It doesn't get any bigger than this!
It doesn't get any bigger than this!
It's funny, because when BG plays teams like Ohio State, Oklahoma, Purdue, etc., there always seems to be a big buzz surrounding those games. But this game against NIU tomorrow for BG is much bigger. Sure, beating teams like Purdue, Missouri, Kansas and Northwestern were awesome, and if we could have beaten OSU it would have been something to talk about for the ages. But it's games like the NIU contest that make or break seasons for MAC teams. If we would have beaten Oklahoma to open the year and go on to beat everyone on our schedule but NIU this year to go 10-1, that one loss to NIU could have costs us our season. Games against OSU and OU are ways to gather attention for our schools and programs, but to reach our goals (MAC Championships, Bowl Games), it's the teams in the MAC we need to get up for the most. I hope we rise to the challenge tomorrow night, because this game could very much be our season.
GO BG!!!
Re: It doesn't get any bigger than this!
My goal is national prominence for BG football. I only get excited for the Motor City Bowl because that is the best that we can hope for at this time in this system. Sure I want to win the MAC, but only because you'll never reach the national spotlight without dominating in a mid major conference. Guarantee you that gameday isn't here without wins over Purdue, Maryland, and Alabama for the 2 teams involved last season.BGSU33 wrote:It's funny, because when BG plays teams like Ohio State, Oklahoma, Purdue, etc., there always seems to be a big buzz surrounding those games. But this game against NIU tomorrow for BG is much bigger. Sure, beating teams like Purdue, Missouri, Kansas and Northwestern were awesome, and if we could have beaten OSU it would have been something to talk about for the ages. But it's games like the NIU contest that make or break seasons for MAC teams. If we would have beaten Oklahoma to open the year and go on to beat everyone on our schedule but NIU this year to go 10-1, that one loss to NIU could have costs us our season. Games against OSU and OU are ways to gather attention for our schools and programs, but to reach our goals (MAC Championships, Bowl Games), it's the teams in the MAC we need to get up for the most. I hope we rise to the challenge tomorrow night, because this game could very much be our season.
I love to win the MAC, don't get me wrong, but the games against OSU & OU are bigger games to me, because they are what will advance our program to the next level. Losing those games and winning the MAC will continue to have our program be a top level MAC program, but that is it. You have to beat those big boys if you ever hope to become a nationally known program.
Agreed, but you can beat the big boys like Top-25 Maryland, Top-25 Alabama and Iowa State, be ranked #10 in the BCS standings, play in a nationally televised TV game with College Gameday there, go 10-2 for the season, and still not play in the MAC Championship or a bowl game. Ask NIU which they would rather of had, what happened or a chance to play in the MACC and bowl game last year. They'll be the first to tell you the later.
The non-conference games are huge, but in the MAC over the long run, the conference games are bigger. Winning them both is the icing on the cake. Don't get me wrong, winning against BCS schools to me is more "exciting," but winning MAC games is more "important." They just are.
The non-conference games are huge, but in the MAC over the long run, the conference games are bigger. Winning them both is the icing on the cake. Don't get me wrong, winning against BCS schools to me is more "exciting," but winning MAC games is more "important." They just are.
GO BG!!!
The NIU "program" is further along for what happened last year than what they would be if they had lost those games, but beaten us and run the MAC table. Your program moves forward when you get exposure to bring in recruits and let your name be known nationwide by the average college football fan. Wins in the www.HotOrNot.com National Telecommuting Bowl do much less to further that exposure than do wins over Maryland and Alabama in the OOC season.
If I were an NIU fan I would've been quite happy with my season and yet disappointed that we didn't get a bowl. Similar to how I felt 2 years ago. However, I would not trade those huge OOC wins for running the MAC table and a bowl game, no way. The rational NIU fan realizes they got screwed by a system that glamorizes mediocre BCS teams, but yet the season they had still furthered the program more than they could've ever hoped.
