GSU - Maine quarterfinal game

[GSU Eagle]

Maine surpised me today is beating down Appalachian. I gave them a decent chance to win but not by 20.

Haven't seen Maine play this year. But after watching ODU's offense today if Maine has an offense anything like that it will be another track meet next Saturday.

[GSU_Alum08]

I don't think anyone has a better offense than ODU... well, minus GSU.

[mainejeff]

Maine surpised me today is beating down Appalachian. I gave them a decent chance to win but not by 20.

Haven't seen Maine play this year. But after watching ODU's offense today if Maine has an offense anything like that it will be another track meet next Saturday.

It won't be a track meet.

GSU will be a solid favorite, but Maine is a well-balanced team........no doubt that Maine needs to control the tempo and can not afford to play "catch-up" the entire game.

I'm sure that ODU's Wilder and his staff will let Corgrove know what GSU's strengths and weaknesses are.

On a side note, there is quite a bit of history between Maine and GSU all things considered.......1987, 2001, Dale Lick........should be fun!

[Eagle16]

How is Maine's defense? Haven't had time to look up much, what are their strengths?

[ChiefGSU275]

It won't be a track meet.

GSU will be a solid favorite, but Maine is a well-balanced team........no doubt that Maine needs to control the tempo and can not afford to play "catch-up" the entire game.

I'm sure that ODU's Wilder and his staff will let Corgrove know what GSU's strengths and weaknesses are.

On a side note, there is quite a bit of history between Maine and GSU all things considered.......1987, 2001, Dale Lick........should be fun!

We last played Maine in 2002. I remember their players were very big, and they had a guy who had been caught with steroids. I hope our defensive line comes ready to play next weekend.

[mainejeff]

We last played Maine in 2002. I remember their players were very big, and they had a guy who had been caught with steroids. I hope our defensive line comes ready to play next weekend.

MY bad.......2002 (not 2001).

That "guy" was current San Diego Charger Stephen Cooper.

[Eagle16]

We last played Maine in 2002. I remember their players were very big, and they had a guy who had been caught with steroids. I hope our defensive line comes ready to play next weekend.

You sure those guys haven't graduated by now?

[ChiefGSU275]

You sure those guys haven't graduated by now?

Hmmm...maybe.

What I meant was, they WERE the typical pro-style offense. large 280-300 lb offensive linemen, solid TE, and a balanced attack that ran the ball and used PA to get big chunks of yards. I dont know if Maine still employs the same offensive style or not.

[Cleets]

This is now the game of the week for me...
I was really impressed with Maine and less than impressed with GSU (either that or ODU was AWESOME) I can'r figure out which

Maine might win this game

[The Eagle's Cliff]

I wasn't surprised at all that Maine took down App St. Maine is always BIG and they play tough. Besides being seriously depleted in our defensive secondary, the big O-Line of ODU kept our rush in check for the most part. Maine's O-Line will be similarly huge. As long as we can move the ball, we'll be fine.

That's the optimistic version from the GSU perspective, of course. The 8 teams left are there for a reason - there are no easy games next week (unless you're NDSU or Montana St.).

[Bearwitness]

Hmmm...maybe.

What I meant was, they WERE the typical pro-style offense. large 280-300 lb offensive linemen, solid TE, and a balanced attack that ran the ball and used PA to get big chunks of yards. I dont know if Maine still employs the same offensive style or not.
Still have large 280-300 lb. offensive linemen, solid TE, and a balanced attack that runs the ball and uses the PA to get big chunks of yards, but they do it out of a spread offense, now.

[Cleets]

The 8 teams left are there for a reason - there are no easy games next week (unless you're NDSU or Montana St.).

Zing...!!!







xlolx

[GSU_Alum08]

not trying to make gsu sound better or anything, but ODU is legit. Their qb was making sick throws and they have some major speed on offense. They execute extremely well.

And any team left can win their game. I give GSU the edge since they are at home. Maine will have to get pass happy if they want to win, but the question is, can they pass as much as ODU, and rely on that instead of being balanced like ODU can?

[Eagle22]

It won't be a track meet.

GSU will be a solid favorite, but Maine is a well-balanced team........no doubt that Maine needs to control the tempo and can not afford to play "catch-up" the entire game.

I'm sure that ODU's Wilder and his staff will let Corgrove know what GSU's strengths and weaknesses are.

On a side note, there is quite a bit of history between Maine and GSU all things considered.......1987, 2001, Dale Lick........should be fun!

