(10-13-2015 11:20 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote: This year..no respect for USA. We've been an underdog in all of our games save 1. And 2 of those 'favorites' have been upset.
For this game, I see it as a game where USA has a lot to win and stAte has a lot to lose.
For USA, win the game and
1) USA is almost a lock for bowl eligibility
2) USA is looking better than 50-50 for 7 wins
3) USA finally gets a W over stAte
4) USA gets a good W at home for a change
5) USA stays in the SBC championship race.
6) USA might actually get some respect
For a team that returned 5 starters and was picked by many to win 1 or 2 games this year, USA is already blowing expectations out of the water. Beating stAte would just be more of a bonus.
Lose the game and USA still looks reasonably good for a bowl. This is a 'steal' game, like our game with SDSU. We aren't supposed to win it, but could do so. And a win would be huge.
----
For stAte, its more of a 'fear' scenario. They lose the game and
1) Bowl eligibility starts to look a bit shaky. And unlike USA, stAte not qualifying for a bowl would be a very disappointing scenario
2) Bowl placement gets harmed. Losing to USA and having USA with a better OOC win might be enough to give USA the better bowl slot in case of a tie
3) Probably adds another team to the perceived top tier Belt schools. And USA, unlike App or Ga Southern, actually competes with stAte in recruiting.
For stAte this is a game they are favored, in a year where they've disappointed so far, against a team that they are a perceived better team.
----
Does USA's desire to advance beat out stAtes' fear of falling behind? We will find out tonight.
or.....maybe one team is simply better than the other? I am looking forward to this game!
(This post was last modified: 10-13-2015 12:05 PM by trapdrawApp.)
(10-13-2015 07:16 AM)Seminole Indian Wrote: The Jonesboro Sun did their unit comparison yesterday (rb, qb, dl, ol, etc), and the reporter, who is not thought of as being an A-State fan, chose A-State across the board. That is normally not the case even against a bad FBS, team.
Not saying A-State will win the game, because both team are playing at about the same level thus far, but they should, and to be honest it should not even be close. That reporter is right, there is not a position match-up that does not favor A-State ( they are just bigger, stronger, faster and just more talented ), and I think that reporter wanted to send that message to the readers of his newspaper.
Think Anderson & Company losing to teams with less talent is getting rather old, and I think they now know that.
Matt relies heavily on stats in making his picks. AState leads USA in basically every statistical category other than penalties, turnovers, FG percentage, sacks given up, and yards per play run.
Fortunately, stats don't matter very much in college football. This comes from the viewpoint of a professional handicapper who's tried using the same formulae to guess winners and losers against the spread in the college game that works quite well for the NFL. In other words, I blew chunks in trying to cap CFB games with the criteria I use to cap NFL games with much success in the latter sport. In CFB it seems to be more situational versus the NFL where the stats DEFINITELY matter... a LOT.
Pros bring their "A game" every single time no matter what the stakes are or what the "locker room material" is, whereas college kids play better and harder with an emotional edge.
I guess I'm just saying USA has at least as good a chance of winning big, winning by a hair, losing big, or losing by a hair and vice versa for state. Here's to a good, injury-free game
And t..ha..ts why we don't play these games on paper!
And what makes this game we all love so fun.
A TEAM is greater (or can be) than the sum of it's parts. OR - can be less than that sum.
Anyway. TEAM wins over Bigger, stronger etc. Unless the bigger, stronger team also plays like a real team.
We'll see tonight, who pays like a team.. who plays like a champion...
May the best "TEAM" win!
Honestly, although I kinda like stAte, gotta be for USA tonight.
It's simply that we don't get a shot at stAte and we need somebody else to hand them a loss and UL - just to have our destiny in our own hands.
I'm sure the red wolves will return the mind set when we face USA and App state etc. Nothing personal
(This post was last modified: 10-13-2015 12:21 PM by The4thOption.)
(10-13-2015 12:20 PM)The4thOption Wrote: And t..ha..ts why we don't play these games on paper!
And what makes this game we all love so fun.
A TEAM is greater (or can be) than the sum of it's parts. OR - can be less than that sum.
Anyway. TEAM wins over Bigger, stronger etc. Unless the bigger, stronger team also plays like a real team.
We'll see tonight, who pays like a team.. who plays like a champion...
May the best "TEAM" win!
Honestly, although I kinda like stAte, gotta be for USA tonight.
It's simply that we don't get a shot at stAte and we need somebody else to hand them a loss and UL - just to have our destiny in our own hands.
I'm sure the red wolves will return the mind set when we face USA and App state etc. Nothing personal
No problem. I really hope we disappoint you though.
(10-13-2015 12:20 PM)The4thOption Wrote: And t..ha..ts why we don't play these games on paper!
And what makes this game we all love so fun.
A TEAM is greater (or can be) than the sum of it's parts. OR - can be less than that sum.
Anyway. TEAM wins over Bigger, stronger etc. Unless the bigger, stronger team also plays like a real team.
We'll see tonight, who pays like a team.. who plays like a champion...
May the best "TEAM" win!
Honestly, although I kinda like stAte, gotta be for USA tonight.
