Game 7—Western Michigan Broncos (2016)

[Let'sGoZips94]

2 words.

 

Andre Jones

 

Let's whoop some Bronco butt! I don't care who is hurt, who is playing, or who isn't. Excuses are for Can't State and OU. Let's take care of business and show the MAC and the nation that Dadgum Zips Football is BACK! 

 

[Blue & Gold]

2 hours ago, Dr Z said:

10/10/16 Jojo Natson Undisclosed injured last game, "?" Saturday vs. Western Michigan

10/10/16 Se'Von Pittman Undisclosed"?" Saturday vs. Western Michigan

10/09/16 Thomas Woodson Shoulder"?" Saturday vs. Western Michigan

10/09/16 Warren Ball Undisclosed"?" Saturday vs. Western Michigan

 

At the beginning of the season if you said, name 5 players getting injured that would weaken the team's chances of succeeding, my list would look something close to the above (with Marcus). Hats off to the team and staff for maintaining a high level of play in their absence. Let's hope all return and excel. 

 

 

Thomas Woodson

Jamal Marcus

Se'Von Pittman

Jojo Natson

Warren Ball

 

What is that?  The 1st-Team All-MAC list, or our injury list? 

[Z.I.P.]

The thing that upsets many of us outside the team is the lack of information regarding injured players' status!  Has there been a university-wide change in how injury status is announced publicly?  Seems like there was more info in the past...

 

Per this site, Marcus is out for the season.  http://www.statfox.com/cfb/injuries.asp

Edited October 11, 2016 by Z.I.P.

[zipsoutsider]

18 minutes ago, Z.I.P. said:

The thing that upsets many of us outside the team is the lack of information regarding injured players' status!  Has there been a university-wide change in how injury status is announced publicly?  Seems like there was more info in the past...

 

Per this site, Marcus is out for the season.  http://www.statfox.com/cfb/injuries.asp

Bowden has mentioned Marcus being out for the season a couple of times in interviews.

 

The Pitt fans complain about Narduzzi not providing injury status updates, either. It's one of the little edges coaches like to keep. It's frustrating to fans, but understandable. On the other hand, I am glad I didn't know prior to KSU that Woodson was going to be out.

 

If I had to guess, I would guess we will see Woody and Pittman but not Ball, and I would be surprised (but pleasantly) to see Natson.

[72 Roo]

5 hours ago, lilroodude said:

 

2 words.

 

Andre Jones

 

Let's whoop some Bronco butt! I don't care who is hurt, who is playing, or who isn't. Excuses are for Can't State and OU. Let's take care of business and show the MAC and the nation that Dadgum Zips Football is BACK

 

Damn right! At the end of the day we need to do it regardless of what stands in our way. Well said! C'mon Zips, this progrum is moving up.

[Kangaroo Craig]

13 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

I remember going to the Byron Leftwich Marshall Top 25 game at the RubberBowl... Idk, who knows how many years ago now.  

 

I was expecting the Zips to get run, just like I'm feeling for this WMU game.  But the Zips won in a sincerely classic college football game.  So you never know.  Our D has to come to play on Saturday.

That was a great game that we probably lose if Leftwich doesn't get hurt. In the end we won and that is all that matters.

[Kangaroo Craig]

This game against Western is definitely winnable. We are going to get our points. It's going to come down to rushing and how well our defense plays. If we can run the ball effectively, that will chew up clock and limit their time of possession.

[zipsoutsider]

1 hour ago, Kangaroo Craig said:

This game against Western is definitely winnable. We are going to get our points. It's going to come down to rushing and how well our defense plays. If we can run the ball effectively, that will chew up clock and limit their time of possession.

 

Bowden could not care less, or so he says, about time of possession and playing calling more or less supports that. I think it is a somewhat bigger factor without Tommy, but overall, we are a quick score offense and we will live or die by that this year. In our offense, the pass sets up the run. I don't look for much of a focus shift in that area unless we regain Warren Ball, and even then, I still expect a primarily pass-oriented offense. We can definitely put as many points on them as they can on us. If we play yo the top of our game, we can make this game come down to the last half of the 4th quarter and be in a position to win.

