teams flying under the radar that concern you

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Which are some the not-so-good-to-slightly-above-average programs on your team's schedule that concern you? For MSU, I'd say it's Florida Atlantic and Northwestern.

Schnellenberger has done a solid job at FAU. This year's team should be a talented one which returns a crapload of starters. They won their conference last year as well as their bowl game over Memphis, so they'll be heading into the season with confidence. They recruit in the state of Florida (obviously) and even the 2-star recruits there can make a big impact on the field. MSU fans are all too aware of home losses vs the likes of Colorado St, La Tech, and Rutgers (before their rise) over the years, so that's another reason this game provides some uneasiness.

Some of MSU's wildest games have been against Northwestern over the last few seasons. Two years ago MSU came down from 38-3 in the second half to win by scoring 38 unanswered points, breaking the D1 record for biggest comeback of all time. Amazing that such a feat was accomplished at the hands of the John L regime.

But surprisingly, MSU hasn't beaten N'western at home since 2002 (though they didn't play in '04 or '03). In '05, the Wildcats completely demolished MSU. And last year was a dramatic, but heart-breaking loss to N'western in overtime. MSU hasn't had an answer for Northwestern's spread attack; they're averaging 45 points per game against MSU over the last three years and they return CJ Bacher @ qb who has led much of the damage. This game is at Evanston and I don't predict a W. Honestly, I'm more concerned about Northwestern than I am Iowa, Purdue, and Notre Dame.

[King Crimson]

Mostly sober probably, i give him credit for the FAU thing. Schnelly has a pretty impressive pedigree--Bama and Bear (who invented writing and water), Shula's Dolphins, Miami, sort of Louisville.....

but he's already predicting a win at Texas so don't worry and, according to a radio interview i heard, planning a FAU multi-sport facility bigger and better than the "Carrier Dome"...which sort of means it's still the 80's for the Howie.


i would say Cincinatti beating OU in Norman, is under the radar. it just feels like it iffy.

good coach, a team with a chip on it's shoulder.

[MuchoBulls]

according to a radio interview i heard, planning a FAU multi-sport facility bigger and better than the "Carrier Dome"...which sort of means it's still the 80's for the Howie.

That fell by the wayside. His plan was to build a 40,000 seat domed stadium on campus. They are building a 30,000-35,000 seat erector set in the coming years.

They should be able to draw better crowds with the type of team they have, but they had trouble filling the stadium they play in. They even went to Dolphins Stadium for their game against Minnesota last season and the crowd was awful.

[Danimal]

I'd say Western Mich or KSU.

West Mich finished last season by upsetting Iowa and Phil Steele has them atop his most-improved list. If we play sloppy in the opener they could upset.

Hard to say where KSU will be when we get them in November. If they've disappointed Prince could be a lame-duck and they could be rolling-over like at the end of last season. But if Freeman continues to mature and they can get that huge influx of JUCO's to gel then KSU could be quite dangerous in Manhattan.

[buckeye_in_sc]

Vandy, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Miss State

oh wait how can you be under the radar in the meat grinder...

[King Crimson]

Mostly sober probably, i give him credit for the FAU thing. Schnelly has a pretty impressive pedigree--Bama and Bear (who invented writing and water),

Sarcasm doesn't behoove you, KC. Bear did not invent water. However he was able to walk on it.

at least i didn't ridicule you for the 20+ MNC's you claim. when Billy Joe's Roll Tide newsletter lists 9-3 Bama as number 1, it doesn't really count.

:D

[PSUFAN]

I think Oregon State, Iowa, and Illinois are all teams that PSU fans expect the team to beat, but it will be tough to do so this year. Oregon State could EASILY throw a whuppin' on PSU, if their staff watches film. These days, PSU really only gets rolling in the second half of the conference schedule...so they're vulnerable to a team that makes them reach deep early on.

PSU should pretty much steamroll Coastal Carolina, so there will probably be a massive dirigible of overconfidence moored to the flagpole leading in to the Oregon State game.

