FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[cuyahogacuse]

I was reading some of the comments on the front page and found some of them interesting. First of all, I hold both Brad Spencer and Jesse Scott in extremely high regard as people and leaders of their teams so anyone who tries to cast shade on them and their character is just ignorant.

I also saw some comments about how the Wheaton team rushed the NCC sideline to grab the bell (which the D3 Team correctly points out was done by the NCC team @Wheaton in 2021). I had no problem with it then and certainly didn't on Saturday. That's just pure enthusiasm from teams that fought hard and wanted the trophy. Since emotions run high in these games and rushing the other team's sideline is generally not a great idea, I suggest each school create a table or display setting for the Bell that isn't directly behind the other team's bench but off to the side or near where the current holder enters the field. That would alleviate any misperception of intention by either team.

Admittedly, my family wasn't a part of this game for the first 70 years of Bell games. My first one was in 2021, and over the course of five years, one of the core memories for me as a fan was of North Central storming the Wheaton sideline and taking that well-earned Bell away.

If that moment is engrained in me as a fan, how much moreso for the players on the field. Granted, it's been so long that all the players Saturday night were different than those who competed in that 2021 game. But ... it's a rivalry. A mostly civil one where the coaches have great respect and admiration for each other. I noted Jesse Scott and Brad Spencer spent a fair amount of time talking with each other on the logo before the game. Jeff Thorne spoke at a Friday Wheaton Chapel service just weeks before his passing last year. The respect runs deep. But the players know how that Bell left the Wheaton campus.

Add to it five years of beatdowns. Number 1 vs. Number 2. There was a lot on the line and a lot of emotion riding high on Saturday night.

Still I agree. The opponent sideline storming is probably not a great idea. How is Paul Bunyan's Ax or The Old Oaken Bucket transferred? Might be time for some of the administrators to think through this one.

[CarollFan]

Yes the 8-2 teams best chance is AQ.
Bethel at 8-2 less then 20% chance.


Right now over 11 conferences can produce a 1 loss at-large team with 11 at-large bids.

To begin I want to be clear, I don't honestly have any delusions as to where IWU ranks nationwide.  But if they do finish 8-2, their 2 losses would be to 2 teams who at one point in the season were both ranked #1 in the country.  At worst, it's a heckuva turnaround for Coach Williamson in year 2, much of which they accomplished with a backup QB.

No doubt they've done a great job. The 8-2 comment regarding at-large bids speaks more to NPI and having only 11 at-large bids and the challenge for 8-2 teams to make the playoffs. Beating a WIAC team in the Isthmus Bowl would be nice as so far only Wheaton has got a win there. The opportunity for IWU to make the playoffs is beating NCC the last game so it's not over yet.

[CarollFan]

I was reading some of the comments on the front page and found some of them interesting. First of all, I hold both Brad Spencer and Jesse Scott in extremely high regard as people and leaders of their teams so anyone who tries to cast shade on them and their character is just ignorant.

I also saw some comments about how the Wheaton team rushed the NCC sideline to grab the bell (which the D3 Team correctly points out was done by the NCC team @Wheaton in 2021). I had no problem with it then and certainly didn't on Saturday. That's just pure enthusiasm from teams that fought hard and wanted the trophy. Since emotions run high in these games and rushing the other team's sideline is generally not a great idea, I suggest each school create a table or display setting for the Bell that isn't directly behind the other team's bench but off to the side or near where the current holder enters the field. That would alleviate any misperception of intention by either team.

Admittedly, my family wasn't a part of this game for the first 70 years of Bell games. My first one was in 2021, and over the course of five years, one of the core memories for me as a fan was of North Central storming the Wheaton sideline and taking that well-earned Bell away.

If that moment is engrained in me as a fan, how much moreso for the players on the field. Granted, it's been so long that all the players Saturday night were different than those who competed in that 2021 game. But ... it's a rivalry. A mostly civil one where the coaches have great respect and admiration for each other. I noted Jesse Scott and Brad Spencer spent a fair amount of time talking with each other on the logo before the game. Jeff Thorne spoke at a Friday Wheaton Chapel service just weeks before his passing last year. The respect runs deep. But the players know how that Bell left the Wheaton campus.

Add to it five years of beatdowns. Number 1 vs. Number 2. There was a lot on the line and a lot of emotion riding high on Saturday night.

Still I agree. The opponent sideline storming is probably not a great idea. How is Paul Bunyan's Ax or The Old Oaken Bucket transferred? Might be time for some of the administrators to think through this one.

I was thinking move it away from players more towards an end zone. After a tough game like that you got the visitors storming your sideline🤦

Carroll and Carthage play for a musket. I checked their last game and they had the musket off in the corner but also went thru the handshake line first before getting the musket and celebrating. Going thru the handshake line emptied the sidelines.

[CarollFan]

CCIW Players of the Week

Offense - Augie RB Ben Ludlum (2nd time offense player of the week)

Defense - Wheaton LB Zeke Harris (2nd time defense player of the week)

Special Teams - IWU Punter Matt Worthington

[CarollFan]

blue_jays

Good job sticking up for Forcucci on the MIAC board. I think they're ready to hand Feeney the Gagliardi.

[Nitzermania]

Such a competitive, well fought football game between 2 evenly matched teams/rivals on Saturday.  I was hoping to rewatch the game some time, but have been struggling to find the recording on YouTube, NCC website or anywhere else.  Is there a trick to finding North Central's gamecast afterward?  Do they delay the release?  My prior understanding has been that only North Park from the CCIW has hidden the recording.

