New Mexico Bowl: North Texas vs. Colorado St.
Boca Raton Bowl: FAU vs. Ball St.
Bahamas Bowl: LaTech vs. Toledo
Hawaii Bowl: MTSU vs. San Diego St
HOD Bowl: Indiana vs. UTSA
Indy Bowl: Miami vs. Rice
Orange Bowl: Marshall vs. Auburn


http://www.philsteele.com/bowls/14-15/bo...tions.html

Those would be pretty good matchups.

(07-26-2014 10:08 AM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Indy Bowl: Miami vs. Rice

I'd make that trip.

Marshall vs Auburn looks good

He also picks Marshall to finish #19.

http://www.philsteele.com/index.html

(07-26-2014 10:38 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 10:08 AM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Indy Bowl: Miami vs. Rice

I'd make that trip.

Absolutely. And that's Miami from the ACC and not Miami from the MAC.

I don't get the love affair with UNT from being picked #1 by the coaches in the West to all the bowl predictions

What am I missing? isn't this a team that only has 9 starters returning and losing their QB & Rb and must replace 6 of their front 7 on defense? And it's not like they are in a position of being a school that just reloads every year. We are talking about a program coming off a AWFUL downturn that won 6 or more games once in the last 9 years...last year.

So what am I missing? I will admit the only game I saw was their bowl game, I'm totally in the dark so there must be something to explain why a team losing so much is picked #1 in the west.

Same goes for a FAU team that won 6 games and must replace 55% of their Offense and defense

(07-26-2014 11:37 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  Same goes for a FAU team that won 6 games and must replace 55% of their Offense and defense

I'm a believer in FAU being a dangerous team this year. They return most their secondary which was definitely a team strength last year and they can matchup fairly well with even the best receiving corps the league has to offer. They have to rebuild their front seven, but if their line and backers can just hold their own and be competent with what will be a really young group, I actually think the strength of their secondary makes them more than notable in this pass-happy league.

I was very impressed with their QB, Jaques Johnson, and he's a legit dual-threat guy. They return their deep threats at the outside receiver positions, but they do have some work to re-establish their depth at running back.

I think returning a legit dual-threat quarterback, and a secondary that might be the league's best, make them a potential threat anytime they look to step on the field this year. I think their ultimately success will depend on rushing offense and rushing defense. Their performance at the line of scrimmage on both side of the ball will ultimately determine if they'll be a middle of the pack or really challenging at the top. With them being really young on the o-line, and Johnston only a junior this year, my take is you can probably look for them to be an improved team in 2015 (despite losing a few in the secondary this year, I was surprised by the quality of the depth they showed in the Marshall game last year - they have 8 significant contributors to the 2013 stats returning this year). But they have enough talent in the skill positions to be dangerous.

Any bowl predictions before camp is started is pointless.

That said. If we're going to do it any projection that doesn't have Middle Tennessee in the Bahamas Bowl is missing the obvious. That's where we are going to be.

(07-26-2014 11:37 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  I don't get the love affair with UNT from being picked #1 by the coaches in the West to all the bowl predictions

What am I missing? isn't this a team that only has 9 starters returning and losing their QB & Rb and must replace 6 of their front 7 on defense? And it's not like they are in a position of being a school that just reloads every year. We are talking about a program coming off a AWFUL downturn that won 6 or more games once in the last 9 years...last year.

So what am I missing? I will admit the only game I saw was their bowl game, I'm totally in the dark so there must be something to explain why a team losing so much is picked #1 in the west.

Same goes for a FAU team that won 6 games and must replace 55% of their Offense and defense

No love affair. It's like last year's pre-season. UNT was predicted to finish 4th or 5th in the West. We end up in the HOD bowl and a win. No one really knows how UNT will finish.

I say, "play ball".

(07-26-2014 11:37 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  Same goes for a FAU team that won 6 games and must replace 55% of their Offense and defense

Jesus Christ, this is what, the second time we've been predicted to go to a bowl game in six years? Let us have our parade.

But since you asked, Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up. We made silly mistakes that young teams make. With another year of experience under the belt, and the strengths of the team (QB, RB, WR, DBs and LBs) still improving, why not just predict FAU to go to a bowl game? It's not like people are predicting us to go to the CUSA championship. In fact, most previews have us finishing third or fourth in the division.

