Elmhurst has 5 votes. 

Carthage also received 7 votes.

[New Tradition]

3 CCIW teams ranked and another receiving votes.

NCC - 13
IWU - 16
Wheaton - 19

Elmhurst has 5 votes. 

Carthage also received 7 votes.

So they did!  I totally missed that.  Thanks for pointing that out.  +k...lets get you into the black karma-wise.

[kiko]

He lost me here:

I am not saying BU is a CCIW calliber team becasue there not Wheaton showed that, but they are a good football team that is getting better and I believe could beat out a couple of teams in the CCIW.

If I am making an honest assessment, I would classify the CCIW as an upper-middle-class conference in football.  Better than most, but absent deeper playoff runs on a more consistent basis, certainly not in the league of the elites.  If being a good team means you're beating just a couple of CCIW teams, you are clearly defining 'good' much differently than I am...

[kiko]

+k...lets get you into the black karma-wise.

I just think of it as being under par...

[79jaybird]

"CCIW absent deeper runs in the playoffs..."  I guess the entire 80's with 4 Nat'l Championships in Rock Island was forgotten about

Yes, in the 90's and 00's there have been only a few deep playoff runs,  but c'mon the CCIW is one of the best conferences to have history and stamina in the playoffs.

[RFMichigan]

Irish---

The fact is that Benedictine is a good football team, BUT only in a bad conference. Overall, as Greg Sager indicated, they are NOT a very good team. Since becoming a member of the NATHC in 2008, their record from 2008-2011 within the conference is 22-6. However, in non-conference games within that same time frame, they are only 3-11. The Benedictine-NPU game was an exercise matching perhaps the best team in a weaker conference with the worst team in a very strong conference. And the "good" team beat the "bad" team by only 8 points. Not exactly a strong statement by an (overall) good team.

Thank you, Mark. Yes, that is precisely my point. Whether it's because he's a BU fan or because he's been watching a steady diet of NAthCon football -- or both -- Irish is apparently deluded in his view of what constitutes a good football team. Is BU good by NAthCon standards? Probably; we'll see as the season wears on. Was BU good the last two years by NAthCon standards? Sure was; the Eagles won the league title both times. Were they good by overall D3 football standards? Well, you tell me, Irish. Your Eagles lost both years to an NPU program that hasn't won a CCIW game in over a decade. And the Eagles lost their playoff games by scores of 57-10 and 47-7. And, as Mark indicates, last year's Eagles seniors only went 3-11 in non-conference play for their careers.

So, no, Benedictine is not a good football team by overall D3 standards, which are the only standards that really interest anyone who reads the CCIW football room. The Eagles are the prettiest woman in the nursing home, the tastiest chocolate in a box of Ex-Lax, and the best downhill skier in Libya.

I'm currently cleaning coffee off my screen after reading that one.

Honestly GS, did you make those up or did you borrow them? (I'm going to tuck the "tastiest chocolate in a box of Ex-Lax" away for personal use at a later date.)