You know, I love winning the MAC as much as anyone, but we're 2-5 as far as bowl games are concerned for the past 7. We've had some pretty damn good teams and players in CH and JL, but other than beating up on scrub B1G teams we never seem to have the horses to run with anyone outside of our conference who is actually good.

I know the team is relatively young and winning the MAC this year exceeded a lot of expectations, but if we always talk about setting the bar higher shouldn't that mean more than just beating up on the same old MAC teams year in and year out? Idk, I'm still happy with the way things played out and I think the future is bright, but I'm just sick of losing in bowls.

(12-23-2014 09:11 PM)SiegInc Wrote:  You know, I love winning the MAC as much as anyone, but we're 2-5 as far as bowl games are concerned. We've had some pretty damn good teams and players in CH and JL, but other than beating up on scrub B1G teams we never seem to have the horses to run with anyone outside of our conference who is actually good.

I know the team is relatively young and winning the MAC this year exceeded a lot of expectations, but if we always talk about setting the bar higher shouldn't that mean more than just beating up on the same old MAC teams year in and year out? Idk, I'm still happy with the way things played out and I think the future is bright, but I'm just sick of losing in bowls.

We are? FAIL!

Besides NIU and Marshall fans, who is going to remember this next September? Sure it sucks, but let's get Hare some more time in the spring and fall camps and see what happens. Like you said, this team overachieved and got beat by a good team tonight.

As I sit here in my gameday boxers, I'm not happy, but it's really hard to be upset with what this team did this season and what they can do in the next few years.

Ok. Be satisfied with winning the MAC every year. Being content = future failure.


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(12-23-2014 09:14 PM)JCCNIU31 Wrote:  Ok. Be satisfied with winning the MAC every year. Being content = future failure.


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I'm not thrilled about tonight's results, but you have to look at the big picture. This team, with a QB who wasn't the starter coming into the year, who saw limited snaps before fall camp, won 11 games and a conference championship. The experience gained is immense. If this coaching staff is worth their marbles, and I think they are, we should see improvement in Hare and the defense and get at it again next year.

Sure...now we sound like the cubs. Maybe next year.


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Jesus Christ guys. We won what matters. Sorry we didn't win an exhibition game at the end of the year, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

My expectations and mood after this game do not matter in terms of "future failure". I highly doubt the players feel the same way I do, seeing as they are the ones putting it on the line and I am just at home watching in my underwear.

Wouldn't NIU be 4-6 in bowl games? D1 that is.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy bashing the NIU slappy's who think their **** don't stink. It even gives me some pleasure seeing them lose. But I think an 11-3 season is something to be proud of after losing the best player (college wise) in school history. NIU has built a dynasty in the MAC over a 5 year period and show no signs of letting up. They were the underdog in this game and I don't think many people thought they would win. Marshall was 1 play away from having an undefeated season.

The MAC is a terrible conference. It pains me to say that but it's the truth. Every few years the teams show up in bowl games but this year is not one of them. Hell, BGSU got lucky to play an atrocious USA team, which very well may be the MAC's only win.

After this year we need to start winning some bowl games though. The Utah st game still pisses me off more than this loss.

NIU is now 4-6 in bowl games.

(12-23-2014 09:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  NIU is now 4-6 in bowl games.

I'm mostly talking about the past 7, just thinking that given all the recent success and dominating the MAC this would carry over into bowl games against other teams, but it hasn't.

(12-23-2014 09:38 PM)SiegInc Wrote:  

(12-23-2014 09:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  NIU is now 4-6 in bowl games.

I'm mostly talking about the past 7, just thinking that given all the recent success and dominating the MAC this would carry over into bowl games against other teams, but it hasn't.

We should have beat Utah St, and maybe even LA Tech, even though we weren't good that year.

But we were given bad matchups against FSU and TCU.

Tonight was tough, good football team Marshall has. We didn't execute in our opportunities to score, Marshall did what a good team does and stepped on our throats when we whiffed.

Unfortunately this wasn't the team or the year for the kind of breakout we'd all like to see.

They had to overachieve to get in this bowl, and they were overmatched against a really good Marshall team.

I think we can realistically expect that breakout bowl game in a year or two, however.

Just think of it this way:if we win a bowl game it's the best thing ever, if we lose it doesn't matter at all.

Works for me.

Hey... 36 other teams will lose bowl games too!!!

Christ, I was expecting to win 8 game this year, 9 at best. We won the MAC in a REBUILDING year. Hare is going to get better and I say we lose 1 game next season. How good is that?

11 wins, a MAC Championship, wins over Big 10 teams = A Fantastic season. However I can't stand this sorry mentality of accepting failure & being okay with mediocrity. STOP IT!!! A bowl game is NOT an exhibition!!!!! And losing the last 3 handily is embarrassing; especially when we've spent that entire time trying to convince the world we're ready for this program to take the next step when it's clear now that we're not! It sucks. We're all pissed off & we have a damn good reason to be tonight. Marshall humiliated us in prime time & kicked us right back to the kids' table for Christmas!

It's a BOWL game. It means NOTHING. Winning the conference means EVERYTHING. That is all.

(12-24-2014 06:22 AM)niuco90 Wrote:  It's a BOWL game. It means NOTHING. Winning the conference means EVERYTHING. That is all.

+1
Big difference between the Orange Bowl and a toilet Bowl.

(12-24-2014 12:19 AM)Huskie73 Wrote:  11 wins, a MAC Championship, wins over Big 10 teams = A Fantastic season. However I can't stand this sorry mentality of accepting failure & being okay with mediocrity. STOP IT!!! A bowl game is NOT an exhibition!!!!! And losing the last 3 handily is embarrassing; especially when we've spent that entire time trying to convince the world we're ready for this program to take the next step when it's clear now that we're not! It sucks. We're all pissed off & we have a damn good reason to be tonight. Marshall humiliated us in prime time & kicked us right back to the kids' table for Christmas!

I believe, if we want to raise the profile of our program, how we fare in our out of conference games is vitally important. That includes bowl games. Gotta win 'em.