By worst loss I mean who will lose to a team they absolutely have no business losing to and on the flipside who will beat a team that will knock off a BCS opponent they shouldn't.

Worst Loss Candidates:
ECU vs ODU (Only because ODU is currently FCS)
FIU vs Bethune-Cookman
Marshall vs Little Miami
Marshall vs Gardner-Webb
MTSU vs WCU
USM vs Texas State
UAB vs NW State
LaTech vs Lamar
Tulane vs Jackson State
Tulane vs South Alabama


Best Win Candidates:
ECU vs VT
ECU @ UNC
ECU @ NC State
FAU @ Miami
FAU @ Auburn
FIU @ Maryland
FIU @ Louisville
Marshall @ VT
MTSU @ UNC
USM @ Nebraska
USM @ Arkansas
UAB @ LSU
UAB @ Vanderbilt
LaTech @ NC State
Rice @ Texas A&M
Tulsa @ Oklahoma
UTEP @ Texas A&M
UTSA vs Oklahoma State

ECU for best win.
Tulane/Marshall are most likely to lose one of the games you have listed under bad losses.

Funny thread, because by the time it was all said and done in 2012, we had probably the best win and worst loss for the Sun Belt.

(04-10-2013 11:15 AM)MTowho Wrote:  Funny thread, because by the time it was all said and done in 2012, we had probably the best win and worst loss for the Sun Belt.

Didn't ulm beat Arkansas?

Although I have high hopes for our upcoming season, I don't have particularly high hopes for beating A&M and the reigning Heisman winner in College Station. We beat Kansas in Lawrence last year and get them in Houston this year, but they will be an improved team. I'm hoping we can avoid any pitfalls (no offense UTSA, FAU, and UNT fans...and I guess NMSU)

(04-10-2013 11:03 AM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  ECU for best win.
Tulane/Marshall are most likely to lose one of the games you have listed under bad losses.

There is absolutely no way we lose to either Little Miami or GW.

(04-10-2013 10:55 AM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  Worst Loss Candidates:
ECU vs ODU (Only because ODU is currently FCS)

Best Win Candidates:
ECU vs VT
ECU @ UNC
ECU @ NC State

Losing to ODU would only be "bad" because of their FCS affiliation. Their offense is legit. A worse loss would be to either of the F_U's.

As for ECU's chances at best wins, VT, UNC, and NCSU will all be down a little this year. VT may be improved over last year, but not at the level they are usually at. UNC has questions without their RB, and from what I've been told by prep coaches that have seen NCSU in person, they are terrible. I'd love it if ECU won all three, but the best win would probably be against a Tulsa team with tons of potential. Marshall could be a very big win as well if their season goes well.

Of course weight is put on winning OOC games, especially against Big 5 teams, but there are clearly more competitive matches that could be against higher ranked teams within the conference.


The "best wins" I'd like to see, other than ECU's of course, are either USM game, UTEP over A&M, and FAU over Auburn.
Marshall losing to Gardner Webb would be the absolute worst loss.

I think we are catching Miami and Auburn on a "down" swing and have a chance to beat them, with Auburn being the better shot of the two.

200yrs2late,

IF FAU beats Miami (and thats a pretty solid IF) would you still consider a loss to FAU to be bad? Just curious.

I think ODU potential could be in the mix for an upset against one of the other FBS Schools they play this year. ODU will be playing the following while still FCS this year.

ECU
Maryland
UNC
Pittsburg

I feel if they win even one of the games against any of those Schools, it will be a huge upset

Go Monarchs

(04-10-2013 10:55 AM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  By worst loss I mean who will lose to a team they absolutely have no business losing to and on the flipside who will beat a team that will knock off a BCS opponent they shouldn't.

Worst Loss Candidates:
ECU vs ODU (Only because ODU is currently FCS)
FIU vs Bethune-Cookman
Marshall vs Little Miami
Marshall vs Gardner-Webb
MTSU vs WCU
USM vs Texas State
UAB vs NW State
LaTech vs Lamar
Tulane vs Jackson State
Tulane vs South Alabama


Best Win Candidates:
ECU vs VT
ECU @ UNC
ECU @ NC State
FAU @ Miami
FAU @ Auburn
FIU @ Maryland
FIU @ Louisville
Marshall @ VT
MTSU @ UNC
USM @ Nebraska
USM @ Arkansas
UAB @ LSU
UAB @ Vanderbilt
LaTech @ NC State
Rice @ Texas A&M
Tulsa @ Oklahoma
UTEP @ Texas A&M
UTSA vs Oklahoma State

Would it even be an "upset" if South Alabama beat Tulane? Last year USA played its last FBS transitional year with mostly FCS talent and FCS depth but was still a pretty tough team. Ask Arkansas State, FAU, FIU, or even MTSU. The Massey Ratings Comparison had Tulane at 118 and USA at 119 last year. We've gotten better with more FBS talent and depth (a lot of redshirt players are available). Has Tulane gotten better? This isn't the homer in me speaking, but I actually think USA wins this game.

