Alright, it's time for some MACC predictions:
Toledo is hungry to show Marshall there is a new MAC Daddy and they come out firing. Robbins hits all of his extra points and even a field goal!
Keon Jackson comes in on a blitz and hits Leftwich from his blindside and knocks him out of the game.
Final Score:
TOLEDO 38
Marshall 24
Toledo 38
Thundering Terd 34
This game is going to depend if Toledo can prevent Marshall from taking an early lead. If Toledo does like they have the last 2 weeks and falls behind early, I don't see us coming back. We may get close, but we won't win. The momentum in their stadium will be too much and then we would have to fight the 12th player for MU. No, not the crowd, but the refs.
Assuming this is the case:
Marshall - 42
Toledo - 31
Now, if we can keep Marshall in relative check early, then I see us winning the game. Our defense will strengthen during the game and our offense will run the ball down their throats. (Based upon past games this season)
Assuming this is the case:
Toledo - 38
Marshall - 27
Either way, I think it will be a good game with runs for both teams. Just a matter of who makes the most big plays. Thinking about it, I think the game could go Toledo's way on a Greene punt return. Then again there probably will be a phantom holding call on that play.
- GO ROCKETS -
Da Rockets 85
Marshall 01
Now you might ask how you get one point in college football, late in the game while Marshall has -7, they score a TD and go for 2.....this would be -7 +8 = 01. This would be the first time the vaunted Rocket 'D' allows a positive point total in my always dead on score predictions. :D
Marshall squeeked by this season -- Toledo is the better team. Let's just hope the ref's don't feel otherwise, I'd hate to see another Miami fiasco.
Good luck Rockets.
Sounds like some of you are already looking for someone to blame when you get beat. The refs!!
See ya Saturday!! :saber:
I don't know if any of you are coming down for the game but you can possibly plan on a little snow. Nothing new to you I'm sure.
Hope the bad weather doesn't make for an already loooong ride back home! :D
Good call Rampage about the refs. I think that if you can start the game with the same intensity that you had in the second half last week then you will beat Marshall by at least 2 touchdowns. I feel that you are playing much better football right now than Marshall is. You run a clean, disciplined program and that is what is going to get you the win. Go out there and show Marshall, their fans, and the refs that cheaters never win.
UT 42
MU 28
Herd Fan 4-Life Wrote:Sounds like some of you are already looking for someone to blame when you get beat. The refs!!
Gee, now that's an unreasonable thing to worry about, isn't it? The MAC officials would never make an "error" in Marshall's favor during an important game, would they? Everything is always on the up and up in Huntington. We should all stop our "whining".
BGSU96 Wrote:Good call Rampage about the refs. I think that if you can start the game with the same intensity that you had in the second half last week then you will beat Marshall by at least 2 touchdowns. I feel that you are playing much better football right now than Marshall is. You run a clean, disciplined program and that is what is going to get you the win. Go out there and show Marshall, their fans, and the refs that cheaters never win.
UT 42
MU 28
Thanks, BGSU96. Win or lose, I just hope that it's a fairly decided contest and that both teams and their fans behave in a manner that the MAC can be proud of. That said, I hope we kick the snot out of them.
Lord Byron will be on fire!
Toledo has NO CHANCE!
He's a senior. . .
This is his last game in Huntington. . .
A Heisman finalist. . .
Toledo stole our Championship last year at the Glass Bowl.
Herd wins a close game, 38-24.
Corrections:
Marshall is the only team in this league to ever steal a title. The rest of the teams that have won one have done so fairly.
Brian Jones is also a senior. Not sure how that is supposed to work out in your world.
Toledo is a much better overall team.
The only thing that will be on fire is Leftwich's leg. He should have rested it instead of playing in meaningless games. You'll see why on Saturday. We ain't Kent, Buffalo or Akron.
GO ROCKETS!!! MUCK FARSHALL!!!
Oddball,
Don't you know, Toledo plays in the MAC - Marshall Athletic Conference. Hence, Toledo stole OUR trophy last year at the Glass Bowl (it's the MAC, not the TAC- Toledo Atheltic Conference). :D
Brian Jones is a good QB, however, to mention him in the same breath as Lord Byron is just ludicrous. Maybe I missed all of Jones' mentions in the national media this season? :snore:
The only area that I will admit Toledo's superiority is on special teams. We are absoutely horrible in my opinion.
Much like last year, this game will come down to home field advantage (and superior overall athletes). Herd Wins!
