Had a conversation last night with one of my buddies that I went to NIU with in the 80s.

Talking about football he inferred that we (NIU) have to be the worst 6-2 team in the country. (and I didn't argue---we may be the lowest considered 6-2 team)

So would you rather be:

---considered the worst 6-2 team in the country, or
---as many "experts" thought we'd be at this time, a middle of the pack (or even best) 2-6 or 3-5 team?

Fire away----and I'm expecting this to be unanimous----but the naysayers still exist.

I'd rather be the worst 6-2 team. But there's only five other 6-2 teams in all of FBS.

We still have a winning record, we still have a young team that could be good for next 3-4 years, we are still in the hunt for a conference championship, and watching all these freshmen who are the next man up succeed is fun to see.

The worst 6-2 team ... NIU is getting better each game, though it's still 2 steps forward, 1 step back (see "Defense, NIU"). And its where it is at the END of the regular season that matters ... MACC? Bowl?

Go Huskies!

The thing is - the team can run. It has “something” - it’s not like they dumb luck their way to wins. There is something this team does very well.

I like the team, young team that can run. Working on the forward pass.

The defense is too panicked at times. Man coverage is hit or miss with young guys. It should improve. I like prophete at safety. Brown is a backup who is playing. It will get better when starters are back from injury back there

Take winning ugly all day. I do feel like the offense is easily worthy of any 6-2 team. The defense is probably a 4-4 type team. So maybe we are 1 or 2 games on the lucky side. Whether we are “worthy” or not will all come to be over the last 3 games. It’s not NIUs fault the MAC has no great teams. Only need a good team to win it in 21

Of course, I'd rather be considered the worst 6-2 team in the country. This team is excellent, and the future looks extremely promising. Having said that, I sure wish these guys would blow somebody away so I can relax and really enjoy the games. I have doubled up on my drinking and high blood pressure meds, and now I'm popping meds for my heart. I am so doped up watching these games that I don't know what the hell is going on. I am old and my body cannot take much more of these nail biter games. So please, Huskies, let me live a little longer!

With how young this team is, I would have had no problem if we had a losing season as long as we were in the game at the end. I figured the wining will come as the players mature.

But

We are winning the games! And we are coming back in games. Most young teams would have reeled it in at halftime against Wyoming and CMU, but they fought back! That is a team that is more mature than thactual ages of the team
Yes, there were wins that were given to us, but as they say, good teams find a way to win. We are doing that.

So, to sum it up, yes, I have no problem being the worst 6-2 team because the young guys have learned not to give up on a game and they learned how to win.

(10-28-2021 09:31 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Of course, I'd rather be considered the worst 6-2 team in the country. This team is excellent, and the future looks extremely promising. Having said that, I sure wish these guys would blow somebody away so I can relax and really enjoy the games. I have doubled up on my drinking and high blood pressure meds, and now I'm popping meds for my heart. I am so doped up watching these games that I don't know what the hell is going on. I am old and my body cannot take much more of these nail biter games. So please, Huskies, let me live a little longer!

See, STF was looking out for your health by running out of those sodium packed hot dogs that would effect your high blood pressure.

(10-28-2021 08:30 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  I'd rather be the worst 6-2 team. But there's only five other 6-2 teams in all of FBS.

We still have a winning record, we still have a young team that could be good for next 3-4 years, we are still in the hunt for a conference championship, and watching all these freshmen who are the next man up succeed is fun to see.

Liberty is FBS so there are six others (but that changes nothing concerning this thread).

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liberty is the worst 6-2 team in the country.

They lost to Syracuse and Louisiana-Monroe. Half of their wins have come against an FCS team, 1-6 Old Dominion, and 1-6 North Texas. Only two of their wins are against teams .500 or better (1 CUSA, 1 Sun Belt).

In contrast, NIU lost to ranked Michigan and Wyoming. NIU beat the ACC team it played. On top of its FCS win, three of the other four wins have come against teams .500 or better.

No, I wouldn’t want to be Liberty, but the answer to your question is obvious. Of course, you take being the perceived worst WINNING team than the best LOSING team.

”You play to win the game.”
- Current ASU Coach

(10-28-2021 10:26 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  Liberty is the worst 6-2 team in the country.

They lost to Syracuse and Louisiana-Monroe. Half of their wins have come against an FCS team, 1-6 Old Dominion, and 1-6 North Texas. Only two of their wins are against teams .500 or better (1 CUSA, 1 Sun Belt).

In contrast, NIU lost to ranked Michigan and Wyoming. NIU beat the ACC team it played. On top of its FCS win, three of the other four wins have come against teams .500 or better.

No, I wouldn’t want to be Liberty, but the answer to your question is obvious. Of course, you take being the perceived worst WINNING team than the best LOSING team.

”You play to win the game.”
- Current ASU Coach

I thought Joshua, the WOPR computer from Wargames said "To win the game".

You are what your record says you are...

Liberty has been playing cupcake schedules for two years now. If we played their schedules we would be winning 8+ games per season.

A win is a win is a win. This can’t be a serious question right? No one wants moral victories.

(10-28-2021 10:26 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  They lost to Syracuse and Louisiana-Monroe. Half of their wins have come against an FCS team, 1-6 Old Dominion, and 1-6 North Texas. Only two of their wins are against teams .500 or better (1 CUSA, 1 Sun Belt).
In contrast, NIU lost to ranked Michigan and Wyoming. NIU beat the ACC team it played. On top of its FCS win, three of the other four wins have come against teams .500 or better.

Could care less about Liberty, but for the record, the only FCS team Liberty played and beat was Campbell.

6-2 is 6-2 is 6-2.

We should actually be 7-1. Richie makes that fourth-down play in his sleep and Richardson is clutch.

The Team deserves their record. Most teams would have folded after CMU scored out of the half, right after the brutal 1st half. Wyoming they also battled back down big.

Strengths are running game and fighting spirit / resilience. Weakness defense (Does concern me getting the doors blown off Q1 in our bowl game - scarred by the bad memories shudder). Passing game extremely inconsistent, anywhere from awful to decent/good depending on the game this year.

Another tough game next week. Crum is best QB in MAC by my estimation.

Just keep working and improving. I agree Hammock has us back on an upward trajectory.

We can only play the teams on our schedule. If we're 6-2, we're 6-2. Most of the "experts" thought we'd do much worse.

I like 7-2 better!