By John Regenfuss
D3sports.com

Anything can happen. It's a phrase voiced and heard often in the sporting world -- one drawn on to motivate an underdog facing long odds or to explain away an improbable upset. But when using that expression in describing the Midwest Region this season, truer words have never been uttered. Four key games from Week 7 indisputably prove that claim.

UW-Eau Claire 20, UW-La Crosse 10
The outcome of this game was not a total surprise. After all, this is the WIAC -- undoubtedly the most competitive and most unpredictable Division III conference in the nation. However, UW-La Crosse did enter the game with everything to play for and everything on its side. 

The Eagles were the only team without a conference loss heading into the weekend, creating a clear path to a WIAC championship. Their No. 3 national ranking placed it squarely in the middle of the national title chase. They were finally returning to Veterans Memorial Stadium, after starting the season with four consecutive road games, for their home opener, where they had won 10 in a row. Vengeance was there for the taking for them -- payback for last season's close loss to UW-Eau Claire, their only WIAC defeat. Nonetheless, Eau Claire had its motivations, too. A league defeat earlier in the season to UW-Whitewater meant that a loss to La Crosse would doom its WIAC championship aspirations. And the way the game began looked like that was certain to happen.

La Crosse built a 10-0 halftime lead thanks to an Andrew Lehman 1-yard scoring run and a Jedediah Jansen 24-yard field goal. But 20 unanswered Eau Claire second-half points off five La Crosse turnovers lifted the Blugolds to the upset victory. 

Tailback Joe Gast, who rushed for 94 yards in the win, scored on touchdowns of one and four yards to help Eau Claire pull ahead. Cornerback Derek Sikora registered 13 tackles, two for loss, and recovered two fumbles and safety Brent Tieri totaled 10 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception to headline the Blugold defensive effort. 

The five turnovers proved to be fatal for La Crosse, as the Eagle offense was in prime form, outgaining Eau Claire 334-170 and earning over twice as many first downs. 

Concordia (Wis.) 24, Lakeland 6
Heading into this important conference matchup, Lakeland was running roughshod over the IBFC. In their three prior league games, the Muskies averaged 59 points and 659 yards of total offense per contest. Meanwhile, defending IBFC champion Concordia was sleepwalking through the 2004 season and looked resigned to abdicate its conference throne. However, the outcome of this game would put an abrupt and surprising end to each of these trends.

The shocking part is not so much that Concordia won the game but the manner in which it accomplished it. The Falcons held one of the nation's top rushing attacks, one that was averaging 485 yards per conference game, to just 73 yards. The Muskies mustered just 178 total yards on the day, 481 below its IBFC average, and six points, 53 under its league average.

Brandon Parker and Immanuel Mills each recorded 100-plus rushing yard days in the victory. The Concordia defense, with the Lakeland running game stopped, was able to tee off on the Muskies' passing game, notching six sacks.

The win gets Concordia back into the title hunt, but it will require help from the team it just defeated. Barring any upsets in the remaining weeks of the conference schedule, the Falcons need Lakeland to beat first-place and undefeated Aurora to force a three-way tie atop the league standings.

St. Norbert 36, Carroll 35
In 2004 MWC play, St. Norbert has been unstoppable and untouchable. Through five league wins, the Green Knights have trampled the competition, compiling a 42.5-point average margin of victory. Why would one believe its next victim, Carroll, would suffer any less? After all, St. Norbert beat Illinois College 51-21 this season, a team Carroll lost to 33-14 this year, the Green Knights have hung 63 points on Carroll in each of the teams' last two meetings, and SNC has not lost a conference battle since 2002. Well, as the sports cliché goes, that is why they play the game.

Carroll reversed traditional roles and jumped on St. Norbert early, building a 21-7 first-quarter lead. The Pioneers would hold the advantage for the remainder of the game, with the exception of the waning minutes of the game. With 1:46 remaining, running back Casey Meehan scored from three-yards out to knot the game at 35-35 and kicker Bob Forstrom converted the extra point to give St. Norbert all the lead it would need to salt away its 15th consecutive MWC victory.

St. Norbert totaled more yards, first downs, sacks, forced turnovers than Carroll but were surprised and outplayed by the underdog Pioneers. Despite the loss, Carroll could take solace in accomplishing two feats that no other MWC has -- come remotely close to beating St. Norbert and limiting the Green Knights to under 51 points.

