(09-18-2014 02:27 PM)pgreen822 Wrote:  While I certainly wouldn't be surprised if Arkansas won based on the size of their offensive line and their strong running game, I can't understand why people think that Arkansas is soooo much better than NIU in every facet of the game. Here are some facts I just can't get past:

- The team hasn't been good since 2011 with virtually no big wins. In fact, they didn't win one SEC game last year. I don't see where Arkansas has really proven themselves since their 10/6/12 victory over an unranked Auburn team.

- They are claiming that the victory over Texas Tech means that they "are back," however if you look at Texas Tech's results this year, they are FAR from inspiring. A seven point win over Central Arkansas? A four point win over UTEP? Texas Tech was decent last year, but they did lose their last 5 regular season games and got blown out in 4 of them.

- I don't see any discussion about their passing game or their defense. Last I checked, NIU has some pretty strong offensive weapons.

What else am I missing that proves to me that we should be nervous about a blowout or that the 14+ spread is justified? And no, I don't think that MAC vs SEC is a legitimate reason. Has NIU beat very good competition? I would say the Iowa victory last year was a "good" win. However it is a legit argument that NIU has played a lot of weak teams the last few years as well.

I am expecting a good game in a great environment. I think we will give up our share of points, but we have the offensive firepower to stay with them. It could come down to time of possession (they will definitely have more depth) and turnovers.

Let me know what I am missing here....

(09-18-2014 02:49 PM)7 Wrote:  They are much imporved MD, and NIU can still win.

This would be a fairly easy victory for NIU if it was 2013 Arkansas.

(09-18-2014 02:56 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  All I know...well think is that our current offense is stronger, faster and better as a unit than the team that we had in the Orange Bowl. Yes we don't have JL (who didnt play well at all) but our OL, TLL, Brown, Canada and others have 18 more games under their belt. On top of that we now have Stingly, ACRB, Beebe, Turner and Ezra.

Aren't our LBs also better than what we had in the OB?

(09-18-2014 02:54 PM)Enaiu Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 02:49 PM)7 Wrote:  They are much imporved MD, and NIU can still win.

This would be a fairly easy victory for NIU if it was 2013 Arkansas.

Easy? Was Arkansas really THAT bad last year? If NIU had Arkansas' schedule last year, I really wonder how well NIU would have done. Among their schedule:

(ranks correlate with time of play)
vs #10 Texas A&M
@ #18 Florida
vs #14 South Carolina
@ #1 Alabama
vs #8 Auburn
@ #15 LSU

(09-18-2014 03:12 PM)HuskieRak Wrote:  Because they won a game against a bad team with a horrible defense and that gives them confidence for the first time in three years.

(09-18-2014 02:56 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  All I know...well think is that our current offense is stronger, faster and better as a unit than the team that we had in the Orange Bowl. Yes we don't have JL (who didnt play well at all) but our OL, TLL, Brown, Canada and others have 18 more games under their belt. On top of that we now have Stingly, ACRB, Beebe, Turner and Ezra.

Aren't our LBs also better than what we had in the OB?

(09-18-2014 04:39 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  It's based on several factors really...

1. No, I don't think you can contain our running game.

2. Because you won't be able to contain our running game, we will have the ball for 4-6 minutes per drive.

3. We are good enough defensively to get off the field, we made stops versus Auburn and TTU.

4. You guys are a slight upgrade in competition as compared to TTU. We have superior talent at key positions like both sides of the LOS.

I know you have had success. I think you have a great team and will have a great rest of the season. But at the end of the day there is a huge talent difference that favors us. Don't come at me with the 2003 win vs Alabama. We beat Alabama that year too. Was not one of Alabama's better seasons. As a matter of fact we were the 9th ranked team in the country when we beat Alabama that year.

You say don't give you the SEC vs MAC argument... I say quit comparing our current team to last seasons or the season before that. We are different and much improved.

(09-18-2014 04:46 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:39 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  It's based on several factors really...

1. No, I don't think you can contain our running game.

2. Because you won't be able to contain our running game, we will have the ball for 4-6 minutes per drive.

3. We are good enough defensively to get off the field, we made stops versus Auburn and TTU.

4. You guys are a slight upgrade in competition as compared to TTU. We have superior talent at key positions like both sides of the LOS.

