FAU rolls into WKU. Do they make it out unscathed?

I voted FAU. Yesterday I thought WKU would win, but now IDK.

If FAU can win at WKU, Marshall is in deep do do.

Having watched ODU play both of these teams in person, I am personally convinced that FAU is the much better of the two. If the Owls put some pressure on White, they can keep him for the most part under control. Even if he hits two or three nice TD passes, the FAU offense will score 50 to 60 points, more than enough to get the win. The East championship will be determined on Friday, November 3rd -- and I expect to see the Owls in the championship game.

Marshall and WKU's offenses are NOT running like FAU's, to say the least. FAU is steamrolling admirably. I thought UNT had an average defense at least. I guess their remaining schedule will determine that.

WKU gave up 268 yards rushing to ODU, and only ran for 73 yards themselves. You rarely win with those stats.

(10-22-2017 08:50 AM)USM@FTL Wrote:  Marshall and WKU's offenses are NOT running like FAU's, to say the least. FAU is steamrolling admirably. I thought UNT had an average defense at least. I guess their remaining schedule will determine that.

WKU gave up 268 yards rushing to ODU, and only ran for 73 yards themselves. You rarely win with those stats.

WKU's defense limping into this game, hints the poor run defense the past two weeks. Unless WKU gets healthy this week, FAU will score at will.

FAU is going to stomp WKU
ROLL OWLS

FAU wins this going away. Joey Freshwater tryna get that next job. He'll pour it on. His prerogative. He's rubbing his hands together right now looking at Clayton White's 4-2-5.


Coach Mike Sanford will blame it on injuries to the defense. There have been several but by this point in the year everyone has injuries to key personnel.

I honestly expect Sanford to throttle our offense down and try to control clock. It'll be an abysmal failure. For us to even give FAU a game Mike White will have to throw for 400 yards. He's actually capable of that. But he won't get the opportunity.

As a matter of fact you can pencil us in for 3 straight losses. Right now.

COACHING MATTERS

Western's 5-2 record comes vs the worse schedule in college football.....

Western struggle and had to come from behind to get 3 of those wins vs teams with a combined 2 FBS wins and the 4th just earned their 1st FBS win of the season

Ball St has a win over CUSA, UAB
ODU has a win over 0-6 UMass
UTEP is winless
UNCC has a win over UAB

Ball St, 3 games after playing Western...took a late drive to come back for a win
3-55 L to 5-3 Western Michigan
3-31 L to 4-4 Akron
9-56 L TO 4-4 Central Michigan

UTEP 2 games before and 1 after....took 3 miss fgs for Western to win
14-41 L to 3-4 NMST
21-35 L to 6-2 Army
0-24 L to 5-2 S.Miss

ODU.....took a few gifts to get 14 points in the 4th to win
3-35 L to 6-1 Marshall
28-58 L to 4-3 FAU
0-38 L to V. TECH

Even that doesn't tell the whole story as to having to come from behind to win those 3 games....

Lets look at this defense that some Western fans and the local media keeps saying is a improvement over last year (it's not...even close)
(FBS )
Ill 4.0 yard per play....2nd lowest of the season
Tech 6.2 yard per play...2nd best of the season
Ball St 5.6 yard per play...season high
UTEP 4.9 yard per play....season high
Charlotte 5.8 yard per play...2nd best of the season
ODU 6.1 yard per play.......season high


Hell that doesn't even give a clear picture on how a team can be in the top 48 on wins (48 schools with 5 or more wins)

Western has played the 130th ranked schedule and preformed at a 101st clip against it. To put that into context. There's 102 schools with at least 3 wins.....102 out of 130

Western's is the 9th worse out of those 102 schools in how they played vs the schedule rank

Below is the top 20 worse preforming schools with at least 3 wins

Louisiana-Lafayette 3 -15.28
Hawaii 3 -10.97
Connecticut 3 -10.81
UAB 4 -10.38
Louisiana-Monroe 3 -10.23
Middle Tennessee State 3 -8.61
Georgia State 3 -8.5
Florida International 4 -8.48
Western Kentucky 5 -7.63
Central Michigan 4 -6.54
South Alabama 3 -6.36
Temple 3 -5.94
Miami (OH) 3 -4.1
Wyoming 4 -2.82
Air Force 3 -2.38
North Texas 4 -2.32
Louisiana Tech 3 -2.17
UTSA 4 -2.06
Buffalo 3 -1.91
Appalachian State 5 -1.48

COACHING MATTERS

(10-22-2017 08:38 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  Having watched ODU play both of these teams in person, I am personally convinced that FAU is the much better of the two. If the Owls put some pressure on White, they can keep him for the most part under control. Even if he hits two or three nice TD passes, the FAU offense will score 50 to 60 points, more than enough to get the win. The East championship will be determined on Friday, November 3rd -- and I expect to see the Owls in the championship game.

Having played both Marshall and FAU how do you think our defense matches up with the Owls offense? The defense is obviously the strength of our team and for us to have a chance we have to keep the Owls offense in check becauae our offense I don't believe is capable of winning a shootout just yet. I'd feel much better if this gsme was in Huntington. Just curious on your opinion.

