MVFC Prediction Time

[CaseyGarrisonforPrez]

There was so much wrong with this post to begin with (what are people supposed to say, "Oh yeah, the players have looked so average this year, we're really excited for another underwhelming year of Bear football"? C'mon dude get a clue, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck etc, etc...) but my goodness.
1) Paul Rhoads is eccentric and lovable but he is not a good coach. He's hardly a decent coach. He's done nothng significant during his tenure outside of some crappy bowl games and his team this year will be worse than the last one.
2) NDSU didn't sneak up on anyone, it was the first freaking game of the year and they were the 2x defending champions. How does that slip by KSU? It doesn't, they were simply the worse team.
3) Iowa State is awful and is ridiculously thin on defense. The Bison might have lost some good players but overall they return a very strong defensive unit and should be able to win this game. Not saying it's a guarantee but 7 times out of 10 I bet they win this matchup. Please don't refer to ISU as a Big XII school, they've been severely outclassed in that conference for the better part of the last 10-15 years. It's very sad how bad they are.

1. Paul Rhoads has won huge games at ISU: he beat #2 Oklahoma State in 2011 keeping them from the national championship game, beat the Big XII North champs Nebraska in 2009, beat a ranked Texas team in 2010, and beat a ranked TCU team in 2012.

2. We'll simply have to disagree on this one. I doubt back to back FCS titles mean much to the K-State kids. I think they learned the hard way that you cannot overlook FCS opposition however. I definitely think there was flukish quality to that game though.

3. Iowa State is near the bottom of the Big XII most years. I do believe they will be significantly better this year on offense with the QB back and Mark Mangino as OC. Their defense is a concern with a high attrition rate particularly on the D-Line. But I still think they are improved from last year and probably better than Kansas and West Virginia in the Big XII. I expect them to beat NDSU and I know that goes against the grain, but this game is getting a lot of hype. No chance ISU looks past them.

[PantherSigEp]

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile Casey. To assume Rhoades is a good coach simply because he's pulled off a couple upset over the past 5 years is a horrible excuse for why these same teams has been so terrible for the other 9-10+ games of the season.

I find it hilarious and ironic that you fault North Dakota St for being "looked past" by KSU (no chance, NDSU had really talented players and was a great team, KSU was decent but that loss was no fluke) and yet you've propped ISU up for pulling off the upset in situations where the exact same scenario happened. You can't tell me ISU won those games because they were just as well coached and talented as Okie St and company. Please Casey, at least save yourself a little face.

The saddest thing is that ISU could go winless this year and Cyclone fans would still exhalt Rhoades as savior of program and claim that he's just stocking up for 2015/2016. A lot of them are also Cubs fans so I think they let their excuses blend together pretty regularly.

[uniftw]

ISU is dog crap.

The only way they beat NDSU is the new QB not being ready.

[glm38]

I think it is a legitimate possibility. I know picking anybody besides NDSU is really considered edgy stuff but I just have a gut feeling the Bizon won't do it this year.

And I think the Bears could make the playoffs and still get rid of Terry Allen if he retires. That would be best case scenario for all parties.

Its not the fact you didn't pick the Bison to get first that reaffirms your looney-ness to us, including your own MSU brethren. Its the fact that you believe that, against all odds and common sense, this is the year that Terry Allen decides, "Well sure, why don't we try winning?" As if this whole time he were just playing a practical joke on the entire conference for the past 8 years.

The times...they ain't a changin' boy

Don't look now but with MSU at 3-1 maybe Casey's prediction isn't so looney after all. Only loss has been to OK State and we kept that one surprisingly respectable. Lots of football left but MSU looks like a good team right now.

[PantherSigEp]

I think it is a legitimate possibility. I know picking anybody besides NDSU is really considered edgy stuff but I just have a gut feeling the Bizon won't do it this year.

And I think the Bears could make the playoffs and still get rid of Terry Allen if he retires. That would be best case scenario for all parties.