Anyways, think of that FAU team that beat y'all in 2012 in Bowling Green, only with a real QB and an even better D.

(07-26-2014 03:37 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  But since you asked, Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up.

I'll back you up 100%. Marshall escaped only on a last second field goal. FAU's defense was well up to the task, and I agree Johnson is a legit dual threat QB. I wouldn't suggest anyone go to sleep on the Owls. (Oh, and BTW, I think Partridge is going to better HC for the Owls than Pelini, particularly in the recruiting game.) I think FAU is going to be legit upper tier team, consistently, in the East in the years to come.

(07-26-2014 03:55 PM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 03:37 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  But since you asked, Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up.

I'll back you up 100%. Marshall escaped only on a last second field goal. FAU's defense was well up to the task, and I agree Johnson is a legit dual threat QB. I wouldn't suggest anyone go to sleep on the Owls. (Oh, and BTW, I think Partridge is going to better HC for the Owls than Pelini, particularly in the recruiting game.) I think FAU is going to be legit upper tier team, consistently, in the East in the years to come.

We can only hope, I'm excited for almost every game this year except the trips to Tuscaloosa and Huntington. The future for many CUSA programs look as bright as ever.

(07-26-2014 03:55 PM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  I wouldn't suggest anyone go to sleep on the Owls.

Either kind.

(07-26-2014 11:19 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 10:38 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 10:08 AM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Indy Bowl: Miami vs. Rice

I'd make that trip.

Absolutely. And that's Miami from the ACC and not Miami from the MAC.

I'd be there too to enjoy the Miami victory . That said, I strongly believe Miami will not be going to a lower-level bowl. The team is young but very good this year and will improve as the season goes on.

FAU to the Boca Bowl makes sense. Its an opportunity to pack the stands and make the bowl look good its first year.

(07-26-2014 03:37 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up.

Oh really?

(07-26-2014 10:26 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 03:37 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up.

Oh really?

Yeah, really. The stats of the game straight from ESPN.

MT FAU
1st Downs 21 28
Total Yards 446 503
Passing 150 321
Rushing 296 182
3rd Down Conversions 8-15 13-20
4th Down Conversions 1-1 2-3
Possession 27:49 32:11


But if you don't think a visiting team getting out-gained and still pulling out a win in OT after the home team was just 9 yards away from forcing a second overtime period is lucky, then I'd love to know what your definition of lucky is. Hell, any win in OT requires some bit of good luck, therefor making the winning team, even if it's just a little bit, lucky. That is, unless you're the great Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders. Then the only time luck is involved in football games is when bad luck wished upon by a Ghanian witchdoctor when the mighty Raiders lose. Those damn Ghanians...



An "A" for your devils advocate effort though!

(07-26-2014 10:38 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 10:08 AM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Indy Bowl: Miami vs. Rice

I'd make that trip.

I'd attend for the first time since Tech was last in it.

(07-26-2014 10:59 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 10:26 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 03:37 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Middle, Marshall, and Rice were all lucky to get their W's from us last year, and every single one of their fans will back that up.

Oh really?

Yeah, really. The stats of the game straight from ESPN.

MT FAU
1st Downs 21 28
Total Yards 446 503
Passing 150 321
Rushing 296 182
3rd Down Conversions 8-15 13-20
4th Down Conversions 1-1 2-3
Possession 27:49 32:11


But if you don't think a visiting team getting out-gained and still pulling out a win in OT after the home team was just 9 yards away from forcing a second overtime period is lucky, then I'd love to know what your definition of lucky is. Hell, any win in OT requires some bit of good luck, therefor making the winning team, even if it's just a little bit, lucky. That is, unless you're the great Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders. Then the only time luck is involved in football games is when bad luck wished upon by a Ghanian witchdoctor when the mighty Raiders lose. Those damn Ghanians...



An "A" for your devils advocate effort though!

Wow you took a sharp turn. Ghanaian witch doctor?

You guys scored a TD with just three seconds remaining to force OT in the first place and I'm sorry but a difference of 57 yards is not significant enough to say that simply because you were at home and outgained us that we were "lucky" to get out with a win.

Good teams win close games. Feel free to call us lucky if it helps you sleep at night, but obviously not "every one of their fans" backs up your claim as you suggested.