Do you want the NC or the Heisman Trophy or both now? Perhaps we should play the season first. OU / Boise State / 2007 Fiesta Bowl = one of my favorite Bowl Games of all time.
I actually tried to post a couple of Youtube links, but was unsuccessful, so I deleted them, heck I don't really know what I'm doing-I'll try again http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtIXac11EtQ
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
Thanks Mr Mayor Great Video
NMLSooner
· 6 months ago
I think you know the answer to your question. I agree we should play the season first. But are we not supposed to give our opinion on here? I thought that was the point. From what I read above it seems to be a very succinct version of BP's opinion of the up coming season. Also, I didn't particularly care for the final score, but I loved that game as well and it added to my belief that their should be a playoff.
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
The succinct version of my opinion of the upcoming season would be:
Orange Bowl: #9 TCU (11-1, 7-1 MWC) over #3 West Virginia? (12-0, 7-0 Big East)
NMLSooner
· 6 months ago
Wow. that's not a slight step back. That's a minuscule step back.
Zac
· 6 months ago
I've had some time to think about this one, Ron. Between work, trips to Tulsa & KC, not to mention other obligations, I haven't had time to post much, till recently.
I would be ecstatic, if WVU finished 12-0, but only if the rest of the Big East did well out of conference while beating each other up in conference. That just might put a 12-0 WVU in the NC against...ulp...FL. While I don't think WVU's offense will struggle this season as much as last year, I do think their defense will be solid. Sadly, I don't think it would be enough against Tebow & the gang.
As for your scenario, there would be no shame in that, even if they lost a close one to the Frogs.
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Did I miss my name change?
Zac
· 6 months ago
OOOPS!!! $hit on again. Sorry bout that Be...heh... Wuts yur naim anywho?
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
The WV might end up 11-1 What do you think about Colo ? Last years game was real close at least yall gotem at home this time
Zac
· 6 months ago
TC, last year's visit to CO was more like what a team's 1st game should have been. You had the younger home team ready to prove themselves and meeting another Top-10 team with an opportunity to beat them, just like they did to OK the year before. As for that Top-10 team, they were coming off an embarrassing loss and hadn't found their identity yet...on either side of the ball.
The home team came out like gang-busters, confident they had another OK on the hook, and immediately had the visitors back on their heals. The visitors settled down, began doing what they were coached to do, and actually got back in the game. By the 4th quarter, they were in position to take the lead for the 1st time, but either failed to execute, or got too cute with what they were doing. Even the coaching staff messed up late game clock management. OT took care of the rest. My opinion, the game was there for the taking; WVU just didn't get it done (3-13 in 3rd down conversions). The right team won.
This year CO visits Morgantown arguably in better shape than when WVU was in Boulder. The good news: They won't face Pat White. The bad news: They'll face a seldom used veteran (WVU's version of Matt Flynn), Jerrett Brown. He's only won every game he's started, even when he was hurt. Though not as fast as White (by 0.1 sec in the 40), he's taller by 3", stronger by 25 lbs, and has a throw 1st/run 2nd psyche. He's had a year more than White to get used to the wrinkles Mullen has put in the old system. Most important: Brown has more options at receiver (despite the absence of Joc Sanders) than White had, including 6' 8" Wes Lyons, who's completely healthy for the 1st time since joining the Mountaineers.
As for short yardage having been a problem...well...the bad news: They don't have Own Schmidt. The good news: They've got 3 guys they can choose from with whom the coaching staff holds in high regard. Now for the best part; the defense returns 8 starters; 9 if you include former starter/star MLB, Reed Williams. Even the secondary looks sound.
Synopsis: No, I don't think WVU is a National Championship contending team. Even if they beat CO, win at Auburn, beat ECU, win at S FL, and beat Pitt, the Big East is expected to be down this year. So, unless they get lots of help from their fellow members, going undefeated may not gain them much. As for the Buffalos, I think WVU gets pay-back, to the tune of something like 31-13. Remember; you asked, and you heard it here 1st.
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
Thanks for your insight-Good luck this season Colo is one of those teams that has been inconsistant Seems like they can pull off a few upsets and then lose others like one year they beat OU and lost to Baylor or last year beat WV and lost to A&M- at least yall gotem at home.
TheMayor
· 6 months ago
Your opinion is respected by me.
Porcine
· 6 months ago
Ben Prather wrote this?
fosterkeats
· 6 months ago
Can we ban the term "BCS Buster"???
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 6 months ago
No, but we will turn it in to our PHRASE THAT PAYS!!!!
You must take a drink anytime you read it!
grover
· 6 months ago
Utah @ Oregon, BYU - OU, Wyoming - Texas (is that really at Wyoming?). They need to win at least one of those games *and* have a team go 13-0 to make people remember the MWC.
I think it is reasonable both those things can happen.
grover
· 6 months ago
My gosh, it really is at Wyoming. Why in the heck is Texas playing at Wyoming???
