InTheZone

I sent the top editor a nice little note and forwarded it to Morgan and Pentages. I'd encourage everyone to do the same and get your friends to as well. Things will change if there's a big enough outcry.

Whoa....what exactly did ya say to him in your email??

OSU plays at noon and will be done by 3:30. Zips game is at 6:00. There is no time conflict. Go to the Rubber Bowl to tailgate and see a good game. Good deal. I'd heard somewhere they were playing at 4 but glad to see they aren't.

I'm going to stick with my original prediction from April on this one: Zips 17 Huskies 31 That's not to say that I don't have full faith in my Zips, because I certainly do. We've got a great chance to go into this game and make a huge statement in the MAC, and we've definately got what we need to do it. The Huskies have the advantage in talent and experience though and that's hard to overcome. I'll be there cheering my heart out for the Zips and hoping for the upset.

Good post Spud, don't know about a sell out since unfortunately many of our fans will stay home just to watch OSU, but it'll be a great game nontheless. Here's to a safe ride for all the Huskie fans making the trip and a clean, injury free game.

And as bad as Bowling Green looked last night, I'm starting to wonder about my predicted loss to them. Like I've said since March, this could be a very exciting year for Zips fans!! Rebuilding my arse .

Let them talk. Talking never won a football game for anyone. The boys will be ready to play. I have no predictions other than the Zips will be ready to play.

Yeah it was real good. Maybe you should try some. And Dr Z, I'm going to take you up on that beer offer at the end of the season so be ready

After reading your board a little bit, I've got to say this to the MTSU fans. Don't give up on your team, your coach, or the season just yet. Last year, much like you guys, we came into the season with a lot of hype, it being Charlie Frye's senior season and all. A lot of people around here were talking about us going into Penn State and whooping their ass, sort of like you guys were talking about Alabama. We got spanked 48-10. Then we thought, oh well, we'll just rebound with an easy win over MTSU, much like you guys talked about us today. We played like crap and lost the game. We then went into Virginia and get the living snot beat out of us. 0-3. Then something magical happened. Things clicked, we had a little bit of luck, and in the final week we were playing for a conference championship and bowl berth. Keep the faith alive guys. You have a good team and things will get better. Good luck the rest of the season.

I don't know. I can actually see our team shutting out Akron with our defense ranked 30th in the nation right now.

Getsy throws interception in the end zone. 17-7 Akron. Despite that Getsy's been impressive today.

I did hear Andre the Giant was a rolling stone back in his day. Both do have a striking similarity to him, don't you think?

I personally love Steve French and think that as a mid-major school we are lucky to have an announcer as dedicated to Zips athletics as he is. Keep up the good work Frenchie!

I don't know. I can actually see our team shutting out Akron with our defense ranked 30th in the nation right now. Alot of it I think has to do with mentality. Akron will no doubt take us lighter and less serious than they ever did Purdue. But just because Akron scored 24 on Purdue doesn't mean Akron will score at least that on Middle Tennessee. Stranger things have happened in college football. Last season I saw Mississippi State get beat by Division 1-AA Maine only to turn around and knock off the #1 team in the SEC East, the Florida Gators, the very next week. But that doesn't mean that Maine would beat Florida or even come close to beating Florida just because they beat Mississippi State who Florida lost to. If we turn it over like we did against UNT I can see us losing like 21-7. But if we play against Akron like we are capable of without mistakes, I can see us winning by as big a margin as that guy from CBS Sportsline predicted. You assume the Zips aren't as fired up for this game as Purdue. Nothing could be further from the truth if you ask me. The team was flat out PISSED after blowing a game the whole team felt like deserved to win last year, and bad tastes like that don't leave your mouth. Many on the Zips team feel like had they not blown MTSU last year, they would've been in a bowl game. There's a lot of buzz in the community surrounding this team this year and the boys are eager to put one in the win column. JD will have them ready to play, whereas I see the Blue Raider players playing with the thought in the back of their head that their coach is about to get canned. Uncertainty is never a good mentality for a football team. If Akron comes out rocking I can see MTSU packing it in. Who knows though. This will be an interesting game to watch because talent wise the two teams are very similar.

