Does anybody else see this as our biggest game of the year?
- Thread starter triton28
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I agree that the next game of the year is the biggest game.
At the beginning of the year, I picked out several games that I considered important for State to win in order to be showing real progress. Houston was one of those games. Now, with Houston's QB problems and suspending their top WR, I can't even say that it will show progress. I say this is a must win now to maintain momentum and a possible decent bowl bid.
Next week, I will say that the UAB game is huge because State can't lay an egg now! Win or loose the Houston game. State had to have every game be a big game from here on out.
At the beginning of the year, I picked out several games that I considered important for State to win in order to be showing real progress. Houston was one of those games. Now, with Houston's QB problems and suspending their top WR, I can't even say that it will show progress. I say this is a must win now to maintain momentum and a possible decent bowl bid.
Next week, I will say that the UAB game is huge because State can't lay an egg now! Win or loose the Houston game. State had to have every game be a big game from here on out.
what is important is that we get to at least 6-6 or 7-5 whether by luck or however we can get it. We just need to get a winning season in the books and go from there. I look at it as getting our feet on the ground and then we can hopefully recruit better and parlay a few 6-6 or 7-5 seasons into building a "good" team.
Out of Auburn/LSU/UGA we had to have 1 of those 3 and UGA was the logical one that we should have won. By winning that game, that gave us 2 wins with very winnable games vs. Alcorn, Houston, UAB, Kentucky and UMiss remaining. Win any 4 out of those 5 and we are bowling.A loss to UGA would have meant that we'd have to go 5 for 5 against those teams or pull an upset in the swamp, at Bama or against UPig. Lose this week and I think the season hinges on the Egg Bowl unless we can stop Mallet at home the week before.
whoever won that game was going to be 2-2, and the loser drops to 1-3. We see what has happened to Georgia.
We would have still beaten Alcorn, but our team had to beat a quality SEC opponent at home to validate their hard work and build their confidence. They had come very close before, but couldn't quite close the deal. And yes, Georgia is not as good as they usually are, but that win was no worse than some of Croom's over Bama in the scheme of things, and the fact that we dominated a team that we know is not as good as we are is still a very positive thing.
Going into Houston, we are now 3-2 rather then 2-3, and that makes a big difference psychologically for our team.
I do think that the Houston game is now the biggest because if we win, we stay on schedule. A win means that we can afford a loss to UAB, UK, or UM. A loss means that our bowl hopes may likely come down to the Egg Bowl. I do NOT want us to be in that situation, which is pretty similar to what happened in 1997. A loss also means that we must upset someone to get back on schedule. Also, we beat Houston, then we are 4-2, and then if we lose to Florida, we are still going to be 4-3 going into UAB as opposed to 3-4.
The good thing about our situation is that as long as we continue to take care of our business, any upsets that we get are gravy, and will just take that much pressure off of us.
We would have still beaten Alcorn, but our team had to beat a quality SEC opponent at home to validate their hard work and build their confidence. They had come very close before, but couldn't quite close the deal. And yes, Georgia is not as good as they usually are, but that win was no worse than some of Croom's over Bama in the scheme of things, and the fact that we dominated a team that we know is not as good as we are is still a very positive thing.
Going into Houston, we are now 3-2 rather then 2-3, and that makes a big difference psychologically for our team.
I do think that the Houston game is now the biggest because if we win, we stay on schedule. A win means that we can afford a loss to UAB, UK, or UM. A loss means that our bowl hopes may likely come down to the Egg Bowl. I do NOT want us to be in that situation, which is pretty similar to what happened in 1997. A loss also means that we must upset someone to get back on schedule. Also, we beat Houston, then we are 4-2, and then if we lose to Florida, we are still going to be 4-3 going into UAB as opposed to 3-4.
The good thing about our situation is that as long as we continue to take care of our business, any upsets that we get are gravy, and will just take that much pressure off of us.
wasnt Auburn our biggest game of the year? werent most folks in agreement with that? this is the biggest game of the week.
I thought I was kidding, but the more I think about it, the bigger that game's implications could be. Especially if Nutt gets things back on track.<div>
</div><div>Could be a win for the Peach/Gator (they apparently pick together this year like the Cotton/Outback) lose for the Liberty situation, depending on what happens with Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee. I don't want to go back to Memphis. </div>
</div><div>Could be a win for the Peach/Gator (they apparently pick together this year like the Cotton/Outback) lose for the Liberty situation, depending on what happens with Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee. I don't want to go back to Memphis. </div>
But definitely one of the most important games for us. We had to win at least one between the Auburn and Georgia games and we did. Now we have to beat Houston and Kentucky (I'm taking the UAB win for granted). Then the Egg Bowl win is just icing on the cake. But our biggest game of the year is always, always, always the Egg Bowl.
will be bigger for them than us. They only have one more gimme on the schedule and we should be able to compete with everyone on our schedule except Saban and Co. We need to show up Saturday and assert our payback. We need to take this one to take some pressure off of our team later in the season. They will be able to play more relaxed in our last 3 or 4 games. Got to show up and take care of ball.
There will be some implications on that game regarding bowls. The question is going to be for what- going to a bowl or playing for a better bowl.
But like I said, we have to take care of our business this month. I would much rather go into the Egg Bowl knowing that we are going to a bowl win or lose with six wins rather than go in with five knowing that we have to beat them to go to a bowl. Especially with the game being on the road and them being revenge minded already. Also, having six wins would take pressure off of our players. It's not out of the question that we could go to the same bowl at 6-6 vs 7-5.
We're going to have to beat either Houston or Ole Miss on the road to go to a bowl, or we're going to have to take care of business at home and upset Arkansas at home.
This will sound odd, but in a way having a sloppy game against Alcorn may be good for us in the short term. I suspect that we will be much more focused this week because there will be emphasis on being focused.
But like I said, we have to take care of our business this month. I would much rather go into the Egg Bowl knowing that we are going to a bowl win or lose with six wins rather than go in with five knowing that we have to beat them to go to a bowl. Especially with the game being on the road and them being revenge minded already. Also, having six wins would take pressure off of our players. It's not out of the question that we could go to the same bowl at 6-6 vs 7-5.
We're going to have to beat either Houston or Ole Miss on the road to go to a bowl, or we're going to have to take care of business at home and upset Arkansas at home.
This will sound odd, but in a way having a sloppy game against Alcorn may be good for us in the short term. I suspect that we will be much more focused this week because there will be emphasis on being focused.
What Hotrock and Johnson85 said.
This week Houston is the biggest game because it is (realistically & we do NOT want to go into the Egg Bowl 5-6) a must win to get bowl eligible. Then the biggest game becomes UAB and Kentucky and OM. I guess the Egg Bowl would not be a must win to get bowl eligible if we go into it 6-5. But after UF, Alabama, and Arkansas full throttles our ***.......we will need that win to remain attractive for a decent bowl selection.
This week Houston is the biggest game because it is (realistically & we do NOT want to go into the Egg Bowl 5-6) a must win to get bowl eligible. Then the biggest game becomes UAB and Kentucky and OM. I guess the Egg Bowl would not be a must win to get bowl eligible if we go into it 6-5. But after UF, Alabama, and Arkansas full throttles our ***.......we will need that win to remain attractive for a decent bowl selection.