Of course, the Chippewas haven't done much over the past several years to earn much respect.
Good bulletin board material, though, for CMU Coach Brian Kelly:
From the Phila Enquirer:
Lions Have One More Bug to Step On
The Restore Our Confidence trilogy that has started Penn State's 2005 schedule concludes today against Central Michigan, another of those Mid-American Conference teams that gladly trade road beatings for big paydays.
After dispatching South Florida and Cincinnati with differing degrees of difficulty, the 2-0 Nittany Lions today face the 22-point-underdog Chippewas, who will earn about $425,000 for what figures to be a sacrificial visit to Beaver Stadium.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
For full disclosure, for today's game at Beaver Stadium, you could equip the Chippewas with twisted polypropylene rope, a couple saddles and a few 3-year-old Clydesdales and they still wouldn't have an advantage against Penn State.
Here's hoping some bought Kelly a copy of the paper this morning. :mad:
Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Chips ram these words down the authors' throats.
Those writers have short memories.
Penn State hasn't done much in recent years for their fans or beatwriters to be that cocky. They also seem to have forgotten about a recent visit by Toledo.
Not that it's at all relevant, but Buffalo's BB team beat Penn State in State College last year.
Let's hope Paterno and the players also take CMU lightly.
Further insults: on ESPN radio a few minutes ago, reporting on the EMU-UM game (28-0 end of 1)--"These games when you play these overmatched schools are really just an opportunity to practice what you need for your big games. It's really looked at as like a scrimmage."
:chair:
Then again, when the ranked teams continually pound on MAC teams like today, what can you say?
axeme Wrote:Further insults: on ESPN radio a few minutes ago, reporting on the EMU-UM game (28-0 end of 1)--"These games when you play these overmatched schools are really just an opportunity to practice what you need for your big games. It's really looked at as like a scrimmage."
:chair:
Then again, when the ranked teams continually pound on MAC teams like today, what can you say?
It has looked like a scrimmage.
Interesting how Pa papers have no respect for the MAC. Toledo is well on its way to making the MAC 2-0 vs that state this year. And with 3 more cracks at Temple the MAC will have a winning record against the state of Pennsylvania. :D
Okie Chippewa Wrote:Of course, the Chippewas haven't done much over the past several years to earn much respect.
Good bulletin board material, though, for CMU Coach Brian Kelly:
From the Phila Enquirer:
Lions Have One More Bug to Step On
The Restore Our Confidence trilogy that has started Penn State's 2005 schedule concludes today against Central Michigan, another of those Mid-American Conference teams that gladly trade road beatings for big paydays.
After dispatching South Florida and Cincinnati with differing degrees of difficulty, the 2-0 Nittany Lions today face the 22-point-underdog Chippewas, who will earn about $425,000 for what figures to be a sacrificial visit to Beaver Stadium.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
For full disclosure, for today's game at Beaver Stadium, you could equip the Chippewas with twisted polypropylene rope, a couple saddles and a few 3-year-old Clydesdales and they still wouldn't have an advantage against Penn State.
Turns out the papers were right.
I think most of PA wouldn't agree that Temple has a football team.
I think the days of jumping up and knocking off a sleeping big-ten/eleven program are over.
Quote:I think the days of jumping up and knocking off a sleeping big-ten/eleven program are over.
The MAC did have a couple of close games against the Teneleven this year. In past seasons, we've won a few of the close contests; we just have not been able to get over the hump over the past two years.
Unfortunately, much of the MAC today is looking like the ol' MAC of yesterday (as in not very competitive) with EMU, CMU, OU and BSU getting completely obliterated. Not a great day for the conference today again, although it was nice to see the Zips win and for WMU to hang on against one of DIAA's best teams.
exCincy Kid1 Wrote:Unfortunately, much of the MAC today is looking like the ol' MAC of yesterday (as in not very competitive) with EMU, CMU, OU and BSU getting completely obliterated. Not a great day for the conference today again, although it was nice to see the Zips win and for WMU to hang on against one of DIAA's best teams.
True, but again - we didn't have a lot of matchups that were realistic wins, and we didn't take advantage of the ones we had.
HuskieDan: I think I mentioned this in another thread somewhere (although it may have been on the Miami board), but NIU looked very impressive again today, (game was on Comcast here in Chicago) and despite two disappointing losses to start the season I noticed that your stands were pretty much full again today. Novak has really turned your program around, and I'm almost a little jealous of what great fan support you've been able to generate.
exCincy Kid1 Wrote:HuskieDan: I think I mentioned this in another thread somewhere (although it may have been on the Miami board), but NIU looked very impressive again today, and despite two disappointing losses to start the season I noticed that your stands were pretty much full again today. Novak has really turned your program around, and I'm almost a little jealous of what great fan support you've been able to generate.
Thanks. I continue to be pleasantly surprised that despite not coming thru in highly anticipated games against area BCS teams (ISU, UM, NU) we continue to have fantastic crowds. I guess we really didn't know how area fans would react to success at NIU, since we haven't had much over the years and certainly never sustained it (5 straight winning seasons is a first since about the turn of the last century).
We were a little sloppy today, but we didn't jerk around with a 1AA team like we may have in the past after a disappointing loss (see our loss to WIU in '02 after a close loss to Wisky).
NIU did have one of those MAC "upset" opportunities and didn't come thru, and I'm disappointed in that. But I think we've shown that we can still compete with anyone and everyone.
I wasn't really expecting a win today, although I thought it would be closer. Penn State's defense was as good as advertised, and their offense is dramatically improved since last season. Indiana we had our shot at and fell just short. Penn State just might make some noise in the Big Ten this season for the first time in awhile.
Bottom line, I expected CMU to be 1-2 at this point, although I admittedly thought the one win would be against IU and not Miami. Our secondary is still a work in progress, but we knew that. I have a feeling there might be a new starter at one corner against EMU next week, because Jesse Dailey just continues to make plays (fumble recovery, TD-saving tackle, pass deflection. On the positive side, Dan Bazuin continued to justify his preseason hype with two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection that was intercepted by CMU.