Here's how they stand for this week:

C-USA

West

70. La. Tech (3-3)
80. RICE (3-3)
97. UTSA (2-4)
103. UTEP (3-3)
108. So. Miss. (2-4)
116. North Texas (2-4)

East

16. Marshall (6-0)
60. UAB (4-2)
74. Middle Tenn. (4-3)
85. Fla. Int'l (3-4)
89. Western Kentucky (2-3)
102. Old Dominion (3-4)
109. Fla. Atlantic (2-4)

Others:

7. Notre Dame (6-0)
21. Texas A&M (5-2)
86. Hawai'i (2-4)
117. Army (2-4)

Bill Clark (UAB) might get some serious consideration for Coach of the Year, even with Doc Holliday's Marshall team doing so well.

On an unrelated topic, while watching "Back to the Future, Part 2", I noticed that the radio announcer, in listing some scores from November 12, 1955, he said Texas A&M 20, Rice 10. But the actual score was 20-12.

Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

Those rankings (and others are similar) suggest that we will be dogs at Marshall and La Tech, probably a slight dog at FIU, and favored at home versus North Texas, UTEP, and UTSA. If form holds, we're 6-6. Question, at this point are we more likely to go on the road and win one or two of the games where we are dogs, or pull another VCU and stub our toes at home against one of the lesser teams?

Also, it's entirely possible that the winner in the west could be 6-6 overall. If UTEP, UTSA, La Tech and Rice all finish 6-6, La Tech and UTSA would tie for first at 5-3. In that case, 6-7 with a loss to Marshall in the title game is bowl eligible. That scenario could be bad for our bowl hopes, since we would probably be no better than the third pick out of the 6-6 bunch.

(10-13-2014 03:38 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Question, at this point are we more likely to go on the road and win one or two of the games where we are dogs, or pull another VCU and stub our toes at home against one of the lesser teams?

this is the question. I'd like to believe in the former, given Taylor and Covington being back and DJ elevating and injection of true frosh on defense.

(10-13-2014 01:41 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

I'll believe it as soon as I have my hoverboard.

(10-13-2014 03:38 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Those rankings (and others are similar) suggest that we will be dogs at Marshall and La Tech, probably a slight dog at FIU, and favored at home versus North Texas, UTEP, and UTSA. If form holds, we're 6-6. Question, at this point are we more likely to go on the road and win one or two of the games where we are dogs, or pull another VCU and stub our toes at home against one of the lesser teams?

Also, it's entirely possible that the winner in the west could be 6-6 overall. If UTEP, UTSA, La Tech and Rice all finish 6-6, La Tech and UTSA would tie for first at 5-3. In that case, 6-7 with a loss to Marshall in the title game is bowl eligible. That scenario could be bad for our bowl hopes, since we would probably be no better than the third pick out of the 6-6 bunch.

Rankings change. I expect to have 7 wins going into the LaTech game, +/-1, and I expect that game to be for all the West marbles.

Tech doesn't have the easiest of schedules themselves:

UTSA
@ USM
W. Kentucky
@ UAB
@ODU
Rice.

LaTech might be fighting for bowl eligibility themselves more than the West championship.

Let's just take care of business, one game at a time, and we will be OK.

We will win 5 of the last 6. But yeah one game at a time :)

(10-13-2014 01:41 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  On an unrelated topic, while watching "Back to the Future, Part 2", I noticed that the radio announcer, in listing some scores from November 12, 1955, he said Texas A&M 20, Rice 10. But the actual score was 20-12.

Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

To be accurate, BTTF, part 2 predicted a Cubs sweep over Miami (impressive especially because the Marlins didn't exist in 1985). But sadly we know it can't happen because of course both teams are in the NL, and also they predict the Series ends on October 21st, but next year's Series doesn't actually start until the 24th (and will likely end in November).

And most importantly, it's the Cubs we're talking about.

(10-13-2014 01:41 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  On an unrelated topic, while watching "Back to the Future, Part 2", I noticed that the radio announcer, in listing some scores from November 12, 1955, he said Texas A&M 20, Rice 10. But the actual score was 20-12.

Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

Butterfly effect.

Here's the Massey rankings for C-USA:
source: http://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=11312&s=262657 as of 10/14/14

Rank Team Record
37 Marshall 6-0
77 Rice 3-3
81 UAB 4-2
90 Louisiana Tech 3-3
91 W Kentucky 2-3
92 MTSU 4-3
101 UT San Antonio 2-4
112 FL Atlantic 2-4
115 Florida Intl 3-4
125 UTEP 3-3
127 North Texas 2-4
143 Old Dominion 3-4
160 Southern Miss 2-4

Massey had Rice as a 7 point favorite last week. Rice did better and made a big jump in the rankings. Rice is favored in every game by at least 64% except Marshall (17%) and Louisiana Tech (51%). That LT game keeps flipping - 2 weeks ago, Rice was slightly favored, last week it was LT, and this week it's back to Rice. Call it a pick em.

Louisiana Tech is favored in 4 games to go, and slight underdogs in the other 2 (at W Kentucky and vs. Rice). But LT doesn't have a conference loss, so Rice needs some help or a big upset at Marshall.

BTW, the Massey aggregate breaks down like this, with C-USA as the #8 conference overall (independents and MWC ahead). This includes up to 99 different rankings averaged together.

21 Marshall
61 Louisiana Tech
65 UAB
76 Rice
77 MTSU
81 W Kentucky
94 UT San Antonio
95 Florida Intl
102 UTEP
103 FL Atlantic
106 Old Dominion
107 North Texas
110 Southern Miss

source: http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm (as of 10/14/14)

(10-13-2014 08:27 AM)That Guy 2012 Wrote:  

(10-13-2014 01:41 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

I'll believe it as soon as I have my hoverboard.