I doubt Wilder will be sharing any defensive tactics.

We always struggle with balanced attacks. ODU came in and did a good job in the first half mixing the run and pass. Should be another tight ball game.

[TheEagleWay]

I'm interested to see how Maine will slow down the Triple Option.

[Southern Bison]

I wasn't surprised at all that Maine took down App St. Maine is always BIG and they play tough. Besides being seriously depleted in our defensive secondary, the big O-Line of ODU kept our rush in check for the most part. Maine's O-Line will be similarly huge. As long as we can move the ball, we'll be fine.

That's the optimistic version from the GSU perspective, of course. The 8 teams left are there for a reason - there are no easy games next week (unless you're NDSU or Montana St.).

Sounds like a tone of concern and jealousy. Maine has the ability to put points on the board. As far as GSU goes, I saw their defense failing worse than a dam designed by a GA Tech alum. The Maine/GSU game will come down to Maine's D (strong vs. App) against the triple-option.

[Bearwitness]

Next week is going to be a different animal for Maine to face. They won't have two weeks to prepare for this game like they did today and they've haven't faced a triple option offense, either. Maine's defensive strength is in their backfield and they aren't going to be defending too many passes next week.

The burden falls on Warren Smith and Maine's offense to win this game as I envision another shootout like GSU's game today with ODU. Whether or not they have enough weapons remains to be seen.

[Cleets]

Next week is going to be a different animal for Maine to face. They won't have two weeks to prepare for this game like they did today and they've haven't faced a triple option offense, either. Maine's defensive strength is in their backfield and they aren't going to be defending too many passes next week.

The burden falls on Warren Smith and Maine's offense to win this game as I envision another shootout like GSU's game today with ODU. Whether or not they have enough weapons remains to be seen.

When the two teams step onto the field the match-ups and chemistry only happen then...
You just never know how things will play out - I expect a WAR

[TwoFeathers]

Nobody can stop Ga Southern. Maine is good, but not that good. I'm pulling for them, but I can't see them winning. And they can't put up points like ODU.

[mainejeff]

Next week is going to be a different animal for Maine to face. They won't have two weeks to prepare for this game like they did today and they've haven't faced a triple option offense, either. Maine's defensive strength is in their backfield and they aren't going to be defending too many passes next week.

The burden falls on Warren Smith and Maine's offense to win this game as I envision another shootout like GSU's game today with ODU. Whether or not they have enough weapons remains to be seen.

You have to think that turnovers will/may play a large role in this game. If Maine can muster enough offense to score 30-35 points.......and the D can get a take away or 2 (or 3)......then Maine could leave Statesboro with a win.

[mainejeff]

Nobody can stop Ga Southern. Maine is good, but not that good. I'm pulling for them, but I can't see them winning. And they can't put up points like ODU.

Is Maine's D as bad as ODU's though?

[TheEagleWay]

Is Maine's D as bad as ODU's though?

Hard to tell... our offense will baffle most teams that do well against spread/pro style.

[mainejeff]

Hard to tell... our offense will baffle most teams that do well against spread/pro style.

App State beat GSU in Boone 21-14, right?

[TwoFeathers]

Is Maine's D as bad as ODU's though?

No way. Maine's D played very well today. But GSU is very tough to stop. Maine might have a chance to do what Delaware did last year, but it will be at Ga Southern this year.

[SpeedkingATL]

Complete butt kicking in every phase of the game today. Congrats to Maine...well played.

[TheEagleWay]

App State beat GSU in Boone 21-14, right?

App just played against the same offense for the previous two weeks I believe and they play against the TO from Citadel, Wofford and Southern every year. They know us better than anyone. Its the teams that rarely see it that get burned by it.

Your team has to scheme against the TO this week and practice for it. Its also much faster on the field than at practice.

I'm not saying its impossible, its just really hard to prepare and defend against.

[straightshooter]

App State beat GSU in Boone 21-14, right?

Don't read anything from that game as an indicator of GSU's capabilities. That is a huge rival game and App St played by far the best game they played the entire year that day. Throw out all of the records when these teams play.

[eaglewraith]

App State beat GSU in Boone 21-14, right?

24-17

But in any case, our offense is performing on a completely different level than we did in that game.

[mainejeff]

24-17

GSU needs to correct their website then..........

http://www.georgiasoutherneagles.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=90303&SPID=10890&DB_OEM_ID=18700&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2011

[mainejeff]

So what is Georgia Southern going to do to stop Maine?

