Need a win against a team that is/was ranked

[Snowman_55]

In my opinion the Pokes need to find a way to beat either BYU or TCU to make this season a success. I realize we were picked to finish last in the MWC this year but I think that was mainly based on uncertainty with a new coach and a new system. So far we have faired about how I expected, minus a horrible showing at CU. 6 wins and a bowl game would be a major step in the right direction, without a win against one of the 4 teams that were ranked at some point(s) this season I would stop short of calling this season a full success.

I give huge props to DC for getting us going in the right direction, however it is our offense that is struggling and more inconsistent than the defense. As an offensive minded coach this falls on his shoulders. I realize its going to take time to get his guys in here and the Pokes are a work in progress. However if we want to start being talked about as a legit threat to join the upper echelon of the MWC, like most of us think we can be, I think we need to step up and re-establish War Memorial Stadium as a place that teams don't come and win. Beating either BYU or TCU or both would be a huge step in the right direction, and would be a good confidence booster for the team to finish the season and hopefully go to a bowl game. Just my two cents but I really feel that this team needs to step up and play a full game (instead of just the first half) against a quality opponent and get a win or two against them. Cowboy Up!

Go Pokes!!!!

 

[Bryoming]

I'm with you there, snowman. I'm not going to touch on TCU yet (one game at a time). BYU is very beatable, in my opinion, but I'm nervous to see how our D stacks up against them. We have yet to face a team with a good vertical passing game (sorry Lobos, your attack isn't where you need it to be), and I have some serious questions about how we will defend it. With that in mind, I have full confidence that our defense will be well prepared for the game this weekend. Other than Weber and CU, our defensive gameplan has been solid all season.

Let's tear the kittens a new one this weekend, Pokes! Of all the teams we play, I hate BYU the most.

 

[Asmodeanreborn]

Here's a question, though...
Would you rather beat BYU and one of SDSU and CSU, or beat both SDSU and CSU, but lose to BYU?

Of course we COULD beat all three, but I think I'd be more disappointed if we beat BYU and then went on to choke on SDSU or CSU than if we lost to BYU and beat both SDSU and CSU.

I do hate BYU far more than SDSU, but I feel that SDSU is a team we SHOULD beat (then again, our secondary is rather suspect), as is CSU.

 

[Asmodeanreborn]

Also, I think it's about freaking time that either defense or special teams end up scoring for us, as well as actually recovering a few of the fumbles they force.

 

[JimmyDimes]

I agree a win against either BYU or TCU would be great, for me a winning record and a bowl birth alone would be a successful season. We need to give DC some time to get his guys in here. And, if his next classes are anythng like his first, we'll be fighting it out for a conference title and top 25 rankings in a year or two.

Build it and they will come.

Go Pokes!!

 

[Fullback41]

2 comments...

1. With the way the defense has played the last 3 games (2 of which against real good teams), if we can manage to score 17 pts we have a shot at beating BYU.

2. I don't really care how we get 2 more wins. earlier rather than later would be nice for my blood pressure, but beating SDSU and CSU would almost assure us that we would be the only MWC team eligible for the 5th bowl slot. Now, if TCU goes to a BCS bowl we may get 6 bowls but we have been burnt by being left out in the past.

A win this weekend would be great, for confidence, power rankings, bowl eligibility, sagarin ratings, national exposure. If our Defense can keep it up, we just need to manufacture about 17 pts to win, but if we could have managed the last 2 weeks we would already be bowl eligible.

Root for UNLV to take CSU out of bowl contention, UW to beat BYU, and for TCU to beat SDSU.

 

[Dread_Pirate_Cowboy]

I only want to beat CSEwe. The other 11 games are fluff. 1-11 so long as the win is CSEwe is a successful season. 2-10 with CSEwe and BY'nerU victories gets you nominated for Governator of Wyomin.

 

[calpoke25]

I don't think its fair to judge this season on our ability to beat BYU and certainly not TCU. I think BYU is very winnable but if we lose, I don't think the season should be judged a failure.

As disappointing as only winning 1 of the rest of the games would be, I think that would still constitute a successful 1st season for DC.

Winning 2 more would certainly lock up the success and winning 3 more would be amazing.

I think the only true disappointment would be losing all 4 games, but even in the worst case scenario, we still would have moved from last in the MWC to 7th. A very small improvement.

I HATE moral victories, but I don't think its fair to judge this season purely on W-L. You have to give the guy a chance to get his program built. I am judging this season on competitiveness and effort.