I'm not denying that its great to win the conference and go to a bowl game, but if given the choice I definitely would've rather beaten OSU and lost to NIU, and sat at home for Bowl Season than what actually happened last year. I would gladly trade a win over OU this season and take a MAC loss and not make a bowl game again this year as well.
My goals for BG football is to get to the point where we can compete for a BCS championship. Wins over top ranked programs in the OOC season will do more to move us toward that goal than wins over mediocre BCS teams in a no name bowl will.
If I were an NIU fan I would've been quite happy with my season and yet disappointed that we didn't get a bowl. Similar to how I felt 2 years ago. However, I would not trade those huge OOC wins for running the MAC table and a bowl game, no way. The rational NIU fan realizes they got screwed by a system that glamorizes mediocre BCS teams, but yet the season they had still furthered the program more than they could've ever hoped.
I'm not denying that its great to win the conference and go to a bowl game, but if given the choice I definitely would've rather beaten OSU and lost to NIU, and sat at home for Bowl Season than what actually happened last year. I would gladly trade a win over OU this season and take a MAC loss and not make a bowl game again this year as well.
My goals for BG football is to get to the point where we can compete for a BCS championship. Wins over top ranked programs in the OOC season will do more to move us toward that goal than wins over mediocre BCS teams in a no name bowl will.
Again, I am not disagreeing, and I agree we should aim for the sky. I want to win every game, no doubt. Beating OSU would have been awesome, but as a MAC school, I wouldn't trade last season to sit at home, no way. Now, if a MAC school could land some of these at-large bowl bids, I'd say yes, I'd like to beat some BCS teams and it would allow for us to afford to lose to a MAC team and still go bowling. Like NIU last year, Miami (Ohio) was also burned after going 10-1 and sat at home a few years ago. They beat then Top-25 North Carolina, in Chapel Hill none the less, and UNC ended up going to a bowl with a 6-5 record over Miami, a 10-1 team that beat them. Miami also beat Top-25 Virginia Tech a few years ago in Blacksburg and had a great year, but again, sat at home.
I would be a fool to say beating BCS teams doesn't turn heads or bring respect. It certainly does. But they don't assure any team in the MAC for a MACC or bowl game either. Basically, you can argue each way 50-50. There really isn't a clear-cut favorite IMO. If you were a recruit looking at a MAC school, what would be more important to you, beating BCS teams and staying at home in December, or winning the MAC and playing the MACC and a bowl game? Again, I'd say it's probably a toss up depending on the person. But a MAC team that beats BCS teams and plays in the MACC and Bowl Game, that's the best of both world, and that's what we should strive for at BG.
After working here at Virginia, I would see so many things that I thought would be great to have at BG. A couple years ago, I was talking about videoboards, a football facility and stadium upgrades, and some people responded by saying that's UVa, they have more money, we don't have that kind of money at BG. True, but it doesn't mean we can't ever have. A few years later, look where we are. We have a videoboard, we're about to build the SAC, we added lights a few years ago. We should never say never or we can't....because we can!
I would be a fool to say beating BCS teams doesn't turn heads or bring respect. It certainly does. But they don't assure any team in the MAC for a MACC or bowl game either. Basically, you can argue each way 50-50. There really isn't a clear-cut favorite IMO. If you were a recruit looking at a MAC school, what would be more important to you, beating BCS teams and staying at home in December, or winning the MAC and playing the MACC and a bowl game? Again, I'd say it's probably a toss up depending on the person. But a MAC team that beats BCS teams and plays in the MACC and Bowl Game, that's the best of both world, and that's what we should strive for at BG.
After working here at Virginia, I would see so many things that I thought would be great to have at BG. A couple years ago, I was talking about videoboards, a football facility and stadium upgrades, and some people responded by saying that's UVa, they have more money, we don't have that kind of money at BG. True, but it doesn't mean we can't ever have. A few years later, look where we are. We have a videoboard, we're about to build the SAC, we added lights a few years ago. We should never say never or we can't....because we can!
