Okay, it is just a blog entry, but I happen to agree. Heck, why not an undefeated Marshall as one of the four playoff teams?

http://g5conferencenews.blogspot.com/201...erves.html

I'd be on cloud 9, but there's no chance unless we were competing with 2 and 3 loss P5 schools for the final 2 spots.

I agree that we have a very good shot at an Access Bowl if we're undefeated though.

(07-23-2014 08:01 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  I'd be on cloud 9, but there's no chance unless we were competing with 2 and 3 loss P5 schools for the final 2 spots.

I agree that we have a very good shot at an Access Bowl if we're undefeated though.

I agree with this, as well. No chance in hell we get a playoff spot, but the Access Bowl question depends on how UCF, Fresno State, Boise State, ECU, Cincinnati, and even Houston do this season.

I think for our consideration, the one outside factor that plays in our favor is that all other Access Bowl contenders are in 2 conferences. Fresno State and Boise State will have 1 loss between the two of them because they play each other, for example. Same goes even moreso for UCF, ECU, Cincy, and Houston.

But if Cincy can beat Miami FL (don't see them having a shot vs Ohio State); if ECU can beat just ONE of VT, South Carolina, or UNC; if Houston can beat BYU; and if UCF can beat just ONE of Penn State, Missouri, or BYU,those programs have an obvious leg up against us for that Access Bowl slot whether we're undefeated or not.

The blogger says that there is a big difference between ECU, Tulsa, and Houston compared to MT and North Texas but I think that is in perception only. We actually beat Marshall last year something ECU could not do (they got blown out) and we played ECU in a tight game losing by a touchdown at the very end. I am fairly certain we would have beat Tulsa last year as well if we had played them. North Texas played them and blew them out 42 to 10. We are just as good as these teams no matter what "they" try to say we just have to continue to prove it on the field.

I don't think Marshall's SOS is worthy of the bid sorry. I think they'd deserve an outstanding bowl slot but not the bid. Maybe if Marshall had won CUSA last year I'd of reconsidered.

(07-23-2014 08:22 AM)RedParallax Wrote:  

(07-23-2014 08:01 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  I'd be on cloud 9, but there's no chance unless we were competing with 2 and 3 loss P5 schools for the final 2 spots.

I agree that we have a very good shot at an Access Bowl if we're undefeated though.

I agree with this, as well. No chance in hell we get a playoff spot, but the Access Bowl question depends on how UCF, Fresno State, Boise State, ECU, Cincinnati, and even Houston do this season.

No chance in hell you get a playoff spot because you won't be undefeated.

That would look great for our conference, but there's just absolutely no way whatsoever that would even come close to happening, even if they do go undefeated. When you look at the list of some of the schools projected just within the top ten alone (Florida State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio State, Auburn, UCLA, etc), I have little doubt that every one of those schools would easily go undefeated against Marshall's schedule. I think that most of the teams in the top 20 could go undefeated against that schedule, and probably even most in the top 30. A schedule ranked #122 out of 128 FBS programs is really scraping the bottom of the barrel for wins, and a single undefeated regular season against such a schedule falls far short of consideration for an Access Bowl.

In 2009, Boise State entered the Fiesta Bowl at 13-0, but they had beaten a #14 ranked Oregon team in week one by double digits 19-8 in what was actually their 2nd consecutive win over Oregon (they beat 'em in Eugene the year prior). It was also the 2nd consecutive year they finished the regular season undefeated, and their 4th unbeaten regular season in their last 6 years. So it essentially took them 6 years (4 of them undefeated in the regular season) to earn their spot in that bowl, not one year against a #122 schedule.

Marshall will have a shot if they are dominant. If they barely escape a couple of teams, it will be tough. But if Marshall looks great, and is great, they will make it.

(07-23-2014 08:31 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  The blogger says that there is a big difference between ECU, Tulsa, and Houston compared to MT and North Texas but I think that is in perception only. We actually beat Marshall last year something ECU could not do (they got blown out) and we played ECU in a tight game losing by a touchdown at the very end. I am fairly certain we would have beat Tulsa last year as well if we had played them. North Texas played them and blew them out 42 to 10. We are just as good as these teams no matter what "they" try to say we just have to continue to prove it on the field.

Look at the OOC schedule for ECU. I haven't checked it for Tulsa or Houston, but ECU's OOC schedule should really tell you that it is more than just perception of the general public. Power conference universities obviously perceive ECU differently as well.

They have OOC games against a mix of VT, WVU, BYU, UNC, NCSU for most of the next 6 years.

