I thought it would be fun to look at each teams OOC schedule for 2014 and make my predictions about how each team will fair.

So here goes:
App St 3-1 (wins vs Campbell, at So. Miss & vs Liberty-loss at Michigan) wildcard game is So. Miss but App St should be able to pull this one out

stAte 1-3 (wins vs Mont St-losses at Tenn, Miami Fla and vs Utah St) wildcard games are Montana St and Utah St - Montana St is a strong FCS team to open with and having a new coach could spell trouble while working out the kinks but also having Utah St at home could be the makings of a minor upset

GS 2-2 (wins at NC St & vs Savannah St-losses at GT and at Navy) wildcard games are NC St & Navy. NC St is not a very good team and should be a win but with a new coach leading GS ??? Navy's offense is a carbon copy of what GS has run for years and that could help GS pull an upset

GSU 2-2 (wins vs Abilene Christian & Air Force-losses at Wash & at Clemson)
wildcard game is Air Force - an improving GSU meets a rebuilding MWC team should help GSU pull this one out

Idaho 1-3 (win vs W. Mich-losses at Flordia, at Ohio & at SDSU)
wildcard game-none really but any given Saturday you never know

NMSU 1-3 (win vs Cal Poly-losses at UTEP, vs New Mexico & at LSU)
wildcard game is UTEP-The Aggies are due for a win agaist their rivals but this will be an uphill battle

USA 2-2 (wins vs Kent St & Navy-losses vs Miss St & at South Carolina)
wildcard game is Navy-last year Navy had their way with USA but what a difference a year and being at home will make???

Texas St 3-1 (wins vs Ark PB at Illinois & at Tulsa-Loss vs Navy)
wildcard game is Illinois-I think we have a P5 loss in the making here

Troy 2-2 (wins vs UAB & Abilene Christian-losses vs Duke & at Georgia)
wildcard game is Duke-while Duke played for an ACC championship last year I would be surprised if they can maintain that level of play for 2014

UL-L 4-0 (wins vs Southern, LA Tech, at Ole Miss & at Boise St)
wildcard game is Ole Miss-If Louisiana really wants to be taken as a serious threat for the Access Bowl slot this is a must win game

ULM 2-2 (wins vs Wake Forest & at Kentucky-losses at LSU & at Texas A&M)
wildcard game is Kentucky-ULM has some question marks going into this season and a win at Kentucky will quiet some doubters

I know many will not agree with me on some of these picks but hey it's just for fun anyway...

(07-06-2014 09:54 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  NMSU 1-3 (win vs Cal Poly-losses at UTEP, vs New Mexico & at LSU)
wildcard game is UTEP-The Aggies are due for a win agaist their rivals but this will be an uphill battle

Pre-season rags have UNM & UTEP not far from NMSU.
Should be able to squeeze out a win versus one or the other.

But then the Aggies have tons of questions going in.

Anytime a big conference school comes to Troy they either lose, or escape with a very close win. Mississippi state was the first big 5 conference school to win at Troy 2 years ago. They won the game by less than a TD.

Duke will be coming into Troy with our newly updated stadium in the first game of the year in front of a very large crowd... It will be a fight.

Duke has been building pretty well the last few years.
Will not be their typical push over team.

App St 2-2. Their overall talent will be able to beat both Campbell and Liberty, but I think Southern Miss will have things turned around by the time they play and no way Michigan will overlook the Mountaineers.

stAte 2-2. Like I've said in another thread, wouldn't surprise me if Montana State hangs with the Pack a little bit, but the overall talent pool of FBS guys vs FCS will prevail and I see stAte cruising late. If we can keep it competitive versus both Tennessee and Miami I will be stoked, and Utah State is the make or break game for the Red Wolves. Playing at home gotta give us the edge, though no denying Chuckie Keeton is one talented dude.

Ga Southern 2-2. Should be able to handle the FCSers and I think NC State and Georgia Tech will be too much for Georgia Southern.

GSU 1-3. I think Georgia State needs a little bit more time to start finding an identity and a groove-they don't need to overlook Abilene Christian just ask FIU.

Idaho 1-3. Even the Western Michigan game is a toss up game-I'd give the Vandals the edge due to having home field advantage. Forget Florida, Ohio and San Diego State.


NMSU 2-2. I say Aggies score a win over Cal Poly and toss up which of their two rivalry games they can squeak out a victory.

USA 2-2. I think Jags can definitely beat both Navy and Kent State. If they can make a competitive game against at least one of the SEC squads that's a good moral victory for USA.
Last 2 seasons Navy has been really hit and miss when playing Sunbelt schools-call this one a toss up.

Texas St 2-2. Texas State will annihilate Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Tulsa and Navy will be toss up games and I think Illinois will edge the Bobcats in a thriller.