I know you have had success. I think you have a great team and will have a great rest of the season. But at the end of the day there is a huge talent difference that favors us. Don't come at me with the 2003 win vs Alabama. We beat Alabama that year too. Was not one of Alabama's better seasons. As a matter of fact we were the 9th ranked team in the country when we beat Alabama that year.

You say don't give you the SEC vs MAC argument... I say quit comparing our current team to last seasons or the season before that. We are different and much improved.

all fair points, but at the end of the day talent isnt everything. every single P5 team in the country has better talent than NIU and we still find a way to win. Hell even Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois and certainty Arkansas are more talented. Luckily thats not the only thing that wins game. We'll see what happens Saturday. Hopefully our boys show well win or lose and show heart, play a chip on their shoulders and execute their assignments. Thats been the Huskie way for years now. Wouldnt be surprised if we lost but I would be surprised if we get blown out.

(09-18-2014 04:52 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:46 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:39 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  It's based on several factors really...

1. No, I don't think you can contain our running game.

2. Because you won't be able to contain our running game, we will have the ball for 4-6 minutes per drive.

3. We are good enough defensively to get off the field, we made stops versus Auburn and TTU.

4. You guys are a slight upgrade in competition as compared to TTU. We have superior talent at key positions like both sides of the LOS.

I know you have had success. I think you have a great team and will have a great rest of the season. But at the end of the day there is a huge talent difference that favors us. Don't come at me with the 2003 win vs Alabama. We beat Alabama that year too. Was not one of Alabama's better seasons. As a matter of fact we were the 9th ranked team in the country when we beat Alabama that year.

You say don't give you the SEC vs MAC argument... I say quit comparing our current team to last seasons or the season before that. We are different and much improved.

all fair points, but at the end of the day talent isnt everything. every single P5 team in the country has better talent than NIU and we still find a way to win. Hell even Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois and certainty Arkansas are more talented. Luckily thats not the only thing that wins game. We'll see what happens Saturday. Hopefully our boys show well win or lose and show heart, play a chip on their shoulders and execute their assignments. Thats been the Huskie way for years now. Wouldnt be surprised if we lost but I would be surprised if we get blown out.

I firmly believe we would beat any team you guys have played by 2+ TD's...

It's just different, a different kind of talent. And I'll give you guys all the credit in the world if you stay within the spread. My personal opinion is that you won't but stranger things have happened.

The crowd should be pretty large. The State is pretty pumped about the recent win over Tech so I suspect there will be some butts in the seats.

I know games aren't played on message boards and I'm really not trying to troll you guys. If you beat us, I'll be back to congratulate.

(09-18-2014 04:55 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:52 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:46 PM)NIU32 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 04:39 PM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  It's based on several factors really...

1. No, I don't think you can contain our running game.

2. Because you won't be able to contain our running game, we will have the ball for 4-6 minutes per drive.

3. We are good enough defensively to get off the field, we made stops versus Auburn and TTU.

4. You guys are a slight upgrade in competition as compared to TTU. We have superior talent at key positions like both sides of the LOS.

I know you have had success. I think you have a great team and will have a great rest of the season. But at the end of the day there is a huge talent difference that favors us. Don't come at me with the 2003 win vs Alabama. We beat Alabama that year too. Was not one of Alabama's better seasons. As a matter of fact we were the 9th ranked team in the country when we beat Alabama that year.

You say don't give you the SEC vs MAC argument... I say quit comparing our current team to last seasons or the season before that. We are different and much improved.

all fair points, but at the end of the day talent isnt everything. every single P5 team in the country has better talent than NIU and we still find a way to win. Hell even Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois and certainty Arkansas are more talented. Luckily thats not the only thing that wins game. We'll see what happens Saturday. Hopefully our boys show well win or lose and show heart, play a chip on their shoulders and execute their assignments. Thats been the Huskie way for years now. Wouldnt be surprised if we lost but I would be surprised if we get blown out.

I firmly believe we would beat any team you guys have played by 2+ TD's...

It's just different, a different kind of talent. And I'll give you guys all the credit in the world if you stay within the spread. My personal opinion is that you won't but stranger things have happened.

The crowd should be pretty large. The State is pretty pumped about the recent win over Tech so I suspect there will be some butts in the seats.

I know games aren't played on message boards and I'm really not trying to troll you guys. If you beat us, I'll be back to congratulate.

Granted Arkansas is much better this year, but I don't think NIU loses to last year's Bama team by 52