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

GSU needs to correct their website then..........

http://www.georgiasoutherneagles.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=90303&SPID=10890&DB_OEM_ID=18700&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2011

Yeah, that would be a mistake.

[TwoFeathers]

So what is Georgia Southern going to do to stop Maine?

I'm rooting for Maine as a CAA homer, but Ga Southern is going to be impossible to stop, barring a miracle of preparation and execution by Maine. Maine looked great today, but that damned Triple Option is ridiculous to defend against. Go back and watch the Delaware highlights from last year. That's how to stop Ga Southern, and it needs to include several turnovers by Ga Southern. And Delaware had the #1 defense in the FCS.

[mainejeff]

I'm rooting for Maine as a CAA homer, but Ga Southern is going to be impossible to stop, barring a miracle of preparation and execution by Maine. Maine looked great today, but that damned Triple Option is ridiculous to defend against. Go back and watch the Delaware highlights from last year. That's how to stop Ga Southern, and it needs to include several turnovers by Ga Southern. And Delaware had the #1 defense in the FCS.

Yeah, we all know that GSU is going to score 80+.......but what is GSU going to do to stop Maine? Is that a fair question to ask or are they going to ban the Maine offense from playing?

[Twentysix]

I dont think georgia state has much of a chance.

[mainejeff]

I dont think georgia state has much of a chance.

My mistake.......UGS.......or it it GS?

[eagle07]

Our offense has gotten a second wind the last 3 games from our true freshman swope, he is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake
Wofford - 165yds
Alabama - 153yds 1 TD
ODU - 255yds 2 TD

[eaglewraith]

I'm rooting for Maine as a CAA homer, but Ga Southern is going to be impossible to stop, barring a miracle of preparation and execution by Maine. Maine looked great today, but that damned Triple Option is ridiculous to defend against. Go back and watch the Delaware highlights from last year. That's how to stop Ga Southern, and it needs to include several turnovers by Ga Southern. And Delaware had the #1 defense in the FCS.

Our perimeter blocking is much, much better this year. If we were to play Delaware this year, they wouldn't stop us. We'd run all over them.

[mainejeff]

Our offense has gotten a second wind the last 3 games from our true freshman swope, he is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake
Wofford - 165yds
Alabama - 153yds 1 TD
ODU - 255yds 2 TD

True freshman, eh? I like the sound of that.

[TwoFeathers]

Yeah, we all know that GSU is going to score 80+.......but what is GSU going to do to stop Maine? Is that a fair question to ask or are they going to ban the Maine offense from playing?

... score more points??? They have a very good defense as well. I think the score will be something like 28-17, or 28-21 Ga Southern.

[mainejeff]

Our perimeter blocking is much, much better this year. If we were to play Delaware this year, they wouldn't stop us. We'd run all over them.

I'd hope so.....many did!

[TwoFeathers]

Our perimeter blocking is much, much better this year. If we were to play Delaware this year, they wouldn't stop us. We'd run all over them.

Hey, have I told you about this great invention I made, it's called a "Time Machine"...

[Twentysix]

My mistake.......UGS.......or it it GS?

Ugh jeff... I was attempting to get an eagle all riled up... and then you have to go and polite the fun out of it..

[mainejeff]

... score more points??? They have a very good defense as well.

Yeah, I could tell by watching them today..........*shudder*

[mainejeff]

Ugh jeff... I was attempting to get an eagle all riled up... and then you have to go and polite the fun out of it..

I was trying to play along.......duh! ;)

[TwoFeathers]

Yeah, I could tell by watching them today..........*shudder*

Good point... but ODU has one of the best spread offenses in the FCS, and clearly Ga Southern was not prepared for that. If ODU had Maine's D, they would have won that game. But I don't think Maine has ODU's offense either.

[mainejeff]

Good point... but ODU has one of the best spread offenses in the FCS, and clearly Ga Southern was not prepared for that. If ODU had Maine's D, they would have won that game. But I don't think Maine has ODU's offense either.

We won't need ODU's offense because we don't have their defenseless defense.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Maine's defense is good. Defeating the triple option isn't impossible, or even particularly difficult if the team has focus. This Maine team is seasoned and experienced. If they take away the inside run at the line, let the the accomplished secondary handle the rare pass, and capitalize on the inevitable fumbles that will occur with enough pitch plays, Maine will come away with a win in this game.