The problem for Marshall is that going undefeated is already so difficult as it is but for kids who have never been in this position before to hear all offseason how they should go undefeated sets the Herd up for what is psychologically going to be almost impossible. All they have heard all year long is how good they are. You all know what happens when you read too many of your own press clippings. I won't be surprised at all if Marshall lays an egg very early in the season and loses a game to a team they most definitely shouldn't lose to. I don't wish that, but I can certainly see it happening.

First, let them go undefeated, then let's talk.

There are two games I'm looking at that look problematic to me in the first half of the season for Marshall.

The first is the Akron game. Akron is not going to set the world on fire, but they had Michigan all but beat last year. That's a program that can put together one good game at home and knock you off.

The next one is the very next week at Old Dominion. Escape a road game at Akron and you have to turn around and face an offense that throws it better than we do (and I don't have to remind Marshall's defense what happened in Murfreesboro last year). In fact, I see that as potential trap for Marshall as they look ahead to that revenge week against MT thinking ODU is a cakewalk and uh oh you take an opponent lightly on the road (with a history of struggling on the road) and you find yourself thinking about what might have been.

I'm only worried about August 30th right now.

(07-23-2014 09:02 AM)Niner National Wrote:  

(07-23-2014 08:31 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  The blogger says that there is a big difference between ECU, Tulsa, and Houston compared to MT and North Texas but I think that is in perception only. We actually beat Marshall last year something ECU could not do (they got blown out) and we played ECU in a tight game losing by a touchdown at the very end. I am fairly certain we would have beat Tulsa last year as well if we had played them. North Texas played them and blew them out 42 to 10. We are just as good as these teams no matter what "they" try to say we just have to continue to prove it on the field.

Look at the OOC schedule for ECU. I haven't checked it for Tulsa or Houston, but ECU's OOC schedule should really tell you that it is more than just perception of the general public. Power conference universities obviously perceive ECU differently as well.

They have OOC games against a mix of VT, WVU, BYU, UNC, NCSU for most of the next 6 years.

What does a schedule have to do with how good a team actually is? You can schedule the entire SEC and get blown out every game does that mean you are on their level just because you played them? You totally missed my point. Try again.

(07-23-2014 09:12 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  The problem for Marshall is that going undefeated is already so difficult as it is but for kids who have never been in this position before to hear all offseason how they should go undefeated sets the Herd up for what is psychologically going to be almost impossible. All they have heard all year long is how good they are. You all know what happens when you read too many of your own press clippings. I won't be surprised at all if Marshall lays an egg very early in the season and loses a game to a team they most definitely shouldn't lose to. I don't wish that, but I can certainly see it happening.

I can see that happening against Akron. Big trap game. A week after we play OU - the battle for the Bell. Emotional letdown and playing on the road. ugh!

Going undefeated in any sport, on any level is extremely difficult.

Right now I'm just ready for the season opener against Miami (not the real one, the little one in Ohio.)

So many things can happen to change all of this. What if our conference wins most of our OOC games? I'm sure our SOS would jump quite a bit if that were the case. Such as WKU beating Bowling Green.

Also, its not about playing each team necessarily. Its about WHEN you play each team. Are they hot right now, are they coming off a bunch of losses, are they injured, are they coming off of a bye week, etc?

(07-23-2014 09:20 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  There are two games I'm looking at that look problematic to me in the first half of the season for Marshall.

The first is the Akron game. Akron is not going to set the world on fire, but they had Michigan all but beat last year. That's a program that can put together one good game at home and knock you off.

The next one is the very next week at Old Dominion. Escape a road game at Akron and you have to turn around and face an offense that throws it better than we do (and I don't have to remind Marshall's defense what happened in Murfreesboro last year). In fact, I see that as potential trap for Marshall as they look ahead to that revenge week against MT thinking ODU is a cakewalk and uh oh you take an opponent lightly on the road (with a history of struggling on the road) and you find yourself thinking about what might have been.

While MT beat us fair and square and I respect that. You beat us on the last play of the game and it was the worst game we played as a team all year by far. But, you are correct, those games may pose problems for us.

The games that really concern me are Akron, ODU, Rice and USM.

No the Marshall defense sucked last year and MT exposed it. Your offense was clicking that game.

They may go undefeated but no way that deserves a spot in the playoff. Sorry, just doesn't. Schedule is awful. Not to say Marshall won't be a good team, because they almost certainly will be.

(07-23-2014 10:14 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  No the Marshall defense sucked last year and MT exposed it. Your offense was clicking that game.

We gave up 20.7 points a game. Hardly a defense that sucks. The D had a bad game against you all; it was the exception not the rule.