UW-Oshkosh 54, UW-Platteville 6
The tale of the tape for this game heavily favored UW-Platteville. It had gotten off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1976. The Pioneers had two consecutive wins versus nationally ranked opponents to their credit and were ranked in the top 25 themselves before a four-point loss to UW-River Falls the previous week knocked them out. The Platteville defense showed its mettle versus UW-Whitewater in Week 5, holding the Warhawks to just six points. Finally, UW-Oshkosh was in last place in the conference and one of just three WIAC teams not to be nationally ranked in 2004. A sure victory, right? Wrong. Very wrong.

Oshkosh scored on the first offensive play of the game, a 55-yard touchdown pass from Nick Wara to Joe Patek, and seemingly didn't stop scoring until the final gun, as the Titans drubbed Platteville, 54-6. Oshkosh flat-out dominated Platteville. On offense, the Titans rolled up 381 yards rushing and 559 total yards. On defense, Oshkosh registered six interceptions by six different players, blocked a punt, and limited the Pioneers to 226 total yards.

Individually, Andrew Stern ran for 164 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns while Tyler Jandrin rushed nine times for 102 yards and one score, both career-highs in yardage. Kicker Lucas Raschke booted four field goals and led all scorers with 18 points.

A few things have remained constant, though. Wheaton continues to roll, evident by its 56-6 romp against Elmhurst and its 6-0 record. Monmouth's defense remains seemingly impenetrable, as the Fighting Scots registered their third straight shutout of an MWC foe, a 60-0 dismantling of Lawrence. And, finally, Rockford still knows how to use poor Trinity Bible as a punching bag, registering a 77-12 TKO of the Lions Saturday.

The conference races
With either having reached or rapidly approaching the midpoint of each Midwest Region conference schedule, let's take a look at how each league championship competition is shaping up as we prepare to head down the stretch.

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)
The inside track: Wheaton (3-0), Augustana (3-0)
Still alive: Carthage (2-1)
Clinging to slim hopes: None
Not this year: North Central (1-2), Elmhurst (1-2), Illinois Wesleyan (1-2), Millikin (1-2), North Park (0-3)
Key games: Wheaton at Carthage, Oct. 30; Wheaton at Augustana, Nov. 13

Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC)
The inside track: Mt. St. Joseph (3-0)
Still alive: Bluffton (2-0), Anderson (2-1), Hanover (2-1)
Clinging to slim hopes: None
Not this year: Franklin (0-2), Defiance (0-2), Manchester (0-3)
Key games: Hanover at Bluffton, Oct. 23; Bluffton at Mt. St. Joseph, Oct. 30; Anderson at Hanover, Oct. 30; Anderson at Mt. St. Joseph, Nov. 6

Illini-Badger Football Conference (IBFC)
The inside track: Aurora (4-0)
Still alive: Concordia (Wis.) (3-1), Lakeland (3-1)
Clinging to slim hopes: None
Not this year: MacMurray (2-2), Eureka (2-2), Greenville (2-2), Benedictine (0-4), Concordia (Ill.) (0-4)
Key game: Lakeland at Aurora, Oct. 30

Midwest Conference (MWC)
The inside track: St. Norbert (6-0)
Still alive: Monmouth (5-1), Lake Forest (5-1)
Clinging to slim hopes: Illinois College (4-2)
Not this year: Carroll (3-3), Grinnell (2-3), Ripon (2-4), Beloit (1-4), Lawrence (1-6), Knox (0-5)
Key games: Monmouth at Illinois College, Oct. 23; Lake Forest at St. Norbert, Nov. 6

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
The inside track: UW-Whitewater (3-1), UW-Eau Claire (3-1)
Still alive: UW-La Crosse (2-1)
Clinging to slim hopes: UW-Stevens Point (1-2)
Not this year: UW-Platteville (1-2), UW-Stout (1-2), UW-Oshkosh (1-2), UW-River Falls (1-2)
Key games: All of them

Running the numbers
A perusal of the official NCAA Division III national statistics reveals numerous individual players from the Midwest Region featured prominently:

Brett Borchart, So., QB, UW-Stevens Point
No. 4 in total offense (348.0 yds./game)

Colin Burns, So., RB, UW-Whitewater
No. 3 in total rushing yards (1,077)
No. 7 in rushing yards per game (153.9)

Brad Musso, Sr., WR, Wheaton
No. 1 in receptions per game (10.8)
No. 2 in receiving yards per game (140.0)