It's simply that we don't get a shot at stAte and we need somebody else to hand them a loss and UL - just to have our destiny in our own hands.
I'm sure the red wolves will return the mind set when we face USA and App state etc. Nothing personal
Putting more faith in app state against you myself. You guys are very hard to beat at home
(10-13-2015 11:20 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote: This year..no respect for USA. We've been an underdog in all of our games save 1. And 2 of those 'favorites' have been upset.
For this game, I see it as a game where USA has a lot to win and stAte has a lot to lose.
For USA, win the game and
1) USA is almost a lock for bowl eligibility
2) USA is looking better than 50-50 for 7 wins
3) USA finally gets a W over stAte
4) USA gets a good W at home for a change
5) USA stays in the SBC championship race.
6) USA might actually get some respect
For a team that returned 5 starters and was picked by many to win 1 or 2 games this year, USA is already blowing expectations out of the water. Beating stAte would just be more of a bonus.
Lose the game and USA still looks reasonably good for a bowl. This is a 'steal' game, like our game with SDSU. We aren't supposed to win it, but could do so. And a win would be huge.
----
For stAte, its more of a 'fear' scenario. They lose the game and
1) Bowl eligibility starts to look a bit shaky. And unlike USA, stAte not qualifying for a bowl would be a very disappointing scenario
2) Bowl placement gets harmed. Losing to USA and having USA with a better OOC win might be enough to give USA the better bowl slot in case of a tie
3) Probably adds another team to the perceived top tier Belt schools. And USA, unlike App or Ga Southern, actually competes with stAte in recruiting.
For stAte this is a game they are favored, in a year where they've disappointed so far, against a team that they are a perceived better team.
----
Does USA's desire to advance beat out stAtes' fear of falling behind? We will find out tonight.
or.....maybe one team is simply better than the other? I am looking forward to this game!
I don't think South is a better team than Arkansas State. On paper ASU is the more talented team all around. One thing I've learned in my many years following college football is that the best team does not always win. We totally respect the Red Wolves football program and pull for them when the visit the Port City for the GoDaddio Bowl. But when they come to do battle with the Jaguars of USA, that is a different story.
(10-13-2015 11:20 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote: This year..no respect for USA. We've been an underdog in all of our games save 1. And 2 of those 'favorites' have been upset.
For this game, I see it as a game where USA has a lot to win and stAte has a lot to lose.
For USA, win the game and
1) USA is almost a lock for bowl eligibility
2) USA is looking better than 50-50 for 7 wins
3) USA finally gets a W over stAte
4) USA gets a good W at home for a change
5) USA stays in the SBC championship race.
6) USA might actually get some respect
For a team that returned 5 starters and was picked by many to win 1 or 2 games this year, USA is already blowing expectations out of the water. Beating stAte would just be more of a bonus.
Lose the game and USA still looks reasonably good for a bowl. This is a 'steal' game, like our game with SDSU. We aren't supposed to win it, but could do so. And a win would be huge.
----
For stAte, its more of a 'fear' scenario. They lose the game and
1) Bowl eligibility starts to look a bit shaky. And unlike USA, stAte not qualifying for a bowl would be a very disappointing scenario
2) Bowl placement gets harmed. Losing to USA and having USA with a better OOC win might be enough to give USA the better bowl slot in case of a tie
3) Probably adds another team to the perceived top tier Belt schools. And USA, unlike App or Ga Southern, actually competes with stAte in recruiting.
For stAte this is a game they are favored, in a year where they've disappointed so far, against a team that they are a perceived better team.
----
Does USA's desire to advance beat out stAtes' fear of falling behind? We will find out tonight.
or.....maybe one team is simply better than the other? I am looking forward to this game!
I don't think South is a better team than Arkansas State. On paper ASU is the more talented team all around. One thing I've learned in my many years following college football is that the best team does not always win. We totally respect the Red Wolves football program and pull for them when the visit the Port City for the GoDaddio Bowl. But when they come to do battle with the Jaguars of USA, that is a different story.
(10-13-2015 05:19 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote: I have no idea what to expect from the crowd tonight... But please remember it's a 40,000 seat stadium.
I do.. lots of empty seats. Its Tuesday friggin' night. And lets face it, its not like we've performed very well in our big home games in a while. Perfect weather though.
I think USA should simply just charge 1 dollar a ticket for the Tuesday night game.
I don't think you have to worry about people chastising about attendance tonight. A Tuesday is damn near impossible for most fans. It will be bad, but it would be bad for all of us. Some of us just have smaller stadiums so it wouldn't look as bad.
I'm actually really glad to see football on a Tuesday night. I know it isn't ideal for attendance but to be able to see a game of interest on Tuesday is pretty exciting.
(Now lets see how long it takes the complaining about how football is always on once I get home)
(10-13-2015 05:45 PM)BurlingtonApp Wrote: I don't think you have to worry about people chastising about attendance tonight. A Tuesday is damn near impossible for most fans. It will be bad, but it would be bad for all of us. Some of us just have smaller stadiums so it wouldn't look as bad.
USA only pulled 21,000 for NC State to come to town. I don't expect more than 10,000 for a Tuesday night game.