FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CarollFan]

NCC 2026 Roster

[NCC2010]

NCC 2026 Roster

Duke Guenther, transfer from UNC-Charlotte was operating as RB2 in the scrimmage and looked good.

Jim Curtin is the WR I mentioned from Winona State.

Jake Buckley is the freshman who is starting at RT and they have slid Cortez Jones in to RG.

[NCC2010]

I would put NCC as a 2-3pt favorite specifically because of home field advantage. NCC has a lot to replace (which they have done consistently in the past) vs Bethel who has a lot returning. Bethel has more experience in this game (80% of Off/Def production returning vs NCC at 62%).

For Mt Union @Wheaton I don't know what to make of Wheaton as a 6.5 pt favorite vs a team they have NEVER defeated and it hasn't been particularly close. This is the first time they play at McCully Stadium but that's a small difference in spread. The Raiders are replacing 15 starters and have 2 new coordinators but like NCC, they have typically had no problem reloading and Mt Union's QB, Mikey Maloney (2nd team preseason AA), crushed the Thunder last September in Alliance. The Thunder do bring back 7 starters on offense including their Gagliardi semifinalist QB but are replacing 2-3 OL and will be starting 3 new players in the defensive backfield while trying to replace one of the nations best in TFL on the DL (Johanik). I would have Mt Union as a single digit favorite in this game.

FWIW, Massey ratings matchup tool has NCC -12 over Bethel and Mount Union -3 over Wheaton in these matchups.

https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s=cf2026

[USee]

I'll take Bethel and the points. Anyone? Anyone?

[hazzben]

Grey shirting is still 100% a thing as it was pitched to me about a decade ago and to family members in recent years. The pitch is that you would just save one class, required by your major to graduate, for your 5th fall semester so that you do not have to pay for a whole semester and only pay about 2k.

I've heard from a number of D3 coaches that one of the reasons they are in favor of the 5 for 5 is that they feel that it would level the playing field with the WIAC because of the inability to grey shirt.

This is dead on. First, the pitch isn't that you take a full course-load that 5th fall semester. Just like a player returning with a medical hardship, save a single class required for graduation.

Second, it's very much the WIAC pitch. My son and a few teammates who are in the recruiting process right now were told very frankly by WIAC staffs that Grey shirting is how they approach HS recruits. You come to fall camp, participate fully. When the school year starts, you go to all team mtgs before practice, then while the team practices you do S&C training. Come the offseason you're doing the normal program with the rest of the team.

And yes, the 5 for 5 for football has real potential to level the playing field. Call it 90% of a WIAC Sr class are 5th year players, where most of D3 that percentage is probably flipped. 5 for 5 for football would flatten that advantage, but it's much harder for two semester sports.

On paper, it seems easy to think any league could do Grey Shirting, but sticker shock is real. When most private schools are already more money, explaining to a prospective player (and especially parents) that they'll be doing an extra semester of coursework falls on deaf ears, even if it's probably just a single course.

[Marmac]

NCC 2026 Roster

Curious to see who, other than Jack Rummell, is a receiving threat for Garret Wilson. That's probably the biggest question mark for NCC in 2026.

[GusD]

NCC 2026 Roster

Curious to see who, other than Jack Rummell, is a receiving threat for Garret Wilson. That's probably the biggest question mark for NCC in 2026.

#5 David Ballard III, #2 Jim Curtin

[GusD]

I would put NCC as a 2-3pt favorite specifically because of home field advantage. NCC has a lot to replace (which they have done consistently in the past) vs Bethel who has a lot returning. Bethel has more experience in this game (80% of Off/Def production returning vs NCC at 62%).