Anthony Ballerino, Sr., WR, MacMurray
No. 1 (tied) in total receptions (55)
No. 2 in receptions per game (9.2)
No. 8 in receiving yards per game (119.5)

Tyke Spencer, Jr., WR, North Central
No. 2 in receiving yards (813)
No. 3 in receiving yards per game (135.5)
No. 9 in receptions per game (7.7)

Eric Esch, So., PR/DB, Illinois Wesleyan
No. 1 in punt returns (31.4/return)

Lucas Raschke, Fr., K, UW-Oshkosh
No. 1 in field goals per game (2.0, 12 total)

Wyatt Gayer, Jr., LB, Anderson
No. 1 (tied) in forced fumbles (.83/game, 6 total)

Robbie Parry, Jr., DB, Aurora
No. 2 in total passes defended (13)
No. 2 in passes defended per game (2.5)

Notes
CCIW: Augustana used a 19-yard field goal by kicker Michael Clark with 38 seconds remaining to get past Illinois Wesleyan 30-28. ... Nathan Wallick had a school-record 40 carries for 208 yards and one touchdown in leading Millikin to a 28-6 win against North Park. ... Dante Washington also set a school record for rushes in game with 52, gaining 202 yards to help Carthage edge North Central, 27-24.

HCAC: Mt. St. Joseph topped Manchester 37-0, holding the Spartans to just seven yards rushing. ... Anderson quarterback Chris McKee threw for 441 yards on a school-record 68 pass attempts in the Ravens' 24-17 loss to Bluffton. ... Anderson outgained Bluffton 457-260 but turned the ball over five times. ... Adam Stevenson rushed for 159 yards and one touchdown and Corey Fogle ran for 153 yards and two scores to lift Hanover over Defiance, 28-7.

IBFC: Andy Swenson of Eureka ran for 204 yards and five touchdowns, keying the Red Devils' 44-7 pouding of Benedictine. ... MacMurray receiver Anthony Ballerino hauled in 16 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, propelling the Highlanders to a 35-7 win over Greenville.

MWC: Lake Forest and Illinois College combined for nine fumbles in a game won by the Foresters, 28-14. ... Grinnell's Marcus Ramirez collected 151 total yards and rushed for three touchdowns as the Pioneers topped Knox, 37-6. 

WIAC: Two of the WIAC's top rushers went head-to-head Saturday in UW-Whitewater's 42-3 win versus UW-River Falls, with the Warhawks' Colin Burns (152 yards, 1 touchdown) edging John Peterlik (132 yards). ... UW-Stevens Point had the ball on the UW-Stout one-yard line twice in first half and failed to score but still managed to get by with a 23-7 win. 

Elsewhere: Washington U.'s Larry Kindborn got his 100th victory as the Bears' head coach in their 28-14 win against Case Western Reserve. ... Freshman safety T.J. Schmitz registered two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and six tackles to help Thomas More to a 30-14 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan. ... Blackburn forced seven turnovers in its 53-7 domination of Principia. ... Sophomore defensive lineman Josh Moore recorded five tackles and three sacks in Westminster's (Mo.) 47-7 whipping of Maranatha Baptist.

In addition to the five nationally ranked Midwest region teams, four other squads are receiving votes in the latest D3football.com poll: Mt. St. Joseph (27), UW-Stevens Point (26), St. Norbert (7), Carthage (4). My top 10 Midwest region teams through seven weeks: 1. UW-Eau Claire (5-1), 2. UW-Whitewater (6-1), 3. Wheaton (6-0), 4. UW-La Crosse (3-2), 5. UW-Stevens Point (3-3), 6. Augustana (5-1), 7. St. Norbert (6-1), 8. UW-Platteville (4-2), 9. Mt. St. Joseph (6-0), 10T. UW-Stout (3-2)/Monmouth (6-1).

Games of the Week
Monmouth (6-1, 5-1) at Illinois College (5-2, 4-2), England Field, Jacksonville, Ill., 1:30 p.m.: A classic matchup of opposing strengths. Remarkably, the Monmouth defense has recorded three consecutive shutouts of MWC opponents. That's right: three games, zero points. Conversely, in its five wins this season, the Illinois College offense has averaged 45 points. Which team has the advantage? Give the slight edge to Monmouth. In four of its six wins, the Scots have posted 45 or more points. The one thing the teams have in common? They both allowed 50-plus points to St. Norbert. This should be a fun one. 

