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CBS Preseason Top-25 (Big 10 #2,6,9)

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I wouldn't call Texas' defense good. I wouldn't even call them average. swiss cheese sounds more like it.

And while Auburn's DC will help turn that around, I don't think he is going to manage to turn around a pathetic defensive team after one game against Louisiana-Lafayette. Add in the fact that he'll be facing 3 speedy gamebreaking receivers, hopefully a smart mobile QB, as well as tons of speed out of the secondary adn he's got his hands full.

I'm not saying that texas will be a cakewalk. Just that on paper it should be.
 
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Making me come out and defend our defense now, are ya?:biggrin:

We had meltdowns, sure. The instances that spring to mind are red zone defense against Michigan (although again, I should give some credit to Michigan- Henne, Hart, Breaston, and Edwards ain't exactly chopped liver), run defense against OU, the first half against Okie State, and a very strange bend-but-don't break gameplan against Arkansas.

But you gotta take the good with the bad, right? We did hold OU to their lowest point total of the season (and I'll thank you kindly for not bringing up that big goose egg we laid on the scoreboard on the other side of the ball) and held Jason White to 130 passing yards, no td's, and two interceptions. Texas Tech (the same Tech that put up 45 points and 600 yards on Cal in the Holiday Bowl) managed just 200 total yards and seven points up until Mack put the scrubs in midway through the 4th quarter. We also held A&M, a top 20 offense, to 6 offensive points and 220 total yards.

In short, last year's defense was a classic case of Jekyl and Hyde syndrome, particularly the secondary.


I don't think he is going to manage to turn around a pathetic defensive team after one game against Louisiana-Lafayette.
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That's what I'm worried about. The ULL scrimmage probably won't be enough to get our guys comfortable with the new scheme, no matter how good of a coach Chizik is. I can almost guarantee that our defense will be better in November than it is in September. The same thing happened last year with Greg Robinson.


On an unrelated note, I've been looking at tOSU's home record over the last two decades. It looks like the only teams that have had success in the Horseshoe are led by coaching staffs who are very familiar with Big 10 football (i.e. Wisky's Barry Alvarez). I also made note of a year when the Buckeyes went something like 5-6 on the year, but managed to beat two top teams at home (Syracuse and Notre Dame?). That wasn't comforting. Neither is the 99999999-0 home record against OOC teams over the last 20 years.

TheMile, I had a lot of fun in LA with the Michigan fans. Didn't have a single bad experience. Y'all are alright in my book.

PS. Big public school engineering programs kick ass.

EH
 
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EngineerHorn said:
But also give some credit to Breaston.
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EngineerHorn said:
(although again, I should give some credit to Michigan- Henne, Hart, Breaston, and Edwards ain't exactly chopped liver)
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You're asking an awful lot of these guys. :biggrin:


EngineerHorn said:
TheMile, I had a lot of fun in LA with the Michigan fans. Didn't have a single bad experience. Y'all are alright in my book.
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While I was unable to make it to the Rose Bowl, the overwhelming opinion among M fans on Texas fans was also very positive. We're all hoping for a rematch at the end of the year.
 
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BFS: "How exactly would the NCAA investigations prevent you from ranking a team higher? That would hardly be held against you as an analyst..."

I agree he is a tool for the most part. maybe what he meant was that since T Smith has lost his starting job the O won't be as effective and thus something to overcome. but who knows.
We'll see what he says after we thump iowa in the 'Shoe!
 
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TheMile said:
While I was unable to make it to the Rose Bowl, the overwhelming opinion among M fans on Texas fans was also very positive. We're all hoping for a rematch at the end of the year.
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You all enjoy your rematch in the Sugar Bowl then, while we're busy dispatching USC in the Rose. :tongue2:
 
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Since for some reason no one has given E-Horn his Longhorn Medal thingy, I took the liberty to make one...

Ok, so the burnt orange is a little on the crispy side, but I made it in 2 minutes so cut me some slack.
 

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Not quite sure how we got on to the topic of Texas, but at this point my thoughts are that the Horns are our toughest home game next year. I say that primarily for two reasons: first, we haven't faced them ever. We know what Iowa can do, and we saw that up close last year in Iowa City. Emotions will be running strong for that game, both within the team and amongst the fans. Obviously, the Texas game will be a big one also, but not with the hint of bitterness and payback for last year that we'll have with Iowa. The second reason I think that Texas will be tough is that they're going to come in confident after the win over Michigan. Being an early game, both teams will be breaking in players at a few positions, and we may still be searching for the right combo at tailback. I think we'll have the big questions answered by Iowa (TB, CB and oh yeah, QB :tongue2: ), but may still be searching early on.

Obviously, the big road matchup is in Ann Arbor, and that's the biggest roadblock on the slate. They see us coming after last year's game, and the aforementioned trio of Henne, Hart and Breaston will have another full season under their belts.

Don't get me wrong, I think that all three games are more than winnable and that we ought to be favored in at least the two home games, if not all three, but I am not about to take any of them lightly. It's going to be a hell of a season. :cool:
 
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Look, I don't think he's right, and I don't think that rating a team lower because of incidents like MoC and TS, but I can kinda sorta see where he's coming from. Kids would have to deal with pressure from without moreso than usual. They played better in the face of the MoC issue, but will it wear on them? Will all of the 'distractions' whether media imposed or actual, hurt the team? They did play their best ball when the controversy was at its fever pitch, too. I hope it gives the team added focus, but I could see where it could hurt a team, too. I dunno, I hope Dodd just jumps off a bridge.

I am more worried about our running game, our lack of consistancy at QB, and (seemingly) not having a suitor lined up for Fox yet as concerns larger than ones we face from external issues such as these incidents. and I think that's more of a reason to move us down to #6.

Gotta remember Iowa had its first four RBs hurt last year, too. I can easily see them being a VERY good team next year. I'm scared of Iowa as much as I'm scared to see UM next year.
 
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