2000 Preseason Football Poll

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - The Millikin Big Blue won the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin football title in 1998 with a 6-1 league record and advanced to the NCAA Division III national playoffs in Doug Neibuhr's third year at his alma mater. Last year Millikin finished in a tie for second with a 5-2 conference record but the Big Blue had a convincing 20-7 victory over eventual CCIW champion Augustana on the Vikings home field in early October. According to a preseason poll of league coaches, the year 2000 should again be a championship campaign for Neibuhr and his charges.

Led by quarterback Tim Brylka on offense and Bob Meyer, the CCIW "Player of the Year", on defense, the Big Blue easily won a pre-season vote of confidence in the annual Coaches Poll. The league coaches gave Millikin 48 points and six first place votes while Wheaton, which was undefeated at 7-0 heading into the final two games of 1999 before falling to Elmhurst and Augustana, was tabbed for second. The Crusaders - that nickname will be changed in October at Homecoming - picked up 40 points and one first place vote.

The 1999 champion, Augustana, picked up the other first place vote and garnered 38 points for third place. The Vikings will have a new man at the helm as Jim Barnes, a 1981 Augustana graduate, takes over the mantle for Tom Schmulbach. Augustana was 9-2 overall last year and 6-1 in the league. The Vikings advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, beating St. Norbert before losing to Mount Union.

Illinois Wesleyan (32 points), Carthage (24) and Elmhurst (18) occupy spots fourth through six while North Central and North Park tied for seventh with 12 points each.

Each coach votes for the seven other schools in the league but is not allowed to vote for his own team.

2000 CCIW PRESEASON COACHES POLL

(First place votes in parenthesis)

48. Millikin (6)
40. Wheaton (1)
38. Augustana (1)
32. Illinois Wesleyan
24. Carthage
18. Elmhurst
12. North Central and North Park (tie)

1999 CCIW FINAL FOOTBALL STANDINGS

© 2003-04 CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin