Five weeks until the kickoff with Mizzou, and I am just as excited as anyone for the season to get going. As much as I am looking forward to the Mizzou game, the games that I feel carry the most weight on the outcome of the season (OOC) are the Cal Poly and SUU games. Due to the schedule with UW-Oshkosh, and with tough roads games at UNI, at NDSU, and (perhaps) Illinois State, the two OOC DI games are must win scenarios in my mind. Unless the Jacks escape the Valley with just one loss, having both of these two games under the win column will be crucial come playoff selection time. Cal Poly has been widely regarded as a fourth place or better team in the Big Sky, while SUU was a playoff team last year and is still likey to be at the top half of the BSC this season. What are your predictions for the August-September OOC record for the Jacks, and specifically, the two FCS games in September? What does anyone have on Cal Poly and SUU returning players, etc? I have heard that the Thunderbirds have a strong DE (can't remember the name) and Cal Poly underperformed last season. Thoughts?
Mine:
Mizzou: Mizzou has a tendency to underperform when expectations are high going into the season, and the reverse has also been true. Mauk is not James Franklin, and they may have graduated some of their talent off of last year's great team, but I don't think the Jacks match up well at all with spread teams. 49-21, Mizzou.
Cal Poly: The Mustangs are coming off a 2013 season that had several close losses (Montana, EWU,NAU) and a 6-6 overall record. I have no idea what they return on offense and defense, but Cal Poly has traditionally been known for their option run game. Does anyone know the status of their offensive scheme? With the game at home, and a long road trip for the mustangs, I like the jacks in this one: 27-14, Jacks.
SUU: If you listen to the posters on AGS, SUU had no business being selected at all in last years playoff field, and they will be a non factor in the BSC this year. Most of their 8 wins last year came over very poor teams, with the exception of MSU. This year, they will open their home schedule with the Jacks after two very tough road games at Nevada and at Southeast Louisiana. More than likely, they will be 0-2 coming into this game. the game will kickoff at 6 PM, so hopefully the desert heat will not be as much of a factor as it could be. I think the Jacks take the lead early and take the wind out of the thunderbirds home opener sails, and fight off second half comeback by the birds for the second SDSU win on the season. 38-24, Jacks.
UW-O: No team should be overlooked, and you can bet that the team will be well aware of what happened the last time a D-III team from Wisconsin played in Brookings. I think that the boys are ready and that no one overlooks Oshkosh. 55-14, Jacks.
This puts the Jacks at 3-1 going into October and the Conference opener at Illinois State.
Feel free to critique or criticize, but this is how I see it going in the early season. Now let's hear yours!
Mine:
Mizzou: Mizzou has a tendency to underperform when expectations are high going into the season, and the reverse has also been true. Mauk is not James Franklin, and they may have graduated some of their talent off of last year's great team, but I don't think the Jacks match up well at all with spread teams. 49-21, Mizzou.
Cal Poly: The Mustangs are coming off a 2013 season that had several close losses (Montana, EWU,NAU) and a 6-6 overall record. I have no idea what they return on offense and defense, but Cal Poly has traditionally been known for their option run game. Does anyone know the status of their offensive scheme? With the game at home, and a long road trip for the mustangs, I like the jacks in this one: 27-14, Jacks.
SUU: If you listen to the posters on AGS, SUU had no business being selected at all in last years playoff field, and they will be a non factor in the BSC this year. Most of their 8 wins last year came over very poor teams, with the exception of MSU. This year, they will open their home schedule with the Jacks after two very tough road games at Nevada and at Southeast Louisiana. More than likely, they will be 0-2 coming into this game. the game will kickoff at 6 PM, so hopefully the desert heat will not be as much of a factor as it could be. I think the Jacks take the lead early and take the wind out of the thunderbirds home opener sails, and fight off second half comeback by the birds for the second SDSU win on the season. 38-24, Jacks.
UW-O: No team should be overlooked, and you can bet that the team will be well aware of what happened the last time a D-III team from Wisconsin played in Brookings. I think that the boys are ready and that no one overlooks Oshkosh. 55-14, Jacks.
This puts the Jacks at 3-1 going into October and the Conference opener at Illinois State.
Feel free to critique or criticize, but this is how I see it going in the early season. Now let's hear yours!
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