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Yes it is really at Wyoming...
I think an 11-1 MWC winning a BCS bowl would be exceptionally note worthy, especially if it is over a #3 undefeated Big East champion.
Any of these 7 games would be a bonus. In 2008 the MWC got a couple upsets of this magnitude (UNLV over Arizona State and Wyoming over Tennessee for example):
BYU vs. Oklahoma; CSU @ Colorado; UNLV @ Oregon State; New Mexico @ Texas Tech; Wyoming vs. Texas, @Colorado; SDSU @ UCLA
These are the 12 games that will be critical, the MWC needs to win roughly 8 to keep pace with 2008:
TCU @ Clemson; Utah @ Oregon; BYU @ FSU; Air Force @ Minnesota, @Navy; CSU vs. Nevada; UNLV vs. Hawaii, Nevada; New Mexico @ Texas A&M, Tulsa SDSU @ Idaho, New Mexico State
These 7 games could be traps. The MWC needs to win 5 of these:
TCU @ Virginia; Utah @ San Jose State, Louisville; BYU @ Tulane; CSU @ Idaho New Mexico vs. New Mexico State; Wyoming @ Florida Atlantic
These 10 games would be inexcusable losses. Last year the MWC lose one game of this class.:
TCU vs. Texas State, SMU; Utah vs. Utah State; BYU vs. Utah State; Air Force vs. Nicholls State, Army; CSU @ Weber State; UNLV vs. Sacramento State; Wyoming vs. Weber State; SDSU vs. Southern Utah
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
New Mexico @ Texas A&M Texas A&M really sucked last year, but they still beat New Mexico,the same team that got beat by Ark St and got hammered by Baylor- The OK st,OU and UT loses were understandable. College Station Texas home of the 12th man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF6TcUHWnuY
Mars
· 6 months ago
It's interesting that wins like Utah over Louisville, BYU over Top 25 Florida State, TCU over Top 25 Clemson and TCU over Virginia just wouldn't be good enough anymore. That alone shows how far the MWC has come. Now we're judged over how many Top 5 and Top 10 wins we have, not just the pitiful 11-25 kind.
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
Good point, not to mention that the conference has somehow managed to get home games against Texas and Florida State this year. That is also a great testament to how far the MWC has come. Now, if they'd go ahead and pick up Boise State, they should be a lock to become a "BCS Conference" in the next few years.
That TCU @ Clemson game is going to be interesting. Only once since 2001 (I didn't go back any further) has TCU gone into an away game with a crowd as large and hostile as Death Valley and gotten a win, and that was 2005 @ Oklahoma. The main difference here is that TCU will be a very long way away from their fans in South Carolina. The Frogs look to have a strong team this year, and while the jury is still very much out on my Tigers, this one is going to be very difficult for TCU to take. Kudos to them if they can pull it off. Here's betting that they won't.
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
I am not sure how Wyoming roped Texas but BYU's 62,000 average attendance helps a lot.
Being a rather unrepentant homer myself, it would be hypocritical for me to address the rest of your comment.
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
I would fully expect you to doubt my prediction, but find me a time other than going to Norman when TCU has gone into an environment like the one they'll face in Death Valley and gotten a win. When they did it in 2005, they pulled it off against a young Sooner team, and they were fortunate to get them in their first game of the season. Neither of those will be true for this Clemson team. Both coaches have something to prove in this one, but only 1 has 80,000+ backing him.
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
With Virginia and Clemson are both respectable opponents and with BYU and Utah- TCU could very well- emerge as an undefeated non-BCS team-its possible Both loses last year were real close both against top 5 teams Utah & Oklahoma- The TCU @ Clemson ought to be a good one on a national scale I'm also really excited about the UGa vs OK st and USC @tOSU These early matchups look purty good
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
I am not sure the Oklahoma game counted as close.
I truely feel that if TCU had played respectably against Oklahoma Utah's chances of a national championship would have been significantly higher. Utah could have been only one game away...
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
I'd have to agree with you there. If TCU had beaten Oklahoma it might've been a done deal.
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
Well Ben from what I saw TCU was hanging tough, but got behind early and changed their offensive gameplan, in a desperate attempt to play catch up. In the words of D.Royal dance with the one that brung ya. Patterson switched to more of a passing offense and had they stuck to the running game the results would have been different. Both Texas & Florida ran against the OU defense and mixed it up more. It looked like TCU was trying to play a hurry up, faster paced passing game and the QB looked like he was forcing stuff and thats really what cost them. Look OU has a great offense and they are going to score some points, you just got to do what you do best and stick with it. In the Texas vs TCU game in 07 TCU hung tough in the first half, but got behind in the second and tried to force stuff. Also these high powered offensive teams can wear down a defense, TCU's offense in the OU game 08 started throwing the ball more, resulting in less time of possession,thus wearing down the defensive squad who's been running themselves ragged against an offense that can strike fast and move the ball. What I saw in the TCU vs OU game was a team that seemed frustrated and couldn't do anything right, I believe that had they done a better job mentally and stayed with their gameplan the game was more evenly matched than the score indicated. Norman Oklahoma is a very tough place to win a game and they have an outstanding home record. Death Valley is also a tough place, but TCU is usually a good road team- I'm taking the Frogs
This audio is the Texas A&M announcers praising the atmosphere. That A&M squad fell apart at the end of the season. Clemson - 25 Texas A&M - 24
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Wait. Did you just compare TCU to Texas A&M?
