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I posted that on Saturday night. See above. But thanks for getting this conversation back to where it started.

Not surprisingly, this conversation about the value of a scrimmage performance will probably now morph into a debate over the definition of "a successful season". But let me remind everyone on all sides of this issue that for everyone on this board who insists that an NCAA Birth is all that matters, there have been at least an equal amount who were unsatisfied that we didn't "make a run" in the NCAA Tournament. And many of those were surely the same people. We even notably had one poster who proclaimed at the beginning of a season that we expected Sweet 16, or the season would be a disappointment. So here's how I predict the conversations will probably go on this board over the next few years. Season One: A debate over how far we've fallen from the success we've had over the last 12 years. Season Two: A debate over how long it's going to take us to get back to that level again. Season Three: A debate over whether we're even recruiting the right talent, and have the right people running the program to get us to that level again. At least 3 "we need a new coach" responses will soon follow. Maybe we should just start the conversation threads right now.

Thanks for sharing that info. Sure, we might be doing that. Maybe we are fully aware that we can't make the stops up front, and are keeping everything in front of us and hoping for mistakes. Maybe speed vs. size/strength is how we have to defend people this year. If that's how it needs to be, I just sure hope that we can continue to end almost-certain touchdown drives with endzone interceptions in the remaining games too. Those were the difference-makers in both the WMU game and the Buffalo game. Like I said earlier, maybe this is the year that the Football Gods are finally casting some good fortune on Akron. I just don't think costly mistakes like that are something you can rely upon to happen when you need them to happen.

I understand that a point was being made that a fill-in DB made a lot of tackles. I'm glad he was able to step in. And am I reading that correctly that he was the ONLY defensive player that had a Defended Pass on Saturday? But I see something else there too, which tells more of a story about our defense giving up so many yards on Saturday. Our top THREE tacklers were all Defensive Backs. That's never a good sign. Camara also stuck out with me for having an unusually great performance. And Bell continues to exceed all of the expectations/criticism he's received on this board.

So....After trying to use only the first game of the season as an example that a good scrimmage performance was not an indication of the good season that was forthcoming, now you want to try to use only the last game to mock the success of the season? You're making progress by only ignoring the other 34 games now. And we won 27 of them. And for the record, that bad loss to UT Arlington, that you highlight exclusively, was in the 2nd round. We advanced to that game by defeating #2 seeded Houston, on the road.

In not so many words, Lee is correct. There doesn't appear to be any logical scenario that does NOT include beating OU. But as I said previously, we don't have to beat BOTH Miami and OU, if Miami losses to to OU on Tuesday. But, if we do beat both of them, and own both head-to-head tiebreakers, we would actually clinch the East title before our final game against Kent.

Yes, I am aware of that. I work with media sources in my professional life

I get that part. I see that as a response every time this subject comes up. But it shouldn't be acceptable to report a positive outcome during a successful season in a very condescending manner....repeatedly....throughout the game article. Anyone in the country who would read this would say, "Their own reporter doesn't even give them any credit". This helps nobody.

We're subjected to a crap reporter because we're not valued by the publication that they work for. The ABJ apparently is satisfied with the way their neighboring major college athletic program is covered. That's the sad part.

Wow. As I look at it again, there's at least a dozen snide comments.

No, I just told you that because you were using only the first game's performance as an example that a good scrimmage performance must have been a farce. If so, you conveniently skipped the 27 wins and winning the MAC title by 2 games. So in that case, the good scrimmage really was a precursor of a very successful season.

If your station is becoming less successful, you wouldn't have a need for as much personnel. That's business. And lower viewership can change everything pretty quickly. So, exactly why do you insist that their political crap isn't a turn-off to viewers?

I'm not surprised. "The Zips can thank a missed field goal.." "The Bulls used that 3rd quarter to soften up the UA defense..." And it doesn't get any better than this. "In the end, Buffalo should have won...." I can assure you that he would not have used a line like that to describe Penn State if he was the one covering the improbable comeback of his beloved silver and red.

I thought he may have turned his head a bit, and lowered his shoulder. Tell us what you see on the replay.

I'm curious if anyone has gotten a 2nd look at the targeting ejection on Davis. At full speed, seeing it one time, I'm just as doubtful as the one he got a few weeks ago. I think it's sad that we have to watch football be subjected to these kind of judgement calls that can ultimately determine the outcome of games by removing key players. I really believe that the nature of the game causes these types of things to happen. They are erring on the side of safety. I get it. But this is a game where big, fast guys ram each other repeatedly. You can't make it a "safe" game.

Winning out, or not, is not the issue I'm addressing here. It's winning the MAC East. And we can't win the MAC East just by beating OU at home, if Miami keeps winning.

I also wonder if anyone has noticed that we'll play Miami on 9 days rest, and they will have only 6 days of rest, after playing a road rivalry game.

I don't think so either. But even if we beat Miami, we still have to beat OU. I'm just giving you a scenario where we'd only have to win ONE of those games, and would still win the MAC East. And the only way that can happen is if Miami losses their 3rd game on Tuesday in Athens.

........but then went on to win 27 games.

Here's a potential scenario I see...... 1) Watch the OU/Miami game on Tuesday in Athens, and hope for an OU win. 2) Miami would have 3 losses, and would be pretty much eliminated. 3) We could still lose to Miami on the road, and beat OU and Kent at home and Win the MAC East and go to Detroit via the head-to-head tiebreaker over OU. So, just that OU win against Miami would change our situation from a "control our own destiny" to "control your own destiny by only having to win our remaining home games" Otherwise, if Miami happens to beat OU, then our road game against Miami on 11/7 becomes MUST WIN or Miami would be able to equal our record and own the tiebreaker against us. And Miami plays the two bottom teams in the MAC West to close the season.

I never made it over there because I was too busy celebrating the football victory in the parking lot But, someone who was there told us, "It's going to be a rough year, and we just don't have the players to do anything about it" That was their option, and I am just repeating it. And I have no agenda by stating that. I'm neither a Groce fanatic, or a Dambrot hater.

Lets at least be fair and characterize our 4 victories while bashing Bowden (Yes, we're 4-1 in conference play with the coach you are profanely criticizing). We beat a couple of poor teams. We beat a team today that played really well when they had their current starting QB early in the season. And we beat another team on the road that's been a really good team most of this year, and might still win the MAC West.

Admittedly, I think they are even FAR better than any of us could have imagined. I just scoffed at those who ridiculously wanted to parade around Zips Nation after our loss, talking about how bad ISU was, just because they have a desire to watch Terry get fired.

They are a garbage program. They should have never beat us. A couple of people on ZipsNation said so.

This definitely looked like the Western Michigan game all over again. One team piled up a ton of yards, but didn't find enough points. Both games also included a drive-stopping interception in the end zone. Akron's defense does just enough to win. Whew. That missed Buffalo field goal at the end now becomes the highlight of the year thus far. Looked good part of the way, and then drifted. The football Gods must like the Zips this year.