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Opening Day: @ New Mexico State

J-Rod

J-Rod

Well-known member
It's mid-July. MWC Media Days are close and fall camp not too far behind them. About time we start talking game specifics.

Pokes open up on the road in Las Cruces in Week 0, one of a handful of games that August Saturday. Wyoming is currently a 6-point favorite.

NMSU went to a bowl game for the first time in a very, very long time in 2017. Almost beat Arizona State and a strong Troy team. Did beat New Mexico...closed the season beating Utah State in their bowl game. Preseason magazines say they'll lose basically everything meaningful on offense, but return a strong defense. Sound familiar?

Thoughts on the game? Do the Cowboys cover the spread?
 
I'm with fromolwyo, I have absolutely zero faith that our offense is going to be anything, but terrible. Any result would not surprise me, especially since NMSU seems to have things turned around.
 
LanderPoke said:
I'm with fromolwyo, I have absolutely zero faith that our offense is going to be anything, but terrible. Any result would not surprise me, especially since NMSU seems to have things turned around.
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The preseason magazines have been weird. I'm all for the offense turning things around, but I'd like to hear arguments more substantive than, "Well, things can't get any worse."
 
J-Rod said:
LanderPoke said:
I'm with fromolwyo, I have absolutely zero faith that our offense is going to be anything, but terrible. Any result would not surprise me, especially since NMSU seems to have things turned around.
Click to expand...
The preseason magazines have been weird. I'm all for the offense turning things around, but I'd like to hear arguments more substantive than, "Well, things can't get any worse."
Click to expand...

We saw them get worse when Josh sat out a couple of games. Vigen needs to seriously rethink his overall gameplan as his "just enough" wasn't "enough" when Josh was out of the game last year.
 
Our defense is slightly better than theirs. Our offense is about the same honestly.

Whomever makes the fewest mistakes, and wins the turnover battle, will win the game.
 
McPeachy said:
Our defense is slightly better than theirs. Our offense is about the same honestly.

Whomever makes the fewest mistakes, and wins the turnover battle, will win the game.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've only watched them once (bits of their bowl game vs. USU), but their defense is supposedly pretty good. Has the makings of a 17-10 type game.

Buuuut a loss would suck the life out of anticipation for the Wazzu game, so any win will do.
 
J-Rod said:
McPeachy said:
Our defense is slightly better than theirs. Our offense is about the same honestly.

Whomever makes the fewest mistakes, and wins the turnover battle, will win the game.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've only watched them once (bits of their bowl game vs. USU), but their defense is supposedly pretty good. Has the makings of a 17-10 type game.

Buuuut a loss would suck the life out of anticipation for the Wazzu game, so any win will do.
Click to expand...

No doubt about that. We need to win. 7-6 would be fine by me.
 
stymeman said:
Can't wait to watch our D have a stellar year, for a change...
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I mean, they were unreal last season. They held opponents to 17 PPG and led the nation in turnover margin (1st out of 130 schools) in 2017. I'm not sure if they can do much better than that. The turnover numbers especially are likely to come back to Earth.
 
J-Rod said:
stymeman said:
Can't wait to watch our D have a stellar year, for a change...
Click to expand...
I mean, they were unreal last season. They held opponents to 17 PPG and led the nation in turnover margin (1st out of 130 schools) in 2017. I'm not sure if they can do much better than that. The turnover numbers especially are likely to come back to Earth.
Click to expand...
We lost our two starting CBs, but return everyone else, as well as develop the depth behind the starters. I don't know about turnover margin, but I think the defense will be down right scary this year.
 
McPeachy said:
Our defense is slightly better than theirs. Our offense is about the same honestly.

Whomever makes the fewest mistakes, and wins the turnover battle, will win the game.
Click to expand...

Feeling pretty good about our Special Teams as well. Definitely will make the difference in the close games.
 
fromolwyoming said:
J-Rod said:
stymeman said:
Can't wait to watch our D have a stellar year, for a change...
Click to expand...
I mean, they were unreal last season. They held opponents to 17 PPG and led the nation in turnover margin (1st out of 130 schools) in 2017. I'm not sure if they can do much better than that. The turnover numbers especially are likely to come back to Earth.
Click to expand...
We lost our two starting CBs, but return everyone else, as well as develop the depth behind the starters. I don't know about turnover margin, but I think the defense will be down right scary this year.
Click to expand...

Agree, and I personally hope that means no blowout losses this year. Even with how good the d was last year we still got blown out by Oregon and seems we have at least one game like that every year. I would like to have a year where we are in every game and no blowout losses
 
It's really difficult to project with what we don't know. For example if we have key defensive players out due to rule violation or injury etc. But I will say I will be disappointed if we lose to New Mexico State with the defense that we have coming back. I think as good as they were last year, that they could be even better this year. That's pretty amazing when you consider our defense gave up an average of less then 20 points per game and led the nation in turnovers. Our defense should keep us in EVERY single game
 
I'm glad that NMSU is our opener this year. Will give us a better gage on the season than opening at Iowa. If the offense isn't substantially better than the two games that Allen sat last year, we will lose. The defense was not able to overcome San Jose St by itself last year. If the offense is able to avoid 8 straight 3 and outs and the defense is as mean as last year, we win.
 
I'll probably look dumb for saying this, but I think the Pokes beat Wazzu even if they were to shockingly lose to NMSU. Everything I've read about the Cougs...Bohl and co. couldn't have possibly gotten them in a more vulnerable position. @Wyoming is not what the doctor ordered for that Cougar offense on opening day.
 
J-Rod said:
I'll probably look dumb for saying this, but I think the Pokes beat Wazzu even if they were to shockingly lose to NMSU. Everything I've read about the Cougs...Bohl and co. couldn't have possibly gotten them in a more vulnerable position. @Wyoming is not what the doctor ordered for that Cougar offense on opening day.
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Defense wise, I'm not worried.

But the offense has a lot to prove going forward. They still need to be able to move the ball and score at least a couple of times.
 
I think the offensive players are capable of winning 8 games this year. But I don't think Vigen is up to making it happen.
 
Las Cruces is a fun place to visit, would be fun but I'm going to Columbia, MO instead this year. Would be good for all the good green chile etc....
 
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