I'm sorry but looking at their schedule they have played no one. Northwestern and Arkansas are by far better opponents than anyone on their schedul . Also I think Toledo and Western Michigan are equal if not better opponents than anyone on their schedule. Would not be surprised if NIU won by 14+ point . This team is on a roll and Marshall has strugled the last couple of games!!

List of teams NIU failed to beat by 14+ this year:
Kent State (3)
CMU (-17)
Miami (10)
EMU (11)
Ohio (7)

Less noteworthy, but also:
WMU (10)
Toledo (3)
Northwestern (8)

Look, I think NIU has a real shot to win this game, but we can we not turn into WMU fans here? They don't suck. We struggled with teams that do suck this year.

I agree I just think Marshall has not played anyone good. I understand that this NIU team is young and they are peaking at the right time. Honestly if we replay those close games today we blow them out. remember this was a transition year? Im not taking anything away from Marshall but honestly who on there schedule is any good.

(12-08-2014 02:43 PM)huskie2379 Wrote:  I agree I just think Marshall has not played anyone good. I understand that this NIU team is young and they are peaking at the right time. Honestly if we replay those close games today we blow them out. remember this was a transition year? Im not taking anything away from Marshall but honestly who on there schedule is any good.

No, we probably don't. You could just easily say that if we replayed the Toledo and WMU games, we would lose.

Don't let the high of winning the MACC cloud your judgment. We've all seen this team struggle at times this year against lesser competition. This NIU team is not gonna blow out a team that went 11-1, regardless of schedule. It's a refrain for me, I know, but this will be a slugfest and either team is capable of winning.

Yea, let's not trash Marshalls schedule. I hated hearing people trash ours the Orange Bowl year. Let's not go there

NIU put their best 6 quarters together, no doubt, but it's not like they've been steamrolling people for an extended period of time. You're most likely going to see some of the same issues you have all year in the bowl game. 13 games in, they are who they are for this season. Keep it close, find a way to win at the end.

Yeah, amazing how the last 6 quarters of NIU football have changed the perception of so many fans.

This team isn't a crazy dominant one...they're good, and they battle, and they know how to win, which is what makes it fun, but don't mistake this for a team that would dominate half of FBS.

Yes. But watching every game this year you can see the growth and maturity especially on defense. Also drew hare is confident and I doubt Marshall has seen caliber of running backs NIU can put on then field. I really think NIU takes this game.

(12-08-2014 02:50 PM)7 Wrote:  NIU put their best 6 quarters together, no doubt, but it's not like they've been steamrolling people for an extended period of time. You're most likely going to see some of the same issues you have all year in the bowl game. 13 games in, they are who they are for this season. Keep it close, find a way to win at the end.

Honestly, if the game is close, I like NIU's chances better.

But yeah, Hare will probably overthrow a couple of passes, there'll be a dumb penalty in there somewhere, Hagan may miss a field goal, Carey will make at least one head-scratching decision that may not necessarily mean anything in the long run, and a bunch of other stuff we've come to expect from this team this year.

I saw somewhere that NIU was the least penalized team in the MAC this year. That was shocking to me lol.

(12-08-2014 02:56 PM)7 Wrote:  I saw somewhere that NIU was the least penalized team in the MAC this year. That was shocking to me lol.

Yeah, I couldn't believe that either so I went and checked and to no one's surprise that's not true at all. We had 78 penalties this season, Buffalo finished first in the MAC at 58

FYI, Marshall is second to last in all of FBS with a staggering 113 penalties

(12-08-2014 03:01 PM)DogPoundNorth Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 02:56 PM)7 Wrote:  I saw somewhere that NIU was the least penalized team in the MAC this year. That was shocking to me lol.

Yeah, I couldn't believe that either so I went and checked and to no one's surprise that's not true at all. We had 78 penalties this season, Buffalo finished first in the MAC at 58

FYI, Marshall is second to last in all of FBS with a staggering 113 penalties

I hope they hold a lot, NIU has the speed to cause holding penalties.

Quote:I agree I just think Marshall has not played anyone good.