We've also played two really good defenses. Last week, our offense couldn't have played worse. Seriously. It was a bloodbath. Not flaming here though. I don't think you'll score more than 7. Our defense has some bad boys, and unless your RB's are better than North Texas' it could be a long night for your ground game. I'm not flaming here either, but we put up 24 on Purdue, named by most as one of the top 5 defenses in the nation. If we put 24 on them, I can't really see a little Sun Belt team holding us to 7. Sorry. I respect you guys program but your defense isn't close to Purdue's. Last year you had Charlie Frye and we had the 112th ranked pass defense. This year you don't have Charlie Frye, our pass D is ranked 26th and our teams is going to be extremely agitated. Just agree to disagree. I don't want to start a flame war. I really do respect you guys. Our programs are so in the same boat it isn't even funny. Hope those of you that come down have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves. Good luck, and hope we have an injury free game. (We lost a senior wideout Saturday to a Theisman-like broken leg) Last year, we were in the second game in a totally new scheme. Last year, we were totally unorganized and coming off a blow out loss to a sorry Penn State team. Last year and this year are like apples and oranges. I'm going to have to agree to disagree that it's ridiculous to state your team could hold us to 7 when perhaps the best defense in the nation gave up 24. And while I do respect you guys greatly, I'd have to disagree our programs are in the same boat. You've got coach is hearing is head called for, while we've got a conference coach of the year who just pulled in the #1 recruiting class in our conference and undeniably has the program on the rise. That's a big difference if you ask me. But here's to a great, injury free game, and I look forward to the southern hospitality and spirited tradition I know we'll find down there.

We've also played two really good defenses. Last week, our offense couldn't have played worse. Seriously. It was a bloodbath. Not flaming here though. I don't think you'll score more than 7. Our defense has some bad boys, and unless your RB's are better than North Texas' it could be a long night for your ground game. I'm not flaming here either, but we put up 24 on Purdue, named by most as one of the top 5 defenses in the nation. If we put 24 on them, I can't really see a little Sun Belt team holding us to 7. Sorry. I respect you guys program but your defense isn't close to Purdue's.

You ever meet the Kaspareks? The dad is about 5'11 and the mom is about 5'3. Where those two get their size from is a mystery to me.

CBS picks Follow the link. This guy sees MTSU winning the game 34-13. Based off the season thus far, I'm not really seeing the logic behind that. The other "expert" on sportsline has the Zips losing 24-21. I don't see us losing at all (like I said earlier in the year and was chewed out by King Zip, I think the Zips have what it takes to win the east this year) at least 24-21 is a little more realistic.

He was just cramping up.

I'm cautiously optimistic now too. Remember the game at the 'shoe in 2001? We lost 28-14. Played a whale of a game. We finished 4-7 that year. I will be very interesting to see how the Zips fare in Murfreesboro next week. I watched MTSU lose at home to Noth Texas last night (YES Network). MTSU isn't very good. North Texas has two unbelievable running backs (both have led the nation in rushing during their career) and has been to a bowl game something like the past five years in a row. The fact that MTSU played them that close and held them to 14 points seems pretty impressive to me, though I didn't watch the game like you did.

Not slow in terms of straight line speed, but very stiff and lacking in foot quickness and agility. I'm surprised he's done so well, but I'm very happy for him. Hopefully he'll be yet another Zip to do us proud on Sundays.

I wouldn't read too much into Allen not being on the RB 2-deep. Everything I've heard points to the staff being very happy with him. There's no shame in being a true Fr. behind Biggs and Kennedy. I was suprised not to see Elliot Bates on the OL, and Howe behind Rohr at LB. You are right about the DL size. But then again, that been the story with our DL since...well...since about the day we jumped to 1-A. If all goes well that will change in 2006...but until then...to quote Popeye..."we yam what we yam." I hope someone on the DL steps up and surprises us in 2005. I also heard Johnny Long is pushing for the starting WR job. I think I said it on another thread, Elliot Bates hasn't been all that impressive during camp and at times has looked clumsy according to very reliable sources. Howe has seen one injury after another since spring practice. He missed most of camp and is still not totally healthy. He's just had very bad luck, otherwise I'm sure he'd be starting. Alex Allen will see a lot of time on special teams and should see a few touches in relief and mop up duty this season.

CFN is owned by Fox, perhaps that's why

Henry's still the starter. Tate is the nickel back. Jay Rohr is one of the few guys on the defense that has actually been healthy all the way through camp. On the O-line, Mike Schepp and Zach Anderson have had great camps. Neither were a part of the original starting five so that's encouraging.