GO BG!!!
I would love for BG to win every game. But it loses sight of why we play OOC games. We play them to fill out a schedule and prepare for what is supposed to be the goal: winning our conference. I grew as a BGSU fan not caring about the bowls, and later the BCS. I wanted hardware and braggign rights over the schools most of the people I know attended.
I cheapens the sport to become to fixed on the BCS and such. If we do well enough, we'll have a chance, but it isn't why we play the games in the first place, and is otherwise the rightfull preoccupation of other conferences.
I cheapens the sport to become to fixed on the BCS and such. If we do well enough, we'll have a chance, but it isn't why we play the games in the first place, and is otherwise the rightfull preoccupation of other conferences.
NWLB
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CapitalFalcon
- Peregrine
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- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:13 pm
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Once again...i don't think it is an "either" "or" scenario. To me, the answer is both OOC games against "the best" AND our conference games like NIU are EQUALLY important for the program for different reasons.
I view OOC's against OK, OSU, Purdue, etc. as the football teams marketing department. Wins in those game raises your "brand awareness" and "sells" the program to perspective recruits, which allows you to get better.
The conference games are our "production line." Without competing for the conference every year, all the marketing in the world is not going to hide the fact that you have a crappy product. We need to consistently be in the hunt for the MACC every season. Like UoM & OSU almost always dictates who wins the Big Ten.
It truly is the two working together that will catapult BG to the next level. I think we all would love to see BG rise to more national promenance. You can't do that without marketing and production.
I view OOC's against OK, OSU, Purdue, etc. as the football teams marketing department. Wins in those game raises your "brand awareness" and "sells" the program to perspective recruits, which allows you to get better.
The conference games are our "production line." Without competing for the conference every year, all the marketing in the world is not going to hide the fact that you have a crappy product. We need to consistently be in the hunt for the MACC every season. Like UoM & OSU almost always dictates who wins the Big Ten.
It truly is the two working together that will catapult BG to the next level. I think we all would love to see BG rise to more national promenance. You can't do that without marketing and production.
I think BGSU can make even more strides. Marshall was the last team that will have had a chance to dominate the conference as it did. That is true because the league has improve so much while they have been here. The herd are leaving as it starts to become clear this isn't "their" conference anymore. It actually hasn't been for three or four years, even though they did manage to win the title in two of those.
However, you have the top of the pack in BGSU, NIU, Miami, and occasionally Toledo. You have WMU, CMU, BSU, and in time EMU in the middle, and Kent, Akron, Ohio, and UB holding their traditional spots at the bottom. WMU has had long runs as a top team in the MAC, I suspect they will again until they finally win a title. The Broncos are just cursed as the eternal bridesmaid. CMU was a title winner in the 90s, had some strong teams, but has been unable to recapture some of their old magic. They can become a strong program again, I think they will at some point. EMU I am sure will make great strides now that they have their fund-raising and administrative issues mostly dealt with. Having hired the best coaching prospect thus far in the past 12 years they'll see some results before too much longer. They won a title just before BGSU last did, so they aren't any further removed from it than we actually are. Ball State is a tough bird to figure. Like BGSU, they are a two time title winner in the 90s, though they lost the bowl games. They've spent money on their stadium. But they are most noted for Letterman making jokes about them. Yet they are playing solid ball at times, and could also be another team to start on the rise. More than the weak sister, if this batch of teams improves, along with the current top of the heap, the MAC can not only become better than CUSA, but challenge several other leagues. This, just as long as the top teams are not constantly eaten by the middlings.
I think Ohio and Akron can cycle into the middle from time to time.