Maine is the best team to come out of the CAA this year. Towson may have technically had the title, but Maine is the better all around team.

[TwoFeathers]

We won't need ODU's offense because we don't have their defenseless defense.

Touche'. Let's revisit this in 7 days, and see what happens. I know the past is the past, but last year when the Tribe was the #2 seed with a first round bye, and got matched up against Ga Southern, all the Tribe fans said the same thing. And we proceeded to get smoked at home something like 35-15 simply because our defense (one of the top in FCS) was baffled by the Triple Option trickery and mis-direction. Very hard to prepare for, especially when you don't see it on a weekly basis. Even their SoCon opponents who see this every year, get run over.

[eaglewraith]

Hey, have I told you about this great invention I made, it's called a "Time Machine"...

Yea, I'm glad you invented that so I can go back and watch us thump you again. Thanks for that.

[TwoFeathers]

Yea, I'm glad you invented that so I can go back and watch us thump you again. Thanks for that.

Geez! I was on your side! ;)

[hawkineer]

Maine is the best team to come out of the CAA this year. Towson may have technically had the title, but Maine is the better all around team.
And yet they lost to Towson by 10 points at home.xconfusedx

[mainejeff]

And yet they lost to Towson by 10 points at home.xconfusedx

Yup......and we BOTH lost to UNH but we're still playing and they aren't. Go figure.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

And yet they lost to Towson by 10 points at home.xconfusedx

And Delaware lost to Neastern during the '03 season when the absolutely dominated in the playoffs. It's practically impossible to make it through the CAA season without a loss. Towson is good, but as I've said before still young and mistake-prone. Maine has the benefit of experience to back up the talent on the team.

[soweagle]

Mainejeff,

I can't answer your question after watching how our defense played today. I will say that two of our worst defensive games this year have been against a qb who can run and throw (UTC and ODU). If your qb is mobile and can throw halfway decent (not talking about the ridiculous efficiency of the ODU qb) then the GSU defense will have problems. We had to committ so much to pass protection today that we were not able to get enough pressure on the ODU qb today. Of course when we did pressure him he was very slippery and would break free for 10-15 yd runs on several occasions.

On offense, if you force the pitch then the turn over's you mentioned can mean trouble for my eagles. We do have a lot of weapons on offense and at this time seem to be moving the ball better now than we have all year. Force some turnovers and Maine can take us down.

I know I didn't answer your question that everyone seems to be avoiding but I wanted to attempt to address the 800 pound gorilla in the room (for us eagle fans) that no one wants to mention.

[mainejeff]

Thanks soweagle! GSU is favored and should be.........but it's not like Maine has done nothing this season. They beat 2 playoff teams on the road (JMU and App State).......they've got experienced seniors at key positions that shined in Boone (QB Smith, RB Brown, DB Coston)......and played great as a team. Hopefully, they have another one in them.......don't think that I've ever seen such a confident or well-prepared Maine team like today. Just ask other CAA fans if you don't believe me........Maine rarely plays this confident.

[Southern Bison]

After watching all 8 games today (Thank You ESPN3!), I believe the much anticipated rematch between GA So & NDSU won't happen (this time, an AD won't fubar things). Maine will be on a plane headed to Fargo thanks to a weak GA So defense and a Bears D that stiffled a strong App St offense.

[mainejeff]

Can't believe that ESPN didn't choose this game for their Saturday Noon game!.......instead they are going with the Sam Houston/MSU dog. Unfreakinbelievable.

[Blueandwhitefightfight]

Some points that have gone unmentioned so far:

- Our offense is our best defense. We run the ball. A lot. And the beauty of that from a strategic standpoint is that because we run the ball, we control the clock. Also, while our offense is on the field for all that time, our defense has a chance to rest up. It's also hard for the other team to score with their offense on the sideline (unless we keep fumbling the ball). Take a look at time of possession from todays game. GSU had control of the ball for 37:27 and ODU had control for 22:33. Take 5 minutes of our possession away and give it to ODU and ODU probably ties (if not pulls ahead).

- Some people are bringing up our App. game and how our offense will struggle against Maine because of the App game today. Stop because you look stupid. We moved people around and made changes. Hell, our backup QB who also played RB in that game isn't even on OFFENSE anymore. We have a different starting RB now. We have given up on trying to force the shotgun thing 2/3rds of the time like we did against App. We saw that it was broken against App. We tried to force it again against The Citadel. Coach figured it out before Bama and then again today we saw that the changes work.

