...that one of these scenarios comes to pass. How would you feel about CMU football?

Scenario A: We beat NIU and win a bowl game to finish at 9-4. This seemed impossible a month ago.

Scenario B: NIU beats us and we lose our bowl game, finishing at 7-6. I think many of us see our flaws and recognize this certainly could happen.

A difference of 2 wins would sway your opinion considerably, no?

My prediction for this season was 8/4, so we're right where I thought we'd be, and we are still in the hunt for the division.

Firstly, we are way ahead of where the prognosticators said we would be. I'm happy about that. Secondly, we beat out instate rivals. I'm very happy about that. Scenario "A" is the only option left to keep me happy. Scenario "B" is NOT improvement, and I would not be happy with that kind of finish, especially after three years. I think TP should play qb for at least half of the NIU game. SHAME is only an average MAC qb.

Have to be honest, if they win the next two games against NIU and a bowl, I don’t think I’d still consider them all that good of a team, even at 9-4. Just have to be honest.

They seem to lack the ability to take it to an inferior opponent and seem to lose focus and do not seem ready to play out of the gate. They seem to get better as the game goes on at times, but if they play a really good team in a bowl game, they will find themselves down 28-0 or so in the first half (just like the WMU game). And I don’t know how many comebacks they can pull off, and slow starts they can overcome because again, I just don’t see them as being that good.

All valid points, and clearly, the defense is the biggest problem, and that makes us an average team. Sugar Shame, is not what he was purported to be.