Week One early lines from J Howell.net

LSU -34.5 v North Texas
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State
FIU -2.5 v Duke
Troy -3 v UAB
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS)
ULL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS)
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS)
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS)
ULM Open date

Looks like we have 4 rent-a-wins, Troy favored over UAB and FIU favored over Duke. 6 wins opening week ?

J Howell
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cfpred.txt

You forgot,

Quote:South Alabama (-3.5) vs. Texas-San Antonio

He put us on the wrong date.
Game got moved up to the 30th.

Nice to see the SB favored over a ACC and a CUSA school.
And over a WAC school for that matter!

(06-15-2012 01:00 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Week One early lines from J Howell.net

LSU -34.5 v North Texas
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State
FIU -2.5 v Duke
Troy -3 v UAB
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS)
ULL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS)
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS)
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS)
ULM Open date

Looks like we have 4 rent-a-wins, Troy favored over UAB and FIU favored over Duke. 6 wins opening week ?

J Howell
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cfpred.txt

That would be a nice change of pace. Usually the conference starts in a big hole, record wise, from so many money games early on.

I really would like to see every Sunbelt school go to a schedule that consist of 1 FCS, 1 mid-major and 1 BCS program every year. That should be feasible once we go to a 9 game conference schedule.

(06-15-2012 02:14 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  I really would like to see every Sunbelt school go to a schedule that consist of 1 FCS, 1 mid-major and 1 BCS program every year. That should be feasible once we go to a 9 game conference schedule.

Money games are going to continue to be part of the scenario geauxcajuns. But to play four BCS games in a season is suicide!

(06-15-2012 02:25 PM)CrazyCajun Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 02:14 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  I really would like to see every Sunbelt school go to a schedule that consist of 1 FCS, 1 mid-major and 1 BCS program every year. That should be feasible once we go to a 9 game conference schedule.

Money games are going to continue to be part of the scenario geauxcajuns. But to play four BCS games in a season is suicide!

I know what I posted is the same philosophy as Scott Farmer. It doesn't always work out that way, but 2 winnable OOC games is the best way for a program to get to a bowl game year in and year out. Boise made that type of scheduling into a blueprint for mid majors.

(06-15-2012 02:14 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  I really would like to see every Sunbelt school go to a schedule that consist of 1 FCS, 1 mid-major and 1 BCS program every year. That should be feasible once we go to a 9 game conference schedule.

Why do we need to play a FCS game? 2 mid-majors and 1 or 2 BCS teams (9 or 8 game conference shedule) should be doable.

(06-15-2012 02:31 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 02:14 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  I really would like to see every Sunbelt school go to a schedule that consist of 1 FCS, 1 mid-major and 1 BCS program every year. That should be feasible once we go to a 9 game conference schedule.

Why do we need to play a FCS game? 2 mid-majors and 1 or 2 BCS teams (9 or 8 game conference shedule) should be doable.

Well, we may differ on opinion but here is why we do it. First, if you can make money playing a local FCS programs with great tradition then why not? We played McNeese State and Southern, both games brought in crowds of 34,000 and 40,000. Second, you maintain relationships with these programs because you never know when you might need a game with them at the last minute because someone bought you out of a game. Third, because the NCAA allows one such game towards bowl eligibility every year. All three make it reasonable to do it in my opinion.

Im happy that FAU is starting out with Wagner a FCS team this year. We are SORELY in need of a warm up game to get the wheels on right. I do hope that in the future we bring in either FAMU or Bethune-Cookman in since the are FL schools and would help attendance.

I like the 2 and 2 as well. 2 Body bags and 2 winnable OOC's.

Now, back to the topic, my fearless preseason picks:

LSU -34.5 v North Texas, -I think LSU will cover because they will want to make a statement after the offense performed so poorly in the BCS game
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State- ASU will make it much closer than 27.5
FIU -2.5 v Duke - FIU by 10
Troy -3 v UAB- Troy by 14
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS) FAU easily (can you say blowout?)
UL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS) UL by 27 over my Cards. Lamar may not be ready for this type of game, but hopefully the fans will travel well and enjoy tailgaiting at Cajun Field
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS) Middle wins by 10, but Cowpokes put a scare in them early.
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS) WKU easily.
ULM Open date - ULM wins big!

And now back to USA -3.5 v. Texas-San Antonio - Jags cover the spread and because they want to give the Roadrunners a little sumpin' to remember us by- USA by 10+.

(06-15-2012 01:00 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Week One early lines from J Howell.net

LSU -34.5 v North Texas
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State
FIU -2.5 v Duke
Troy -3 v UAB
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS)
ULL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS)
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS)
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS)
ULM Open date

Looks like we have 4 rent-a-wins, Troy favored over UAB and FIU favored over Duke. 6 wins opening week ?

J Howell
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cfpred.txt

Ill agree with those lines....But I just wish we would stop playing Down to UAB. We always seem to lay an egg or almost lay one. We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

(06-15-2012 10:53 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 01:00 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Week One early lines from J Howell.net

LSU -34.5 v North Texas
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State
FIU -2.5 v Duke
Troy -3 v UAB
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS)
ULL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS)
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS)
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS)
ULM Open date

Looks like we have 4 rent-a-wins, Troy favored over UAB and FIU favored over Duke. 6 wins opening week ?

J Howell
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cfpred.txt

Ill agree with those lines....But I just wish we would stop playing Down to UAB. We always seem to lay an egg or almost lay one. We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

I personally think that's the biggest game of the first week for the SBC. That game is a tone-setter for Troy. If yall come out flat and lose that, then Troy might be in a downward trend. Not saying that it's impossible to have Troy rebound with a good record if they lose that game, but I like their chances a lot better if they win that one.