Troy 2-2. Pretty straight forward picks-Troy is more talented than UAB and Abilene Christian but not quite with Georgia. Duke could be a toss up game depending on their new coach.

UL-L 3-1. I just think Ole Miss is the more talented team than La-La but can't afford to overlook the Cajuns (I think Hugh Freeze and his former sunbelt staff will not). Cajuns will beat Boise State-Harsin's not a good coach. Lafayette is a better team with better coaches compared to Louisiana Tech and Southern.

ULM 2-2. They'll beat Wake in Malone, no doubt. Kentucky has been bad and lost twice to WKU but think they'll be improved (call it a toss up). ULM won't be able to hang with LSU and A&M.

I think most stAte fans would be pretty upset with 1-3. We consider ourselves the favorites against Utah State.

Montana State isn't crappy...but they are replacing a ton of starters and playing game 1. We'll be in trouble if we have any real issues with the Bobcats beyond halftime.

I still think Tennessee is beatable.

I'm not predicting a win, but USA played MSU tough for a half two years ago and won't be intimidated. MSU is probably a better team than then but we are too. It should be a good game. ASU should give Tennessee a tough time. Troy hung with them in 2012 before losing by a TD, and we almost nipped them at the end last year. They ate us up in the first half running the ball, but if I remember reading this right, most if not all of UT's offensive line graduated. Even though UT hasn't lost to a non-P5 team since 2008, the Wolves might be catching them at the right time.

Honestly, I think if NMSU can beat Cal Poly they can beat UTEP and New Mexico.

I wouldn't be surprised if TXST goes 1-3 but 4-0 wouldn't be unrealistic either.

Is there anything in particular that you're using to "justify" any of your predictions or are you just wingin' it?

We lost to Navy 21-10 @ Annapolis in 2012 with a team full of FCS players. It was a game for a half, anyway. I think we do a lot better now and being home.

(07-06-2014 10:40 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  I wouldn't be surprised if TXST goes 1-3 but 4-0 wouldn't be unrealistic either.

Truth.

It's hell being a Bobcat fan.

South has a rough OOC schedule. We could be a good team and still go 1-3. That being said, I expect 2-2 and hope for 3-1.

(07-06-2014 10:20 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Troy 2-2. Pretty straight forward picks-Troy is more talented than UAB and Abilene Christian but not quite with Georgia. Duke could be a toss up game depending on their new coach.

New coach?

Since when does Duke have a new coach?

(07-07-2014 07:04 AM)warhawk09 Wrote:  

(07-06-2014 10:20 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Troy 2-2. Pretty straight forward picks-Troy is more talented than UAB and Abilene Christian but not quite with Georgia. Duke could be a toss up game depending on their new coach.

New coach?

Their OC went to UF.

(07-07-2014 07:54 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 07:04 AM)warhawk09 Wrote:  

(07-06-2014 10:20 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Troy 2-2. Pretty straight forward picks-Troy is more talented than UAB and Abilene Christian but not quite with Georgia. Duke could be a toss up game depending on their new coach.

New coach?

Their OC went to UF.

That's what I meant to say my bad

Looking at TROY's OOC games, 3-1 is more likely to happen, but 4-0 would be great, in a perfect world.

UAB - new HC with ties to the state. Good motivator and a new locker room. This could lean towards the Men of Troy provided the tweaks to the secondary pay off. I like what we have on the D Line, plus the new DTs, the LBs will be solid.

Duke - They bring back a couple receivers that looked all-world against our secondary, but the man that ran the show transferred. The coastal champs won 38-31. I'm sure they'll find a QB, but not before we woodshed them in week 2.

ACU - From what I've read, they have a pretty decent offense. This game should give the Trojans some time to scheme and rest for the next game on the schedule.

UGA - This one is a longshot if we can't get outside the tackles...former TROY DT coach Rocker is on their sideline. Their young secondary vs TROY receivers...I'm paying good money to see this one.

I wonder which OOC game this season will leave us shaking our heads. Like last years stAte / Memphis game.

(07-07-2014 12:53 PM)TrueBlueAlum Wrote:  I wonder which OOC game this season will leave us shaking our heads. Like last years stAte / Memphis game.

Hopefully none. This is a year to win all FCS and G5 games. The issue needs to be pressed on this.

(07-07-2014 12:58 PM)trojanbrutha Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 12:53 PM)TrueBlueAlum Wrote:  I wonder which OOC game this season will leave us shaking our heads. Like last years stAte / Memphis game.

Hopefully none. This is a year to win all FCS and G5 games. The issue needs to be pressed on this.

Yes if the Sun Belt is to ever to gain real respect we have to consistently win OOC games especially against the G5 and FCS!