If that one point win gives you hope I don't know what to tell you.
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
Not at all. I really don't see how you could take anything from that audio except how intense the atmosphere is. That year we did not have a very good team, and we had a terrible coach.
Not much of anything that happened in 2005 has anything to do with 2009. None of the teams are the same. However, the atmosphere, given the fact that it's the same stadium and it's the same fans, stands to be very much the same.
If you're a betting man, back up your opinion with a wager. If not, sit and wait and see if you're right. The one point that I've tried to make the entire time is that the atmosphere in Death Valley will make it difficult for the Frogs to win that game. That's a guarantee.
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 6 months ago
I remember that game. It was a good one.
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
I am excited about those games, but really at this point I'm so excited to see a football game, I really don't care who plays in it.
I still might get tickets to the Arizona State @ Georgia game, especially since our trip to Nebraska @ Virginia Tech fell through due to absurd ticket prices. I wish I could go to the Georgia game in Stillwater, but that simply will not happen. That should be a good one, and I am sure that I'm not alone in thinking that the Cowboys will take that one.
The opening game of the season, the Thursday night game, South Carolina @ NC State is actually a pretty good matchup, too. I can't wait for that one.
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
The Horns also play the Cowboys in Stillwater-always a tough place.The two games I really want to see live are being played on the same day- UConn @ Baylor and Texas Tech @ Texas- payback time for Horns & the Bears-Both games televised and both games are within reasonable driving distance from our location. I'll probably record the UT game, drive to Waco and watch future Heisman contender Robert Griffin and the BU Bears put a whuping on the Huskies. Tickets are usually a whole lot cheaper and easier to get and its only about an extra 100 miles or so farther away.
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
It depends on whose judging.
If a person is expecting that the MWC had a fortunate year but will return to their prior level then the games you indicate will be close, if not expected losses.
If a person believes the MWC is growing stronger every year then these games are expected wins. The jury is far from out, but optimism is very justified.
OU_Ron
· 6 months ago
You can mark OU and Texas off of your wish list..
AUtigerman
· 6 months ago
i agree but utah has a good chance @oregon
TheMayor
· 6 months ago
Utah will be favored but Oregon will get the win. My inane prediction
Depends on how well our young defense steps up. I am just hoping we don't overlook BSU (in Boise) and Purdue prior to this one. We could easily be 0-3 to start the Pac 10 season if we don't have our act together. I remember how BSU manhandled the Bevcers last year and we barely got the win at Purdue last year in OT.
104 days and counting....
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Oregon might have oneof the toughest schedules this year.
USC, Boise State, Utah will all likely be top 25. California, Oregon State, Arizona State and maybe even UCLA will be in the running for a top 25 spot.
Purdue, Stanford and Arizona could end up being traps. You do have the two Washington schools, but everyone plays a game or two against lower division foes right?
TheMayor
· 6 months ago
Nice arrogance OU_Ron...
Going to have to pull for BYU on 9/5...hopefully it will be Pac 10 refs to officiate/help.
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
The Big 12, MWC and WAC use the same ref pool. I believe C-USA joins this year. I am fairly certain they won't use PAC 10 refs for that game.
I don't know that I will be pulling for BYU exactly. More of an emotionally detached sort of acknowledgment that a MWC win is good for Utah.
TheMayor
· 6 months ago
BP
Any "Pac 10 Refs" comments ever = Sarcasm on my part
Still, I will pull for BYU over OU...
I think our game against your team is going to be a great one.
OU_Ron
· 6 months ago
Well your Honor, I once heard someone hitched a rooster to a wagon loaded with a bail of cotton and the rooster pulled it for over a mile.......So, I guess BYU could whip the Sooners....I really don't believe one happened or the other will...
yeah, I guess that's arrogance........oh well
SugarBowlChamps
· 6 months ago
I think utah can and is going to win at oregon. There defense will be good enough again to stay in the top 25 all year IMO. But i do think that BYU will lose to OU by 3 TD's at least, and again they will not have enough speed/athletes to beat Utah, TCU and FSU. BYU could drop all of those games especially because they lost there best offensive player (collie) and 4 of the 5 starting offensive linemen. And to top all of that off they will go to the vegas bowl again and lose there as well. TCU's offense should be a lot better this year and will prob win the MWC.