You will get the hoverboard first

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

(10-14-2014 09:10 AM)gsloth Wrote:  Here's the Massey rankings for C-USA:
source: http://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=11312&s=262657 as of 10/14/14

Rank Team Record
37 Marshall 6-0
77 Rice 3-3
81 UAB 4-2
90 Louisiana Tech 3-3
91 W Kentucky 2-3
92 MTSU 4-3
101 UT San Antonio 2-4
112 FL Atlantic 2-4
115 Florida Intl 3-4
125 UTEP 3-3
127 North Texas 2-4
143 Old Dominion 3-4
160 Southern Miss 2-4

Massey had Rice as a 7 point favorite last week. Rice did better and made a big jump in the rankings. Rice is favored in every game by at least 64% except Marshall (17%) and Louisiana Tech (51%). That LT game keeps flipping - 2 weeks ago, Rice was slightly favored, last week it was LT, and this week it's back to Rice. Call it a pick em.

Louisiana Tech is favored in 4 games to go, and slight underdogs in the other 2 (at W Kentucky and vs. Rice). But LT doesn't have a conference loss, so Rice needs some help or a big upset at Marshall.

BTW, the Massey aggregate breaks down like this, with C-USA as the #8 conference overall (independents and MWC ahead). This includes up to 99 different rankings averaged together.

21 Marshall
61 Louisiana Tech
65 UAB
76 Rice
77 MTSU
81 W Kentucky
94 UT San Antonio
95 Florida Intl
102 UTEP
103 FL Atlantic
106 Old Dominion
107 North Texas
110 Southern Miss

source: http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm (as of 10/14/14)

Good analysis, and I concur. I think UAB is shaping up as a tough one for LT, I don't concede the Marshall game, but if we were to somehow lose it, and win the rest as we should, we need LT to drop one along the way, and I think that is highly likely. Such a result would set up the end-of-season game to be for all the West marbles.

Lots of FBS teams, and CUSA teams in particular, have shown an inconsistency, and so I expect things to change. We need to just take care of OUR business, each week, one game at a time.

ODU loss gets a little more rancid with each passing week.

I'm optimistic that some causal factors have changed for good. yes player health is better, but don't want to anchor on it as that can go backwards on any given snap.

I think Ellerbee and other true frosh are bringing something to the table.

And I'm hopeful that DB's in game decisions on 4th downs at pivotal times will be better. if we could go back in a time machine and go for it right before the half, we have a 50% chance of winning the ODU game, just on that one decision--forget about actually executing on pass defense.

(10-14-2014 12:58 PM)MemOwl Wrote:  I think Ellerbee and other true frosh are bringing something to the table.

Hawaii and Army aren't very good, but I'm on board believing Rice's defense has improved a lot since the first 3 games.
(1) Injured guys seem healthy again.
(2) Moving Hill back to safety has improved safety without, to my eyes, causing any dropoff at CB.
(3) The true freshman that have been getting more snaps seem to be athletic and playing well.
(4) Lots of defenders in the backfield compared to the first 3 games, where opposing QB's sometimes had all day to throw.

Will this be enough to help Rice continue its win streak? Hawaii and Army don't have the kind of offenses that really give us any guide, but I believe yes. With recent improvements, I believe this team has the talent to run the tables. But Marshall is killing every mediocre and bad team they play, that will certainly be a challenging game.

Well we do not deserve to go to a bowl if we are 6 and 6 and be disappointing for the whole program.

Rice had won 10 straight in the series against A&M from 1945 to 1954. Except for the last couple of minutes in 1955, it would have been 11 straight.

(10-13-2014 01:41 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  On an unrelated topic, while watching "Back to the Future, Part 2", I noticed that the radio announcer, in listing some scores from November 12, 1955, he said Texas A&M 20, Rice 10. But the actual score was 20-12.

Also, we're one year away from the "future" of October, 2015, when the Cubs win the World Series.

(10-14-2014 10:41 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Well we do not deserve to go to a bowl if we are 6 and 6 and be disappointing for the whole program.

The words "deserve" and "bowl" have not belonged in the same sentence for a long time.

(10-14-2014 11:20 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-14-2014 10:41 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Well we do not deserve to go to a bowl if we are 6 and 6 and be disappointing for the whole program.

The words "deserve" and "bowl" have not belonged in the same sentence for a long time.

Kind of thinking the same thing.

Let's not resign ourselves to 6-6 just yet. I was resigned to a 'given' finish in 2012, and was happily disappointed. Let's just play 'em one at a time, and argue over Jonathon's game scores each week.

We could end up 3-9 or 9-3 or anywhere in between. I think we'll continue to improve overall (if not every week), and will hold to that belief/hope until proven otherwise by the end of the season (but not before)

For those who want to focus on the negative, ask Jonathon to post our game-by-game 'scores' for 2009. Or break out the Nichols State DVD.

(10-14-2014 11:38 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  Let's not resign ourselves to 6-6 just yet.

I keep wondering why people think 6-6 is our ceiling. Before the season, there was prediction thread, and I said about 8 wins. This was based on probable losses to A$M, ND, Marshall, and one random loss to a team we should beat. Well we had that loss.

some of the teams we expected to compete with us have done poorer than expected, and some we expected to have our way with are doing better than expected. Still, we don't need to set 6-6 as our goal. I won't be happy with 6-6. At this point, I expect us to have a shot at the West championship.

As usual, the worry is injuries to key people. We have already seen how a few injuries can flip the odds on us. That's one reason I am happy to have a bye week right now.

(10-14-2014 09:39 AM)YOwl Ming Wrote:  You will get the hoverboard first

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

Personally, I think I'll get the hoverboard before I can post from my CSNbbs App. The won't even bring up the list of fora for me.