UW-Platteville (4-2, 1-2) at No. 14 UW-La Crosse (3-2, 2-1), Roger Harring Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium, La Crosse, Wis., 4 p.m.: A game pairing two teams reeling from devastating Week Seven losses. What little hope Platteville still has for a WIAC championship in 2004 will surely die a quick death with a loss versus the Eagles. La Crosse had everything going for it last week -- a No. 3 national ranking, an undefeated conference record, its 2004 home opener -- but let it all slip away, thanks to a nightmarish second half performance. With just one conference loss and with the perennial unpredictability that flows through the WIAC, the Eagles still have much to play for. The question is, though, can they rebound from the disappointment quickly and seize the opportunity that still lies before them? 

Hanover (3-4, 2-1) at Bluffton (4-2, 2-0), Dwight Salzman Stadium, Bluffton, Ohio, 1:30 p.m.: This matchup marks just the second time that a Midwest Region Game of the Week will take place in the state of Ohio and the first occasion that Bluffton receives GOTW recognition. This landmark contest could have HCAC title-hunt implications. A win by Bluffton keeps the Beavers in the thick of things and would set up a possible winner-take-all matchup with league leader Mt. St. Joseph in Week Eight. After a disappointing setback to Mt. St. Joseph early in the conference season, Hanover is trying to claw its way back into the conference championship contention. A win would keep the Panthers in the running, though they would need some help from future MSJ opponents, Bluffton and Anderson. 

Other games of note: Illinois Wesleyan (2-4, 1-2) at No. 6 Wheaton (6-0, 3-0), Millikin (2-4, 1-2) at No. 21 Augustana (5-1, 3-0), UW-Oshkosh (4-2, 1-2) at UW-Stevens Point (3-3, 1-2).

The Insider
On a weekly basis, Augustana junior wingback JJ McDowell describes his experiences from the practice field to the playing field.

Following a big win against a tough Carthage team, the mood on Monday was relatively loose. A typical Monday here at Augie starts with a 6:45 a.m. film review of Saturday's game that goes until 8:00, then it is off to class for the day. Later that day at 3:30, the varsity works out. The JV team has its games on Mondays, and if they are home the varsity will attend the second half after workouts to support our teammates. 

The transition from a loose Monday to a productive Tuesday positively influenced the next couple of days at practice, enabling us to prepare for a big game against Illinois Wesleyan. 

As if going on the road and facing the conference's number one ranked rush defense was not enough, we went into Bloomington pretty banged up for various reasons. A number of illnesses and injuries sustained before and during the game presented our squad with plenty of adversity -- anticipated and unanticipated. Most teams encounter adversity one way or another throughout a season, but battling and overcoming adversity is what separates good teams from great teams. That said, our starting tight end, Tom McIntire, was briefly hospitalized Wednesday of last week with an exceptionally high fever and missed most of the week of practice. However, as I walked out of the locker room and into chilling rain for our Friday practice, the first thing I saw was Tom with his father. Tom had returned to campus to retrieve his game gear and review what he had missed. Though playing was conditioned on his recovery, he wanted to 'go' and help the team succeed if he gained strength -- even if it was for one play. Sure enough, though a bit weak, he continued to recover and when we needed him Saturday, he stepped up and had some big blocks for us in the second half. Looking back on it, it didn't surprise me one bit because that's the kind of person Mac is. That is the attitude our team has adopted, and it is tough times like these that makes me proud to call these guys my teammates and friends.

We spend the majority of practice with the same players at our positions, so I have gotten to know the rest of the running backs very well. The abundance of talent we have at running back means that several players have different roles. Because of that, when anyone does see the field, they make the most of it. Whether it is in special teams play or backup roles, it is players like Greg Cozzi, Jeff Alicino, and Chris Studer that truly give this team character through their commitment and work ethic, and also enables us to pull out victories like we did Saturday. Thanks to a courageous team effort, and exceptional play by quarterback Matt Roe, we pulled out a 30-28 victory.

The game this week against Millikin is one of the games that I had highlighted once the 2004 schedule came out. I am pumped for the challenge the Big Blue brings to Rock Island as one of my friends from home plays for them. Max Warner and I played for Crystal Lake South together and have pushed each other in workouts the past two summers. There is a lot on the line this Saturday and we'll work hard to give it our best effort.