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Post by Cap'n Cattitude on Aug 21, 2023 17:55:39 GMT -6
The ASUN aka UAFC coaches poll is out and, not surprisingly, ACU is picked 5th of 9. Given our schedule, 4-2 would seem to be the minimum conference goal which would at least tie for third rather than 5th.
Our schedule includes 4 teams picked lower than ACU plus 2 teams picked higher. The biggest conference games are UCA and SFA on the road. That's two very tough games and likely the two games that will determine our playoff chances. What do you predict our season record will be? Let us know by answering the poll above. Even if you don't normally post, give us your opinion (You don't have to be a Wildcat fan)
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Post by Outsider on Aug 21, 2023 18:05:47 GMT -6
We should have beat SFA in both games last year but made stupid mistakes at the end of each. I think our team will have a chip on its shoulder going into Nac this year. I think I agree with you on the importance of the UCA and SFA games. Between the two, I think we split them and walk away from SFA with the win. If we can do that, and play consistently during the rest of the season, I will say 7 wins. That would make us 5-1 in conference play. That would be a pretty good season over-all.
**Is that Kool-Aid, after saying I didn't possess any?**
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Post by Cap'n Cattitude on Aug 21, 2023 18:08:50 GMT -6
Outsider, please vote again. I had to edit the poll because I put in the wrong lock date.
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Post by Outsider on Aug 21, 2023 18:40:09 GMT -6
done
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Post by jCat on Aug 22, 2023 10:49:46 GMT -6
Seven wins, with this schedule, would be a positive season. I would be hopeful that we would beat UIW, SFA, Tarleton, and the Utah Schools, but that seems like a lot. Do we go 4-1 or 3-2 here?
Beating UCA on the road has never happened. Do we break through this September?
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Post by bogeyman on Aug 22, 2023 11:14:24 GMT -6
Seven wins, with this schedule, would be a positive season. I would be hopeful that we would beat UIW, SFA, Tarleton, and the Utah Schools, but that seems like a lot. Do we go 4-1 or 3-2 here? Beating UCA on the road has never happened. Do we break through this September?
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Post by bogeyman on Aug 22, 2023 11:14:53 GMT -6
Yes. We beat UCA.
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Post by Outsider on Aug 22, 2023 11:36:42 GMT -6
Dustin was one who felt UIW might be overhyped this year on the FCS FN podcast. I tend to agree with Dustin on many things as he is pretty even keel with is viewpoints. I know that the UIW game can be winnable, but very tough to do. I am hopeful on the same stretch of games, for the most part, as jCat. My question is still the consistency. I feel like we played better consistently last year. The question is can we keep it up, and improve, on that with many of the same players returning, coaches with additional time on staff, and the new players that came in? Many others in the FCS family give us respect for being a decent team, but don't see anything in us that they feel would propel us up into a play-off or championship team. Many feel that UCA will win the ASUN/UAC.
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Post by rc on Aug 24, 2023 13:12:18 GMT -6
Very happy to say, "I have my tickets and parking passes." They came in a nice package.
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Post by rc on Aug 24, 2023 16:00:00 GMT -6
Dustin was one who felt UIW might be overhyped this year on the FCS FN podcast. I tend to agree with Dustin on many things as he is pretty even keel with is viewpoints. I know that the UIW game can be winnable, but very tough to do. I am hopeful on the same stretch of games, for the most part, as jCat. My question is still the consistency. I feel like we played better consistently last year. The question is can we keep it up, and improve, on that with many of the same players returning, coaches with additional time on staff, and the new players that came in? Many others in the FCS family give us respect for being a decent team, but don't see anything in us that they feel would propel us up into a play-off or championship team. Many feel that UCA will win the ASUN/UAC. Very insightful ideas here. I too think UIW might not be the same this year, but I guess it depends a lot on the quarterback. And UCA could well be the cream of the UAC crop. What I cannot decide is whether the teams from the ASUN actually are a notch better than the WAC teams. Maybe toward the bottom, except for NAU which looks weak already. SFA, Tarleton, and ACU may surprise the ASUN opponents.
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Post by Outsider on Aug 24, 2023 16:18:16 GMT -6
Dustin was one who felt UIW might be overhyped this year on the FCS FN podcast. I tend to agree with Dustin on many things as he is pretty even keel with is viewpoints. I know that the UIW game can be winnable, but very tough to do. I am hopeful on the same stretch of games, for the most part, as jCat. My question is still the consistency. I feel like we played better consistently last year. The question is can we keep it up, and improve, on that with many of the same players returning, coaches with additional time on staff, and the new players that came in? Many others in the FCS family give us respect for being a decent team, but don't see anything in us that they feel would propel us up into a play-off or championship team. Many feel that UCA will win the ASUN/UAC. Very insightful ideas here. I too think UIW might not be the same this year, but I guess it depends a lot of the quarterback. And UCA could well be the cream of the UAC crop. What I cannot decide is whether the teams from the ASUN actually are a notch better than the WAC teams. Maybe toward the bottom, except for NAU which looks weak already. SFA, Tarleton, and ACU may surprise the ASUN opponents. I know the WAC side of the discussion isn't getting much attention. On the ASUN side, EKU is seen as good, but not as good as they have been. Austin Peay is still getting some discussion, but UCA still seems to be the front runner on that side. The one team on the WAC side getting mention on the FCS FN was SUU. I can't say I disagree with them. SUU is on the rise and has a really good coach, as well as good players. The question is how much progress have they made? Our issue coming into the Fall is the same. Have we significantly progressed with so many new faces?
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Post by bogeyman on Aug 25, 2023 14:34:53 GMT -6
I am ready for some football!!!
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Post by Cap'n Cattitude on Aug 26, 2023 9:25:42 GMT -6
Here are my thoughts based on absolutely nothing except improvement from last year and purple Kool Aid on ice. Favored FCS: UNC, Prairie View, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Utah Tech, Tarleton. 6 wins. Not Favored FCS: UIW home; SFA and UCA away. Both SFA and UIW lost a lot of talent. 2 of 3. FBS: UNT and TAMU. Possible upset in Denton. Great experience at College Station. If we stay healthy and the defense gels. I think there are 8 wins with this schedule. Pass the Kool Aid.
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Post by bogeyman on Aug 29, 2023 11:59:42 GMT -6
I marvel at the restraint that most of our message board members have with only 25 of us venturing out on this preseason poll. How can we maintain our national stature of "having unrealistic expectations" if only 25 of us vote in our own internal poll? Go to the grocery store, buy some purple kool-aid, and tell us what you think our prospects are for this season. Do we have the best TE room in the nation, UAC? Are our DB's among the best in the nation, UAC? Can our new receiving corps hold their own in the UAC? Will our QB play be improved (who will be our starter, Maverick or Quayde)? Will our OL be able to handle blitzes and protect the QB better this year? How about our DL? Will the addition of 3 D1 transfers (Massey, Butler, Oladele) be the answer. LB's look really good on paper, can they be the run stoppers we need? And then there are our RB's, who look like a very good group. Kitten says we shouldn't say we are "loaded" just from coach hype, but what do you guys say? 2 days from show and tell. I think we are in for a very exciting year.
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Post by rc on Aug 29, 2023 19:32:58 GMT -6
I want to avoid that situation of being trapped in "Jinx-World" so I hope to stay a bit subdued. Need to stay relaxed. But in my weak moments, I feel secretly very excited about this team (and coaches.)
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