Akron could even move into the middle range if it can finally pull itself together. Ohio might actually be closer to that goal. I think the "west coast" offense is going to catch on down there. It isn't winning games for them yet. But Ohio scoring 20 points in a single game remains notable. Ohio being a solid member of the MAC has more to do with their getting back to about five years ago, when they beat Maryland. They don't need to win the conference to help the rest of us, they just need to beat everybody else they play.
I think Kent, and UB may be doomed to cycle at the very bottom forever, but every conference has its own Indiana, Rutgers, Duke, or Kent.
As football teams Kent and UB are long-term dead weights. I continue to hope Kent will finally find a way to win four or six games now and then, or at least cycle into the middle of the pack every few years. But I just simply don't think Kent has the administrative desire to do well outside of women's sports and basketball.
UB? I feel like somebody that invited the nerdy kid over to play, and doesn't have the heart to tell them to go home. Because we are basically why they bothered to show up, it would seem cruel to tell them to get lost. I hope they figure out how to play football out there, I really do. My contact with UB's fund-raisers several years ago was very pleasant, and they were sincerely excited to join the MAC. They do have a solidifying basketball team, and decent soccer. Plus there are lots of BGSU alumni and prospective students in that part of NY.
I think BGSU can be at the tip of this spear. I think we can put some multi-year domination together on average. I think if we build a new basketball arena, we can parlay that success even further.
It is all in keeping things moving, and having an administration that recognizes the value in doing so.
However, you have the top of the pack in BGSU, NIU, Miami, and occasionally Toledo. You have WMU, CMU, BSU, and in time EMU in the middle, and Kent, Akron, Ohio, and UB holding their traditional spots at the bottom. WMU has had long runs as a top team in the MAC, I suspect they will again until they finally win a title. The Broncos are just cursed as the eternal bridesmaid. CMU was a title winner in the 90s, had some strong teams, but has been unable to recapture some of their old magic. They can become a strong program again, I think they will at some point. EMU I am sure will make great strides now that they have their fund-raising and administrative issues mostly dealt with. Having hired the best coaching prospect thus far in the past 12 years they'll see some results before too much longer. They won a title just before BGSU last did, so they aren't any further removed from it than we actually are. Ball State is a tough bird to figure. Like BGSU, they are a two time title winner in the 90s, though they lost the bowl games. They've spent money on their stadium. But they are most noted for Letterman making jokes about them. Yet they are playing solid ball at times, and could also be another team to start on the rise. More than the weak sister, if this batch of teams improves, along with the current top of the heap, the MAC can not only become better than CUSA, but challenge several other leagues. This, just as long as the top teams are not constantly eaten by the middlings.
I think Ohio and Akron can cycle into the middle from time to time.
Akron could even move into the middle range if it can finally pull itself together. Ohio might actually be closer to that goal. I think the "west coast" offense is going to catch on down there. It isn't winning games for them yet. But Ohio scoring 20 points in a single game remains notable. Ohio being a solid member of the MAC has more to do with their getting back to about five years ago, when they beat Maryland. They don't need to win the conference to help the rest of us, they just need to beat everybody else they play.
I think Kent, and UB may be doomed to cycle at the very bottom forever, but every conference has its own Indiana, Rutgers, Duke, or Kent.
As football teams Kent and UB are long-term dead weights. I continue to hope Kent will finally find a way to win four or six games now and then, or at least cycle into the middle of the pack every few years. But I just simply don't think Kent has the administrative desire to do well outside of women's sports and basketball.
UB? I feel like somebody that invited the nerdy kid over to play, and doesn't have the heart to tell them to go home. Because we are basically why they bothered to show up, it would seem cruel to tell them to get lost. I hope they figure out how to play football out there, I really do. My contact with UB's fund-raisers several years ago was very pleasant, and they were sincerely excited to join the MAC. They do have a solidifying basketball team, and decent soccer. Plus there are lots of BGSU alumni and prospective students in that part of NY.
I think BGSU can be at the tip of this spear. I think we can put some multi-year domination together on average. I think if we build a new basketball arena, we can parlay that success even further.
