Zip football should have a big year

[zipfan]

Zips should have a big year in football this year when you look at what they have returning and their schedule. They play Ball State, Army, Ohio, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Buffalo who are all rated in the bottom 19 of college football.

[Kangaroo Craig]

The Zips don't play Western or Eastern Michigan next year, but they do play Can't at home and Middle Tennesee State on the road. So your right, there are seven very winable games. There are three very touch road games against Purdue, Miami, and Bowling Green and one tough home game against Northern Illinois. I would be happy to see six or seven wins. There's an outside chance at eight if they can win the other home contest against NIU or steal one of the very tough ones on the road (Unlikely, but stranger things have happened).

[Zipsrifle]

I guess I'm not quite as optimistic as you guys. Though it would be great to win 7 or 8 games, I don't think it is in the cards. I'll be VERY happy with 6 wins this year. I was amazed at what JD was able to accomplish last year though and if he is the coach we all hope, I think we might get 7 or 8 wins. This season will be a good measuring stick of his coaching abilities. I guess here is my rundown of what I think will happen.

I think JD starts a lot of underclassman, who are very athletic, but inexperienced and just not as physically mature as upperclassman.

Purdue -L- I think we'll get pushed all over the field on this one. This is where the inexperience and size will hurt us. Lots of first game mistakes. I haven't done much research on Purdue but their spring depth chart looks like they will have mostly Juniors and Seinors playing. Keeping this from being a blowout will make an excellent start IMO.

MTSU -L- I've been nosing around a little bit more on this board but still don't have a real good idea about them. They weren't hit as bad by graduation as we were, lost 5 starters total, and will be playing us in Tenn. They beat us at home last season so I'm going to say a W in Murfreesboro will be a upset for the Zips.

NIU -L- If we get out of Tenn. with a W then we have a shot in this one. I understand the NIU has dropped some games against middle to lower rung MAC schools, but I only give us a shot in this one if we have momentum. I hear they have 2 stellar running backs again this year and an All-American on the line. They'll be a contender in the West.

CMU -W- MUST WIN AT HOME, no excuses!

Buffalo -W- They scared me 2 years ago when we played them in Buffalo. If we go in at 0-4, I think we're in trouble. As ususal, we should win this game, but I just think they have to improve at some point.

Miami -L- I wasn't at the game 2 years ago, but the previous two games in Oxford I was at and we seemed to play them well. They are probably going to have the better team and should win, but if we've got 3 wins at this point I think we win. During my last two trips to Oxford to watch the Zips I was treated to the Touchdown Travis "Overlooked" block in the back for his record setting TD and the naming of "Big Ben" with his last second miracle. I figure I'm due for a Zips win.

Army -W- We should win this one, no excuses!

BG -L- Sorry folks, I don't see a W in this one either. Give us a few more years.

Ball State -W- They gave us a hard time last year. I think we'll be a better team, but we play away. If we have a crappy record, we might lose, if we have a decent record, we win.

OU -W- Got to beat these guys at home. For some reason they just annoy me! Especially after listenening to the postgame show leaving Athens last year. Too much talk about how OU was the better team and Akron just got lucky, bla, bla, bla.

Can't State -W- Blowout at home on National TV.

As you can tell I tend to put a lot on momentum. It was amazing what happened after the Can't game last year. Sure it's 4 months till the start of the season, but I see 6 wins as reasonable. No stumbles backwards like we would see at least once every season with whoever was the coach prior to JD .