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Seems a little high.

Wouldn't touch it.

I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating them at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

+10? Run away, as fast as you can.

(11-13-2017 03:23 PM)brovol Wrote:  I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating them at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

Yes of little faith.

Maybe it says Riley is a terrible coach and NE isn’t very good. See their last game against Minni? BG and UT put up 192 and 160 on the ground respectively vs NIU. NIU padded their rush defense against Kent, Balls, UB, and EMU. 4 of the 5 worst run teams in the MAC.

I’m guessing we can run on them just as we have every MAC team, and they all stacked the box just like NIU will. We’ve averaged a league high 269 yards against the MAC. I’m not thinking NIU’s going to cut that in half. Carey ain’t that good, and NIU’s D isn’t the BAMA of the MAC.

These guys beat EMU by 3 and UB (with their 3rd string
QB) by 1. So why would a WMU win be a “huge” upset?

(11-13-2017 10:55 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 03:23 PM)brovol Wrote:  I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating them at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

Yes of little faith.

Maybe it says Riley is a terrible coach and NE isn’t very good. See their last game against Minni? BG and UT put up 192 and 160 on the ground respectively vs NIU. NIU padded their rush defense against Kent, Balls, UB, and EMU. 4 of the 5 worst run teams in the MAC.

I’m guessing we can run on them just as we have every MAC team, and they all stacked the box just like NIU will. We’ve averaged a league high 269 yards against the MAC. I’m not thinking NIU’s going to cut that in half. Carey ain’t that good, and NIU’s D isn’t the BAMA of the MAC.

These guys beat EMU by 3 and UB (with their 3rd string
QB) by 1. So why would a WMU win be a “huge” upset?

I'll modify: "Double digits upset". How is that ye of abundant faith?

Your points are well taken, and as I said, we certainly can win. I don't see this staff planning and/or executing this in a way that we will, considering what I have seen throughout almost a full season. But we have better players, in my assessment, so we have a chance. I have watched NIU play several times, and they generally have done well stopping the run; especially when they know it's coming. Since we do nothing out of the box to make defenses guess, I have real concerns.

I think these teams are fairly evenly matched to be honest, but I'd give the slight edge to NIU in several categories; offense, defense, coaching, home field. The difference against NIU is always at the point of attack/line of scrimmage. Childers has pretty quietly been solid for them even as a freshman QB, and we've always had fits with Jordan Huff. If Childers finds success through the air (wouldn't surprise me with our secondary banged up) then we're done. I think this game is initially close and low scoring in the first half, but they eventually wear us down in the second half and pull away comfortably.

Prediction:
NIU - 34
WMU - 17

Not sure what to think. Our people are so beat up. On the upside, QB could find himself a little bit with a couple games under his belt, and he did click with the receivers a bit. His running ability is a big X factor. But that wind tunnel down there is sometimes unfriendly to the passing game.

Phillips can turn a game at times.

I don’t buy that these guys can’t do a game plan. Hopefully coaches and players saved the best for last. We always knew the season would turn on these 2 games.

Go Broncos, Let’s Ride.

(11-14-2017 09:18 AM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  I don’t buy that these guys can’t do a game plan. Hopefully coaches and players saved the best for last. We always knew the season would turn on these 2 games.

I sure hope they aren't saving the best for last... could've used that against CMU, especially.

Run, run, short pass, run, short pass

(11-13-2017 10:55 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 03:23 PM)brovol Wrote:  I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating them at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

Yes of little faith.

Maybe it says Riley is a terrible coach and NE isn’t very good. See their last game against Minni? BG and UT put up 192 and 160 on the ground respectively vs NIU. NIU padded their rush defense against Kent, Balls, UB, and EMU. 4 of the 5 worst run teams in the MAC.

I’m guessing we can run on them just as we have every MAC team, and they all stacked the box just like NIU will. We’ve averaged a league high 269 yards against the MAC. I’m not thinking NIU’s going to cut that in half. Carey ain’t that good, and NIU’s D isn’t the BAMA of the MAC.

These guys beat EMU by 3 and UB (with their 3rd string
QB) by 1. So why would a WMU win be a “huge” upset?

BG only put up 85 yards through 2qts and 11 minutes. It was 41-10 at that point and NIUs second and third stringers got in. BG put up 100 yards in the 4th qt plus last drive of 3rd qt. Toledo ran pretty well. Swanson is pretty good, plus you have to play the pass with woodside. NIU doesn't stack the box often. They're pretty conservative defensively and hope to get pressure with just the front 4 often.

They didnt build run stats vs week Mac teams. They gave up 85 yds to Nebraska and 150 to BC(on 50! Carries). 127 to SDSU on 37 carries.

(11-14-2017 10:09 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 10:55 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 03:23 PM)brovol Wrote:  I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating their m at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

Yes of little faith.

Maybe it says Riley is a terrible coach and NE isn’t very good. See their last game against Minni? BG and UT put up 192 and 160 on the ground respectively vs NIU. NIU padded their rush defense against Kent, Balls, UB, and EMU. 4 of the 5 worst run teams in the MAC.

I’m guessing we can run on them just as we have every MAC team, and they all stacked the box just like NIU will. We’ve averaged a league high 269 yards against the MAC. I’m not thinking NIU’s going to cut that in half. Carey ain’t that good, and NIU’s D isn’t the BAMA of the MAC.

