Can we go 3-2 to get to 6-6?

[bdan2002]

Looks like that Troy loss is a really, really big deal. We could easily be 4-3 and 3-0 in conference play. We have 3 of the next 5 at home, including the final two games - ending at WKU. Looks like South Alabama is a win and maybe AKST at home. Can we get a win at MTSU? I think that might be the game the decides our season. Thoughts?

[meangreenacct]

Looks like that Troy loss is a really, really big deal. We could easily be 4-3 and 3-0 in conference play. We have 3 of the next 5 at home, including the final two games - ending at WKU. Looks like South Alabama is a win and maybe AKST at home. Can we get a win at MTSU? I think that might be the game the decides our season. Thoughts?

We only have 2 more at home. We definitely need to pick up a road victory at MTSU to have a shot at 6-6 or better.

[golfingomez]

3 of the next 5 are on the road...

it'll be interesting to see what happens in the marquee matchup this saturday between ULM and Western Kentuck...

but, as long as we only have one loss in conference play, we control our own destiny... do we have to win out? probably, but this team showed me a lot last night

[Harry]

I think WKU will pound on ULM pretty hard. Both of those games are big for us. But please don't forget about how big last nights win was for us against a team that won a bowl last season! This place would have been a funeral pyre had we lost last night.

[aztecskin]

Dude. Let's not aspire to pick low-hanging fruit. We win out and we win the conference. This should be the goal as it is very possible. ULM and WKU will be the toughest games. They both are beatable with this defense. Like I said on MGN, if we get some momentum and confidence this run game and defense can beat anyone anywhere.

I'll hang up and listen

[UNT90]

I think MTSU is the key game... for now...

Win at MTSU, and Ark St. becomes the key game. I really think we need to win the next three if we hope to get to 6-6. ULM and WKU, probably the 2 best teams in conference, are on the road and the final 2 games of the year.

But with this team, we could lose out or win out. There is just no telling.

Win the next 3, get on a roll, and who knows?

[golfingomez]

I think WKU will pound on ULM pretty hard. Both of those games are big for us. But please don't forget about how big last nights win was for us against a team that won a bowl last season! This place would have been a funeral pyre had we lost last night.

I agree... I think WKU is going a little under the radar right now, but they were definitely the team I thought would be the best at the start of the season... outside UNT of course...

[NorthTexan95]

I think every game is going to be a big battle for us. We don't have the talent or consistency to win if we have an off night. It would be a very impressive feat if we could win out. 3 and 2 is definately possible.

[UNT90]

I think WKU will pound on ULM pretty hard. Both of those games are big for us. But please don't forget about how big last nights win was for us against a team that won a bowl last season! This place would have been a funeral pyre had we lost last night.

I don't know about WKU having their way with ULM. Troy put up some points and moved the ball well against that WKU defense. ULM is better offensively than Troy (no matter what the numbers say. Look who ULM has played).

I do think that these are the 2 best teams RIGHT NOW in the conference, and think it will be a tight game.

[Green Lantern]

I don't know about WKU having their way with ULM. Troy put up some points and moved the ball well against that WKU defense. ULM is better offensively than Troy (no matter what the numbers say. Look who ULM has played).

I do think that these are the 2 best teams RIGHT NOW in the conference, and think it will be a tight game.

I'm with Harry in that I think WKU looks the best in the SBC. Monroe is certainly no slouch though.

It's just nice to sit here and actually have a legitimate discussion about getting to 6-7 wins this year! Play the way we are capable and it will happen. The next three games are where we may hay this season.

[bleedgreen4ever]

Gosh, that Troy game really hurts, but that game is a big reflection of how poorly this team is capable of playing. Last night's game is a reflection of how tough they can play. The problem is inconsistency with this team. I wouldn't be surprised to see this team lose a winnable game on the road against MTSU. However, I will be optimistic and say we get to 6-6 by beating MTSU, USA and ASU. WKU and ULM look like better teams and they are road games, but I also feel this team is capable of getting better toward the end of season, just as it did last season. Therefore, my initial 7-5 pre-season prediction still stands, but it's a very, very optimist prediction at this point. That Troy game hurts.

Edited October 17, 2012 by bleedgreen4ever

[UNT90]

Gosh, that Troy game really hurts, but that game is a big reflection of how poorly this team is capable of playing. Last night's game second half is a reflection of how tough they can play. The problem is inconsistency with this team. I wouldn't be surprised to see this team lose a winnable game on the road against MTSU. However, I will be optimistic and say we get to 6-6 by beating MTSU, USA and ASU. WKU and ULM look like better teams and they are road games, but I also feel this team is capable of getting better toward the end of season, just as it did last season. Therefore, my initial 7-5 pre-season prediction still stands, but it's a very, very optimist prediction at this point. That Troy game hurts.

Fixed. The 1st half was worse than Troy.

[trussbussdad]

I think the game that defined the rest of our season was played last night.

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

it'll be interesting to see what happens in the marquee matchup this saturday between ULM and Western Kentuck...

Funny how this statement would be absurd just 2 seasons ago.

[Got5onIt]

If the running game produces and controls the clock, the defensive play will rise to the occasion. When these things happen, NT wins, no doubt in my mind. Question is, will there be consistency? Can this team put solid back-to-back weeks together?

[greenminer]

Funny how this statement would be absurd just 2 seasons ago.

Somewhere, Todge is beating his chest over his ULM/WKU wins?

[aztecskin]

If the running game produces and controls the clock, the defensive play will rise to the occasion. When these things happen, NT wins, no doubt in my mind. Question is, will there be consistency? Can this team put solid back-to-back weeks together?

