FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

I just don't see it that way. Wash U's associate membership in the CCIW isn't being revoked when the scoreboard hits 00:00 up in Sun Prairie a week from Saturday (if indeed the Bears end up repping the league in the Isthmus Bowl). It was revoked 14 months ago. It's just that the revocation doesn't take effect until Wash U's 2025 season ends. Think of it as being the football-conference equivalent of being given two weeks' notice in the business world.

Wash U's forced departure from the league has absolutely nothing to do -- nada, zero, zilch -- with how the Bears are actually faring on the football field against the rest of the CCIW. And if the revocation announcement back in September 2024 had included telling Wash U that it couldn't represent the CCIW in the Isthmus Bowl in 2025 because the Bears would no longer be in the league once the regular season ended, it probably would've struck most people as being ungracious and deeply unfair. If you earn the bid you should get the bid, regardless of whether you're going to be in the league next season or not.

[blue_jays]

I just don't see it that way. Wash U's associate membership in the CCIW isn't being revoked when the scoreboard hits 00:00 up in Sun Prairie a week from Saturday (if indeed the Bears end up repping the league in the Isthmus Bowl). It was revoked 14 months ago. It's just that the revocation doesn't take effect until Wash U's 2025 season ends. Think of it as being the football-conference equivalent of being given two weeks' notice in the business world.

Wash U's forced departure from the league has absolutely nothing to do -- nada, zero, zilch -- with how the Bears are actually faring on the football field against the rest of the CCIW. And if the revocation announcement back in September 2024 had included telling Wash U that it couldn't represent the CCIW in the Isthmus Bowl in 2025 because the Bears would no longer be in the league once the regular season ended, it probably would've struck most people as being ungracious and deeply unfair. If you earn the bid you should get the bid, regardless of whether you're going to be in the league next season or not.

Oh I agree with you on all counts. I just found UChicago's recent experience with the MWC amusing.

[ncc_fan]

Well then, why IS WashU soon to be a CCIW football excommunicatus?  I've never heard a good reason. 

[USee]

Well then, why IS WashU soon to be a CCIW football excommunicatus?  I've never heard a good reason. 

look harder....if you know, you know.

[CarollFan]

Someone in this article was proposing WashU go D1. There is a link in it to a separate counterpoint article.

https://www.studlife.com/forum/2025/10/23/point-time-to-hand-washus-identity-crisis-off-to-d-i-football

[Nitzermania]

Well then, why IS WashU soon to be a CCIW football excommunicatus?  I've never heard a good reason. 

look harder....if you know, you know.

Like NCC fan, I would love to understand this issue... where exactly could we look harder?  Could you point us toward a resource or just say it plainly?  I don't sense any strong grievance toward WashU football (unlike Normie-led Titan teams) from other CCIW schools.

[WUPHF]

Someone in this article was proposing WashU go D1. There is a link in it to a separate counterpoint article.

https://www.studlife.com/forum/2025/10/23/point-time-to-hand-washus-identity-crisis-off-to-d-i-football

The student newspaper has been publishing an op-ed for the school to go Division I every year since at least the 2008 and 2009 national championships.  Those are never written by a sports writer.

Instead, the sports writers universally love Division III and frequently publish editorials such as the following:

https://www.studlife.com/sports/2025/09/11/keep-supporting-washu-sports

[USee]

Well then, why IS WashU soon to be a CCIW football excommunicatus?  I've never heard a good reason. 

look harder....if you know, you know.

Like NCC fan, I would love to understand this issue... where exactly could we look harder?  Could you point us toward a resource or just say it plainly?  I don't sense any strong grievance toward WashU football (unlike Normie-led Titan teams) from other CCIW schools.

Well, if you are tied into your school and know people there (coaches, AD, SID, etc) you can ask and they might tell you. I am pretty sure that's the context Greg is referring to, but I can't speak for him. Two things I would add here: 1-I don't think there isn't a single smoking gun where you are gonna find someone did something egregious and 2-You aren't going to find anyone with real information who will post anything on this on a public message board.