It is all in keeping things moving, and having an administration that recognizes the value in doing so.
NWLB
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I think Ohio is a "sleeping" program in the MAC. Yeah, I know, I know, they have had next to zero overall success in the MAC. But if I had to pick one school in the MAC that could and should do better, it would be Ohio U. The Bobcats lack football tradition, but they have nice and improved facilities, and nice campus and good academics. I think if Knorr turns them in the direct direction, or if they can get someone else to (like Jim Grobe did before he left for the Wake Forest job), they could be a team to deal with down the road.
I also think WMU will be better again. They already have things in place with a nice facility and success, they're just trying to get back to what they were not long ago. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
I also think WMU will be better again. They already have things in place with a nice facility and success, they're just trying to get back to what they were not long ago. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
GO BG!!!
Getting a little closer to the thread's title ... it DOES and CAN get bigger than this ... but not at this time of year. Obviously, the MACC game will be bigger. Winning the GMAC Bowl or MCB would be bigger. But to get there, we will likely have to win this game.
To speak to the other point - we have to win the OOC games against BCS schools AND run the table in the MAC. If we beat Oklahoma, but ended up 5-6, everyone would figure the Oklahoma game was a fluke. To elevate the program, we need to dominate the MAC and hang up Ws in games against the "big boys." I don't think an either or proposition moves the program ahead, big picture-wise.
To speak to the other point - we have to win the OOC games against BCS schools AND run the table in the MAC. If we beat Oklahoma, but ended up 5-6, everyone would figure the Oklahoma game was a fluke. To elevate the program, we need to dominate the MAC and hang up Ws in games against the "big boys." I don't think an either or proposition moves the program ahead, big picture-wise.
Let me say it again, now in the past tense, it didn't get any bigger that this. Losing a game in the MAC puts a long, long road ahead of you, especially right out of the gates. The game against NIU was our biggest game of the year, and will probably stand as our biggest game of the year. We'll have to wait and see, but this loss was much more harmful to us than anything we lost in the game against Oklahoma.
GO BG!!!
Indeed. Consider this - we have to run the (MAC) table from here on out and hope that Northern loses not one, but TWO conference games. Where are those losses going to come from? If memory serves, the only real test they have left is Toledo; of course, we've been told their defense couldn't stop a junior high team, so you have to wonder what Wolfe & Horvath will do to them.
Northern would have to suffer a total collapse to suffer two MAC losses. Maybe their senior QB will get hurt. Oh, that already happened ... and they beat us. Maybe their starting tailback will get hurt. Oh, that already happened ... and they beat us.
My best-case scenario - We run the table - convincingly. Marshall ends up winning the East and gets thumped in the MACC. Rick Chryst decides to stick it to Marshall by convincing the MCB to give us the MAC's second bowl bid. Unlikely, but our best hope.
Northern would have to suffer a total collapse to suffer two MAC losses. Maybe their senior QB will get hurt. Oh, that already happened ... and they beat us. Maybe their starting tailback will get hurt. Oh, that already happened ... and they beat us.
My best-case scenario - We run the table - convincingly. Marshall ends up winning the East and gets thumped in the MACC. Rick Chryst decides to stick it to Marshall by convincing the MCB to give us the MAC's second bowl bid. Unlikely, but our best hope.
What if we run the table and finish 7-1 in the MAC (5-1 in the West), UT wins its first 7 MAC games (including at Miami and at NIU) and then loses to us to finish at 7-1, and NIU loses to UT at home finishing 7-1. We have a three-way tie with no winner based on head-to-head. If this miracle scenario occrurred, what is the second tiebreaker??
NIU could conceivably lose at UCF or at Western, but those are unlikely. If they lost to anyone else, I'd be shocked.
NIU could conceivably lose at UCF or at Western, but those are unlikely. If they lost to anyone else, I'd be shocked.