PSU is going to be very much unsettled at the LB position at first, which will hamper the defense. There is some talent in the wings on offense, but it's always a crapshoot whether that talent can come to the fore or not. In early games with a young squad, Joe will be eager to put the clamps on the O.

Every underdog in the nation will be heartened by the scene that App State staged last year.

[King Crimson]

I think Oregon State, Iowa, and Illinois are all teams that PSU fans expect the team to beat, but it will be tough to do so this year. Oregon State could EASILY throw a whuppin' on PSU, if their staff watches film. These days, PSU really only gets rolling in the second half of the conference schedule...so they're vulnerable to a team that makes them reach deep early on.

PSU should pretty much steamroll Coastal Carolina, so there will probably be a massive dirigible of overconfidence moored to the flagpole leading in to the Oregon State game.

PSU is going to be very much unsettled at the LB position at first, which will hamper the defense. There is some talent in the wings on offense, but it's always a crapshoot whether that talent can come to the fore or not. In early games with a young squad, Joe will be eager to put the clamps on the O.

Every underdog in the nation will be heartened by the scene that App State staged last year.

i don't know about Illinois. if Missouri fan is thinking twice about not hanging half a hunnerd on them, they must be good.

[Goober McTuber]

Misery fan is concerned about the hole they’re going to create when they come back down to earth.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I think Oregon State, Iowa, and Illinois are all teams that PSU fans expect the team to beat

Oregon St is sound defensively. That'll be an interesting game. JON won't like this, but honestly, I think PSU will crush Iowa. I don't think the Hawkeyes will have a very good year at all. Aside from the off the field turmoil, this is a team that was dead last in the Big Ten last year in scoring, 10th in rushing, and 10th in passing. And they've lost even more from that wicked "arsenal" this year. If I'm Penn St fan I'm probably more concerned about the Purdue and Indiana games. Although I guess Purdon't isn't exactly flying under the radar with the return of Painter.

[TheJON]

JON won't like this, but honestly, I think PSU will crush Iowa. I don't think the Hawkeyes will have a very good year at all.

We shall see. As for the topic at hand.....I'm concerned about any team we face (except maybe Maine and FIU) considering the list of crappy teams we've lost to the last couple of seasons.

[Dinsdale]

Oregon St is sound defensively.

They've been pretty darn cohesive on D for a few years. The transition to the next year always seems so smooth for them -- the opposite of their offense. But this season, they didn't lose much on O (they didn't have much to lose, although replacing Yvensen Bernard will be tough). Plus, they have possibly the most underrated coach in the country (oh, how it pains Duckfan to say that) -- Riley is a freaking football genius. He does so much with so little, it's silly. While I HATE the Beavs, I still see most of their games on the tube (they're clever about scheduling them for easy to catch times), OS wins one or two games a year due to Riley's in-game adjustments. He's one of the better in-game coaches I've ever seen... if only he could recruit as well as he strategizes.


As much as I HATE the Beavs, I'll be rooting for The Enemy to rip the freaking heart out of a team that really fucking pissed me right the fuck off the last time The O played them. If I see Kerry Collins, Joe Jurevicius, or Ki-Jana Carter, I WILL fight them.


GO BEAV...



GOOOOOOOO FREAKING BEA...



GOOOOOO Oregon Sta....




Sorry, can't type it.



Keep a good eye on your livestock, Lionfans. That shit ain't no joke.

[Adelpiero]

Penn st fan EXPECTS to beat Illinois???

Illinois probably has more talent than penn st. Especially at the Skilled positions. Benn is a beast, while no Maclin, he can break open a game from the WR position, Playing HB, or taking snaps from center. Zook has had some excellent classes, they will miss Lehman, but offensively, If juice can hit his wr's, they will finish no worse than 3rd in Big10.