[skip-zip]

5 hours ago, zipsoutsider said:

 

Bowden could not care less, or so he says, about time of possession and playing calling more or less supports that. I think it is a somewhat bigger factor without Tommy, but overall, we are a quick score offense and we will live or die by that this year. In our offense, the pass sets up the run. I don't look for much of a focus shift in that area unless we regain Warren Ball, and even then, I still expect a primarily pass-oriented offense.

 

Right on the money.  

[Dr Z]

The Zips are ten and a half point underdogs. I would guess the money line to be around 7:1. Over under is 68.

 

Oddsshark predicts the score to be 39-30 Broncos. 

[ZippyRulz]

27 minutes ago, Dr Z said:

The Zips are ten and a half point underdogs. I would guess the money line to be around 7:1. 

 

I couldn't take the Zips and points without knowing who will/won't be playing. I know the guys on the field (at least most of them) will give a great effort even if TB holds out some key players.

 

[skip-zip]

Looking like excellent weather conditions, which could easily push this over 68 total points.  I think we'll need at least half of that to win, for sure.  And I expect Western to get their points too.  

 

With the the line at 10-1/2 for a home game against a MAC team, it definitely shows that nobody is taking us serious yet.  And lets face it.  These last 6 MAC wins were against bad teams.  We need to go out and prove that we're better than just the best team in the lower half of the MAC.  

[LZIp]

24 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

Looking like excellent weather conditions, which could easily push this over 68 total points.  I think we'll need at least half of that to win, for sure.  And I expect Western to get their points too.  

 

With the the line at 10-1/2 for a home game against a MAC team, it definitely shows that nobody is taking us serious yet.  And lets face it.  These last 6 MAC wins were against bad teams.  We need to go out and prove that we're better than just the best team in the lower half of the MAC.  

You conveniently left out the fact that they are one of 10 or 11 unbeaten teams left in FBS, #24 ranked team in the country, and have more B1G wins than Michigan State. Whether they are in our conference or not is besides the point.

Edited October 11, 2016 by LZIp

[skip-zip]

11 minutes ago, LZIp said:

You conveniently left out the fact that they are one of 10 or 11 unbeaten teams left in FBS, #24 ranked team in the country, and have more B1G wins than Michigan State. Whether they are in our conference or not is besides the point.

 

Disagree Completely.  At this point, we shouldn't stand for being considered (or consider ourselves) to be nearly two touchdowns inferior to any team in our own low-level league when we are playing at home.

 

Yes, I am well aware of their accomplishments.  I've actually applauded their two Big 10 wins on here, especially because I find it hilarious that Big 10 fans carry such a complex about their strength compared to other superior conferences.  But lets be honest here.  Comparing Michigan State and Western Michigan in any way because they've both played two Big 10 teams is REALLY reaching.  I wish we could.  But unfortunately I honestly have to look at who WMU played, and who MSU played.  

[zippy5]

How can you disagree with that? It's a fact lol

[skip-zip]

37 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

How can you disagree with that? It's a fact lol

 

I disagreed with his rationale that this should make us a 11-1/2 point underdog at home.  

 

I also happen to think that our common conference affiliation DOES matter.  

 

Is that OK with you that I see it differently ?  

[UAZippers]

1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

 

Disagree Completely.  At this point, we shouldn't stand for being considered (or consider ourselves) to be nearly two touchdowns inferior to any team in our own low-level league when we are playing at home.

 

Yes, I am well aware of their accomplishments.  I've actually applauded their two Big 10 wins on here, especially because I find it hilarious that Big 10 fans carry such a complex about their strength compared to other superior conferences.  But lets be honest here.  Comparing Michigan State and Western Michigan in any way because they've both played two Big 10 teams is REALLY reaching.  I wish we could.  But unfortunately I honestly have to look at who WMU played, and who MSU played.  

So because WMU is in the MAC, that means that they cannot be a legitimate top 25 team? I think it is very fair to compare WMU and MSU. If they played each other, I would expect a really close game. At this point, we are an upper-level MAC team, but WMU is a premier G5 team. It is certainly not impossible for us to win Saturday, and it has been years since I have been this excited for a home game, but I think a double digit spread makes perfect sense to a nonpartisan odds-maker.

