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About time to have one of these! The season is upon us ... finally.

So, predictions for the game this Saturday?

Clawson's been planning and recruiting for this rebuilding season since taking the job. Our youth will play better than anybody thinks. Offense takes a little while, but Geter, Wiley, and Pronty all show senior leadership and the offense rolls when it has to. Passing game is pretty simplistic for the most part but Clawson gives Schilz from freedoms as he starts playing better. Biggest problem is O-line. Defense is faster than anybody believes and keeps the Troy offense in check.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but BG wins 31 - 21.

I'll get a MAC week one predictions page up soon.

Troy 31
BG 14

I think it'll take a couple weeks for the offense to gel, and our defense will get worn down later in the contest.

As always, I hope I'm wrong!

Troy-24
BG-13

I think this has a chance to be a really good defense. However, the offense will struggle early and often.

BGSU - 24
Troy - 20

This will be a very close game. I see our newly developed offense coming out and putting it to Troy. Remember, they are revamping as well.

The second year is usually the toughest as you've lost some of the holdovers you had from the previous regime, and you are loaded with young guys who are going to play "your" system for four years. The amount of success that BG had last year was a bit of a surprise and I think that Clawson continues with the surprises and leads BG to a very successful season, starting with this game where the offense looks shaky early but clicks before it's too late. The D stays tough and motivated. The game stays close but the Falcons prevail in the 4th quarter.

Bowling Green - 24
Troy - 21

Troy 35, BG 14. We're going to struggle out of the gate and take our lumps early. This team really isn't going to show much until the MAC games start. Nothing against the players or coaches, it is just a really tough non-conference slate for this young of a team.

Conventional wisdom would say that an inexperienced bunch like BG won't be able to beat a solid team like Troy in their house the first game of the season. On paper, it's hard to disagree with that line of thinking, but there's one major reason for why BG might win. In the past decade or so, BGSU has almost always come roaring out of the gates in the first game of the season. Look at the track record. In the past 7 years, BG won at Purdue in 2003, at Minnesota in 2007, and at Pittsburgh in 2008, while very nearly knocking off Oklahoma in 2004 and Wisconsin in 2005, not to mention last year's opening win at home against Troy which was a quality win too. Really the only clunker BG has played in that span was in 2006 against Wisconsin in Cleveland.

That all being said, this game is still going to be tough. I'm going to be conservative and say that BG drops this one, but that it is close most of the way.

Bowling Green - 21
Troy - 31

Can go either way. Both teams have questions marks and Troy has the home field advantage. However, in talking with the players present at the Fall Kickoff Event, there seems to be a pretty solid confidence level. They know they're young but talented. Sure there will be rough spots but this is Clawson's 2nd year...his staff is solid. 24 makes a valid point about BG coming outta the gates strong the last few years. I think by the time the MAC sked rolls around, we'll be a very good team. Our first 4 games...go 2-2 and it will be successful. And none of these teams is a Top 10 beast. The O will take time...I think the D is ready. We have bulk and experience on the line, some experience in the secondary. IF the LB's can step up, it's gonna be fun. I also like the fact this Wright is using his last year at BG. He has a monster leg and Phillips hasn't quite got it done so far, IMO. At least not consistently.

I have to pick BG. Nobody knows what to expect the first game and why not win? Troy will be tough at home but beatable. A 14 pt spread seems pretty BiG to me.

Falcons 23, Troy 21

GO FALCONS!!!!!!! 119 hours to go...

In traditional BGSU fashion, we need to score over 30 to win.
Falcons 41
Trojans 38 OT

Tough one to call, since we haven't seen anyone play yet. I think the Trojans, with their unblemished home opener record under Blakeney, get it done. Might be a close game, but I gotta be a Homer and say the Trojans win 31-20.

It is a rarity for teams to come inside the Walls and walk out with a win.

Troy 31
BGSU 14

44 -31 Bad Guys

Trojan Delta Chi wrote:It is a rarity for teams to come inside the Walls and walk out with a win.

Troy 31
BGSU 14

It is weird seeing this name! Guess you remembered your log-in from last year too!

I think they'll beat us by a TD or maybe by 10. I think we're going to need a few weeks to jell...

I'm going out on a limb and predicting a blowout BG win

41 - 2.