Toledo's superiority isn't dependant on an admission from you.
Of course Toledo's superiority is dependant upon me - I'm a realist.
Oddball or others,
I would be interested in hearing some sound, arguments regarding Toledo's chances in the MAC Championship game.
No defense this season has been able to stop the Rockets offense. Jones will move the ball no matter what is thrown at him. After a half of our O line leaning on them, D lines have let the RBs run wild. Our Defense was weak initially, but has definitely improved. Marshall will get some points against them, no doubt. But probably fewer than Herd fans expect. As we have done in the last two meetings, I would expect Sandwich to be severely pressured. He will get hit often, especially since he's likely to be even less mobile than usual. This will let him complete some big passes, but it will also cause him to make mistakes and may limit his playing time. Hill will not be successful against Toledo. He will see too many looks from our D, and he's just not experienced enough. Our kicking game was our Achilles heel early on, and probably cost us some games. Jason Robbins had a breakthrough game mid-season, and hasn't missed since, if I recall correctly. Green is returning kicks in a big way. Punting is still a concern. We're not burying teams like we should. Marshall may get good field position.
I see the game developing like this:
Toledo tries, with limited success, to establish their running game early. Jones makes up for the limited success by converting 3rd and 4th downs. Marshall will be up at the half. Second half, the O line of Toledo begins to totally dominate. Toledo moves at will. Marshall's D spends too much time on the field. The Rockets pull ahead and never look back. Toledo by at least two TDs.
Chris from WV Wrote:Brian Jones is a good QB, however, to mention him in the same breath as Lord Byron is just ludicrous. Maybe I missed all of Jones' mentions in the national media this season? :snore:
Are you serious? Jones has a higher Passer Efficiency rating than 'Lord Byron' and a higher completion percentage. He also has just as many touchdowns.
.............................CMP...Att...yds...%.......ypc..TDs...INT...sack....rating
Brian Jones, Toledo 247...346..2894..71.4...8.36...21...6...15...158.2
Byron Leftwich, MU..277...405..3615...68.4..8.93...22..8....11...157.3
<a href='http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/statistics?stat=pass&sort=rat&season=2&year=2002&group=80' target='_blank'>Look Here.</a>
Jones also has 382 Rushing Yards and 4 TDs to go with his passing stats.
Leftwich has 20 Yards and 3 TDs.
Who is the better QB if I didn't put the name next to the stats?
<!--EDIT|FtLauderdaleRocket|Dec 6 2002, 01:09 PM-->
Good posts guys.
FtLauderdaleRocket - Initally, congratulations for living in Florida opposed to Toledo.
Your stats are impressive. However,Leftwich has thrown for over 700 more yards than Jones (700 yards is a season amount for many QB's - a career for 3 or more Ohio Bobcats QB's collectively)
Leftwich. . .3615
Jones. . . . .2894
Granted, Leftwich has thrown 30 more passes than Jones. Jones has averaged 11.7 yards per pass this season. If you multiply those numbers to make it an even fight, that would give Jones 351 more yards (which he won't get on Saturday by the way). Given this, Leftwich is still ahead by more than 350 yards. :rolleyes:
The statistics between Leftwich and Jones are fairly similar - except for the amount of miles Lord Byron has thrown for. (I'll drink to that
)
Oddball-
Unlike any other teamt this season, I predict our defense will slow down Toledo (notice I didn't say shut down). Defensively, it took us a year to turn ours around. If Toledo had problems earlier in the year, they will resurface on Saturday against the Herd.
Stan Hill is not ready for Toledo, nor has he been taking snaps with the first team (I heard). If Lefty goes down, take the MAC Championship back to Toledo. I am a fan of Stan Hill's, however, Stan's year is 2003.
The kicking games seem to be equal. Curtis Head struggled with field goals early in the year but has been almost perfect after the first couple of games. Head also punts and has been consistently good for the past four seasons. Due to lackluster performances, I will not comment on our kick or punt returns.
How you see the game:
You mentioned the Herd would be up in the first half? I hope you're right. We have been consistently slow starters this season. If Toledo can establish their running game (our defense has said all week in the paper that they WILL STOP THE RUN) or Jones can defy the percentages and convert 3rd and longs into 1st downs (which I've seen him do many times on TV). . . the Herd will be in trouble.
However, if Toledo cannot establish the run and Jones cannot convert, the Herd will win BIG.