For Mt Union @Wheaton I don't know what to make of Wheaton as a 6.5 pt favorite vs a team they have NEVER defeated and it hasn't been particularly close. This is the first time they play at McCully Stadium but that's a small difference in spread. The Raiders are replacing 15 starters and have 2 new coordinators but like NCC, they have typically had no problem reloading and Mt Union's QB, Mikey Maloney (2nd team preseason AA), crushed the Thunder last September in Alliance. The Thunder do bring back 7 starters on offense including their Gagliardi semifinalist QB but are replacing 2-3 OL and will be starting 3 new players in the defensive backfield while trying to replace one of the nations best in TFL on the DL (Johanik). I would have Mt Union as a single digit favorite in this game.

A single digit such as 1, or a single digit like 9 or close to it? 🤗 😉

[GusD]

NCC 2026 Roster

The Cardinals 2026 squad consists of 52 freshmen, 30 sophomores, 31 juniors, 24 seniors, 2 fifth year seniors, and one graduate student for a total of 140 players.
One of the freshmen has a very well known last name, easily recognizable both within the CCIW and across the entire national D3 scene, #12, WR Blake Lehnen.

[The Third Division]

NCC 2026 Roster

The Cardinals 2026 squad consists of 52 freshmen, 30 sophomores, 31 juniors, 24 seniors, 2 fifth year seniors, and one graduate student for a total of 140 players.
One of the freshmen has a very well known last name, easily recognizable both within the CCIW and across the entire national D3 scene, #12, WR Blake Lehnen.

A long lost 2nd cousin?

[WUPHF]

First, the pitch isn't that you take a full course-load that 5th fall semester. Just like a player returning with a medical hardship, save a single class required for graduation.

That is exactly what he said in his post.

And yes, the 5 for 5 for football has real potential to level the playing field. Call it 90% of a WIAC Sr class are 5th year players, where most of D3 that percentage is probably flipped. 5 for 5 for football would flatten that advantage, but it's much harder for two semester sports.

On paper, it seems easy to think any league could do Grey Shirting, but sticker shock is real. When most private schools are already more money, explaining to a prospective player (and especially parents) that they'll be doing an extra semester of coursework falls on deaf ears, even if it's probably just a single course.

I still do not understand.

Let's say the aforementioned Iowa college is more expensive, so saving a three credit hour course for a ninth semester at a cost of $2,265 is cost prohibitive.

But the gray-shirting friend at UW-Stout pays $812-1,239 so game changer?

I get it, the average player at Stout may pay less over time and may therefore be more capable of absorbing the extra 8 months of room and board.

But then, how does the 5 in 5 change all that?

[CarollFan]

Carroll Preview

Discuss some of the captains I mentioned earlier and what their expectations are for the team.

[AndrewB]

First, the pitch isn't that you take a full course-load that 5th fall semester. Just like a player returning with a medical hardship, save a single class required for graduation.

That is exactly what he said in his post.

And yes, the 5 for 5 for football has real potential to level the playing field. Call it 90% of a WIAC Sr class are 5th year players, where most of D3 that percentage is probably flipped. 5 for 5 for football would flatten that advantage, but it's much harder for two semester sports.

On paper, it seems easy to think any league could do Grey Shirting, but sticker shock is real. When most private schools are already more money, explaining to a prospective player (and especially parents) that they'll be doing an extra semester of coursework falls on deaf ears, even if it's probably just a single course.

I still do not understand.

Let's say the aforementioned Iowa college is more expensive, so saving a three credit hour course for a ninth semester at a cost of $2,265 is cost prohibitive.

But the gray-shirting friend at UW-Stout pays $812-1,239 so game changer?

I get it, the average player at Stout may pay less over time and may therefore be more capable of absorbing the extra 8 months of room and board.

But then, how does the 5 in 5 change all that?

The UW schools also have many more grad programs, and majors, than other D3 schools.  Most, if not all, 5th years players live off campus.  4 to 6 roommates in a house, so the break down might be 500-600 a month.  You have to live somewhere.  The bigger problem in D3 is the Kaleb Blaha situation from last year.  That was his 6th year in College.  5 for 5 would eliminate the small number of schools that have a huge advantage over many others.  You'll never get rid of all the built-in advantages the WIAC has, but this would be a start.