Mars
· 6 months ago
Oregon will be scared to play at Boise. They will excited to play and beat Utah.
BYU/Utah is a toss-up, but the Cougars could easily win this one in Provo to go 3-1 against the Utes over the past 4 seasons.
SugarBowlChamps
· 6 months ago
in the last 6 years i believe utah is up 4-2 and i do not think any cougar fan wants to get into what the all time record is. but no matter the record, if you have inferior athletes and speed on the defensive side of the ball and a garbage gimick of a scheme then i would not be so confident.
SugarBowlChamps
· 6 months ago
oh and one more thing mars, the last 2 times you have won in the last 6 years have been in the last minute of very close games, unfortunately for you, we have doubled your score in two of those wins. hopefully you guys will be able to win a bowl game against an average pac-10 team this year and not drag our conference down. or at least beat some of the worst teams in the country by more then a touchdown (example: washington).
AUtigerman
· 6 months ago
I would hate for AU to play at Boise because i hate watching teams play on that blue field.
Gives me neausea, and its hard to even see the Boise State players, they blend right in to the field.
Clemson_Joe
· 6 months ago
I agree completely. Could you imagine if we wore our all orange uniforms and painted our field orange? The cameras might break trying to capture all of that brightness.
How is that not illegal?
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Imagine if Michigan State painted their field green...
You can have brown uniforms like Wyoming or Brown University, you just can't have the same exact color as the ball as to camouflage to ball.
Boise State uses the same blue in the uniform as on the field. Obviously it's legal, but I personally don't think that it should be.
fosterkeats
· 6 months ago
Never disrespect the Smurf Turf!!!
SugarBowlChamps
· 6 months ago
The Mayor, do you think your team will be better this year even though you lost Byrd, Chung, Tupou, Unger, Johnson ect...We lost a lot of talent as well. The biggest concern I have for playing oregon is there QB and RB. They are both very good and should only be better this year, but will your o line be as good as last year? Are the players replacing Tupou and Unger a big drop off?
TheMayor
· 6 months ago
Our defense was over rated last year and we lost a lot of talent. You are correct the offensive line is a big question mark. Under Coach Bellotti the Ducks seemed to be an every other year performer, which doesn't bode well for us this year.
To me it's a coin flip whether we go 3-0 or 0-3 to start the season.
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 6 months ago
How did this turn into a OU/OU debate and Pac10 ref debacle?
OU_Ron
· 6 months ago
It is strange, 90% of em are hijacked by the SEC..
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 6 months ago
I guess it's only fair AND appropriate then...
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Maybe because they both play MWC teams, unlike the SEC.
I don't really see a PAC 10 ref debate. They are as corrupt as the SEC refs are incompetent.
NevadaTom
· 6 months ago
i would like to hit a utah/mwc fan with this idea
16 team Wac(with Mwc and Wac Teams)
NorthWest
Boise State Idaho* Nevada Unlv
Pacific
Fresno State Hawaii San Jose State San Diego State
Mountain
Utah Byu Utah state Wyoming
Southwest
New Mexico Colorado State New Mexico state TCU
That is a very big league but playing 3 out of your division and 6 from the others would put alot of stakes for the new mexico-nm st. game nevada-unlv byu-utah-utah state san diego st-san jose st-fresno st.
Football would have boise state-fresno state-byu-hawaii-utah-tcu(thats 6/16 teams i know but look what happens when i include c-usa teams that could defect)
NorthWest
Boise State Wyoming Nevada Unlv
Pacific
Fresno State New Mexico Hawaii San Diego State
Mountain
Utah Byu Colorado State Tulsa
Southwest
Houston Rice Utep TCU
That adds Houston Utep Tulsa and Smu but, you could also add in basketball only schools such as Seattle U or Gonzaga to make it bigger than the big east in basketball ^^ Why Rice? One reason baby ...... BASEBALL ^_^
Also Id have them sign each school a 10 year no change of the conference
Also they would be 3-1 overall in bcs bowls
and don't get me started on combining all the mid-major conferences cause id make it well rounded (basketball,baseball,football) =P
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
16 team conference ... MWC and WAC members ...
Nope never heard of that. That is definitely not what lead the MWC to split in the first place.
Right now I think the only expansion that makes sense for the MWC is Boise State.
Hawaii and Tulsa bring BCS value according to the BCS criteria. Hawaii and UTEP bring the most ticket buying football fans. Fresno State brings some name recognition and Houston brings a large TV market. Nevada and San Jose State could become a better option in retrospect if a hasty expansion is made now.
Nevada is a sleeper.