[CarollFan]

Such a competitive, well fought football game between 2 evenly matched teams/rivals on Saturday.  I was hoping to rewatch the game some time, but have been struggling to find the recording on YouTube, NCC website or anywhere else.  Is there a trick to finding North Central's gamecast afterward?  Do they delay the release?  My prior understanding has been that only North Park from the CCIW has hidden the recording.

It should be under recents on the CCIW Network but I don't see it there.

https://cciwnetwork.com/

NPU has their past home games on the CCIW network but looks like NCC does not.

[CarollFan]

https://d3football.com/awards/tow/2026/week6

Wheaton LB Zeke Harris and IWU Punter Matt Worthington on d3football.com team of the week

[CarollFan]

It's difficult for  teams with more then 1 loss to end up with a higher NPI then a 1 loss team but not impossible. A couple WIAC teams did it last year and may do it this year too.

Right now there are at least 16 conferences I count that currently can have a 1 loss at large bid. Not all teams play 10 games.

I didn't review all their remaining schedules. Some of these possibilities will drop off over time but you can see how the majority of the 11 at-large bids could be 1 loss teams.

1) CCIW - NCC 4-1, IWU 5-1
2) WIAC - UWP & UWW 5-0, UWRF 4-1
3) NCAC - WashU 5-0, 4 teams 4-1
4) NACC - CUW 6-0, Benedictine 5-0
5) OAC - BW 5-0, Heidelberg 4-1
6) HCAC - 3 teams 4-1
7) MIAA - Calvin & Hope 5-0, Trine 4-1
8) E8 - Cortland 5-0, 5 teams with 1 loss
9) NEWMAC - Merchant Marine 5-0, 3 teams 4-1
10) NESCAC - 3 teams 4-0
11) MAC - 3 teams 4-1
12) PAC - Allegheny 5-0, 3 teams 4-1
13) CC - Ursinus 5-0, 2 teams 4-1
14) NJAC - CNU 5-0, 3 teams 4-1
15) SAA - Trinity (Texas) 5-0, Berry & Millsaps 4-1
16) ASC - HS 4-0, UMHB 4-1

[CCIWFan69]

Yes the 8-2 teams best chance is AQ.
Bethel at 8-2 less then 20% chance.


Right now over 11 conferences can produce a 1 loss at-large team with 11 at-large bids.

To begin I want to be clear, I don't honestly have any delusions as to where IWU ranks nationwide.  But if they do finish 8-2, their 2 losses would be to 2 teams who at one point in the season were both ranked #1 in the country.  At worst, it's a heckuva turnaround for Coach Williamson in year 2, much of which they accomplished with a backup QB.

No doubt they've done a great job. The 8-2 comment regarding at-large bids speaks more to NPI and having only 11 at-large bids and the challenge for 8-2 teams to make the playoffs. Beating a WIAC team in the Isthmus Bowl would be nice as so far only Wheaton has got a win there. The opportunity for IWU to make the playoffs is beating NCC the last game so it's not over yet.

Not saying it will happen but I think IWU has a shot at NCC this year.  If anything, will most likely be a great game.

[NCC2010]

Such a competitive, well fought football game between 2 evenly matched teams/rivals on Saturday.  I was hoping to rewatch the game some time, but have been struggling to find the recording on YouTube, NCC website or anywhere else.  Is there a trick to finding North Central's gamecast afterward?  Do they delay the release?  My prior understanding has been that only North Park from the CCIW has hidden the recording.

Unfortunately, NCC chooses to not have their recordings available after the broadcast ends.

[Gregory Sager]

Such a competitive, well fought football game between 2 evenly matched teams/rivals on Saturday.  I was hoping to rewatch the game some time, but have been struggling to find the recording on YouTube, NCC website or anywhere else.  Is there a trick to finding North Central's gamecast afterward?  Do they delay the release?  My prior understanding has been that only North Park from the CCIW has hidden the recording.

Your "prior understanding" is in error. North Park isn't hiding anything. All of the games and matches livestreamed by the Viking Sports Network can also be accessed through the CCIW Network. This includes games and matches that North Park loses, which is more than I can say for some other schools. For instance, when I tried to watch the archived gamecast of North Park's win at Carthage in women's soccer last week (which I couldn't watch live, because I was calling the men's soccer game between North Park and Carthage in Chicago at the same time that the Vikings/Firebirds women's game was being played in Kenosha), I discovered that Carthage hadn't archived it, either in-house or on the CCIW Network.

North Park has only played one home football game this year. That game was against North Central, in which, as has been annually true for longer than I care to think, the Vikings were routed. Guess what? That game is archived on the CCIW Network, as it should be.

[NCC2010]

Yes the 8-2 teams best chance is AQ.
Bethel at 8-2 less then 20% chance.


Right now over 11 conferences can produce a 1 loss at-large team with 11 at-large bids.

To begin I want to be clear, I don't honestly have any delusions as to where IWU ranks nationwide.  But if they do finish 8-2, their 2 losses would be to 2 teams who at one point in the season were both ranked #1 in the country.  At worst, it's a heckuva turnaround for Coach Williamson in year 2, much of which they accomplished with a backup QB.

No doubt they've done a great job. The 8-2 comment regarding at-large bids speaks more to NPI and having only 11 at-large bids and the challenge for 8-2 teams to make the playoffs. Beating a WIAC team in the Isthmus Bowl would be nice as so far only Wheaton has got a win there. The opportunity for IWU to make the playoffs is beating NCC the last game so it's not over yet.

Not saying it will happen but I think IWU has a shot at NCC this year.  If anything, will most likely be a great game.

IMO, it depends on whether Dermot Smyth is back and healthy. He has given the NCC defense trouble in previous years. He hasn't played since their third game, so he could also opt to sit out the rest of the season, take a medical redshirt, and come back for one more season next fall. No idea about the extent of his injury, though.