With that said, I think Troy wins that game by 2 tds.

Troy had their worst year under Blakeney last year. What concerns me about Troy's opener on the road against UAB is that they barely beat them last year at home. They do have a lot of returners, but that was from a 3-9 team.
Phil Steele's College Football 2012 has a note that Troy is 2-9 in road openers. Figured this was because they played some awesome teams the first game on the road. They have - Clemson last year, Nebraska twice, and Kansas State, etc. But Steele is wrong, I thought, since I could go back and count at least five first game road wins. Then it hit me Steele was talking about first game played on the road, whether it was the first, second or third game. Turned out he was right looking at it that way.
Still expect Troy to improve a lot and win easily. Had been 29 years since they had a season like last year, and that's bound to get coach's attentions.

(06-16-2012 05:34 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  Troy had their worst year under Blakeney last year. What concerns me about Troy's opener on the road against UAB is that they barely beat them last year at home. They do have a lot of returners, but that was from a 3-9 team.
Phil Steele's College Football 2012 has a note that Troy is 2-9 in road openers. Figured this was because they played some awesome teams the first game on the road. They have - Clemson last year, Nebraska twice, and Kansas State, etc. But Steele is wrong, I thought, since I could go back and count at least five first game road wins. Then it hit me Steele was talking about first game played on the road, whether it was the first, second or third game. Turned out he was right looking at it that way.
Still expect Troy to improve a lot and win easily. Had been 29 years since they had a season like last year, and that's bound to get coach's attentions.

I had posted a similar argument for the UAB on the Troy board. The home team in the UAB-Troy series has won four in a row and Troy is 2-9 in road openers. It's gonna be tough for Troy to win. Very good research GoApps70.

One thing Troy has going for them in the match up, is Troy's #1 ranked receivers (phil steele, sunbelt) vs UAB's 12th ranked defensive backs (phil steele, last in cusa). UAB brings back a grand total of one guy who has started 4 games total in a secondary that ranked 114th out of 120 passing defenses.

(06-16-2012 02:49 AM)Tuffguy21 Wrote:  I personally think that's the biggest game of the first week for the SBC. That game is a tone-setter for Troy. If yall come out flat and lose that, then Troy might be in a downward trend. Not saying that it's impossible to have Troy rebound with a good record if they lose that game, but I like their chances a lot better if they win that one.

With that said, I think Troy wins that game by 2 tds.

I agree with what you said here. UAB is a big question mark with new head coach Garrick McGee (Arkansas OC L4Y). Last time we played a new head coach (bowling green 2009) we got our asses beat. We had a 9-3 team that year too.

(06-15-2012 02:50 PM)crawfish3 Wrote:  Now, back to the topic, my fearless preseason picks:

LSU -34.5 v North Texas, -I think LSU will cover because they will want to make a statement after the offense performed so poorly in the BCS game
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State- ASU will make it much closer than 27.5
FIU -2.5 v Duke - FIU by 10
Troy -3 v UAB- Troy by 14
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS) FAU easily (can you say blowout?)
UL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS) UL by 27 over my Cards. Lamar may not be ready for this type of game, but hopefully the fans will travel well and enjoy tailgaiting at Cajun Field
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS) Middle wins by 10, but Cowpokes put a scare in them early.
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS) WKU easily.
ULM Open date - ULM wins big!

I am skeptical of your last pick, Fish. No gimme's with respect to ULM @ LR

Z

(06-16-2012 02:49 AM)Tuffguy21 Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 10:53 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 01:00 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Week One early lines from J Howell.net

LSU -34.5 v North Texas
Oregon -27.5 v Arkansas State
FIU -2.5 v Duke
Troy -3 v UAB
FAU v Wagner (No line- Non FBS)
ULL v Lamar (No line- Non FBS)
Middle Tennessee v McNeese State (No line- Non-FBS)
WKU v Austin Peay (No line - Non-FBS)
ULM Open date

Looks like we have 4 rent-a-wins, Troy favored over UAB and FIU favored over Duke. 6 wins opening week ?

J Howell
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cfpred.txt

Ill agree with those lines....But I just wish we would stop playing Down to UAB. We always seem to lay an egg or almost lay one. We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

I personally think that's the biggest game of the first week for the SBC. That game is a tone-setter for Troy. If yall come out flat and lose that, then Troy might be in a downward trend. Not saying that it's impossible to have Troy rebound with a good record if they lose that game, but I like their chances a lot better if they win that one.

With that said, I think Troy wins that game by 2 tds.

Ill agree with this. We never play well AT UAB...Heck 2 years ago we were winning 24-0 right at halftime and then we blew the game and UAB threw a hail mary pass with 10 secs left in the entire game and got the "touchdown" on the 1 yard line. We lost by 1 point.

It could be a tone setter. But we have had bad openers before and jumped back into things and had a winning season....

If we want any chance at beating MSU at home we must beat UAB and UL!

(06-15-2012 10:53 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

Bless your heart.

(06-16-2012 01:21 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 10:53 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

Bless your heart.

Ya its really sad the state of UAB football.

(06-16-2012 01:48 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(06-16-2012 01:21 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 10:53 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  We should be beating UAB 14+ every year

Bless your heart.

Ya its really sad the state of UAB football.

That's you with the neon sunglasses on your head, isn't it?

Yep. Still a touchdown.