It feels different now

[meangreenlax]

1 hour ago, ChristopherRyanWilkes said:

I think our overall record will still be great, the biggest thing about last week is not being in the driver’s seat for your division after 1 week of conference play. Really wish we played LaTech later in the season. If they don’t lose to UAB this week, it’s hard to see them losing 2 conference games. If that’s the case, we could potentially be 11-1 and not in the conference championship game. That would sting. Even with that record I doubt they rank a G5 that doesn’t win their conference. Lofty goals of NY6 aside, this was the season to finally get us ranked for the first time in the modern era.  

Exactly. Deep down we really all knew the NY6 was unattainable. As a G5 the only thing guaranteed is the chance to win your conference. But now we have to sit back and hope those bumpkins trip up.

Thankfully we still have a chance for a great record, and a bowl game. Having a one or two loss season without winning our mediocre conference is not a great end result.

[Greendylan]

1 hour ago, Salsa_Verde said:

I get people are bummed out...but aren’t a lot of these players going to be here next year too? Especially on offense, the defense is playing way better than anyone thought possible. Who’s to say we aren’t in a similar position next year. Maybe I’ve had too much green koolaid. 

The offense may be even better next year, which is definitely a reason for optimism.  The defense, as others have pointed out, loses a lot and may take a huge step back.

What's disappointing, however, is that we may not ever again have the scheduling stars align such that we can go undefeated in non-conference.  For a G5 team not named Boise State, it could take two or three decades (or more) before that's a realistic possibility again.

Oh well, that's not to say that we can't still finish this season as one of the best teams in the nation.  A missed opportunity against a team that we were clearly capable of beating stings, but there's a lot still on the table.

 

[Pavlovs Eagle]

21 minutes ago, meangreenlax said:

Exactly. Deep down we really all knew the NY6 was unattainable.

😭

Edited October 3, 2018 by Pavlovs Eagle

[Greendylan]

"Deep down we really all knew the NY6 was unattainable."

Respectfully, I would like to disagree.  It was always unlikely and by no means a slam dunk even if we had finished 13-0, but I still wouldn't call it "unattainable." Any G5 team that completes its non-conference schedule by blowing out every single opponent is squarely in the conversation.

[TIgreen01]

That's because it IS different.  We were rolling through the season relatively unscathed on the injury front.  We've now lost our RB, the backup that is expected to take most of the carries had a pivotal lost fumble and Fine is definitely playing hurt.  

Our coaches took an entire quarter to adjust to the opposition's adjustments and lost the game in the process.

Our front seven barely got any pressure and we are banged up at LB and corner.

We're not done by any stretch but there are serious cracks emerging.  I don't see this team winning out from here but it'll still be fun to watch them try.  That's the big thing that has changed in #NewDenton.... We are exciting to watch, are pretty well coached and our players play their freaking guts out.  For once we're really easy for casual fans to latch onto.

Edited October 3, 2018 by TIgreen01

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

2 hours ago, Greendylan said:

The offense may be even better next year, which is definitely a reason for optimism.  The defense, as others have pointed out, loses a lot and may take a huge step back.

What's disappointing, however, is that we may not ever again have the scheduling stars align such that we can go undefeated in non-conference.  For a G5 team not named Boise State, it could take two or three decades (or more) before that's a realistic possibility again.

Oh well, that's not to say that we can't still finish this season as one of the best teams in the nation.  A missed opportunity against a team that we were clearly capable of beating stings, but there's a lot still on the table.

 

Even a WKU team with a worse record than we could potentially have got ranked at the end of the year by winning the conference. If you can't show you can win in your conference, they will say Arkansas was a fluke and just a god awful team. Our schedule was so favorable this year, that close of a loss is going to sting for a while. Program is going in the right direction, but there's no guarantees. Look at that same WKU program and where their football team is now. Lost to a FCS team not far removed from being the envy of the conference. They had the right coach,  he left, and again nothing is guaranteed in G5 college football. 

[GreenTexan13]

7 hours ago, AustinFromUNT said:

This is my first time checking the forum since the game. I still have a terrible taste in my mouth. That’s the saddest I’ve ever felt after a UNT game. Portland State was a disaster but we were garbage and expected to lose. I still love this team and will still be at all of the home games, it’s just hard to shake this ****** feeling after losing our chance at the division (yeah UAB COULD beat LA Tech but UAB also got blown out by 2nd year FBS team Coastal Carolina). I don’t mean to be a bummer, but this is honestly the worst I’ve ever felt after a UNT game.

I wouldn't necessarily say we were expected to lose to Portland State that year. That current moment was the lowest of the low. The loss to LaTech does hurt. Almost like the 2013 UTSA loss hurt. We made it so far in the season and that one loss in 2013 gave Rice the spot to go to the championship instead of us. 

It's just reality of being a Football fan, it's a dedication and test of will. Fortunately there is lots of season left and anything can happen to propel us into the conference championship game over the #1 in the west, just like Rice in 2013. Our 2018 team has to put the loss in the past and focus on each opponent one game at a time.