These guys beat EMU by 3 and UB (with their 3rd string
QB) by 1. So why would a WMU win be a “huge” upset?

BG only put up 85 yards through 2qts and 11 minutes. It was 41-10 at that point and NIUs second and third stringers got in. BG put up 100 yards in the 4th qt plus last drive of 3rd qt. Toledo ran pretty well. Swanson is pretty good, plus you have to play the pass with woodside. NIU doesn't stack the box often. They're pretty conservative defensively and hope to get pressure with just the front 4 often.

They didnt build run stats vs week Mac teams. They gave up 85 yds to Nebraska and 150 to BC(on 50! Carries). 127 to SDSU on 37 carries.

NIU doesn’t stack box? Awesome! I said Carey isn’t that good.

I hope kicks and punts Darius Phillips too. “He can’t do that to our special teams.”

Any other “you can’t do that against our Huskie awesomeness” plans your coach has up his sleeve?

(11-14-2017 10:18 AM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-14-2017 10:09 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 10:55 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-13-2017 03:23 PM)brovol Wrote:  I assumed it would have been a little more than that actually. We are playing on the road, at a place where we have always had a tough time winning. And we are a just barely better than an average MAC team. NIU is very good. I know Nebraska is having lousy year, but beating them at Nebraska says something. I hope we keep it close and interesting. An upset would be huge.

Yes of little faith.

Maybe it says Riley is a terrible coach and NE isn’t very good. See their last game against Minni? BG and UT put up 192 and 160 on the ground respectively vs NIU. NIU padded their rush defense against Kent, Balls, UB, and EMU. 4 of the 5 worst run teams in the MAC.

I’m guessing we can run on them just as we have every MAC team, and they all stacked the box just like NIU will. We’ve averaged a league high 269 yards against the MAC. I’m not thinking NIU’s going to cut that in half. Carey ain’t that good, and NIU’s D isn’t the BAMA of the MAC.

These guys beat EMU by 3 and UB (with their 3rd string
QB) by 1. So why would a WMU win be a “huge” upset?

BG only put up 85 yards through 2qts and 11 minutes. It was 41-10 at that point and NIUs second and third stringers got in. BG put up 100 yards in the 4th qt plus last drive of 3rd qt. Toledo ran pretty well. Swanson is pretty good, plus you have to play the pass with woodside. NIU doesn't stack the box often. They're pretty conservative defensively and hope to get pressure with just the front 4 often.

They didnt build run stats vs week Mac teams. They gave up 85 yds to Nebraska and 150 to BC(on 50! Carries). 127 to SDSU on 37 carries.

NIU doesn’t stack box? Awesome! I said Carey isn’t that good.

I hope kicks and punts Darius Phillips too. “He can’t do that to our special teams.”

Any other “you can’t do that against are Huskie awesomeness” plans your coach has up his sleeve?

Huh? The Huskies aren't awesome. They have a good run defense. they're susceptible to deeper passes as the secondary hasn't played very well as of late. That doesn't sound like a good match up for the broncos. It was for Toledo.

They don't stack the box too often because they don't want to get beat deep. NIU is very very conservative as a team in general. They'll try to stop the run with the front 7 mostly at first.

Neither team has a QB who can really light it up, so the game should be close. You can do what ever you can do against "are" Huskies.

(11-14-2017 10:31 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  They have a good run defense. they're susceptible to deeper passes as the secondary hasn't played very well as of late. That doesn't sound like a good match up for the broncos. It was for Toledo.

Exactly right.

I like our chances against NIU better than I like them against Toledo. But it's still not a favorable matchup for us .

It can be difficult to throw effectively in the wind tunnel that is Huskie Stadium especially at night in November.

Passing game either way may not be much of a factor tomorrow night.

If we can't pass the ball effectively we are not winning this game, short of a defensive miracle. We are not a flexbone triple option team.

Why don't we run the Jordan White WR Screen with Eskridge?

I really hope we don't kick to Phillips. Big difference between him and our own mediocre-at-best kick returns.

I'm expecting a close game as we just don't score enough to win by a lot unless we're playing weak defenses like BG or Ball State this year.

Last time we won in Dekalb was 10 years ago.....Hiller, Bonds, Simmons, Ledbetter, & Nunez were the star players.....

We get owned there......hopefully Lester has something to say about that in his tenure.

(11-14-2017 03:54 PM)JPWMU Wrote:  Last time we won in Dekalb was 10 years ago.....Hiller, Bonds, Simmons, Ledbetter, & Nunez were the star players.....

We get owned there......hopefully Lester has something to say about that in his tenure.

my cousin lives in Batavia and is a WMU alum and fan.

I hope Lester sez at end of his tenure that the Huskies owned Bucking Broncos in DeKalb like a cheap trick.

10 is way too many points for a Huskie team that struggles to score more than 24 points in most games.

Agreed. The wind tunnel and chilly November nites often make for crazy azz game situations for passing , punts, kick offs and FGs...I have actually witnessed the flags on poles at each end zone waving in opposite directions... when you think you have figured out the wind direction it may change and blow the opposite at other end of stadium at the same instant ...making for strange outcomes.....

Your chances of winning are as good or poor as ours...

Worse yet NIU athletic dept has gone on weeknite games in Novemberrrrrr to having cardboard cut out fans to fill in sections of the student side of stadium