Dr Z

Working through some logistics, but I think I should make it for kickoff. #bocabowl Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl: Florida Atlantic vs. Akron (7 pm on ESPN at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida) The good news for Terry Bowden's team is it gets to escape frigid northeast Ohio for South Florida. The bad news is it faces the Lane Train and its record-setting offense in its home station. After allowing 45 points to Toledo in the MAC title game, Akron's defense will have another tough game. Prediction: FAU 45, Akron 27 Had to look this stuff (Cheribundi) up.

Thanks for all the kind words guys, makes all the work worth it. ??

From the presser last night. You guys have given up 600 yards of offense to these guys the last two times you've faced them. How do you somehow figure out how to stop these guys? Coach Bowden: "They don't have any left, they've used up all their yardage. And we weren't the only team that gave up 600 yards to Toledo. They're an outstanding football team. You can't take their offense away. You've got to somehow find a way to play your best football and to lower that amount. And we know that Ohio lowered that amount, we know that Eastern Michigan lowered that amount, and one or two other teams might have lowered it some. I've said it all week that we got behind 21 points the first 12 minutes and after that we're trying to play catch-up with the most prolific team in the conference. That's not the game that we probably have a chance to win. So we've got to come out fast and play our best football in the first -- I know how these guys are going to play in the third and fourth quarter. We know how we're going to play in the end. We've got to come out fast and make sure we play our best football at the beginning, then they'll slow down." Can you talk about Kato's play the last three weeks, and also, is he going to be your starter tomorrow? Coach Bowden: "We're not going to -- we've got two. Tommy Woodson made a mistake, we suspended him for a couple of games. He's eligible to play. He's ready to play. We could use two, we could use one, we could either. I don't think it's going to change the style of offense that we run. One's a little more agile running. The other is probably a little bit more experienced in getting rid of the football than the other. You know, they both played a lot of good football games, but unlike last year when we lost our first and second quarterback, we had to put a wide receiver at quarterback and we lost our last three games, maybe four games. But this year because of Kato being able to step in, it allowed us -- but he has played a little bit like a freshman. He'll take two steps forward, then he'll just -- first game he had a couple days to get ready as a starter and played a little bit apprehensive and then the second game he just relaxed and played football, four touchdown passes, 58 percent, no interceptions, no sacks against Ohio and had a very, very good day. I thought he was the best quarterback on the field that day. Last week -- I think last week -- I'll be honest with you, I think all of our guys because there was so much -- I was more tense last week than against Ohio. There was so much to lose. You didn't beat your rival. Six games may not get you into the bowl game. You're not going to get into the conference championship game and you could feel a little more tension. I felt a little more tension and a little more pressure, but I thought -- but Kato played very well. So every -- because he is a red-shirt freshman, every single play he plays he gets better. He gets more of a feel. But we have a chance to use both of our guys. Tommy Woodson knows that if he's called upon just to step in there and take a rep away or take a series away or to start the game, how we feel it's being played, I don't do that very often but I have done it before. I've had years where you had to have two guys really ready to play and you have to feel like who's throwing strikes and who's hitting the edges and get a feel for that." What is it like playing for Coach Bowden? AJ Coney: "He's a great coach. Like I transferred from Weber State and when I was there there wasn't like a family as it was when I got here. So I could tell like that leadership, it came from the top. The leadership we have like as a captain and all that, it starts at the top. So it's been a pleasure playing for him." Ulysees Gilbert: "Like he said, it's been a pleasure. I came from high school. I didn't transfer or anything. Coming as a freshman, it was like a family atmosphere. A lot of guys are from Florida. A lot of guys are from different places and they just took me in. And for kids to do that, it has to come from the head coach. It was just a great opportunity to be coached by Coach Bowden, just a legendary coach, and I'm just honored to even be able to play for a Bowden and to be around the group of guys I was and I just know it came from him being the coach and then just trickled down." I was just wondering, does this perception that you're huge underdogs bother you in the least? AJ Coney: "It does not actually because -- like I didn't even really know too much of how much we were underdogs or even that we were underdogs until everyone that's been talking to us has been pointing it out. We just go out every week and we have a motto on our team that's like 1 and 0. We don't think about anything else, the past or the future, none of that matters. Just matters -- like we've got to play on Saturday, we're going to have to play. Somebody's going to have to win. Somebody's going to have to lose. We don't think we're underdogs. We just go out and do what we've got to do. " Ulysees Gilbert: "Like he said, we don't think about being underdogs. When you start to think about that kind of stuff and go into politics you overthink things and when you overthink things, you start to mess up in a game. So it's more like you just -- you just -- you don't try to pay attention to it. I mean it's just another game. We're just going to go out there and have fun with our brothers and when you have fun everything else just becomes easier. So the big underdog thing, I mean, at the same time that puts more pressure on them. We just out here playing football."

@Hilltopper posted his tickets earlier in the thread, I'm sure they are in the Akron section (106). GET LOUD!!!!! We may have less fans there, but our fans can be LOUDER. The team thrives on it!!!

Am I ?????? I'm starting to enjoy (be entertained)??????? @datRo23. ?⚡️????⚡️????⚡️ He could end up being a one man marketing machine.