Marshall vs Rhode Isle = NIU vs Presbo
Marshall vs Ohio = NIU vs Ohio
Marshall vs Miami-OH = NIU vs Miami-OH
Marshall vs Akron = NIU vs BSU
Marshall vs LA-Tech = NIU vs Toledo
Marshall vs WKU = NIU vs WMU [Marshall Lost, NIU squeaked it out]
Marshall vs Rice = NIU vs CMU [NIU Lost, Marshall dominated in win]
(7 equalish games)

Marshall vs MidTenn < NIU vs BGSU
Marshall vs UAB < NIU vs Arkansas [NIU Loss]
Marshall vs OldDom < NIU vs Northwestern
(3 games Bigger for NIU w/ 2 P5s -- KEY to NIU being noted as having 'tougher schedule')

Marshall vs FIU > NIU vs UNLV
Marshall vs FAU > NIU vs Kent St
Marshall vs S. Miss > NIU vs EMU
(3 games Bigger for Marshall - Poor vs Poor teams)

(12-08-2014 02:50 PM)7 Wrote:  NIU put their best 6 quarters together, no doubt, but it's not like they've been steamrolling people for an extended period of time. You're most likely going to see some of the same issues you have all year in the bowl game. 13 games in, they are who they are for this season. Keep it close, find a way to win at the end.

Actually five and a half quarters since WMU started the third quarter with an 8 minute drive. So yes, our boys have played very well for the last one and three eighths games but let's not start ******* each others ***** just yet as the saying goes. They will have to play their best to beat Marshall.

(12-08-2014 02:56 PM)7 Wrote:  I saw somewhere that NIU was the least penalized team in the MAC this year. That was shocking to me lol.

Beginning of the season it felt like there were personal fouls every other play

(12-08-2014 02:46 PM)BarsemaBone2 Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 02:43 PM)huskie2379 Wrote:  I agree I just think Marshall has not played anyone good. I understand that this NIU team is young and they are peaking at the right time. Honestly if we replay those close games today we blow them out. remember this was a transition year? Im not taking anything away from Marshall but honestly who on there schedule is any good.

No, we probably don't. You could just easily say that if we replayed the Toledo and WMU games, we would lose.

Don't let the high of winning the MACC cloud your judgment. We've all seen this team struggle at times this year against lesser competition. This NIU team is not gonna blow out a team that went 11-1, regardless of schedule. It's a refrain for me, I know, but this will be a slugfest and either team is capable of winning.

Disagree with this. The Huskies are playing their best football of the year by far. I think we began playing better football starting with the Ball State game. Ball State, Toledo and Ohio were solid efforts in tough conditions. But, starting with the 2nd half of the WMU game, this team has really come of age. No doubt in my mind that if we could play the earlier MAC opponents now, the results would be much more convincing, if not blowouts.

The Huskies are definitely peaking at the right time.

Hopefully having the bowl game earlier will help continue our momentum.

Sad that we will only get to use 7-10 of our 15 bowl practices. No extra work on the young guys.

We played MTSU earlier in the year. Right after they played us they beat WKU. That's the same WKU team that not only beat us but that destroyed BGSU when they still had their QB. Middle fell apart down the stretch with some injuries. You guys are also selling La Tech short. They are ranked in the low 40s by Sagarin, significantly higher than anyone you beat (and about 25 spots higher than you).

We have been a little off the last 3 games, but mainly due to not having Devon Johnson available. He should be healthy with a few weeks off. He rushed for 1,600 in the little over 10 games he did play, led the nation by averaging over 8.5 ypc. He's 6'1", 245 with breakaway speed.

I have a lot of respect for NIU, reminds me of our MAC run from 97-02.

(12-08-2014 04:23 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Hopefully having the bowl game earlier will help continue our momentum.

Good point.

Also, consider how Marshall is playing now. Results of their last 3 games:

Nov. 22nd - at UAB - W, 23-18
Nov. 28th - home vs. WKU - L, 67-66 (OT)
Dec. 6th - home, vs. LaTech - W, 26-23

Not exactly what I'd call finishing strong.

(12-08-2014 03:28 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  but let's not start ******* each others ***** just yet as the saying goes.

Hahah