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Interesting week for the Northwest Conference. Not only do we have one but two games cancelled for various reasons. Both of them are not the fault of our NWC brothers but it’s still rough to see games get ripped from the players, staffs, and the fans. For the PLU game, I completely understand the circumstances and support the decision but I’m on the other side of the spectrum for the reasons behind Oxy pulled the rug out on Pacific at the last moment.
With the teams that are playing there are some very interesting match-ups. Obviously, the D3 game of
the week is happening in McMinnville but there are some other solid match-ups as well. The
Fox/Redlands should be a hard hitting and tight affair. Get a chance to see Whitworth cream a SCIAC
patsy, and I’ll be watching the CLU/Willamette. I’m watching that one not to see if Willamette can rise to the occasion but get a measure if CLU might be a team making a run again for that conference’s title and auto berth. I’m using a new camera tomorrow so my A/V nerd heart is pounding with nervousness so I need to cut this short, pound out these picks, and get back to reading the user manual and scouring YouTube for tutorials. My wife must really love me to put up with all of this.
Northwest Conference games of the week
#24 Whitworth (2-0) over La Verne (1-0) (@ Whit): The Rats last tune-up before they go on the break and great ready for the Linfield showdown. Whitworth is way under ranked in my humble opinion and should be a top 15 team, easily. They’re really freaking good this season. La Verne had a cupcake game against UPS and they spend two weeks drinking Pepto Bismol in trying to figure out just how the heck they’re going to slow down that offense. However, to me, I’ll be watching what has been a much improved defense for Whitworth. That is where the money is at if they are going to be the team to finally knock Linfield off the NWC perch. Rats roll.
Pomona-Pitzer (1-0) over Lewis & Clark (0-1) (at PP): It’s pretty amazing that Pomona and Lewis & Clark are playing a football game against each other while Occidental (the only program in SCIAC history to win NCAA playoff games) cannot field enough healthy players for the administration to allow them to play. Wow. I watched a pretty big chuck of the Pioneers game last weekend while sitting in our hotel room in SoCal (Yeah, I don’t know why either) and I have to say that I was a little bit disappointed in L&C’s inability to move the ball or have a stiff rush defense against Claremont Mudd-Scripts. If CMS had better QB play that game could have been out of hand earlier and that has to be tough for the L&C staff to know. In the pre-season, I picked this game as the single win for the Pioneers in the 2017 season but after last week I’m pulling back on that. The Hens are not a very good football team but I like them better that the Pios.
Pacific Lutheran vs Warner U: Canceled. This I can understand. The NAIA school based outside of
Orlando, Florida was a 1-year fill in game for PLU since the Lutes and Trinity had to call off their series early due to Trinity’s new conference membership adding games to their schedule. It sounded a little exciting to have a new team fly across country but it wasn’t meant to be as the fallout of Hurricane Irma has effected a large segment of the state of Florida. I feel for players on both sides but the impact of Irma goes way beyond a college football game.
Cal Lutheran (1-0) over Willamette (0-1) (at Willamette): Fourth year in a row this two have played in what has been a hotly contested series with some down to the wire moments. I don’t like Willamette’s chances in what looks like a much improved CLU football team this year. Beating PLU is a heck of a win because I think the Lutes will be sneaky good this season. The good for Willamette is that they found out that Mathew Castaneda is a major upgrade at QB. I watch the Willamette/Rhodes game and Castaneda throws a good ball and a great majority of the time puts it on the money. The Bearcats strength is their vet receiver group and having a QB that can feed them will make their offense much improved. However, I think the Bearcats defense is bad and the Kingsmen will shred it this weekend in Salem.
#20 Redlands (1-0) over George Fox (0-1) (at Fox): I’m expecting this to be a hotly contested football game. These programs have played in back-to- back games that were decided late into the fourth quarter and we might get another shot of that this Saturday at Fox. In watching the Platt vs Fox game, the Fox defense did a great job in getting tight in the red zone and were pretty physical against the run. Fox QB Grant Schroeder did throw for 4 TD’s but is lucky he only walked away with 2 picks. The still forces things too many times for my liking and is a turnover waiting at any time. Redlands has a solid defense this year but some questions are swilling if they have enough offensive punch. I think that’s a mix made for a late game winner by whoever possesses the ball last. My gut says Fox but I think Redlands will be a slightly better team.
Pacific at Occidental: Canceled. Read the D3football.com story for the scoop. It’s sad that Oxy canceled the game when players were ready to play but what’s pathetic is this is what it has come down to for Occidental football. This is a PROUD football tradition and the only SCIAC program to win NCAA football games. They have fallen far and it falls on the athletic administration for Occidental. Anybody reading this should take note, this kind of botching of a football program could happen ANYWHERE in college football if you get the wrong administrative support. Even at Linfield. Be aware, vocal, and vigilant alumni bases.
2017 Wildcat11’s NWC Power Rankings week 3:
1. Linfield – When this 2017 team puts it all together, Linfield is going to be heart breakers and
game takers. HBR!
2. Whitworth – I’m ready to slot them at “1A” at this point. It’s gonna be a heavyweight prize
flight in two weeks.
3. Fox – If they can hang or beat Linfield or Whitworth falls right on the shoulders of their QB play.
4. PLU – They lost at CLU but I liked what I saw out of the Lutes. They’re going to be a tough out
for the conference.
5. Pacific – Boxers have one of the most explosive receivers in DIII and could only muster up 130
passing yards against a solid Dubuque. Not a good sign.
6. UPS – The Loggers finally got to truly smoke another team at home. Granted it was against a
dumpster fire of a program but it wasn’t too long ago when UPS was a dumpster fire.
7. Willamette – Could be a long, long year in Salem.
8. Lewis and Clark – It’s looking like a strong possibility at another 0-9 season.
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