It's today. I don't see any indication that it will be broadcast live, but that doesn't mean it is not. 3:00-3:30 pm Detroit Lions President, Rod Wood & MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher 3:30-4:00 pm Toledo (West Division Champion) Press Conference Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle; QB Logan Woodside; RB Terry Swanson 4:15-4:45 pm Akron (East Division Champion) Press Conference Akron Head Coach Terry Bowden; WR A.J. Coney; LB Ulysees Gilbert

Coach Bowden will have a bowl announcement press conference on Sunday at 4 pm.

Have you been to the Bahamas?

I finally see a money line on the game. Akron is getting ELEVEN to one. If anybody thinks Akron can win, you won't see odds like this often. MARATHON MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TELECONFERENCE Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle, RB Terry Swanson, and QB Logan Woodside Terry Bowden "the best thing this team does is win"..."this team is special, I'm honored to coach them, and honored to be around them" Ulysees Gilbert III (talking about Kent game) "I just wanted to get our seniors two more games" (talking about Toledo) "I need to be disciplined, because they run a lot of RPOs, look at the lineman's head to see if it's run or pass" (talking about Akron recruiting) "I heard about how good of linebacker coach coach Amato was" A.J. Coney (talking about Kent game) "there was joy around the campus, not just team" (talking about your year) "I love my role" (talking about the transition at QB) "Kato won two state championships...he has been thrown into the fire" (talking about Toledo) "we need to play better"

I realize we are shorthanded this season, but it's fun to see the team's best player(s) on the floor for 30+ minutes a night.

I would be slightly surprised to see him start, since given the chance, he did not during senior night. It wouldn't surprise me to see him enter the game at some point though. I would guess Kato's success will have to do with him hitting the long sideline pass when the safety moves up to support the run. He did a great job of it against OU. Will this be the game we see Tra throw a pass? I have a feeling we will see a gadget play we have not run yet.

The Division I All-Ohio team and the Ohio Mr. Football Award will be announced today.

Kato Nelson is Akron's X factor -by EA of the PD "We've seen a lot of things they did against us when we did play them,'' Nelson said. "The biggest thing for us will be hitting our key matchups, getting the ball where we need it to be, and making the plays we need." Akron's practices this week have all been inside, prepping for playing in the dome, and with three things in mind, according to Bowden; "Work hard, have fun, stay focused. They have had some good practices,'' he said. And just like Nelson said he is ready, Bowden proclaims his entire team is ready, loaded with fodder from the newspapers and social media about the suddenly invincible Rockets. "They're hearing from everybody how this team is going to run all over them,'' Bowden said of Toledo. IMO, the staff seems to get the team motivated by adversity. I might have been one of the few Zip fans that wanted Toledo favored by a lot.

Nice photos (six) from Phil Masturzo. I'm probably wrong, but I don't remember the BJ sending a photographer this early in the season. ?? photo by Phil Masturzo

I wish Joe all the luck in the world, but I hope it lines up that when coach Bowden retires, Joe might be available to come back to the U.

I'm moving closer to the final stage of my 'Wishing-for-two MAC-bids' grieving process, acceptance. ?

Anybody get this working? I give up.

This class was once described the best college QB class in history? I heard a scout last year (he took a year off because of family health issues) describe Darnold as the second highest rated QB he has ever graded coming out of college. Only behind Elway. This was before the season started. I'll have to get an update on that grade coming into the draft. If he comes out. With his love for the (hot) tub, Rosen better hope a warm weather team grabs him. Not many at the top right now. Looking forward to seeing a lot of these guys in bowl games. That's where I can really overreact with an opinion. ?

I'm looking forward to seeing the money line on this game. ---------------------------------- From the press conference posted above, the most interesting question and answer was, how will you split (QB) reps? "I can't tell you that, because you will know the answer to the previous question." The previous question was, will you name a starter at QB for the game? That answer was "I don't think I will, we could play multiple QBs" I would assume Toledo is expecting Kato. Could there be a surprise? ---------------------------------- From @zipsoutsider above post, coach Bowden will be on here, at 11:30 am. Hopefully, you will be able to listen on demand at the same link. ---------------------------------- Love the green screen. ? I would have put him in Detroit traffic, and had him roll the wheel across the street.

Has to be official now, the King has spoken...LeBron James' favorite player is Eagles' Carson Wentz

The only one I can make, now that Bahamas is out, is the Gasparilla Bowl. It would be a perfect overnight trip for me with a Salvador Dali Museum visit on Friday. But like predicted above, I'll guess Dollar General. Would be fitting for @GP1. Gasparilla Bowl—Dec 21 at 8 pm—St Petersburg, FL at Tropicana Field Dollar General Bowl—Dec 23 at 7 pm—Mobile, AL at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Quick Lane Bowl—Dec 26 at 5:15 pm—Detroit, MI at Ford Field

Cyber Monday $24 Amazon Fire TV Stick (typically $40) for anybody that wanted the easy way to watch ESPN on their non smart TV.

Weird. Western had 12 three-star players (Scout.com). It had the 77th-ranked class in the country. ?