Tonight the two Dallas/Fort Worth teams for C-USA and the AAC will face off at Ford Stadium. SMU won their week one FCS game by a score of 58-14, while North Texas won theirs by a score of 59-14.
Some of the Mean Green's main weapons will make their season debut tonight. North Texas didn't open up their playbook in week 1, and I suspect SMU didn't either. The team that shows up with the better defense will most likely win this match up that dates back to 1922.
My opinion:
Both teams look very similar in what they do. I give North Texas the advantage in running game and the secondary. SMU probably has the better O-line and seems to have the advantage in receiving, due to Sutton. Home field means little in this game. The North Texas fan base will fill a considerable number of seats in SMU's stadium.
I believe North Texas will win tonight, and Morris might begin to feel his seat warming up.
(09-09-2017 09:13 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote: [ -> ]Tonight the two Dallas/Fort Worth teams for C-USA and the AAC will face off at Ford Stadium. SMU won their week one FCS game by a score of 58-14, while North Texas won theirs by a score of 59-14.
Some of the Mean Green's main weapons will make their season debut tonight. North Texas didn't open up their playbook in week 1, and I suspect SMU didn't either. The team that shows up with the better defense will most likely win this match up that dates back to 1922.
My opinion:
Both teams look very similar in what they do. I give North Texas the advantage in running game and the secondary. SMU probably has the better O-line and seems to have the advantage in receiving, due to Sutton. Home field means little in this game. The North Texas fan base will fill a considerable number of seats in SMU's stadium.
I believe North Texas will win tonight, and Morris might begin to feel his seat warming up.
Good write up. One key I'm looking at is how well the teams protect their quarterback. For North Texas, last year our offensive line was bad. We've made changes and we're now into our second year in this system. This game will be a good test to see how far they've come.
Defensively, our defensive coordinator is no longer sharing the title and he likes to bring pressure. I expect us to blitz a lot because we can't afford to sit back and let SMU pick us apart. Their starting quarterback isn't nearly as mobile as last year and didn't exactly look great last week (according to SMU fans). We need to get him on his heals and on the ground.
I'm not sure how upset I am. SMU just may be this much better than us. Our defense is hanging tough but can't make a play on 3rd and long to get off the field.
The offensive was terrific the first two series with lots of different formations and plays. Since then it's like we're running a completely different game plan. We also can't run the ball but neither can SMU.
Also, the commentator for ESPN 3 is maybe the worse I've ever heard. They also keep showing our special teams coach and saying that he's our defensive coordinator. Hilarious.
As I have been fearing all week, the real difference between SMU and UNT is Courtland Sutton. He is a man among boys against us. Now 7 TD's against us in just over 6 quarters.
That is the difference. Without Sutton, this is a different game. We just have no answer for him.
(09-09-2017 07:59 PM)ClaudeFunston Wrote: [ -> ]As I have been fearing all week, the real difference between SMU and UNT is Courtland Sutton. He is a man among boys against us. Now 7 TD's against us in just over 6 quarters.
That is the difference. Without Sutton, this is a different game. We just have no answer for him.
Sutton owned us again. That guy should have gone to NFL after last season.
I certainly believe North Texas is improved over last season, but our O-line remains an issue, as does our special teams. Not happy seeing our punt returners making the same mistakes they made last week. The special teams coach needs to do his job and find us a return man.
The most disappointing thing I'm taking from this game how our coaches got away from playing real football. I don't understand the need for double reverse on that kickoff when we are leading early in the game. And I don't understand why it took so long for us to throw the ball down field. Our coaches called a bad game early. We should have been going deep in the 1st quarter, not waiting until we were down 30 in the 3rd . Mason Fine threw for 424 yards. Too bad we spent so much time in the "wild cat" in the first half.
Having said that, SMU is going to challenge for the AAC title this season. Morris has them in a good place. I think they could put a scare in TCU next week.
North Texas will be a player in the race for the C-USA West Title.
(09-09-2017 09:54 PM)joshdude182 Wrote: [ -> ]Very disappointing performance. I would have been okay with a close loss, but not one like this. To a P5 maybe, but not to SMU.
(09-09-2017 09:54 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote: [ -> ]Having said that, SMU is going to challenge for the AAC title this season. Morris has them in a good place. I think they could put a scare in TCU next week.
Wait, what? You posted this in your opening post in this thread.....
Quote:I believe North Texas will win tonight, and Morris might begin to feel his seat warming up