Football Coaches Pick North Central to Win 2008 CCIW Title

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The head football coaches in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) picked North Central to win the 2008 conference title in a preseason poll conducted Wednesday.

The Cardinals (9-3, 6-1 in 2007) won the poll with 48 points including six first place votes. North Central earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship last season, advancing to the second round.

This is the highest that North Central has finished in the CCIW preseason poll since 2006 when the Cardinals finished second in the voting. In records dating back to 1999, this is North Central’s first time atop the preseason poll.

Wheaton (8-2, 5-2) was second in the voting with 44 points including two first place votes. Illinois Wesleyan (7-3, 6-1) was third with 33 points after the Titans shared the conference title with North Central last season.

Augustana (5-5, 3-4) was fourth with 28 points while Carthage (7-3, 4-3) finished fifth with 26 points. Elmhurst (6-4, 3-4), Millikin (2-8, 1-6) and North Park (1-9, 0-7) rounded out the poll with 22, 16 and seven points respectively.

Voting in the preseason poll is done by the head football coaches in the CCIW. Each coach votes for the seven other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (seven points for first, six for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own team.

The CCIW football season begins September 6 with Augustana hosting Coe. Elmhurst plays host to Benedictine and the debut of new head coach Tim Lester. Illinois Wesleyan travels to Hope while Millikin plays Illinois College on the road, and North Park travels to Carroll.

2008 CCIW Football Preseason Poll