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Bowden Expectations (Through 2021)


Balsy

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32 minutes ago, Balsy said:

We got lucky with the 2013 matchup with Michigan; they were clearly over-rated and we got them at the time of the year before the rest of the country realized they were overrated. 

 

Yes, maybe Michigan should not have been ranked as high as #11 going into our game against them, despite coming off of a big win.  

 

But regardless, they were ranked.  And continued to be ranked all the way until Week 10.  That would have been the biggest upset in the history of our program.  

 

When we do beat a ranked team for the first time, I hope you will enjoy it with the rest of us, and not continue to minimize it in some way, 5 years later.  It will be a huge moment for us, and it isn't going to matter how high or low that team is ranked, or whether the level of the ranking is accurate.    

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I think all 3 P5 teams will be a long shot to beat next season. Northwestern is going to finish the season ranked in the teens. We all know ISU is on the come up. Nebraska is probably the weakest (and NIU did just beat them this season), but they made a home run hire in Scott Frost, who just led UCF to an undefeated season and bowl win over Auburn. We shouldn't get too worked up by the starting OOC 1-3 next season. Last year's OOC was tough, this is tougher.


Like skip, my calendar is marked vs Illinois in 2019.

Edited by LZIp
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8 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Like skip, my calendar is marked vs Illinois in 2019.

 

I'll be there.  I'm looking forward to that road trip already.  

 

The Nebraska game is pretty interesting.  I agree with everything you said about the way they are probably headed, but I wonder how vulnerable they might be at the start of next year?

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59 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

ALL of those teams on the 2019 slate are beatable.  Illinois absolutely stinks, and we just came within a first down of icing a game against Troy on the road this year. 

 

But...none of those teams will be ranked when we play them.  Guaranteed.  

I think that was the point Balsy was trying to make.  We could beat all three of them but still not have beaten a Top 25 team.

Edited by Blue & Gold
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1 hour ago, Balsy said:

Between these opponents:

 

2018:  Nebraska, Northwestern, Iowa State

 

2019:  Illinois, UAB, Troy

 

2020: UAB, Clemson

 

I don't see it happening through 2021.  I agree it's a goal, but there's a little luck involved.  The last couple of years the ranked team that we've played that year has been, frankly, a championship caliber team.  Having the Expectation of a MAC team beating a National Championship team isn't realistic. 

 

We got lucky with the 2013 matchup with Michigan; they were clearly over-rated and we got them at the time of the year before the rest of the country realized they were overrated.  We might get lucky between Nebraska, Northwestern and Illinois that one of them will be in a similar situation...less likely with Iowa State, UAB and Troy.

 

I think we need to focus first on beating a Big-10 team.  Any Big-10 team.  And within the next two years we have the opportunity....NEBRASKA!  Nebraska seems to be the lowest hanging fruit.  They lost to NIU this year, and are as much a bottom dweller of the Big-10 as we have faced in recent memory.

 

Beat Nebraska, and then find a way to get a 9-win season in 2019.

 

Timing may not be everything, but it's important here.  Our best chance for a win against the power 5 conference teams you have listed would have been against Illinois or Nebraska during the recently concluded season.  Nebraska was a lot like Akron this year; rarely played more than 2 quarters per game and Illinois just sucked. 

I Can't think of a worse time to play Nebraska than the first game in the Frost era (however, I plan on being there to witness the blowout in person).

 

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54 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

Yes, maybe Michigan should not have been ranked as high as #11 going into our game against them, despite coming off of a big win.  

 

But regardless, they were ranked.  And continued to be ranked all the way until Week 10.  That would have been the biggest upset in the history of our program.  

 

When we do beat a ranked team for the first time, I hope you will enjoy it with the rest of us, and not continue to minimize it in some way, 5 years later.  It will be a huge moment for us, and it isn't going to matter how high or low that team is ranked, or whether the level of the ranking is accurate.    

 

Is this a quiz to see if anyone remembers our victory over ranked Marshall, or have some of the memory cells in your brain shut down?

Edited by Zipmeister
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It was 15 years ago, in a conference game, against a #25 team, with a QB with a broken leg.  And we were 1-7 at the time we played that game.  No chance for any impact from that one.  

 

Unfortunately, it was remembered for so many other things.  But factually, you are correct, we have beaten a ranked team in our history.  

 

My brain cells need some time after a long New Years weekend. 

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7 hours ago, skip-zip said:

When we do beat a ranked team for the first time, I hope you will enjoy it with the rest of us, and not continue to minimize it in some way, 5 years later.  It will be a huge moment for us, and it isn't going to matter how high or low that team is ranked, or whether the level of the ranking is accurate.    

 

Wait what?  When did I minimize that game?  I've been ridiculed on this forum by other members for talking up that game.  Most exciting game I've ever been too!  And yes beating a ranked team would be a huge moment for us and I will be celebrating.