[PSUFAN]

Personally, I have been wary of Illinois for a while. On the PSU Scout board, I have been among those counseling caution with the Illini since 2006. We just barely beat them (we deserved to lose, in Joe's post game words, and I agree with him) in '06, we lost to them in '07, and we are definitely looking up at them at this point.

That said, most PSU fans really seem to fail to give Illinois respect, even now.

That also said, we dismantled them savagely in 2005. That was one of the most thorough beatdowns I've ever witnessed. This hit says it all:

[Dinsdale]

Oregon State could EASILY throw a whuppin' on PSU, if their staff watches film.

Except the topic is "teams flying under the radar."

Just saw that SI has OS preseason ranked at 18.


I didn't realize that free crack was one of the bennies SI offered their employees. Although bringing a badass secondary to the PAC10 party is always a good play.

[Mr T]

It concerns me that FSU is now a team flying under the radar....does that count?


FSU will lose to NCST. FSU sucks at thursday games and playing at NCST. The rest of the games are toss ups.

Every team on FSUs schedule concerns me, even the first two against D1AA teams

[King Crimson]

It concerns me that FSU is now a team flying under the radar....does that count?


FSU will lose to NCST. FSU sucks at thursday games and playing at NCST. The rest of the games are toss ups.

Every team on FSUs schedule concerns me, even the first two against D1AA teams

here in Boulder, CU fans are thinking that beating you guys in Jax is doable.

two DIAA? oooofff.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

two DIAA?

RACK.

--Mike Leach

[PSUFAN]

the first two against D1AA teams

Ooooh!

2,1

--Tim Curley

[Dinsdale]

Only 2?

Sin,
SEC ADs

[War Wagon]

Misery fan is concerned about the hole they’re going to create when they come back down to earth.

Not so much.

They're a pretty confident bunch, and well they should be. This team is simply loaded and expectations are atmospheric, but losing to OU twice last year keeps me humble.

That said, anything less than a Big XII championship and MNC slot will be a disappointment. These opportunities don't come along very often (for Mizzou, that means never) so they better take advantage of it NOW.

[Frank Beamer's growth]

I'd say Western Mich or KSU.

West Mich finished last season by upsetting Iowa and Phil Steele has them atop his most-improved list. If we play sloppy in the opener they could upset.

Hard to say where KSU will be when we get them in November. If they've disappointed Prince could be a lame-duck and they could be rolling-over like at the end of last season. But if Freeman continues to mature and they can get that huge influx of JUCO's to gel then KSU could be quite dangerous in Manhattan.

Gotta be happy that Prince got an extension at KSU...of coarse that was the kiss of death for Billy C

[Danimal]

I'd be interested to know all the terms of Prince's extension, could be window-dressing to help recruiting. With all the negativity floating around him it's likely hard to recruit. An extension gives a sense of soundness and continuity.

[.m2]

Maryland.

I think they'll end up winning about 9 games this year.

The game starts at 12pm on the east coast, so the Cal players will basically be playing a game at 9am.

Playing at 9am isn't fun for any player, let alone for me... having to wake up at that ungodly hour to watch it.

[Terry in Crapchester]

It concerns me that FSU is now a team flying under the radar....does that count?

Same for me with ND. As for teams flying under the radar that scare me . . .

I don't know if Michigan State qualiifes as such a team, but I still expect to beat them regularly. But since 1997, they've regularly pwned us. Or so it feels, anyway.

Fredo got hit hard by graduation, but still seems to have our number no matter what.

Pitt has gotten quite a few mixed reviews. If they're near the high end of where they're being ranked, that's a scary game.

North Carolina, as I've said previously, is a potential trap game on our schedule, particularly if we're 5-0 heading into that game.

[buckeye_in_sc]

oh come on...we know the under the radar:

Cal - trying to set the record for most MNC's with the most losses and more stats than the opposition even though the score is not in their favor
Vandy - Meatgrinder
Ole Miss - see Vandy
Miss State - see Vandy...