By Woodrow Carroll
Major college men’s basketball, Division I, has more than 350 programs. When you think about it, there are almost three times as many Division I basketball operations as there are CBS (College Bowl Subdivision) football programs. There were 133 CBS football teams this season. All the Div. I basketball teams are playing in a conference with one exception! That lone exception to conference affiliation turned in major shocker last week.
The Chicago State Cougars, the lone independent in Div.-I basketball, shocked Northwestern University, 75-73, last week. It was a real shock! Northwestern had just moved into the top 25 rankings after a December 1 victory over top-ranked Purdue, 92-88.
In 15 prior meetings with Chicago State, the Wildcats were a perfect 15-0. So, why worry about a Cougars’ team that arrived in Evanston with a 3-9 record?
No 24-point underdog is going to topple the Wildcats. Right? Wrong.
Chicago State, which is set to abandon its independent status and join the Northeast Conference next season, followed up the victory over the Wildcats with a 63-62 conquest of Valparaiso. A nice win, but, not the attention-getting victory that came with taking down Northwestern.
Chicago State’s joining the Northeast Conference, allows a quick glance at Northeast Conference membership: The Conference has a strong U.S. eastern flavor. Central Connecticut and Long Island University are some of the more recognizable names among Conference members.
- Former Southern Illinois University and Northern Illinois Unniversity football head coach, Jerry Kill ,continues as a newsworthy figure.
Kill just finished his second campaign at New Mexico State. For Kill it was not a pleasant way to close out his year No. 2 in Las Cruces, New Mexico Playing in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, Kill’s Aggie’s were roughed up 37-10 by Fresno State.
The loss to Fresno State not withstanding, Kill is 17-11 in his two years at New Mexico State. Not since the 1960s has a New Mexico State coach pieced together back-to-back winning seasons. Warren Woodson was 63-36-3 during his 10 seasons, 1958-1967, in the Mesilla Valley. Food for thought! In 90 years of football at New Mexico State, the Aggies are 336-611-14 overall which is telling.
Kill knows Flacco! Back in 2007, Kill was coaching the Southern Illinois Salukis. At the time the Salukis were in the Gateway Conference,and, the Salukis were a pretty good team. Good enough to reach the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. Southern Illinois’ semifinal opponent in 2007 was Delaware. Quarterback for Delaware was Joe Flacco. Southern Illinois led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter. However, the same Joe Flacco that Chicago Bears’ fans saw carry the Cleveland Browns to victory over the Bears, 20-17, Sunday, Dec. 17, was in action against the Salukis. The final score was 20-17 in Delaware’s favor.
- Just how good are the South Dakota State Jackrabbits? South Dakota State, the top ranked team in the FCS ranks as well as defending champion will face the Montana Grizzlies, January 7, in Frisco, Texas for the FCS championship. It promises to be a good one.
South Dakota State manhandled Albany in a semifinal game, 59-0 to earn its berth in the FCS championship game. Montana had to work double overtime before coming away with a 31-29 victory over perennial FCS power North Dakota State.
Although interest in many FBS bowl games has waned with players transferring, or opting out, the FCS playoffs have grown. The Montana-North Dakota State game in Missoula, Mont pulled in a record crowd of 26,554 fans.