Its not the fact you didn't pick the Bison to get first that reaffirms your looney-ness to us, including your own MSU brethren. Its the fact that you believe that, against all odds and common sense, this is the year that Terry Allen decides, "Well sure, why don't we try winning?" As if this whole time he were just playing a practical joke on the entire conference for the past 8 years.

The times...they ain't a changin' boy

Don't look now but with MSU at 3-1 maybe Casey's prediction isn't so looney after all. Only loss has been to OK State and we kept that one surprisingly respectable. Lots of football left but MSU looks like a good team right now.

And yet the MVFC has 6 teams in the top 25, one of which is not MSU. I didn't say the Bears wouldn't be last or would be a terrible team, I simply implied that Terry Allen isn't very likely to make the playoffs. I'm glad they are doing well, the entire conference is 20-1 against FCS teams which is incredible, but that just means the hill is a lot steeper to climb for everyone now that we have to face each other rather than inferior FCS teams. MSU has a much steeper hill than most because they play all 6 MVFC teams that are currently ranked, 3 of them to close out the year. That's rough.

[glm38]

When you parody Terry Allen "Why don't we try winning" I think the implication is that his team will be terrible? Which is a reasonable prediction given how bad we've been the last few years so no hard feelings there.

But at this point we DO look like a good team. But there are a lot of games left to play and I agree we have a rough road ahead. But for now things feel completely different than the last decade or so.

[PantherSigEp]

But at this point we DO look like a good team. But there are a lot of games left to play and I agree we have a rough road ahead. But for now things feel completely different than the last decade or so.

Strong starts have not been a trademark of the Bears in recent years, you're absolutely right. But Allen has led them to 3-1 starts in 2 other seasons while a MSU (2007, 2009). Both of those seasons the Bears finished 6-5 and tied for 5th in the league. My point here is that a good start by the Bears is a good thing for MSU and for the MVFC, but my skepticism is well founded. Every bit as well founded as your optimism is.

[glm38]

Bears are now ranked 19th. First time we've been ranked in a looong time.

[MSUDuo]

But at this point we DO look like a good team. But there are a lot of games left to play and I agree we have a rough road ahead. But for now things feel completely different than the last decade or so.

Strong starts have not been a trademark of the Bears in recent years, you're absolutely right. But Allen has led them to 3-1 starts in 2 other seasons while a MSU (2007, 2009). Both of those seasons the Bears finished 6-5 and tied for 5th in the league. My point here is that a good start by the Bears is a good thing for MSU and for the MVFC, but my skepticism is well founded. Every bit as well founded as your optimism is.

Allen has only lead MSU to a 3-1 start once and that was in 2007. In 2009 we started 2-2, or 3-2, however you want to look at it. In 2007, that was with a D2 on the schedule.

So, yes, as remarkable as it sounds, Terry Allen has done something this year he's never done at MSU. We are also 7-2 in our last 9 games and played 5 loses within a touchdown last year. I can't explain it, no one can. But he has something figured out. Even as a lame duck coach.

For the record, the Bears are now 19th in the AnyGivenSaturday Poll or 24th in the FCS Coaches Poll. It's been 18 long years so hopefully it isn't short lived.

With all that said, I refuse to think about the "P" word unless we have 6 wins before November. I still believe he should've been fired after finishing 2-9 in 2011.

It's got to be "playoffs or bust" for him this year. Del Miller and Randy Ball had more success at MSU than Allen and had much shorter tenures.

[glm38]

But at this point we DO look like a good team. But there are a lot of games left to play and I agree we have a rough road ahead. But for now things feel completely different than the last decade or so.

Strong starts have not been a trademark of the Bears in recent years, you're absolutely right. But Allen has led them to 3-1 starts in 2 other seasons while a MSU (2007, 2009). Both of those seasons the Bears finished 6-5 and tied for 5th in the league. My point here is that a good start by the Bears is a good thing for MSU and for the MVFC, but my skepticism is well founded. Every bit as well founded as your optimism is.

Well you had it right after all. 2 straight losses for the Bears. The stadium upgrades are great but our product on the field is still subpar.