So I am looking at the ESPN Matchup Predictor and here is how it is predicting our remaining schedule:
FAU -1.5 I guess this is the opening line for this week, we need this one
FIU 60.2% This one surprises me, I am hoping to sweep Fla
WKU 62.3% fav
UNT 67.2% fav
CLT 53.9% fav against MTSU
CLT 77.2% fav against UTEP
MRSH 69.0% fav
CLT 64.0 fav against ODU
We will be fav in 3 more according to info known to date, with basically a 50/50 this weekend> I sure hope it doesnāt come down to the last game.
To this point in the season it really is hard to tell how good we really are.
We handily beat 2 teams we were supposed to beat big (an FCS team and the worst team in all of FBS).
We lost badly to Clemson which was supposed to happen.
The only game that gave us a real chance to show our stuff was at App Stā¦which we pretty much went toe to toe with.
Butā¦we never could stop App Stā¦we have given up numerous big plays in every gameā¦long rushing TDs & long passing TDsā¦we have given up TDs on turnovers, blocked punts and kick returns. Clemson not only beat us but humiliatingly toyed with us even after pulling the QB after 3 series and playing 100 players (4th & 5th stringers).
Were we really as good as we looked earlyā¦or are we still no more than a P5 punching bag? Can we get some of that early swagger back or did Clemsonās dose of reality bring that back to Earth?
Literally I have no clue what we really are.
This first conference game should show that. Iām excited to see if we really are the team we think we areā¦a competitive team that can go bowling and threaten the top of the league.
When the season started, I thought weād have wins against UTEP, Umass, and GW, losses against App, Clemson, Fiu, unt and Marshall and toss ups against the rest.
As the season has progressed, Iām willing to move both Florida twins games to tossups.
Having written that, if we are hurt, we downgrade quickly. Gemmell, Deluca, Harris and even the Prince being out is devastating. Iām not sure we have the bodies to replace these guys. We have also seen a decline in tackling since Deluca and Gemmel were hurt.
Same deal on the offensive line. Taylor and Fisher being out is a killer.
We can play with any team left on our schedule 11-11, but we canāt if we are hurt. Depth is our Achilles heel and will likely be the biggest plot device in the rest of the seasons story.
In my eyes we need to split with the florida twins, beat WKU, split MTSU and NTU, beat UTEP, and split Marshall at home, ODU on the road. That would be a very good season all things considered. 7 wins with where this program has been, and all the injuries on D would be very, very impressive.
Splitting with the Florida twins will, IMO, give us a lot of wiggle room later in the season. If we get swept by them, we will need to be perfect in the back half of the season (assuming losses to Marshall and UNT).
Anything is really possible at this point. We can open up for big plays and also give up big plays. We need to stay healthy for sure. At our level we need to play smart and win the turnover battles.
The one thing that is important is that at every home game from now, we must do our part and be the 12th man. We all have a roll to play in this so letās all do our part.
I just do not see us getting to 6 wins again this year. I want to go to a bowl as much as anyone, but yesterday showed how far behind we are with the rest of the league in depth. We can play with most when healthy, but when we start getting injuries they next guy up is usually a FCS player. I know Elder got hurt on a return yesterday and did not play much after the 1st quarter. Does anyone have a list of our injuries that have/are missing games? GImmell hurt his ankle again in the 2nd quarter and did not return so hopefully the bye will help.
I think Healy will try to bring in several JUCOs and transfers again this year to fill holes with the amount of grads we are going to lose. I know the recruiting has picked up more than I thought it would this quick, but we need about 40 players to help upgrade our team.
We were 4-4 in CUSA last year, so if we can get healthy during the bye thereās still a chance to get 4 wins in 7 games. If we lose to FIU we are certainly behind the 8 ball on getting to our first bowl.
We obviously are going to have to win a couple on the road. UTEP is the best bet. FIU if our defense tightens up and we can take advantage of their weak run defense. WKUās defense looked really good last night but Iām not sure how much of that is UABās QB really poor reads of the safeties and linebackers. We can beat ODU too.
yep, I had hoped to sweep FLA, but that didnāt happen. UTEP is key as you said, the kids today are focused on the goody bags, the trips, just being in the bowl talkā¦, our days of ābe a part of something big, youāre building somethingā years are coming to an end, although not over yet. I think we have the Coach, Staff, facilities, to a certain extent, the talent to start getting 3* and mostly 4* kids.