NevadaTom
· 6 months ago
Ive been spreading that around for a few months but,
Nevada is the 2nd ranked team in the Wac in all sports so please just cause I live here don't assume I go for them sure im happy when anyone from the wac/mwc win anything but please im not a wolfpack fan im actually more of a utah/boise fan than anything my true fanhood is in Unlv basketball but as i said other than that i could care less
Hawaii/Boise State/Fresno State do great in other sports. Rice wins baseball championships so does Tcu and Fresno state. Nevada's Womens Swimming is good. Unlv's Golf Nevada's Softball Hawaii's Watersports are good Tulsa is pretty good in wrestling/boise is also Utah/Byu are all good at Basketball,Football Utah State is a good program for basketball and im tired of hearing the bs from utah/byu Basketball Fans why not embrace them i mean the higher ranked they are the better it is to win them am i right?
Wait lemmie break them down
Southwest you would have all texas schools Houston which is a big school in a tv market.Rice which is one of the better religious schools, Utep which is in the new mexico/texas/mexico/arizona recruiting area TCU which is another religious school.
Mountain which has the Salt lake metro area,Denver metro area,and Tulsa metro areas in it.Byu is a religious school.Colorado State is pretty big.
Pacific has the Fresno area involved,Hawaii area,New Mexico's Biggest city involved,San Diego involved.... im talking numbers here.
NorthWest Boise is a fast growing city,Reno is pretty big so is las vegas but, the only problem with wyoming is its not very big so if they were into size of the city/area id replace them with either San Jose State or Move Portland State up a division.
NevadaTom
· 6 months ago
in football the championship games could rotate from Divisions every 4 years So id go with Las Vegas,Denver,San Diego, or they could snipe out the Alamo Dome for Houston to use, or Cowboy Stadium :) 49ers stadium,oakland You could throw Byu in,
Basketball would be hard..... id rotate between Las Vegas and Texas. Baseball would also be hard. Swimming should go to hawaii
Ben Prather
· 6 months ago
Usually when a poster has a school in their name it indicates they support that team, that I why I assumed you where a Nevada fan.
I agree, any win for the MWC, WAC, C-USA or MAC over a BCS school is pleasant to hear about.
Respect Utah State in any sport? Not going to happen from Utah or BYU fans. Fanblogs focuses on football, so that is where I focus my breakdown.
I am more convinced that ticket buying fans are more important than TV market. Otherwise one comcludes SDSU is a better pickup than Bosie State. I don't think they are, not for football.
War_Eagle_Atlanta
· 6 months ago
That's not his team. NevadaTom is a new brand of toothpaste they're rolling out, and they're doing guerilla marketing. Let's get him!!!
:-)
AUtigerman
· 6 months ago
Type your comment here.
What makes anyone think the Alabama refs, i mean the SEC refs are bad.
Zac
· 6 months ago
NevadaTom brings up an idea I would not have thought of for MWC expansion: another mega-plex. Sometime back, we discussed different expansion options for a number of conferences, including the Big East getting swallowed up by the ACC, Big-Televen, and SEC, but I don't recall the MWC or WAC being considered in that discussion. Intriguing, to say the least.
Without question, if the MWC formally invites Boise St to join, it'll go a long way to bolster the MWC's credibility. BUT, why stop there. I still think, as stated in another thread, the MWC should also extend invitations to Houston & Tulsa. It would give them 12 teams; they could have a conference play-off; it provides TCU with a couple of closer rivals; both should be decent TV markets (Houston more so), and given Tulsa's play of late (Houston hasn't done all that badly either.), it would again add quality/credibility to the MAC. The two conference divisions would look like this:
East: Air Force, CO St, Houston, TCU, Tulsa, WY
West: Boise St, BYU, NM, San Diego St, UNLV, Utah
With this alignment key rivalries (Air Force/CO St, BYU/UT) are maintained, and potential rivalries are developed between Houston, TCU, & Tulsa in the East, and with Boise St, BYU, & UT in the West, and that doesn't even consider the rivalries should say NM or WY emerge as contenders.
1Tomcat
· 6 months ago
Thats all real interesting how about the Pac-10 pick up Hawaii,Fresno St ,San Diego ans St Jose St- Geographically speaking- Az and AZ st go to MWC with UTEP& Boise Then the MWC would 12 teams The Pac 10 would have 12 too AZ,AZ St,New Mex, New Mex St,UTEP,TCU Colo St,BYU,Utah,Wyoming,UNLV,Boise st Air Force,Army,Navy, ND and whatever is left in the WAC join SunBelt La Tech belongs in Sunbelt anyway- C-USA could pick up Texas State to replace UTEP-----as long as yall are dreaming
Aztecbill
· 5 months ago
The MWC is the only conference that had more OOC wins than OOC home games. The other "big" conferences get fat playing at home. The MWC had 3 more OOC wins than OOC home games. The next best was the Big 12 whose OOC win total equalled their OOC home game total.