 

My point still stands: 2013 Michigan was not the 2016 Penn State or the 2015 Oklahoma Sooners (the two most recently ranked teams we've played).  We had an actual chance to beat Michigan with the team that we had and the game plan.  There is no way in hell we were going to beat Penn State and Oklahoma, regardless of the game-plan or players. This is why I made the comment about it being almost as much luck, as to when a team is going to be ranked when we play them.

 

Sorry if I triggered you Skip.  :rolleyes:

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7 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

ALL of those teams on the 2019 slate are beatable.  Illinois absolutely stinks, and we just came within a first down of icing a game against Troy on the road this year. 

 

But...none of those teams will be ranked when we play them.  Guaranteed.  

 

Man, is there an echo in here?

 

...thanks for repeating exactly what I just wrote.  

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On 1/1/2018 at 7:19 PM, akzipper said:

I'm still wishing we'd see Akron knock off a ranked team. 

 

 

There is a good chance that Iowa State will get votes (and maybe even be ranked) for the start of the season, if only because of David Montgomery, our RB who led the nation in broken tackles.  

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13 minutes ago, Steve1982 said:

They do have to get through quite the gauntlet,

isu.JPG

 

I had forgotten that we play Oklahoma before you. 

 

Interesting fact:  the last time we beat our Oklahoma (a conference member) in Ames . . . JFK was President!  

 

It may be the most lopsided "rivalry" in all sports.  We could beat them for the next 68 games and still only make the series even.  Our current record with them is 6-74-2!  

 

 

Edited by Cykron
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48 minutes ago, ZippyRulz said:

Could Campbell survive an 0-3 start?? #penthousetoouthouse

 

 

 

Oh yeah, he would survive. 

 

The one most fans care about the most is the TOE ("team out east" as he calls our in-state rival).  I think he would prefer to get a shot at Oklahoma early in the year. 

 

Also, we start with South Dakota State, so if you are referring to us losing all our games up to and including yours, we would be 0-4.  It is hard to imagine because we are going to be better next year.  Our success this year was a bit "ahead of schedule."  

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17 hours ago, Cykron said:

 

 

I had forgotten that we play Oklahoma before you. 

 

Interesting fact:  the last time we beat our Oklahoma (a conference member) in Ames . . . JFK was President!  

 

It may be the most lopsided "rivalry" in all sports.  We could beat them for the next 68 games and still only make the series even.  Our current record with them is 6-74-2!  

 

 

When your legendary coach is Earl Bruce you tend to have some lopsided rivalries. My goal is that the rivalry with Cant gets so far out of hand in our favor I don't even consider them a rival anymore.

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Should we be jealous, or even worried that we only have 2 non conference games scheduled for 2018?  

 2018
Sept. 1   at Nebraska
Sept. 22 at Iowa State

2019
Aug. 31   at Illinois
Sept. 7   UAB 
TBA        TROY

2020
Sept. 12 at UAB
Sept. 19 at Clemson

2022
Sept. 24 at Appalachian State

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15 minutes ago, CDMac said:

I think we also have NW on the schedule for 2018 based on this link

 

2018

09/01 - at Nebraska

09/15 - at Northwestern

09/22 - at Iowa State

 

Would wait until Akron updates their site, this site has been inaccurate, i don’t know why but i think they move things around to try & get 2 homes & 2 away with a home FCS, last year they had Appy State & we had 3 away & it was moved to a later year & got the Iowa State contract

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1 hour ago, 94zipgrad said:

Would wait until Akron updates their site, this site has been inaccurate, i don’t know why but i think they move things around to try & get 2 homes & 2 away with a home FCS, last year they had Appy State & we had 3 away & it was moved to a later year & got the Iowa State contract

http://nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

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2 hours ago, zipsfan33 said:

Should we be jealous, or even worried that we only have 2 non conference games scheduled for 2018?  

 2018
Sept. 1   at Nebraska
Sept. 22 at Iowa State

 

Any chance that your game at Nebraska moved to Thursday or Friday (MACtion-like)?  Probably not as Nebraska is a stickler for tradition, albeit tradition that is really ancient history.

 

I would love to drive over to Lincoln and watch you give it to the Bugeaters.  Yes, "Bugeaters" was one of their early team names and they aren't fond of it.  There is plenty more where that comes from.  You can thank me later.  

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On 1/4/2018 at 4:05 PM, Cykron said:

 

 

There is a good chance that Iowa State will get votes (and maybe even be ranked) for the start of the season, if only because of David Montgomery, our RB who led the nation in broken tackles.  

 

There is no chance that UA will get votes for the start of the season, if only because our RBs led the nation in broken bones.  

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I'm suddenly a whole lot less enamored about next years schedule.   I'm still trying to get over the fact that the Browns only had 7 home games last year, now this devastating news....  I guess this calls for a road trip!   

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