I'm starting to pay closer attention to how our teams play on the road now, I think this will be crucial to our team's overall success is how well they play away from home. Who are the true "Road Warriors" of Conference USA? As impressive as both teams were in their previous outings, I see a toss up this time around.

It is going to be a much tougher game for FAU they some on here think.
Remember SMU destroyed UNT also.

I think Western has more than enough talent to win this game....

I don't believe our coaches have the ability design a defense that can stop FAU's run and short passing game. As ODU found out...

Western will leave the middle of the field open on defense. Attack the end of the line 2 or 3 times and Western's 2 LBs will split wide on the snap. And if the back get clear of Western's 4 rushers....they are off to the races.

Or send 3 WRs out on one side with one crossing the middle and Western will give up the end and a long run. As UNCC and ODU both did early. Which set up a few big gains up the middle.

Last year in the pass happy east Western's 4 2 5 might have worked. With film conference teams have found the weakness of using that.

If Western's OC figures out like he started to a couple weeks ago...a good short passing game is better than run right run left off tackle. Western will march down the field. If Western's coach doesn't get cute with a bomb on 2nd and 4 or a wildcat on first and goal....

Western will put points on the board

I have very little confidence in that happening. Hope I'm surprised on Saturday

(10-22-2017 02:23 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  I think Western has more than enough talent to win this game....

I don't believe our coaches have the ability design a defense that can stop FAU's run and short passing game. As ODU found out...

Western will leave the middle of the field open on defense. Attack the end of the line 2 or 3 times and Western's 2 LBs will split wide on the snap. And if the back get clear of Western's 4 rushers....they are off to the races.

Or send 3 WRs out on one side with one crossing the middle and Western will give up the end and a long run. As UNCC and ODU both did early. Which set up a few big gains up the middle.

Last year in the pass happy east Western's 4 2 5 might have worked. With film conference teams have found the weakness of using that.

If Western's OC figures out like he started to a couple weeks ago...a good short passing game is better than run right run left off tackle. Western will march down the field. If Western's coach doesn't get cute with a bomb on 2nd and 4 or a wildcat on first and goal....

Western will put points on the board

I have very little confidence in that happening. Hope I'm surprised on Saturday

Agree. Hard to believe no? Lol. Always agreeing with Guns. Anyhoo, I think if we cut the offense loose and let Major Mike White have the chance to win the game we could. I really do. It'd be like playing La Tech the last couple years. Both teams rolling up and down the field. Who can get a stop late?

But I've said many times this kid is 35 going on 75. So damn conservative. I believe he'll try to shorten the game with long drives. That's actually okay if he uses Mike White to do it and not the running backs. White has had some nice long drives this year. I just don't see him doing it. I hope I'm wronger that Side Show Joe was about UNT's sterling offensive stats.

I want someone to stick it in my face on Saturday night. I just don't see it happening.

I agree with WKUYG and 'beed. I don't have the confidence in the staff to pick this one for WKU.

There's a chance of snow - yes, SNOW - for this game...

(10-22-2017 05:46 PM)LouisvilleHilltopper Wrote:  There's a chance of snow - yes, SNOW - for this game...

Brittany Snow?

Haven't had much of a chance to check out the 'toppers' this year, but while FAU played lights out Sat we always need to be careful about crowning someone champion based on one great game. FAU is lmpressive, but if WKU is able to slow them down it could frustrate them somewhat and it may be a different game. The first spot out in Vegas today actually had WKU favored by 1.5, a minute later it jumped to FAU -7, so initially in Vegas WKU was favored, however, a MAJOR better decided otherwise.

(10-22-2017 02:41 PM)galojah Wrote:  I agree with WKUYG and 'beed. I don't have the confidence in the staff to pick this one for WKU.

Ditto this. Too much hubris with this coaching staff, not enough humility to admit u may wrong. Off tackle left, off tackle right until we're so far behind they have to pass. Too late then. Sure hope I'm wrong but afraid not. GO TOPS!!!

FAU will lose their next two games.

(10-22-2017 06:38 PM)herdfifteen Wrote:  Haven't had much of a chance to check out the 'toppers' this year, but while FAU played lights out Sat we always need to be careful about crowning someone champion based on one great game. FAU is lmpressive, but if WKU is able to slow them down it could frustrate them somewhat and it may be a different game. The first spot out in Vegas today actually had WKU favored by 1.5, a minute later it jumped to FAU -7, so initially in Vegas WKU was favored, however, a MAJOR better decided otherwise.

I think the real problem we are witnessing here, is that no one pays us any attention and, thus, whenever we beat someone, it is this unexpected surprise, "WOW! Did you see FAU just did THAT?" FAU averaged 49 points in our last 5 contests. FAU did not just score 69 against UNT. FAU scored 58 against "the best C-USA defensive line" (sarcasm), and before that, broke a 9-year losing streak against MTSU in style. And one of the first posts here after we beat Bethune-Cookman of FCS 45:0 was "Did FAU just did that?"

I think everyone would have done better against us if they paid attention.