I don't think ECU beating NC State this year would be a big upset at all. We beat NC State with regularity lately. UNC or VT, now that's a different story. I'll dance naked on 5th Street if we beat either of them.

(04-10-2013 11:29 AM)Dorrej Wrote:  Didn't ulm beat Arkansas?

Yeah, and at the time that was probably the biggest win in Sun Belt history (I think Arkansas was #7 when ULM beat them).

But at the end of the year, I think it was pretty clear that Ga Tech was a better team than Arkansas. But ULM definitely got a lot more press about their win...just depends on which way you define "best win".

(04-10-2013 11:48 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  I think we are catching Miami and Auburn on a "down" swing and have a chance to beat them, with Auburn being the better shot of the two.

200yrs2late,

IF FAU beats Miami (and thats a pretty solid IF) would you still consider a loss to FAU to be bad? Just curious.

Depends on the direction of the season for ECU and FAU. If FAU plays a perfect game and beats Miami but ends up under .500 for the year I'd probably still consider it a bad loss. It's the second home game for ECU, at night, on a Thurs. I'm not trying to disparage FAU, but you guys were 3-9 last year. A statement win @ Miami is good for FAU and the conference, but I still expect FAU to have a .500 type season. 4-8 to 6-6. More than likely that adds up to an ECU loss at the hands of FAU being a bad loss.

For what its worth I think you have a better shot at Auburn by far if they haven't found their footing by then.

(04-10-2013 12:32 PM)tyler90wm Wrote:  

(04-10-2013 11:29 AM)Dorrej Wrote:  Didn't ulm beat Arkansas?

Yeah, and at the time that was probably the biggest win in Sun Belt history (I think Arkansas was #7 when ULM beat them).

But at the end of the year, I think it was pretty clear that Ga Tech was a better team than Arkansas. But ULM definitely got a lot more press about their win...just depends on which way you define "best win".

I hold ULM responsible for the absolute collapse of their season. I think losing to ULM caused the team to just say "**** it". Thus, I still feel ULM had the most impressive win.

uab for both

(04-10-2013 12:53 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  

(04-10-2013 11:48 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  I think we are catching Miami and Auburn on a "down" swing and have a chance to beat them, with Auburn being the better shot of the two.

200yrs2late,

IF FAU beats Miami (and thats a pretty solid IF) would you still consider a loss to FAU to be bad? Just curious.

Depends on the direction of the season for ECU and FAU. If FAU plays a perfect game and beats Miami but ends up under .500 for the year I'd probably still consider it a bad loss. It's the second home game for ECU, at night, on a Thurs. I'm not trying to disparage FAU, but you guys were 3-9 last year. A statement win @ Miami is good for FAU and the conference, but I still expect FAU to have a .500 type season. 4-8 to 6-6. More than likely that adds up to an ECU loss at the hands of FAU being a bad loss.

For what its worth I think you have a better shot at Auburn by far if they haven't found their footing by then.

We almost beat Auburn the last go around in 2011, but close only counts in horeshoes and grenades right? I'm just curious as to why you think losing to the Florida schools would be worse than losing to a current team in the FCS. Being a fan that recruits heavily in Florida, I think y'all would understand not to sleep on Florida teams.

(04-10-2013 12:53 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  Depends on the direction of the season for ECU and FAU. If FAU plays a perfect game and beats Miami but ends up under .500 for the year I'd probably still consider it a bad loss. It's the second home game for ECU, at night, on a Thurs. I'm not trying to disparage FAU, but you guys were 3-9 last year. A statement win @ Miami is good for FAU and the conference, but I still expect FAU to have a .500 type season. 4-8 to 6-6. More than likely that adds up to an ECU loss at the hands of FAU being a bad loss.

For what its worth I think you have a better shot at Auburn by far if they haven't found their footing by then.

I agree, and to be honest after having a 1-11 season in 2011, and 3-9 last year i would be totally fine with a 6-6 and consider that good progress considering we had to rebuild the program from a pretty bare cupboard.

I think Auburn is the better shot as well out of the two.

(04-10-2013 01:03 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  

(04-10-2013 12:53 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  Depends on the direction of the season for ECU and FAU. If FAU plays a perfect game and beats Miami but ends up under .500 for the year I'd probably still consider it a bad loss. It's the second home game for ECU, at night, on a Thurs. I'm not trying to disparage FAU, but you guys were 3-9 last year. A statement win @ Miami is good for FAU and the conference, but I still expect FAU to have a .500 type season. 4-8 to 6-6. More than likely that adds up to an ECU loss at the hands of FAU being a bad loss.

For what its worth I think you have a better shot at Auburn by far if they haven't found their footing by then.

I agree, and to be honest after having a 1-11 season in 2011, and 3-9 last year i would be totally fine with a 6-6 and consider that good progress considering we had to rebuild the program from a pretty bare cupboard.

I think Auburn is the better shot as well out of the two.

We'll still riot in the Breezeway or the quad if we beat UM.

We didn't win a game last year, so any win this year, beginning with Texas State, will be good.

(04-10-2013 12:59 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  uab for both

The likeliest is UAB/Vandy, and that's not particularly likely.

I doubt UAB gets either.