CSNbbs

Hidden message here? Secret decoder ring required perhaps.

Bearcats win but it won't be easy--or happen early. Hoping for a great game that shows America Cincinnati is ready to compete for a New Year's bowl...or more.

Forgive my confidence but we win and easily cover the 14 point spread. Our staff and players have been preparing for this game for weeks. Thank you very much to UC's delayed start to the season and to Austin Puke.

Today's press conference for Coach Monken..

https://www.facebook.com/100974704136/vi...video_list

I don't know what to make of this Army team. The Cadets only went 3-8 last year, but have come out and pummeled their first two opponents like they were FCS schools (albeit the quality of those opponents is questionable). We know first hand it is possible to go from the cellar to the first floor, with our 4-8 record in 2017 and then going 11-2 in 2018.

The key is going to be keeping Army's offense off the field by putting them in 3rd and greater than 5 situations. If we keep them from churning up clock, like we did with Navy in 2018, I like our chances of beating the spread. If Army 's able to pound it up the middle on us on 1st and 2nd down and occasionally break some long runs outside, they will just keep our offense off the field and eat us alive. I like our depth on the OL and in the secondary here.

(09-22-2020 04:20 PM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ]I don't know what to make of this Army team. The Cadets only went 3-8 last year, but have come out and pummeled their first two opponents like they were FCS schools (albeit the quality of those opponents is questionable). We know first hand it is possible to go from the cellar to the first floor, with our 4-8 record in 2017 and then going 11-2 in 2018.

The key is going to be keeping Army's offense off the field by putting them in 3rd and greater than 5 situations. If we keep them from churning up clock, like we did with Navy in 2018, I like our chances of beating the spread. If Army 's able to pound it up the middle on us on 1st and 2nd down and occasionally break some long runs outside, they will just keep our offense off the field and eat us alive. I like our depth on the OL and in the secondary here.

The record I think was 5-8. They got a 13th game by playing at HA. The wins were over bad teams. They did lose in OT to Meechigan early.

Army lost 6 of their 8 games last year by single digits. They weren't great, but they weren't bad either. It was kind of a fluky year... they could have easily been 8-5 rather than 5-8.

(09-22-2020 09:42 PM)robertfoshizzle Wrote: [ -> ]Army lost 6 of their 8 games last year by single digits. They weren't great, but they weren't bad either. It was kind of a fluky year... they could have easily been 8-5 rather than 5-8.

Looking at that schedule you posted almost makes their losses worse. They weren't exactly playing cfb heavy hitters...

At any rate, I'm not really sure what their record last year matters. New year, new team

Last year, weren't they on the verge of beating Michigan at the Big House in the first weeks of the season?

(09-23-2020 04:15 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote: [ -> ]Last year, weren't they on the verge of beating Michigan at the Big House in the first weeks of the season?

Yeah, but who's Michigan? At this point, they're just a mid-level B1G team with a name.

Last year this team only beat five subpar opponents. Same coach, players and system.

I would give them a punchers shot at winning only because when they get that running game going, they can be tough to stop.

I think we'll know very early on what kind of game it's going to be.

(09-23-2020 06:05 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-23-2020 04:15 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote: [ -> ]Last year, weren't they on the verge of beating Michigan at the Big House in the first weeks of the season?

Yeah, but who's Michigan? At this point, they're just a mid-level B1G team with a name.

Last year this team only beat five subpar opponents. Same coach, players and system.

I would give them a punchers shot at winning only because when they get that running game going, they can be tough to stop.

I think we'll know very early on what kind of game it's going to be.

Bolded, I do too. If UC's defense can come out and shut Army down early, it bodes well. If the Knights score on first possession, and UC's offense isn't clicking out of the gate, it could be a long afternoon.

(09-23-2020 07:53 AM)OKIcat Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-23-2020 06:05 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-23-2020 04:15 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote: [ -> ]Last year, weren't they on the verge of beating Michigan at the Big House in the first weeks of the season?

Yeah, but who's Michigan? At this point, they're just a mid-level B1G team with a name.

Last year this team only beat five subpar opponents. Same coach, players and system.

I would give them a punchers shot at winning only because when they get that running game going, they can be tough to stop.

I think we'll know very early on what kind of game it's going to be.

Bolded, I do too. If UC's defense can come out and shut Army down early, it bodes well. If the Knights score on first possession, and UC's offense isn't clicking out of the gate, it could be a long afternoon.

AP Polling
Both UC at #14 and Army at #22 are AP top 25 ranked teams.
AP polling is kind of accurate, but some of the 62 pollsters are out to lunch. Five have Bearcats at #11. Eleven have Bearcats at #12 and fifteen have Bearcats at #13 with each ranking having more voters than than in the previous week.
But not Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News. https://collegepolltracker.com/football/...020/week-3 (jwilner@mercurynews.com) Wilner has the Bearcats at #24 behind:
#23 Arkansas State (his ranking, not mine.)
ASU is 1-1 with a loss to Memphis 37-24
Army #20
West Va #19
LA-LA (Louisiana-Lafayette) #18
BYU #16
In short, his AP Poll is designed just like the haunted Winchester Mansion in San Jose, CA. The Winchester Mansion has already been wrecked once by an earthquake, trapping Mrs Winchester inside.

I'm feeling pretty good about this game. Fickell and Freeman know how to defend the option and they've been working on it since this game was announced. I'm feeling something like 38-17 for a final score.

Pierce out

(09-23-2020 10:20 AM)bcat1997 Wrote: [ -> ]Pierce out

Knee scoped. Out for several weeks.

(09-23-2020 10:20 AM)bcat1997 Wrote: [ -> ]Pierce out

So who's the next man in to stretch Army's defense on the deep ball?