MWC +3 B12 +0 Big East, SEC, Sun Belt, WA -1 MAC, ACC -3 C-USA -4 PAC-10, Big 10 -5
All Comments
Do you want the NC or the Heisman Trophy or both now? Perhaps we should play the season first. OU / Boise State / 2007 Fiesta Bowl = one of my favorite Bowl Games of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWFbGw-jZvc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUI-KvkHBhc
Frankly, this is how one should bust the BCS.
Or even this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtIXac11EtQ
Orange Bowl: #9 TCU (11-1, 7-1 MWC) over #3 West Virginia? (12-0, 7-0 Big East)
I would be ecstatic, if WVU finished 12-0, but only if the rest of the Big East did well out of conference while beating each other up in conference. That just might put a 12-0 WVU in the NC against...ulp...FL. While I don't think WVU's offense will struggle this season as much as last year, I do think their defense will be solid. Sadly, I don't think it would be enough against Tebow & the gang.
As for your scenario, there would be no shame in that, even if they lost a close one to the Frogs.
What do you think about Colo ? Last years game was real close at least yall gotem at home this time
The home team came out like gang-busters, confident they had another OK on the hook, and immediately had the visitors back on their heals. The visitors settled down, began doing what they were coached to do, and actually got back in the game. By the 4th quarter, they were in position to take the lead for the 1st time, but either failed to execute, or got too cute with what they were doing. Even the coaching staff messed up late game clock management. OT took care of the rest. My opinion, the game was there for the taking; WVU just didn't get it done (3-13 in 3rd down conversions). The right team won.
This year CO visits Morgantown arguably in better shape than when WVU was in Boulder. The good news: They won't face Pat White. The bad news: They'll face a seldom used veteran (WVU's version of Matt Flynn), Jerrett Brown. He's only won every game he's started, even when he was hurt. Though not as fast as White (by 0.1 sec in the 40), he's taller by 3", stronger by 25 lbs, and has a throw 1st/run 2nd psyche. He's had a year more than White to get used to the wrinkles Mullen has put in the old system. Most important: Brown has more options at receiver (despite the absence of Joc Sanders) than White had, including 6' 8" Wes Lyons, who's completely healthy for the 1st time since joining the Mountaineers.
As for short yardage having been a problem...well...the bad news: They don't have Own Schmidt. The good news: They've got 3 guys they can choose from with whom the coaching staff holds in high regard. Now for the best part; the defense returns 8 starters; 9 if you include former starter/star MLB, Reed Williams. Even the secondary looks sound.
Synopsis: No, I don't think WVU is a National Championship contending team. Even if they beat CO, win at Auburn, beat ECU, win at S FL, and beat Pitt, the Big East is expected to be down this year. So, unless they get lots of help from their fellow members, going undefeated may not gain them much. As for the Buffalos, I think WVU gets pay-back, to the tune of something like 31-13. Remember; you asked, and you heard it here 1st.
Colo is one of those teams that has been inconsistant
Seems like they can pull off a few upsets and then lose others like one year they beat OU and lost to Baylor or last year beat WV and lost to A&M- at least yall gotem at home.
You must take a drink anytime you read it!
I think it is reasonable both those things can happen.
I think an 11-1 MWC winning a BCS bowl would be exceptionally note worthy, especially if it is over a #3 undefeated Big East champion.
Any of these 7 games would be a bonus. In 2008 the MWC got a couple upsets of this magnitude (UNLV over Arizona State and Wyoming over Tennessee for example):
BYU vs. Oklahoma; CSU @ Colorado; UNLV @ Oregon State; New Mexico @ Texas Tech; Wyoming vs. Texas, @Colorado; SDSU @ UCLA
These are the 12 games that will be critical, the MWC needs to win roughly 8 to keep pace with 2008:
TCU @ Clemson; Utah @ Oregon; BYU @ FSU; Air Force @ Minnesota, @Navy; CSU vs. Nevada; UNLV vs. Hawaii, Nevada; New Mexico @ Texas A&M, Tulsa
SDSU @ Idaho, New Mexico State
These 7 games could be traps. The MWC needs to win 5 of these:
TCU @ Virginia; Utah @ San Jose State, Louisville; BYU @ Tulane; CSU @ Idaho
New Mexico vs. New Mexico State; Wyoming @ Florida Atlantic
These 10 games would be inexcusable losses. Last year the MWC lose one game of this class.:
TCU vs. Texas State, SMU; Utah vs. Utah State; BYU vs. Utah State; Air Force vs. Nicholls State, Army; CSU @ Weber State; UNLV vs. Sacramento State; Wyoming vs. Weber State; SDSU vs. Southern Utah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF6TcUHWnuY
That TCU @ Clemson game is going to be interesting. Only once since 2001 (I didn't go back any further) has TCU gone into an away game with a crowd as large and hostile as Death Valley and gotten a win, and that was 2005 @ Oklahoma. The main difference here is that TCU will be a very long way away from their fans in South Carolina. The Frogs look to have a strong team this year, and while the jury is still very much out on my Tigers, this one is going to be very difficult for TCU to take. Kudos to them if they can pull it off. Here's betting that they won't.