[LZIp]

5 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

I disagreed with his rationale that this should make us a 11-1/2 point underdog at home.  

 

I also happen to think that our common conference affiliation DOES matter.  

 

Is that OK with you that I see it differently ?  

So if WMU does beat the spread would you then agree with my rationale?

[skip-zip]

3 minutes ago, UAZippers said:

So because WMU is in the MAC, that means that they cannot be a legitimate top 25 team? I think it is very fair to compare WMU and MSU. If they played each other, I would expect a really close game. At this point, we are an upper-level MAC team, but WMU is a premier G5 team. It is certainly not impossible for us to win Saturday, and it has been years since I have been this excited for a home game, but I think a double digit spread makes perfect sense to a nonpartisan odds-maker.

 

No, that's not what I said.  MAC teams have been ranked before. I'm happy that they are currently a Top-25 team, and that they are coming here.  It presents a great opportunity for us.   But, if you feel we are "upper level" in the MAC, and that still makes us this inferior to another team in our own league at home, that's your opinion.  That's fine.  But I think our knowledge of this league should tell us that there probably isn't THAT much separation between the teams in our league.   For instance, would BG or Buffalo be a 30 or 40 point underdog against WMU?   If so, than the teams in our league have spread out far greater than they've ever been spread out in the past.  Which would be great.  We'd have some elite teams that would get some major national notoriety.  And it would probably open some doors for us.  But, I don't see this happening right now.         

[UAZipster0305]

It's been a while since I've posted...particularly busy in the real-world for the past six months...however, I had to check-in...

 

Is this real? We are 4-2 coming off a bowl win and having beaten Kent in dramatic fashion...now we host (in our own beautiful glass and brick on-campus stadium) a top-25 team (that has beaten two B1G teams already this season and is undefeated) for the right to remain at the top of the MAC! I must be dreaming.

 

Those of you thinking we should save our best players for the rest of the MAC schedule are out of your minds.

[skip-zip]

11 minutes ago, LZIp said:

So if WMU does beat the spread would you then agree with my rationale?

 

I would hope that you'd be more intelligent than to use one game to prove anything about any team.  But, since you just compared MSU's opponents Wisconsin and Indiana, to WMU's opponents Northwester and Illinois......  

[LZIp]

3 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

I would hope that you'd be more intelligent than to use one game to prove anything about any team.  But, since you just compared MSU's opponents Wisconsin and Indiana, to WMU's opponents Northwester and Illinois......  

You're complaining about a spread which means nothing for a certain game, but if WMU beats they spread you can't admit that the oddsmakers were right? Not sure what kind of logic that is.

 

MSU's wins are over Furman and 2-4 Notre Dame. Congrats I guess? They were blown out at home by Wisconsin and lost by 3 scores at home to BYU, who Toledo was beating until the final seconds at their place. Indiana has wins over FIU, Ball State, and 2-3 MSU. Not that impressive. WMU would certainly compete with and probably beat them this year.

[zippy5]

32 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

I disagreed with his rationale that this should make us a 11-1/2 point underdog at home.  

 

I also happen to think that our common conference affiliation DOES matter.  

 

Is that OK with you that I see it differently ?  

You bolded the part saying they have more B1G wins than MSU and said you disagreed

[skip-zip]

1 minute ago, zippy5 said:

You bolded the part saying they have more B1G wins than MSU and said you disagreed

 

Sorry.  I just bolded that to reference it in my comments.  Now I see why you responded the way you did.   

[tomzip]

Would love to see a good crowd...but I just chuckle at the thought. Joe Akron has no idea how this team has turned things around. All about buckeyes in this area unfortunately. I go to all the games (thankfully the athletic dept. gives active military free admission) and cannot believe how few people are in attendance. Where are all the people? We had more at the rubber bowl!? A large crowd could maybe amp the team up for a big game. Maybe bring back acme-zip game again...$15 for general admission may turn some folks off...not sure, just trying to think why no one shows up to a fun team to watch.