I do think it's public knowledge that not everyone CCIW school was in favor of this move (getting rid of WashU) so you could say it was a controversial decision. I will say I wasn't in favor of it but that and $5 will get you a Starbucks.   

[WUPHF]

I will say I wasn't in favor of it but that and $5 will get you a Starbucks.   

I went to Starbucks yesterday and a 16 ounce coffee cost $4.25 before tax.  So barely, lol.

[GoIrish7]

Budgets, scheduling issues with the rest of the country for NonCon games, Inability to add in other sports.... and a little bit of competition is the story I have gotten on their removal.

Budgets - Added overnight trip for majority of the conference with lengthy travel to get there. Busses, hotels, team meals add up.

Scheduling issues - Seems to be a non issue with the league deciding to allow CUW to join. I just know it was easier to have 3 open weekends to find 2 games than 2 open weekends to find 1. By having 9 CCIW games, the CCIW "Bye week" has become an absolute waste. Many members having a week 1 bye and playing 10 straight, and others having a bye week following non con game 1. Again - this doesn't seem to have as much say into showing WashU the door but it was something referenced in the convo's to show the door.

Football only - Pretty simple here. They only joined for football and it made scheduling for other sports a little more difficult. But again other sports did not want them to join because of the travel. And WashU other sports not wanting to leave UAA.

Competition - The big dogs didn't mind it. But without coming out and saying it, it can be implied that the bottom of the conference would rather go play 2 winnable games early in the season vs a noncon + WashU.... Coaches lives and job depends on many things, but winning is definitely a main factor.

These were the issues I heard discussed on why decision was made. I am sure there were others as well.

[Jbothe]

My wife and I are parents of a WashU athlete, not a football player.

My perception is that the CCIW wanted a full member added to the conference that offered all major sports and fits the overall academic profile of the CCIW. 

I can pretty much guarantee that WashU has no intention of leaving the UAA. In fact if the 8 UAA schools all offered football (they don't) they would play UAA football. 

[robertgoulet]

Well, if you are tied into your school and know people there (coaches, AD, SID, etc) you can ask and they might tell you. I am pretty sure that's the context Greg is referring to, but I can't speak for him. Two things I would add here: 1-I don't think there isn't a single smoking gun where you are gonna find someone did something egregious and 2-You aren't going to find anyone with real information who will post anything on this on a public message board.

I guess I'd say if no one with REAL info on it would say anything publicly then what is the harm in those ITK posting their "guesses" about it on a public message board (since it's pretty obvious there are a few here who, while not AT the table, may have an IDEA about what was for dinner at the table based on context clues)?

It is no different than any D1 message board where ITK post stuff that probably shouldn't be out there, in a much more high stakes/high visibility environment.

In this situation an "I can't say for certain but I'd assume" from people who have been around the CCIW forever would seem to be harmless.

[robertgoulet]

My perception is that the CCIW wanted a full member added to the conference that offered all major sports and fits the overall academic profile of the CCIW. 

Which is funny because when this was initially announced, some of us (not going to point fingers at myself because that would be gloating) said "they obviously want a full member and WU wasn't willing to do it, I bet we see a full member announced pretty quickly" and the old heads were adamant there were no plans for CCIW to add another full member in their place.

So maybe the ITK don't really know and my previous post can get trashed...or maybe for whatever reason they thought the jeopardy was too high to risk a D3 message board finding out that there were talks ongoing for some reason?

[Cardinal773]

Man.  Looking at that picture of Yankee Stadium hosting the Cortaca game has me daydreaming of a CCIW double-header with Elmhurst v. North Park and Wheaton v. NCC.

Does anyone here know a Ricketts?  Make it so!

[Pat Coleman]

I doubt Wrigley would put two football games on their grass in the same day, for what it's worth.

Here's the photo 773 is referencing:
https://www.d3football.com/notables/2025/11/cortaca-going-back-to-yankee-stadium