 

[Snowman_55]

I don't think its fair to judge this season on our ability to beat BYU and certainly not TCU. I think BYU is very winnable but if we lose, I don't think the season should be judged a failure.

As disappointing as only winning 1 of the rest of the games would be, I think that would still constitute a successful 1st season for DC.

Winning 2 more would certainly lock up the success and winning 3 more would be amazing.

I think the only true disappointment would be losing all 4 games, but even in the worst case scenario, we still would have moved from last in the MWC to 7th. A very small improvement.

I HATE moral victories, but I don't think its fair to judge this season purely on W-L. You have to give the guy a chance to get his program built. I am judging this season on competitiveness and effort.

I completely disagree. I am not saying that moving from last in the MWC to wherever we finish isn't an improvement. However regardless of the status of the team, previous years results, etc; any season that doesn't result in a bowl bid can't be a true success IMO. Success in sports is based on W-L's period. Improvement and success aren't the same things, so I fully admit that we are team in transition and are improved over one year ago, for that I agree DC deserves props and appears to have the Pokes going in the right direction. Still without a bowl bid, and (for me) a win over BYU or TCU this season will not be a succesful one.

Both of which are still very obtainable goals to finish the season! GO POKES!!!

 

[LawPoke]

I would absolutely love to paste the Coogies - and would relish a TCU surprise - but in terms of our football future, we need two wins - at least - and a bowl. Certainly a win against TCU, in itself, would mark a significant upturn in recruiting for us - but a bowl is critical. If DC and this crew can walk into a kid's house and say - "Year 1 we took a doormat to a bowl (sorry to be so blunt) with a hell of a lot of freshmen playing...just think about years 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and your potential future given the MWC's past ability to go to and win BCS games..." - it would do amazing things for this program. Now, pinch me, if we were to beat TCU (likely ensuring another victory along the way and a bowl), I am a happy camper and DC turns this ship a heck of a lot quicker.

All of this said - we just have to beat the Sheep this year.

 

[calpoke25]

I completely disagree. I am not saying that moving from last in the MWC to wherever we finish isn't an improvement. However regardless of the status of the team, previous years results, etc; any season that doesn't result in a bowl bid can't be a true success IMO. Success in sports is based on W-L's period. Improvement and success aren't the same things, so I fully admit that we are team in transition and are improved over one year ago, for that I agree DC deserves props and appears to have the Pokes going in the right direction. Still without a bowl bid, and (for me) a win over BYU or TCU this season will not be a succesful one.

Both of which are still very obtainable goals to finish the season! GO POKES!!!

You agree we are a team in transition...but the season won't be a success unless we beat a top 25 (TCU top 5) team? Those are some pretty impossible expectations in my book.

Transition teams can't be EXPECTED to beat the absolute cream of the crop. You're going to be awfully disappointed if you are setting the bar that high right now.

I want to beat BYU as bad as you and they could be beatable this year, but I think its unfair to expect that from a major rehaul of the program.

 

[sdpoke]

DC better win against both byu and csu. I remember when a guy named glenn lead us to wins over both in his 1st season as head coach.

 

[Adv8RU12]

Couldn't any finish out of the cellar be considered a successful season? After all, that is where all the prognosticators said the Pokes would finish.

 

[Snowman_55]

You agree we are a team in transition...but the season won't be a success unless we beat a top 25 (TCU top 5) team? Those are some pretty impossible expectations in my book.

Transition teams can't be EXPECTED to beat the absolute cream of the crop. You're going to be awfully disappointed if you are setting the bar that high right now.

I want to beat BYU as bad as you and they could be beatable this year, but I think its unfair to expect that from a major rehaul of the program.

Maybe I am overly competitive, but to me sports success is simple. Its all about wins and losses period. I realize that teams have ups and downs, but any year the Pokes don't go to a bowl game is an unsuccessful season in my opinion. That doesn't mean that the team might not have improved and be on the right track, but I can't say its a success if the team is sub .500 and misses a bowl game. As for beating BYU or TCU, my point is we play 4 teams that have been ranked this season 3 of them in War Memorial Stadium. At 7200 feet the Pokes should dominate at home regardless of the opponent. Beating BYU or TCU would go along way in reestablishing that fact in my opinion. If we win against SDSU and CSU and go to a bowl game the season would be a success given the outcome some people expected, however a win against the kittens or frogs would be a statement win, which the Pokes don't have yet this season and would go along way in building confidence with the team for the rest of this year and into next season.

Go Pokes!