Don't know if the defense has been inconsistent outside of the Houston game. Even in that one, the offense ran the ball well. FAU did the most to shut us down running, but we still had 251 yards passing and scored 20. We moved the ball up and down and shut down Troy but just couldn't score in the redzone. . . which was the case last night too.

Kicking game is our redzone offense. We get touchdowns on bombs to Brelan and long TD runs from the troika. Defense allows one or two big plays but gets stops. I can live with this.

[trussbussdad]

Thu, Aug 30

• vs
  
• McNeese State
  
  

• L
  
• 27-21
  
  

0-1 (0-0) Sat, Sept 8

• vs
  
• Florida Atlantic
  
  

• W
  
• 31-17
  
  

1-1 (1-0) Sat, Sept 15

• @
  
• Memphis
  
  

• W
  
• 48-30
  
  

2-1 (1-0) Sat, Sept 29

• @
  
• Georgia Tech
  
  

• W
  
• 49-28
  
  

3-1 (1-0) Sat, Oct 6

• vs
  
• Louisiana-Monroe
  
  

• L
  
• 31-17
  
  

3-2 (1-1) Sat, Oct 13

• @
  
• Florida International
  
  

• W
  
• 34-30
  
  

4-2 (2-1)

Look at the schedule and compare to us. OK..they beat Georgia Tech who is 2-4 over all and 1-3 in ACC. I like the matchup. GMG

[UNT90]

They are going to hae a huge chip on their shoulder after the complete beat down we put on them last year.

This is going to be a battle.

[BillySee58]

Don't know if the defense has been inconsistent outside of the Houston game. Even in that one, the offense ran the ball well. FAU did the most to shut us down running, but we still had 251 yards passing and scored 20. We moved the ball up and down and shut down Troy but just couldn't score in the redzone. . . which was the case last night too.

Kicking game is our redzone offense. We get touchdowns on bombs to Brelan and long TD runs from the troika. Defense allows one or two big plays but gets stops. I can live with this.

For me, redzone carries for Jimmerson have to increase. As good as Byrd and Brown played last night, they struggled when they got the ball by the goal line except when their was a huge hole courtesy of that mean o-line. Jimmerson is our only back who has scored in the redzone against FBS opponents and their is a reason for that. DT also has had some bad moments throwing the ball in the red zone, but no picks at least.

The point is, you're right that we have been relegated to field goals a lot in the red zone, but it has primarily been when Jimmerson was not in the game. He is our only back that really has consistently broken tackles at or near the line of scrimmage, like in his Houston and K State touchdown runs, and when you're by the goal line you're gonna get hit. I really wanted to see him get the ball on fourth and goal from the 1, but the false start killed that. Luckily Olen did his job and got us the points we needed.

[glick1980]

Our only goal should be to win the next game against MTSU. This should be the mindset of the team and coaches. They will certainly want revenge for the embarrsing loss given to them by us last year.

[BillySee58]

Every game from here on out should be our biggest of the year, especially if we keep winning. Really hope that Troy loss doesn't come back to haunt us.

[aztecskin]

For me, redzone carries for Jimmerson have to increase. As good as Byrd and Brown played last night, they struggled when they got the ball by the goal line except when their was a huge hole courtesy of that mean o-line. Jimmerson is our only back who has scored in the redzone against FBS opponents and their is a reason for that. DT also has had some bad moments throwing the ball in the red zone, but no picks at least.

The point is, you're right that we have been relegated to field goals a lot in the red zone, but it has primarily been when Jimmerson was not in the game. He is our only back that really has consistently broken tackles at or near the line of scrimmage, like in his Houston and K State touchdown runs, and when you're by the goal line you're gonna get hit. I really wanted to see him get the ball on fourth and goal from the 1, but the false start killed that. Luckily Olen did his job and got us the points we needed.

This is not a terrible idea. Brelan scored in the red zone against LSU (and an end-around v KSU), and Jim Jim against KSU. They have the most agility and can basically score when the odds are against them. I wouldn't mind seeing that shovel pass thing we used a couple of times. Used to hate how Philly used to use it against the Cowboys with success.

Other than that? Our best hope is power running with a little play action. I don't trust DT passing there. Maybe bring in Osborne and do a little option?

[BillySee58]

This is not a terrible idea. Brelan scored in the red zone against LSU (and an end-around v KSU), and Jim Jim against KSU. They have the most agility and can basically score when the odds are against them. I wouldn't mind seeing that shovel pass thing we used a couple of times. Used to hate how Philly used to use it against the Cowboys with success.

Other than that? Our best hope is power running with a little play action. I don't trust DT passing there. Maybe bring in Osborne and do a little option?

Yeah Brelan is more than capable as well, but I excluded him because he is technically a receiver and did most of his red-zone work was done while running around guys untouched.

I don't know how mobile Osborn is but we are much more likely to see Brelan at qb in a wildcat package by the goal line.

[meangreendork]

Our only goal should be to win the next game against MTSU. This should be the mindset of the team and coaches. They will certainly want revenge for the embarrsing loss given to them by us last year.

MTSU's star running back is a big part of their success this year, but if I remember right, he's now out for the season (or at least our game). That's a lucky draw for our team. Their backup has only 200 or so yards, and the next guy on the chart has 2TDs and just under 200 yards. They're still dangerous on the ground. Their QB however, is performing just a shade better than ours is.

The odds look roughly even, but that's only looking at raw numbers and rankings, not the actual teams played by UNT and MTSU.