Being a rather unrepentant homer myself, it would be hypocritical for me to address the rest of your comment.
Both loses last year were real close both against top 5 teams
Utah & Oklahoma-
The TCU @ Clemson ought to be a good one on a national scale
I'm also really excited about the UGa vs OK st and USC @tOSU
These early matchups look purty good
I truely feel that if TCU had played respectably against Oklahoma Utah's chances of a national championship would have been significantly higher. Utah could have been only one game away...
What I saw in the TCU vs OU game was a team that seemed frustrated and couldn't do anything right, I believe that had they done a better job mentally and stayed with their gameplan the game was more evenly matched than the score indicated.
Norman Oklahoma is a very tough place to win a game and they have an outstanding home record. Death Valley is also a tough place, but TCU is usually a good road team- I'm taking the Frogs
This audio is the Texas A&M announcers praising the atmosphere. That A&M squad fell apart at the end of the season.
Clemson - 25
Texas A&M - 24
If that one point win gives you hope I don't know what to tell you.
Not much of anything that happened in 2005 has anything to do with 2009. None of the teams are the same. However, the atmosphere, given the fact that it's the same stadium and it's the same fans, stands to be very much the same.
If you're a betting man, back up your opinion with a wager. If not, sit and wait and see if you're right. The one point that I've tried to make the entire time is that the atmosphere in Death Valley will make it difficult for the Frogs to win that game. That's a guarantee.
I still might get tickets to the Arizona State @ Georgia game, especially since our trip to Nebraska @ Virginia Tech fell through due to absurd ticket prices. I wish I could go to the Georgia game in Stillwater, but that simply will not happen. That should be a good one, and I am sure that I'm not alone in thinking that the Cowboys will take that one.
The opening game of the season, the Thursday night game, South Carolina @ NC State is actually a pretty good matchup, too. I can't wait for that one.
I'll probably record the UT game, drive to Waco and watch future Heisman contender Robert Griffin and the BU Bears put a whuping on the Huskies. Tickets are usually a whole lot cheaper and easier to get and its only about an extra 100 miles or so farther away.
If a person is expecting that the MWC had a fortunate year but will return to their prior level then the games you indicate will be close, if not expected losses.
If a person believes the MWC is growing stronger every year then these games are expected wins. The jury is far from out, but optimism is very justified.
Depends on how well our young defense steps up. I am just hoping we don't overlook BSU (in Boise) and Purdue prior to this one. We could easily be 0-3 to start the Pac 10 season if we don't have our act together. I remember how BSU manhandled the Bevcers last year and we barely got the win at Purdue last year in OT.
104 days and counting....
USC, Boise State, Utah will all likely be top 25. California, Oregon State, Arizona State and maybe even UCLA will be in the running for a top 25 spot.
Purdue, Stanford and Arizona could end up being traps. You do have the two Washington schools, but everyone plays a game or two against lower division foes right?
Going to have to pull for BYU on 9/5...hopefully it will be Pac 10 refs to officiate/help.
I don't know that I will be pulling for BYU exactly. More of an emotionally detached sort of acknowledgment that a MWC win is good for Utah.
Any "Pac 10 Refs" comments ever = Sarcasm on my part
Still, I will pull for BYU over OU...
I think our game against your team is going to be a great one.
yeah, I guess that's arrogance........oh well
They will excited to play and beat Utah.
BYU/Utah is a toss-up, but the Cougars could easily win this one in Provo to go 3-1 against the Utes over the past 4 seasons.
Gives me neausea, and its hard to even see the Boise State players, they blend right in to the field.
How is that not illegal?
Oh wait...
Does look like the same color to me.
It's illegal to have jerseys that match the color of the ball. Why isn't it illegal to have fields that match the uniforms?
You can have brown uniforms like Wyoming or Brown University, you just can't have the same exact color as the ball as to camouflage to ball.
Boise State uses the same blue in the uniform as on the field. Obviously it's legal, but I personally don't think that it should be.
To me it's a coin flip whether we go 3-0 or 0-3 to start the season.
I don't really see a PAC 10 ref debate. They are as corrupt as the SEC refs are incompetent.
16 team Wac(with Mwc and Wac Teams)
NorthWest
Boise State
Idaho*
Nevada
Unlv
Pacific
Fresno State
Hawaii
San Jose State
San Diego State
Mountain
Utah
Byu
Utah state
Wyoming
Southwest
New Mexico
Colorado State
New Mexico state
TCU
That is a very big league but playing 3 out of your division and 6 from the others would put alot of stakes for the new mexico-nm st. game nevada-unlv byu-utah-utah state san diego st-san jose st-fresno st.
