(11-23-2014 12:34 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If Rice wins at LaTech, that secures the game in Houston. 100%. After all, you guys forget, we own the conference office. They jump when we snap our fingers. At least, that was the story some of y'all told last year, and I don't see why we should have lost control of those guys.

J/K

Seriously, though, do y'all really think the home field advantage is worth 17 points to you? I believe you have a greater than average HFA, but 17 points?

Idk if it is worth 17 points.. But I do feel like it deflated us a bit and then you guys came out and hit us in the mouth and our guys folded like lawn chairs.

At any rate we were far better last season than we played on that day, but ultimately I think that game helped us. I think it taught us a valuable lesson about not letting things you can't control hurt you and a lesson about effort and passion.. Your guys played with much more than we did.. Idk if we are 11-0 right now if Rice didn't teach us those lessons last year.

Also for whatever reason that TX/WV trip is tough no matter what.. Throwing out any possible deflation about hosting and all of that it is simply a tough trip.. We have won 1 game in the state of Texas EVER and no Texas team has EVER beat us in Huntington.. I think travel has certainly played some part in that.

I don't think last year's situation was "screwing Marshall" or "benefitting Rice." I think it was simply incompetence on the league's part. I don't think there was any malice.

Using past presidence, perhaps we should tweet Jerry Palm to find the game's location. He seemed to be the one who made the final decision last year.

I felt like Marshall should have had the home game last year based on the letter of the law but not the spirit. It was what it was and Rice kicked our ass.

But I'm glad it's more explicit this year, and it's going to be in Huntington even if WKU and LT both win by 70.

I say we play it at rice again this year... just so we can relive last season's threads again.

Definitely in Huntington no matter what.

(11-23-2014 02:17 AM)HerdAlum83 Wrote:  

(11-23-2014 12:34 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If Rice wins at LaTech, that secures the game in Houston. 100%. After all, you guys forget, we own the conference office. They jump when we snap our fingers. At least, that was the story some of y'all told last year, and I don't see why we should have lost control of those guys.

J/K

Seriously, though, do y'all really think the home field advantage is worth 17 points to you? I believe you have a greater than average HFA, but 17 points?

Idk if it is worth 17 points.. But I do feel like it deflated us a bit and then you guys came out and hit us in the mouth and our guys folded like lawn chairs.

At any rate we were far better last season than we played on that day, but ultimately I think that game helped us. I think it taught us a valuable lesson about not letting things you can't control hurt you and a lesson about effort and passion.. Your guys played with much more than we did.. Idk if we are 11-0 right now if Rice didn't teach us those lessons last year.

Also for whatever reason that TX/WV trip is tough no matter what.. Throwing out any possible deflation about hosting and all of that it is simply a tough trip.. We have won 1 game in the state of Texas EVER and no Texas team has EVER beat us in Huntington.. I think travel has certainly played some part in that.

Thanks. If the team gets deflated by not being at home and loses confidence, that makes the HFA a two-edged sword for y'all. Seems like it is up to the coach to have his teams ready to play anywhere, anytime.

I agree that travel is a big part of Marshall's HFA. Other factors would be crowd and weather. But is it any different from playing in South Bend, Indiana? I am just trying to decipher the mystique.

I don't think our guys are intimidated at all by playing at Marshall, but I certainly think Marshall's confidence is boosted by playing at home, and that plus is just as important as any minus on the other team.

All this is premature, anyway. We still have LT to take care of, and that will be no easy task. They will be as ready for us as they were unready for ODU.

Here's to another MU-RU game in Huntington, and Rice changing that "EVER" to "just once".

Don't worry, I talked to the CUSA office and have secured the home field for Rice when we beat LA Tech. It was cheaper then you'd think. ?

In all seriousness, I think you underestimate the fact that this was the first time IN 56 YEARS that Rice was in a conference championship. I will admit that having the game in Houston only bolstered the high of our team, but I am also convinced that even if the game had been in Huntington, Rice would have been riding the emotional high and still won the game.