- Speaking of the change in running backs. Meet freshman running back Dominque Swope. He debuted against Alabama and torched them for 153 yards on 18 carries (8.5 ypc). Today he ran for 255 yards on 31 carries (8.2 ypc). And he splits time with Robert Brown who had 83 yards on 4 carries.

- Fumbles. For whatever reason they continue to plague us. And to make it worse, almost all of them are not forced. Instead they are just sloppy plays. Whether it be the bad exchange at the line of scrimmage or on the pitch, they are killing us.

- We didn't punt on offense today at all. This piggybacks on the offense and fumble points. The only people that can stop us are us. We had 12 possessions. Other than the 19 second possession at the end of the 1st half and end of the game where we kneed it, we scored on ALL of them except the two in which we fumbled. We were 7 for 9 on third down.

- On defense I have to admit I was a little shocked. We had trouble getting pressure on their QB until we started blitzing a little later in the game. The ODU QB had all day long to hang out in the pocket and find an open WR. Then when we started getting pressure on him they started torching us with those hot read short passes. Props to ODU. I can't remember the last time I saw such a beautiful passing game. I don't think our offense is that bad, I think ODU's offense is really that good. By the time we figured out how to shut it down, the 4th quarter was halfway over (though I'm glad we finally figured it out and did stop it).


My beliefs about the Maine game:

- Maine will not be able to stop GSU's offense. They will fare better than ODU though. I don't expect that we hang 55 on these guys.

- GSU's defense will do better against Maine than ODU. Still, Maine is going to put up points. They are a good team and from the sound of it have an offense similar to the Furman 2005 offense.

- Turnovers will be a huge part of who wins.

- The student turnout will suffer because final exams are the week after the game..


I predict the score will look like GSU 34, Maine 24.

[seantaylor]

I wasn't surprised at all that Maine took down App St. Maine is always BIG and they play tough. Besides being seriously depleted in our defensive secondary, the big O-Line of ODU kept our rush in check for the most part. Maine's O-Line will be similarly huge. As long as we can move the ball, we'll be fine.

That's the optimistic version from the GSU perspective, of course. The 8 teams left are there for a reason - there are no easy games next week (unless you're NDSU or Montana St.).

Shut up, rube. If Appy won, you would be claiming the south.

[boonegoon]

I think this will be close. Hats off to Maine, they came ready to play and won. App looked terrible. I don't know if it's the O coordinator or the execution but I wasn't impressed with either. Maine did a fantastic job on both sides of the ball, especially on D. Jackson looked rattled and didn't have any confidence. GSU will be hard pressed to win this one, Maine played like App used to play and are disciplined. I give them the edge right now.

[straightshooter]

I think this will be close. Hats off to Maine, they came ready to play and won. App looked terrible. I don't know if it's the O coordinator or the execution but I wasn't impressed with either. Maine did a fantastic job on both sides of the ball, especially on D. Jackson looked rattled and didn't have any confidence. GSU will be hard pressed to win this one, Maine played like App used to play and are disciplined. I give them the edge right now.

Fact is that App St only played one great game all season, and that was against GSU. Maine simply hit the Mountaineers in the mouth and they blinked big time. This is the playoffs, and this GSU team has a swagger in the playoffs. They had it last season when they probably shouldn't have and they've had it for the last three games this season. GSU will take Maine's best shot, but don't expect them to blink. Maine is going to get hit in the mouth too. The GSU O-line has been blowing people off the ball since the move of Maxwell to center after the Citadel game. Should be another terrific FCS playoff game.

[eaglewraith]

The only way I see a repeat of yesterday is if Maine can run a Blur with quick slants and a QB that can throw the ball perfectly to any spot on the field while scrambling away from multiple defenders grabbing him.

If Maine plays ball control offense against us and runs a more traditional spread, our defense is more geared to deal with that. The ODU offense was the exact thing to attack our weaknesses. That being said, the defense was in good position with few breakdowns. The part that hurt us was we didn't finish tackles. Many times initial contact was on short gain and we let them go, that includes several of their TD's. Shore that up and you change the complexion of the game. Also the defense had them stopped stone cold several times and the refs handed the ball back to ODU. I'm not as concerned with our defense as the rest of FCS, I think we just faced the best offense we're going to face. We forced them to punt twice, 1 turnover on downs (2 if you take away the BS PI interference call on their first drive in the second half), and 1 fumble. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to give your team a chance to win.

