CSNbbs

OK, it's Wednesday, time to get back to work--next Saturday is closer than last Saturday. Because of last weekend, this weekend takes on much greater significance.

Cincinnati @ Miami (OH) 2:00 PM ET--How big is this? Huge. Imperative so we can tell C-USA to just shut the ****** up. I have some confidence that the Hawks are up to this task but this old rivalry never had more signiifcance to the MAC than it does this year.

Ball State @ Boston College 1:00 PM ET--Not an OOC game we might expect to win, but it's not out of the question either. It's another opportunity to build on last week. If we are really riding the wave, we pull this off.

UCF @ Kent State 2:00 PM ET--Very big game for both teams. The Flashes need a quality win badly and the Kaniggets need some MAC confidence and momentum and must avoid starting 0-1 in the East with so many tough games coming. A loss here and it will be a very ugly season. Does Cribbs play at 100%? If he doesn't, UCF's defense will be suddenly and miraculously healed.


W. Michigan @ Ohio 4:00 PM ET--Similar to the previous game, both teams need to head their seasons in the right direction and cannot afford a cross divisional loss here to a mid-pack team from the other side. At press time, WMU had not announced whether it was sending its good team or its lousy one to Athens.

Iowa State @ N Illinois 4:05 PM ET--Maybe the most important game of all for conference post-season hopes. A loss here would negate a good chunk of the good will earned from the other big wins. "Yeah, they sneaked up on MD and 'Bama but now that the BCS is paying attention, a so-so Big 12 team goes into their house and puts them back in their place." We don't want to hear that.


Akron @ Buffalo 6:00 PM ET--The Zips had a great way to start the season with consecutive games against EMU, Howard, Buffalo, and Cal Poly and should be sitting at 4-2 before the meat of the schedule arrives. This may be Buffalo's best chance at righting the ship before it completely sinks.

Maryland @ E Michigan 6:00 PM ET --Uh, let's move on.

Toledo @ Syracuse 6:30 PM ET--Like the NIU game, this one has large conference implication. For God's sake, LOUISVILLE beat Syracuse at the Dome and it would be embarrassing if UT joins UCF as Orange victims. A loss here quiets the national MAC Attack talk. The BCS would really like us not to have another big weekend. UT and NIU wins really keep the ball rolling.

Marshall @ Troy State 7:00 PM ET No creampuff, but a loss would cause MAC critics to call last week a fluke. Hope you don't get jobbed.

Am I right or am I right?

Ax,

The bigger issue in the KSU game is if KSU's D can stop UCF's O. They have some athletes who can run circles around KSU's secondary.


Best of luck everyone else in OOC! Here's to Buffalo topping the Zippies!

axeme Wrote:Ball State @ Boston College 1:00 PM ET--Not an OOC game we might expect to win, but it's not out of the question either. It's another opportunity to build on last week. If we are really riding the wave, we pull this off.

I have it on good authority that BC was looking past the 'Canes last weekend.

Good luck to the Cards.

A few random thoughts:

1. Cincy/Miami (OH) is the MAC game of the week. The Redskins are favored by 7 but this is a rivalry and they have a tendency to be very close games. Look for Cincy to cover the spread but Miami (OH) will win.

2. Testicle Tech @ Boston College - BC will make this game ugly early.

3. CFU @ Kent - Do the Golden Flushes have Cribbs or not? If not, CFU will use this game as a confidence builder. If so, Kent will keep it close but they'll be 1-1 in the East after Saturday.

4. WMU @ Ohio - You are dead on. WMU alternates between a very good team and one that just shows up. I would never include them in a parlay.

5. Iowa State @ NIU - As much as I hope I'm wrong, I think NIU is ripe for an upset. They've beaten Maryland and Alabama and it's going to be difficult for the coaches to get the players up for this one. Iowa State could be a dangerous foe. They squeaked by Northern Iowa (a traditionally very good I-AA program), thumped the Bobkitties and lost to Iowa. NIU should win this one but they'll have to do more than just go through the motions.

6. Akron @ Buffalo - What's the spread? It ain't enough.

7. Maryland @ EMU - Ouch.

8. Toledump @ Syracuse - If I didn't think the Miami (OH)/Cincy game was the best MAC game this week, I'd pick this one. Toledump is coming off of two huge wins against Marshall and Pitt. Syracuse has been more than a bit inconsistent. They squeaked by a bad North Carolina team, got beat by a pretty good Louisville team and put the hurtin' on a struggling CFU team. Like the NIU game, this is one Toledump should win but I look for Syracuse to keep it close. But, if the Rockettes spend the week celebrating the win against Pitt rather than preparing for Syracuse, the Orangemen could pull it off.