Football would have boise state-fresno state-byu-hawaii-utah-tcu(thats 6/16 teams i know but look what happens when i include c-usa teams that could defect)
NorthWest
Boise State
Wyoming
Nevada
Unlv
Pacific
Fresno State
New Mexico
Hawaii
San Diego State
Mountain
Utah
Byu
Colorado State
Tulsa
Southwest
Houston
Rice
Utep
TCU
That adds Houston Utep Tulsa and Smu but, you could also add in basketball only schools such as Seattle U or Gonzaga to make it bigger than the big east in basketball ^^
Why Rice?
One reason baby ...... BASEBALL ^_^
Also Id have them sign each school a 10 year no change of the conference
Also they would be 3-1 overall in bcs bowls
and don't get me started on combining all the mid-major conferences cause id make it well rounded (basketball,baseball,football) =P
Nope never heard of that. That is definitely not what lead the MWC to split in the first place.
Right now I think the only expansion that makes sense for the MWC is Boise State.
Hawaii and Tulsa bring BCS value according to the BCS criteria. Hawaii and UTEP bring the most ticket buying football fans. Fresno State brings some name recognition and Houston brings a large TV market. Nevada and San Jose State could become a better option in retrospect if a hasty expansion is made now.
Nevada is a sleeper.
Nevada is the 2nd ranked team in the Wac in all sports so please just cause I live here don't assume I go for them sure im happy when anyone from the wac/mwc win anything but please im not a wolfpack fan im actually more of a utah/boise fan than anything my true fanhood is in Unlv basketball but as i said other than that i could care less
Hawaii/Boise State/Fresno State do great in other sports.
Rice wins baseball championships so does Tcu and Fresno state.
Nevada's Womens Swimming is good.
Unlv's Golf
Nevada's Softball
Hawaii's Watersports are good
Tulsa is pretty good in wrestling/boise is also
Utah/Byu are all good at Basketball,Football
Utah State is a good program for basketball and im tired of hearing the bs from utah/byu Basketball Fans why not embrace them i mean the higher ranked they are the better it is to win them am i right?
Wait lemmie break them down
Southwest you would have all texas schools Houston which is a big school in a tv market.Rice which is one of the better religious schools,
Utep which is in the new mexico/texas/mexico/arizona recruiting area
TCU which is another religious school.
Mountain which has the Salt lake metro area,Denver metro area,and Tulsa metro areas in it.Byu is a religious school.Colorado State is pretty big.
Pacific has the Fresno area involved,Hawaii area,New Mexico's Biggest city involved,San Diego involved.... im talking numbers here.
NorthWest Boise is a fast growing city,Reno is pretty big so is las vegas but, the only problem with wyoming is its not very big so if they were into size of the city/area id replace them with either San Jose State or Move Portland State up a division.
49ers stadium,oakland
You could throw Byu in,
Basketball would be hard..... id rotate between Las Vegas and Texas.
Baseball would also be hard.
Swimming should go to hawaii
I agree, any win for the MWC, WAC, C-USA or MAC over a BCS school is pleasant to hear about.
Respect Utah State in any sport? Not going to happen from Utah or BYU fans. Fanblogs focuses on football, so that is where I focus my breakdown.
I am more convinced that ticket buying fans are more important than TV market. Otherwise one comcludes SDSU is a better pickup than Bosie State. I don't think they are, not for football.
:-)
What makes anyone think the Alabama refs, i mean the SEC refs are bad.
Without question, if the MWC formally invites Boise St to join, it'll go a long way to bolster the MWC's credibility. BUT, why stop there. I still think, as stated in another thread, the MWC should also extend invitations to Houston & Tulsa. It would give them 12 teams; they could have a conference play-off; it provides TCU with a couple of closer rivals; both should be decent TV markets (Houston more so), and given Tulsa's play of late (Houston hasn't done all that badly either.), it would again add quality/credibility to the MAC. The two conference divisions would look like this:
East: Air Force, CO St, Houston, TCU, Tulsa, WY
West: Boise St, BYU, NM, San Diego St, UNLV, Utah
With this alignment key rivalries (Air Force/CO St, BYU/UT) are maintained, and potential rivalries are developed between Houston, TCU, & Tulsa in the East, and with Boise St, BYU, & UT in the West, and that doesn't even consider the rivalries should say NM or WY emerge as contenders.
Then the MWC would 12 teams
The Pac 10 would have 12 too
AZ,AZ St,New Mex, New Mex St,UTEP,TCU Colo St,BYU,Utah,Wyoming,UNLV,Boise st
Air Force,Army,Navy, ND and whatever is left in the WAC join SunBelt
La Tech belongs in Sunbelt anyway- C-USA could pick up Texas State to replace UTEP-----as long as yall are dreaming
MWC +3
B12 +0
Big East, SEC, Sun Belt, WA -1
MAC, ACC -3
C-USA -4
PAC-10, Big 10 -5