[Ivytalk]

I'll say 38-28 GSU. Hope Mora doesn't turn into a head case after missing the first two PATs of his career.

[TheEagleWay]

I think this will be close. Hats off to Maine, they came ready to play and won. App looked terrible. I don't know if it's the O coordinator or the execution but I wasn't impressed with either. Maine did a fantastic job on both sides of the ball, especially on D. Jackson looked rattled and didn't have any confidence. GSU will be hard pressed to win this one, Maine played like App used to play and are disciplined. I give them the edge right now.

Was this an uncharacteristic game for your team? Your not push-overs by any means.

[caribbeanhen]

It won't be a track meet.


I'm sure that ODU's Wilder and his staff will let Corgrove know what GSU's strengths and weaknesses are.

anyone that watched the game yesterday knows what GSU's weakness is right

[boonegoon]

Was this an uncharacteristic game for your team? Your not push-overs by any means.

I, honestly, think it's been fracturing all year. Our usually clicking offense struggled all year. Heck, we benched a Payton candidate midway through the season. I think our defense performed awesome all year, especially against you guys, but offensive never really gelled. Like you guys, our offense has been our best defense on the past. Hopefully, we can grow up and get that offensive confidence back. Both from the coaches and the players.

[caribbeanhen]

Can't believe that ESPN didn't choose this game for their Saturday Noon game!.......instead they are going with the Sam Houston/MSU dog. Unfreakinbelievable.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[caribbeanhen]

Maine plays a very physical brand of D, they will pound you all day long and eventually this might get into the heads of the GSU backs and a fumble might be enough to give Maine the game

[Eagle22]

We'll have our hands full with Maine and whoever else we play the rest of the playoffs, should we be fortunate to get by Maine. We're down to just 8 teams. This season has shown, similar to 1997, that probably any one of these 8 remaining teams has a great chance to be hoisting the hardware at the end.

More specifically for the next game on the Eagles schedule, is what style of offense Maine operates. If it is akin to what we saw from ODU (fast pace, no huddle spread with a very accurate and mobile QB), then our defense will once again have a monumental challenge ahead of them. If Maine employs the same plodding type of offense that they brought to Statesboro in 2002, then our defense will be better suited to counter that type of scheme (still will be a challenge). I have not watched much of Maine this year (just caught a few minutes of their game vs. App), but I'm guessing their offense is somewhere between ODU and their 2002 version.

With the exception of our loss to UNH in 2004, we've only lost at home in the playoffs to teams that make the National Championship game. Paulson Stadium is still a huge advantage for us. Our fans will be more willing than ever to talk about an unstoppable offense after the 55 points yesterday, but we will have our work cut out for us. Biggest change for us though since the App State game was a decision by our coaches to tinker with some of the starting assignments. It has led to increased production, and quite honestly some improvement.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Maine will be a challenge. They have FBS size up front which will give their QB some protection. I believe we'll move the ball well. Our D Line and linebackers are pretty good, but we have no depth in the secondary due to injuries. I'm sure we have our work cut out for us, but being at home gives us a slight advantage.

[Srdnaty]

Maine surpised me today is beating down Appalachian. I gave them a decent chance to win but not by 20.

Haven't seen Maine play this year. But after watching ODU's offense today if Maine has an offense anything like that it will be another track meet next Saturday.

Anything can happen in this game. Did App State even get positive yards rushing? (i realize they were forced to start passing early). That said Maines defense gave up 330+ on the ground to Townson. It's going to depend what Maine team shows up. If they play well and avoid stupid mistakes Maine has a shot, and I'm expecting it to be close. I'd make GSU a early 6.5 point favorite.

[JROCK98]

Good luck Eagles! Take care of business!!!

[ngineer]

It won't be a track meet.

GSU will be a solid favorite, but Maine is a well-balanced team........no doubt that Maine needs to control the tempo and can not afford to play "catch-up" the entire game.

I'm sure that ODU's Wilder and his staff will let Corgrove know what GSU's strengths and weaknesses are.

On a side note, there is quite a bit of history between Maine and GSU all things considered.......1987, 2001, Dale Lick........should be fun!

Hey, Maine--you guys take care of business, and we take care of business, who gets the home game??!! (;-). Good Luck. I think you guys have a very realistic shot.

[Srdnaty]

Hey, Maine--you guys take care of business, and we take care of business, who gets the home game??!! (;-). Good Luck. I think you guys have a very realistic shot.

No way we get a home game.