9. Marshall @ Troy State - This is the type of series that more "mid-major" schools are going to have to schedule to remain I-A. Remember, for all the hoopla over the attendance requirements, there is also a 5 home game against I-A opponents requirement. (Damn, but that was terrible phrasing. You get the point). If the "big boys" won't give the return game, then the mid-majors are going to have to help themselves by scheduling each other.

Troy has a very good defense. Although both teams played Kansas State, it's more than a bit misleading to compare them as K-State had Roberson playing against Troy. Troy is viewing Marshall as it's first "big time" opponent in their newly renovated stadium and they may well have a sell out crowd. They will certainly be fired up for the upset. Worse, if the Herd spends the week celebrating K-State, they'll find themselves on the short end against Troy. Still, Troy's offense has been anemic against decent competition and the Herd should come home with a victory although it will be closer than the 14 point spread.

Can NIU, Toledo and Miami follow up their big wins with another big win?? That's the question, as each of these games were "really wanna have it" games before the season began. Now, after this past weekend, they're "we probably better have it to validate what we just did games", with the exception of Miami playing their bitter rival.

I really like the maturity and makeup of this NIU team, and I do not expect them to let down. But it will be a close game - like it or not, we do not outtalent a Big 12 team, though we're possibly more sound and more experienced. This game will be close, but I expect the Huskies to win.

UT is the one I wonder about - they looked a bit schizophrenic @ UNLV then vs. Pitt. They're good enough to beat Syracuse, but they're the younger team that must not get too complacent, and they're on the road. I think they win, but I thought UCF would win in the Carrier Dome this past weekend.

I've said repeatedly - beating the big boys gets us noticed, but beating the mid to low level BCS teams consistently will get us more respect. We have to prove we can play with all these conference teams and not have a couple great days.

BTW - Miami, lay a whippin on Cincy!!!

Listen up Toledo. Walter Reyes is the real deal and they will run the ball at you. Personally I'm conflicted here. A Toledo loss would show UCF fans that hey it wasn't so bad getting beat by Syracuse, they were just getting their rhythm together. A Toledo win and we can proudly say that we're members of the "MAC", yeah that's right the conference which just keeps on kicking @ss and taking names. But a Toledo loss would show us that hey maybe we can still win this thing.

UCF vs. Kent. If we don't win, then it's all over. All we can do is spoil someone else's good time.

Quote >> Cincinnati @ Miami (OH) 2:00 PM ET--How big is this? Huge. Imperative so we can tell C-USA to just shut the ****** up. I have some confidence that the Hawks are up to this task but this old rivalry never had more signiifcance to the MAC than it does this year.

I love the enthusiasm. Although, I think in reality, Marshall and UCF will be in CUSA in the not too distant future. That is unless the MAC just turns out to be the best place to be in the mid majors. Both are extending full membership to UCF as of now unofficially.

I worry about UT vs. SU. I agree, a loss dampens the positive media exposure the MAC has been receiving. I also think SU will now be pumped for this, and can UT get excited for three weeks in a row?

NIU is at home and the crowd will get them by ISU.

Miami is way to good to lose to UC. Anyway, don;t the good guys always beat the criminals? :chair:

wow... there was a lot of material to cover in this thread

:snore: :snore: :snore: :snore: :snore:

Quote:8. Toledump @ Syracuse - If I didn't think the Miami (OH)/Cincy game was the best MAC game this week, I'd pick this one. Toledump is coming off of two huge wins against Marshall and Pitt. Syracuse has been more than a bit inconsistent. They squeaked by a bad North Carolina team, got beat by a pretty good Louisville team and put the hurtin' on a struggling CFU team. Like the NIU game, this is one Toledump should win but I look for Syracuse to keep it close. But, if the Rockettes spend the week celebrating the win against Pitt rather than preparing for Syracuse, the Orangemen could pull it off.

I asked Coach Amstutz about this, specifically, "how do you come down from the high that everyone (players, coaches, fans) is on and focus on Syracuse?" His response was first, they game-week like the NFL...they'd already had a practice on Sunday, then took Monday off. Sunday was watching film, picking up tendencies, running thru a few plays, etc. Gives the players a focus immediately that a day off wouldn't have. He also said this is one of the situations where he looks for the senior leadership to really step forward and keep the young guys (and we've got a lot of 'em) tuned in to the job at hand. This game is going to be a huge challenge, but I like our chances.