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The MCB and GMAC Bowl reps will be at the game Saturday......let's give them something to think and talk about! BEAT MARSHALL!!!

BGSU33 wrote:The MCB and GMAC Bowl reps will be at the game Saturday......let's give them something to think and talk about! BEAT MARSHALL!!!

The best thing we can give them to think about would be butts in the seats... oh yeah and the final score in our favor would also be good. . .

Will there be plenty of tickets available? I get the feeling that there will be, per all the emails I'm getting begging folks to come out from the Alumni Assoc. My parents, gf, and I will be in attendance for sure. If I'm at the box office by 10am, I have to assume I stand a pretty good shot at getting tickets.

I talked with Coach Dakich last night and he indicated that more than just the MCB and GMAC Bowl reps will be there. If we win out, I think a bowl is almost guaranteed for us.

Honestly though, it's going to take a massive effort from our boys to win out. Even if we beat Marshall a let down needs to be guarded against when we go on the road to UT. Sadly, I think some of these rollover wins that we've had in recent weeks could work to our detriment should either of these games be close. I think after watching last night's game, NIU v UT, Pope is going to be the most important player on the field against UT. NIU really could've exploited a weak run defense had they stuck with the run. The 1st quarter run defense from UT was very poor. I understand the need to throw to a guy that runs a 4.3 40, I would've stuck with the run however. The thing that probably won't factor in versus UT is their lack of a punter. Again, I can't believe that NIU wasn't able to exploit that more in order to get better field position.

Let's not forget that we have many more quality receiver than NIU. We will be able to exploit the UT secondary. They will not be able to double up on our receivers to make any one of them ineffective and if they do...we will hurt them bad because somebody will be wide open.

Also, having this many darn good receivers, they will not be able to stack the box against the run.

BG WILL WIN!!! PERIOD!!!

Columbus_Zak wrote:Honestly though, it's going to take a massive effort from our boys to win out. Even if we beat Marshall a let down needs to be guarded against when we go on the road to UT.

I agree about the massive effort, but if we beat Marshall and have a let down to play freaking Toledo for at the very least a share of the MAC West title, I'd be shocked. Beating Marshall is nice, but as far as the "season goals" are concerned, the Marshall game isn't the one that gets circled on the calendar. It's Toledo. And especially given the way the last two (at least) games up there have gone, I don't think there's any way there's a let down for that game.

As far as Pope being a key, I agree to an extent, but he's always been a gamebreaker. Unfortunately, we have to use him as a running back, and not taking snaps for plays that are all over film and have gained a total of 6 yards in 2 years, and get him running with some motion, too! Everytime I see that damn delayed draw or whatever it is, I want to put my face through the TV!!!

Columbus_Zak wrote:Honestly though, it's going to take a massive effort from our boys to win out. Even if we beat Marshall a let down needs to be guarded against when we go on the road to UT. Sadly, I think some of these rollover wins that we've had in recent weeks could work to our detriment should either of these games be close.

It may sound crazy, but the thing I worry about most in a close ball game is Omar! He's playing out of his mind right now, and in the past couple months, but I've seen some of the best QBs fold when the game is on the line late in the 4th quarter. Its no knock on him, but we've still yet to see him have to put the team on his shoulders in a must score opportunity.

This was something that Josh excelled at, and I have confidence in Omar, but I want to see it before I take it as a given.

I have a feeling that if Omar is our biggest concern in these next two games we should be in pretty good shape. He proved himself to me in Norman this year. I am more concerned about the line giving Omar the time to throw than I am about him delivering the ball on time and on target. This kid is special. Gradowski, Haldi, Cribbs, Betts, Hill and others seem to be mentioned more often than Omar. Again, I think they are putting Omar into a "system quarterback" appraisal. Just wait until that bandwagon starts rolling if we win these next two games. How to you not vote him first team MAC?

My biggest concern is the mental side of things. Same problem we have had in DeKalb the last few years can't continue in the glAss Bowl. Seems that in big games in these places we have laid an egg lately. We need to break this mental block we have on the road against these two teams. How else do you explain how poorly we played in Dekalb this year? We have better overall talent than they do, especially on offense. We seem to "tighten up" in big games against these guys. I don't think that will happen against Marshall because we'll have the home crowd behind us. But, it could creep into play at Toledo.

On the flip side, we are due to kick somebody's ass in a big game.

We have yet to beat a top conference opponent in their house during the Meyer/Brandon resurgence. We haven't even competed for the most part. That HAS to change. We can handle Marshall at home. We beat them in 1998 and should have beat them in 2000 with worse teams than we have now (and they were MUCH better then).

It's down to two games. One we know we can win and one we hope to win.
Beating Marshall proves nothing. Beating UT will prove that we are a program to deal with.

We will beat Marshall.

We will beat Toledo.

We will go to a bowl.

when is the last time we beat Toledo on the road?

Zak:

Ignorance and apathy.
I don't know and I don't care.

This year we are going to beat them. Not only that, I think we'll do it convincingly, double figures.

Columbus_Zak wrote:when is the last time we beat Toledo on the road?

About ten years I think? I can tell you the next time we will beat them though. 2004

1994...last BG win at the No Class Bowl...until 11/23.

BUT FIRST!!! MARSHALL!!!