FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Preseason coaches poll:

1. North Central (9)	81
2. Wheaton (1)	73
3. Washington MO	65
4. Illinois Wesleyan	53
5. Carroll	48
6. Augustana	43
7. North Park	34
8. Carthage	26
9. Millikin	14
10. Elmhurst	13

[CarollFan]

Maybe this is every season but seems to me like there are some very productive players the last few seasons that need to be replaced this season across the conference. Be interesting to see who steps up.

[robertgoulet]

As we all know much of the country, certainly including the Midwest, has been boiling under a stifling heat wave for much of summer. In conjunction with the possible ill effects of practicing/playing sports under such conditions, have heard at least one conference team has been having some practices at 11:00 PM. Presumably this will no longer be an option once classes start.

Part of it, I am sure, is the unknown of who will be throwing him the ball and how good they'll be (and how much time they'll have to throw). Wouldn't surprise me if he's an AA at season's end, but lots of variables in play for his stats.

[Gregory Sager]

As we all know much of the country, certainly including the Midwest, has been boiling under a stifling heat wave for much of summer. In conjunction with the possible ill effects of practicing/playing sports under such conditions, have heard at least one conference team has been having some practices at 11:00 PM. Presumably this will no longer be an option once classes start.

When you're a football team that has to share your field with the men's and women's soccer teams, you get used to exotic practice times every preseason, not just during preseasons that have excessive heat waves. F'rinstance, North Park was out there practicing at Holmgren even before the clock struck 6:00 am this morning -- and, thanks to the fact that at least one member of the NPU media team was out there with them, the Vikings have the Instagram photos to prove it.

[GusD]

Hope those boys got to bed early last night 🌙 😉.

[CarollFan]

2025 CCIW Schedule

NCC and Elmhurst with the bye week 1 and everyone else with the bye week 2.

Looks like some rematches from last year in the nonconference schedule.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park season preview:

https://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2025/8/21/vikings-football-look-to-keep-momentum-going-heading-into-2025.aspx

[Crusader92]

Wheaton finally released its roster today. 35 freshman, 118 total players - if I counted correctly


https://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/football/roster/2025?sort=name

[markerickson]

Three teams below North Park in the coaches' poll?!  NPU lost a great pair of linebackers and its four-year starting QB.

[CarollFan]

Three teams below North Park in the coaches' poll?!  NPU lost a great pair of linebackers and its four-year starting QB.

That's probably the reason NPU is 7th. Losing some key productive players.
You need to consider the other 3 teams.
Last time Millikin won a game was 2022. They have a brand new coaching staff.
Elmhurst new coaching staff also.
The bottom 3 need to prove they've improved.

[CarollFan]

Some info on the WashU team in their last season in the CCIW.

https://www.studlife.com/sports/2025/08/25/ahead-of-final-cciw-season-football-has-something-to-prove

[CarollFan]

Millikin's HC interview.

https://youtu.be/6ZAivqumQM4?si=z0Fz8nCyLLQHhPqH

[lmitzel]

Hold up, you can start a network to host all of your conference's live streams and not force it behind a paywall?

10/10 no notes, CCIW.

https://cciw.org/news/2025/8/26/general-cciw-partners-with-hudl-to-launch-cciw-network.aspx

[markerickson]

NPU's head coach landed 47 freshmen for the fall 2021 season. Four academic years later, in spring 2025, I believe only 11 (23%) graduated. I never previously crunched graduation numbers, but I know NPC/U has always had its football roster heavily consist of freshmen and sophomores. Rooker's 2025 team is no different with a roster that  comprises approximately 26% of juniors and seniors.  This is not the path to "keep momentum going," per the NPU press release, following a 5-5 season.

Stellar WR Jereme Ombogo graduated (one year of eligibility left) with High Honors while performing extremely well in track.
https://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2025/1/28/ombogo-tabbed-as-csc-academic-all-american-first-for-npu-football-since-1987.aspx  This season's QB must learn quickly to throw the ball deep to Ombogo, a sprinter.  And not just once per half.

[Gregory Sager]

The CCIW Network has been launched:

https://cciw.org/news/2025/8/26/general-cciw-partners-with-hudl-to-launch-cciw-network.aspx

This is an important read, regardless of whether you just follow a specific CCIW team, or you're a fan of CCIW sports in general.