When will we win a road game?
It's like the team has a mental block. They just can't get over the hump. I don't know if it's the home crowd that gets them going or not. On the road players need to find a way to stick together and stay focused. Right now some little things seem to make them fall apart and make mistakes.
We did in 2014 and we will again. Let's start this Saturday. We have been a play away twice this season. It's not like we are losing by 20. Games could have gone either way.
Let's pretend Ball St didnt happen.
Thing that's frustrating is none of the road losses came at a stadium where it's particularly difficult to play. Noise wasn't a factor in any of the games and travel was easy. This week at Southern Miss will be the most difficult environment - by far - that the Blazers have faced this year. A good size crowd of UAB folks will be very helpful.
We've already played the teams we should have been able to beat on the road this season. Southern Miss, UTSA, and Florida are all better teams than Charlotte and Ball State. I hope we pull out at least one of those games because it would give us a buffer in case we happen to drop the Rice or UTEP games at home.
Ball state is 2-5 on the year. When I watched us play them that day in Muncie, I was convinced that was a bowl team that would compete for the MAC. Boy was I wrong.
(10-24-2017 02:37 PM)blazerball25 Wrote: [ -> ]Ball state is 2-5 on the year. When I watched us play them that day in Muncie, I was convinced that was a bowl team that would compete for the MAC. Boy was I wrong.
We are their only FBS victory. Their other win was against a currently-winless FCS team in Tennessee Tech. Our schedule honestly could not have been put together any better for a first season back.
(10-24-2017 02:37 PM)blazerball25 Wrote: [ -> ]Ball state is 2-5 on the year. When I watched us play them that day in Muncie, I was convinced that was a bowl team that would compete for the MAC. Boy was I wrong.
Really?
I was convinced it was a game we should have won by 2 scores. We did not play well at all in that game and our own mistakes cost us.
Ball State lost their starting QB Riley Neal in the game after us vs Tenn Tech. they beat tech and are winless ever sense. Neal likely would've been MAC offensive player of the year.
(10-24-2017 02:51 PM)demiveeman Wrote: [ -> ] (10-24-2017 02:37 PM)blazerball25 Wrote: [ -> ]Ball state is 2-5 on the year. When I watched us play them that day in Muncie, I was convinced that was a bowl team that would compete for the MAC. Boy was I wrong.
Really?
I was convinced it was a game we should have won by 2 scores. We did not play well at all in that game and our own mistakes cost us.
We lost by 20 and couldn't stop them even if they were facing my 3rd and 30. They were <60% on third downs that day.
We're still growing, but I'd feel better about this team if we can manage to get the road monkey off our back. I don't think we've played our best game yet, so there is hope.
Just looked up ball state. Looks like they have gone to a new QB. 6 int's and zero touchdowns. They've scored 15 points in the last three games. Plus the MAC has some decent football.
Folks, no team coming back from a two+ year hiatus is going to win all or even nearly all of its games. This year's Blazer team is better than many of our previous teams due to better coaching and recruiting, but reality dictates that experienced teams do better than start up teams in most games. We have improved over this season, but so too have our opponents, and they know more about what we do than earlier teams. Expect tougher competition from now on.
It's hard to play well when the people in the stands are yelling for the other team.
(10-24-2017 03:25 PM)blazerball25 Wrote: [ -> ]They were <60% on third downs that day.
So what? We were 63% on third downs against UNT and still lost.
Call me crazy, but I think we get it done this Saturday.
Not saying we are going to win the upcoming game this Saturday, but I think the motivation is a little higher against Southern, it will be a game were we left off, I doubt they will remember that but I think somehow we will. Its normally easier to get the players hyped when their is a history behind the game our last game their was tremendous. Its a rivalry game that pretty sure they don't remember. Theirs still a couple players that will remind them, Shaq being the first.