[Srdnaty]

I doubt Wilder will be sharing any defensive tactics.

We always struggle with balanced attacks. ODU came in and did a good job in the first half mixing the run and pass. Should be another tight ball game.

100 percent disagree. Wilder is a UMaine alum and coached at Maine for 16 years with Cosgrove.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

100 percent disagree. Wilder is a UMaine alum and coached at Maine for 16 years with Cosgrove.

I think he meant that Wilder's input didn't do much for ODU. Likewise, GSU's DC would't do well giving advise on stopping ODU.

[AppMAN04]

I gained some respect for Maine this past weekend but I def am pulling for GSU the rest of the way

[Srdnaty]

I think he meant that Wilder's input didn't do much for ODU. Likewise, GSU's DC would't do well giving advise on stopping ODU.

Very valid point, since you dropped 55 on them.

[CC Eagle]

100 percent disagree. Wilder is a UMaine alum and coached at Maine for 16 years with Cosgrove.

I, for one, sure hope that everyone takes Wilder's advice on how to defend GSU. That game could have gone on for 10 hours and ODU had no prayer of stopping GSU unless we dropped the ball on our own.

The Monarchs' defense was functionally retarded. If only GSU could be so lucky every week.

[LakesBison]

As a NDSU fan I should cheer for Maine, but we owe GSU a beatdown in the dome

[Eagle22]

100 percent disagree. Wilder is a UMaine alum and coached at Maine for 16 years with Cosgrove.


Very valid point, since you dropped 55 on them.

Yes, that was my point, however snarky it was ;)

[Bearwitness]

Any speculation that Cosgrove would be seeking advice in gameplanning from Wilder is humorous. Maybe a few observations, but not much else. Maine had two weeks to prepare for App State and I'm sure in that two week period the coaches spent some time looking at both ODU and GSU on film in advance knowing there would be a short prep time if they won. While the defensive players may not be familiar with the triple option, the coaches should be and I guess we'll just have to see how well that gets translated to them on their reads and responsibilities in the next few days.

[jmufan]

Maine is a much better defensive team than ODU was. They defended against JMUs option well, should be interesting to see how they fair against Ga Southern.

[LCA131]

Just a short note of 'congrats.' to the team and fans of Maine. I met several and all were great folks. I regret that they got such a poor view of how things can go when teams roll into Boone. Our team was horrid (mostly due to Maine's team being very disciplined), our coaching was at a high level for perhaps Pop Warner league, finally our fan's lack of attendance and enthusiasm was inexcusable...Sorry we didn't put on a better show for you guys...Good luck to the remaining teams..play fair, play well, and stay healthy. Travel safely to all...Happy Holidays.

[straightshooter]

Maine is a much better defensive team than ODU was. They defended against JMUs option well, should be interesting to see how they fair against Ga Southern.

Maine's defense may well be better than ODUs, but to compare JMU's so called "option" offense with GSUs flexbone option attack is laughable. Cosgrove has seen the GSU option before and the results were not in his favor. The last time was in 2002, but there are many differences in what Monken and Davis have added to the offense since then.

[CC Eagle]

Any speculation that Cosgrove would be seeking advice in gameplanning from Wilder is humorous. Maybe a few observations, but not much else. Maine had two weeks to prepare for App State and I'm sure in that two week period the coaches spent some time looking at both ODU and GSU on film in advance knowing there would be a short prep time if they won. While the defensive players may not be familiar with the triple option, the coaches should be and I guess we'll just have to see how well that gets translated to them on their reads and responsibilities in the next few days.

I should certainly hope that they weren't trying to scheme for both teams at once.

Looking at and preparing for ODU and GSU's offenses at the same time would be a total mind*****.

Maine coach #1: "Let's get a solid 4-man rush, then try to find guys to run with ODU's speed at WR and find some LB's that can both cover passes well and keep Heineke (sp?) from taking off."

Maine coach #2: "Hell no. Let's work on having the DL prepare for 60+ cut blocks... Maybe even work with a 5-man line. Then we'll prep the CB's to deal with vicious blocking and try to tell the LB's to stay with a RB that isn't even touching the ball for 4-5 seconds."

[CropDuster]

I hope for Maine's sake they listened to coach 2.

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/media/lib/125/1/f/3/1f3023cf-050d-41af-9710-107a922eafd6/Original.jpg

[straightshooter]

I hope for Maine's sake they listened to coach 2.

