The problem with the pressure argument is that no one has more championship experience in this league than the NIU roster.

It's a familiar feeling. Not just close games, but close championship games.

(12-03-2013 11:58 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:17 AM)NIU8484 Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:15 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 06:09 PM)NIU17 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 06:03 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  Expect BG to come out loose, relaxed, on a serious roll playing their best ball of the season by far and with no pressure whatsoever to accomplish anything other than show up.

It's good to be relaxed and loose, but I bet they are expecting to accomplish a lot more than just showing up. If it's a close game or they are winning, the pressure does start mounting. It is definitely on NIU more, but Lynch seems to handle it very well.

Of course. But if the game stays close, the pressure gets even stronger on NIU...not on BG. We're on a free roll with nothing to lose. Sure we want and expect to win, but no way does NIU not have more pressure on them than on BG at ANY point during this game...sorry.

But NIU has played close games all year....see Iowa, EIU, Ball State, Toledo....it's nothing new

Understand totally...but you have to agree that this game means WAY more now than those, yes? You're one game away from a huge opportunity...and as the game goes one...one half...one quarter, etc. The pressure mounts exponentially as the game goes on as long as BG "hangs around".

I don't think so. This team has played in 4 consecutive MAC Championship games and the one last year had the BCS storyline as well. I don't think pressure is any kind of factor.

I'm surprised Ford Field isn't charging NIU rent being there is so familiar.

(12-02-2013 12:40 PM)cartershaw Wrote:  But BG lost to Toledo at home... We crushed toledo at toledo..huge difference

Toledo isn't much good for comparisons---too inconsistent with too much Jekyll and Hyde personality and they seemed to become more Hyde and less Jekyll as the season wore on. I suspect BG could have taken them by the end of the season.

Of course there is always a possibility that NIU could lose this game, but NIU did not get to 12-0 by sheer luck----they have outplayed everyone they have faced and I doubt that is going to change just because the stakes are even higher now.

(12-03-2013 12:09 PM)7 Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 11:58 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:17 AM)NIU8484 Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:15 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 06:09 PM)NIU17 Wrote:  It's good to be relaxed and loose, but I bet they are expecting to accomplish a lot more than just showing up. If it's a close game or they are winning, the pressure does start mounting. It is definitely on NIU more, but Lynch seems to handle it very well.

Of course. But if the game stays close, the pressure gets even stronger on NIU...not on BG. We're on a free roll with nothing to lose. Sure we want and expect to win, but no way does NIU not have more pressure on them than on BG at ANY point during this game...sorry.

But NIU has played close games all year....see Iowa, EIU, Ball State, Toledo....it's nothing new

Understand totally...but you have to agree that this game means WAY more now than those, yes? You're one game away from a huge opportunity...and as the game goes one...one half...one quarter, etc. The pressure mounts exponentially as the game goes on as long as BG "hangs around".

I don't think so. This team has played in 4 consecutive MAC Championship games and the one last year had the BCS storyline as well. I don't think pressure is any kind of factor.

I disagree. They're only human. And young ones at that. BCS & Heisman!

Heck...I'm feeling the pressure & it's only freakin' Tuesday!

(12-03-2013 11:55 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:23 AM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 10:12 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 10:14 PM)GOONSQUAD41 Wrote:  BGSU runs the ball a lot in the red zone they must not trust the qb much.

Have you met our 1,422 yard rusher (118/game with 10 TD's) Travis Greene yet?

How about William Houston? 11 TD's on a mere 48 carries?

Johnson has 5 rushing TD's as well. We trust him just fine in the RZ.

Aren't most of Houston's TDs goal-line scenarios? Might want to add some context.

I think that he accomplished this in 48 carries sort of contextualized that already, no?

(12-03-2013 10:23 AM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  Also, NIU has two 1,000 yard rushers dude.

Has BG won a close game all year? Since they have not, the only way I see them winning is if they blowout NIU, and I don't anticipate that happening.

I expect an onside kick, maybe a fake punt, lots of that misdirection running game they use, etc. They will throw the kitchen sink at NIU.

If they haven't won a close game all year, I have serious trouble thinking they beat a team that wins close games like it's nothing. (BTW, the Toledo game got out of hand with like 12 mins left, that's not exactly that close)

Thanks, but none of that has anything to do with whether we trust Johnson in the RZ or not. That's all I was commenting on.

We have Lynch and Stingley but we still throw the ball in the red zone because we trust lynch in getting us either 7 or 3 points and no momentum change. Ive watched 4 BGSU games and by that I mean I watched them rewinding and rewinding like I am still playing at NIU. You have an excellent run game with the OL and good backs.
Your qb Johnson doesnt get the call to throw in the red zone. He cant throw a 9 route and has to use play action a lot to throw the ball down the field on the hash. In games BGSU lost Johnson didnt throw the ball well and didnt have a TD.
I see NIU making Johnson beat them with his arm. Lynch will wear out BGSU in the 4th. BGSU has great coaching and are getting every bit of talent out of the players, but huskies will own the 2nd half.