What are the leading attendance figures for past conference championship games? I would imagine this game at the Joan will draw a good crowd.

(11-23-2014 12:34 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If Rice wins at LaTech, that secures the game in Houston. 100%. After all, you guys forget, we own the conference office. They jump when we snap our fingers. At least, that was the story some of y'all told last year, and I don't see why we should have lost control of those guys.

J/K

Seriously, though, do y'all really think the home field advantage is worth 17 points to you? I believe you have a greater than average HFA, but 17 points?

It is worth a couple TDs IMO. Vs a texas team? Its worth probably 21 or more lol.

And the best team doesn't always win. 2007 Giants vs undefeated Patriots for example. I am a Giants fan, but the Pats were by far the superior team. Thats why you play. Not sure its very reasonable to say that rice was the best team last season. Especially given the bowl game. Marshall also ended #29 in the AP.

(11-24-2014 12:10 AM)goherd24herdfans Wrote:  

(11-23-2014 12:34 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If Rice wins at LaTech, that secures the game in Houston. 100%. After all, you guys forget, we own the conference office. They jump when we snap our fingers. At least, that was the story some of y'all told last year, and I don't see why we should have lost control of those guys.

J/K

Seriously, though, do y'all really think the home field advantage is worth 17 points to you? I believe you have a greater than average HFA, but 17 points?

It is worth a couple TDs IMO. Vs a texas team? Its worth probably 21 or more lol.

And the best team doesn't always win. 2007 Giants vs undefeated Patriots for example. I am a Giants fan, but the Pats were by far the superior team. Thats why you play. Not sure its very reasonable to say that rice was the best team last season. Especially given the bowl game. Marshall also ended #29 in the AP.

I appreciate the serious response...from the other guy.

(11-23-2014 11:06 AM)WEARE Wrote:  What are the leading attendance figures for past conference championship games? I would imagine this game at the Joan will draw a good crowd.

CUSA Championship game history shows the top 3 attended CUSA games are all at UCF in 2005 (51,978), 2007 (44,128), and 2010 (41,045). We would have to more-than-sell-out the Joan in order to break top 3, but #4 is a distant 33,048 at ECU in 2009. We could beat that, I think.

Lets move on. Rice whipped us last year and wanted it more. Kudos to them, they have a fine program. Lets see how it all plays out.

Great to see most of the Owl fans already making their plans for the championship game - surprised that Tech is currently a 6.5 point favorite...

(11-24-2014 10:02 AM)winston70 Wrote:  Great to see most of the Owl fans already making their plans for the championship game - surprised that Tech is currently a 6.5 point favorite...

FWIW, Rice is currently 8-3 against the spread.

We have a championship game next Saturday - is that the one you are referring to?

(11-24-2014 10:22 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 10:02 AM)winston70 Wrote:  Great to see most of the Owl fans already making their plans for the championship game - surprised that Tech is currently a 6.5 point favorite...

FWIW, Rice is currently 8-3 against the spread.

We have a championship game next Saturday - is that the one you are referring to?

Nope

If Rice beats latech the front office won't be stupid enough to schedule the CCG in houston. They're also thinking about the big bucks. Cusa might not have a second chance at an Access Bowl and I'm sure that goes through their measly minds.

But I'm talking about smart people, not sure about our front office in those matters.

(11-24-2014 10:02 AM)winston70 Wrote:  Great to see most of the Owl fans already making their plans for the championship game - surprised that Tech is currently a 6.5 point favorite...

Like how the la Tech fans were making their plans last week.

(11-24-2014 04:01 PM)benny_t Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 10:02 AM)winston70 Wrote:  Great to see most of the Owl fans already making their plans for the championship game - surprised that Tech is currently a 6.5 point favorite...

Like how the la Tech fans were making their plans last week.

And we saw how that worked out