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/media/lib/125/1/f/3/1f3023cf-050d-41af-9710-107a922eafd6/Original.jpg

Try playing LB or DB and having to deal with this for 60+ plays a game.

[Bearwitness]

I should certainly hope that they weren't trying to scheme for both teams at once.

Looking at and preparing for ODU and GSU's offenses at the same time would be a total mind*****.
Maine has already seen plenty of game film on ODU just preparing for their conference games each week. But when you have 10 assistant coaches, it's not unrealistic to think that a couple of them that are not involved in the gameplanning for App State would spend some evenings watching film of GSU and making notes to assist the DC in formulating possible strategies. The same would hold true for the Eagles.

[Bear1]

As a NDSU fan I should cheer for Maine, but we owe GSU a beatdown in the dome
These teams have been on a collision course since this season began. Georgia Southern VS NDSU, now thats the game I want to see. I know that they were supposed to play this season and how fitting if they get to. I hope ESPN would not be stupid. This could be the FCS game of the year. Both teams have a though weekend this week. I hope they dont look ahead.

[TwoFeathers]

Maine's defense may well be better than ODUs, but to compare JMU's so called "option" offense with GSUs flexbone option attack is laughable. Cosgrove has seen the GSU option before and the results were not in his favor. The last time was in 2002, but there are many differences in what Monken and Davis have added to the offense since then.

Agreed, even when JMU tries to run the triple option, or some variation thereof, it looks slow and clunky compared to Ga Southern. The Eagles have it down to a science, and especially have mastered the blocking techniques to take defenders out of the play. And with Jaybo running it to perfection. Everything has to be in sync, and when that happens, you have a defense lunging at nothing but air.

That being said, Maine has a very good defense. And if they can prepare properly, and execute well, they have a chance. But they will need some turnovers, and some luck to win.

If ODU had just one more turnover in their favor, it would have been a very different outcome.

[TwoFeathers]

Any speculation that Cosgrove would be seeking advice in gameplanning from Wilder is humorous. Maybe a few observations, but not much else. Maine had two weeks to prepare for App State and I'm sure in that two week period the coaches spent some time looking at both ODU and GSU on film in advance knowing there would be a short prep time if they won. While the defensive players may not be familiar with the triple option, the coaches should be and I guess we'll just have to see how well that gets translated to them on their reads and responsibilities in the next few days.

If anything, they better prep for that toss sweep play... that alone killed ODU. They surprisingly had no solution to that, or even half-time adjusments. The bulk of Swope's yards came on that dang play.

[boonegoon]

ODU's saving grace was their potent offense. While I don't think Maine has that explosive offense they have a pretty good defense that I think plays pretty disciplined. Had App's receivers been able to hang on to a couple of those long catches it may have helped our cause. Hats off to the hard hitting Maine D. I think Maine has the ability to stay put and stop GSU a few times. That may be all they need.

[eaglewraith]

If anything, they better prep for that toss sweep play... that alone killed ODU. They surprisingly had no solution to that, or even half-time adjusments. The bulk of Swope's yards came on that dang play.

That wasn't the rocket toss that you're referring to. That was more of a counter option with a pitch read to the outside. No one touched him cause they bit on QB and everyone was blocked out of the play on the perimeter. That one play accounted for 73 yards of 255, not a bulk though. A-Backs take the rocket toss, not the B-Back.

We ran a fake rocket toss with a counter handoff to Robert Brown that went for big yardage as well. We've been so effective with the toss that we can run all kinds of misdirection with it and make the defense pay for biting on it.

[TwoFeathers]

I, for one, sure hope that everyone takes Wilder's advice on how to defend GSU. That game could have gone on for 10 hours and ODU had no prayer of stopping GSU unless we dropped the ball on our own.

The Monarchs' defense was functionally retarded. If only GSU could be so lucky every week.

And how about The Eagles's D??? It was whoever had the ball last, pretty much.

[TwoFeathers]

That wasn't the rocket toss that you're referring to. That was more of a counter option with a pitch read to the outside. No one touched him cause they bit on QB and everyone was blocked out of the play on the perimeter. That one play accounted for 73 yards of 255, not a bulk though. A-Backs take the rocket toss, not the B-Back.

We ran a fake rocket toss with a counter handoff to Robert Brown that went for big yardage as well. We've been so effective with the toss that we can run all kinds of misdirection with it and make the defense pay for biting on it.

Thanks for the clarification. Lots of perimiter running for tons of yards.

[eaglewraith]

And how about The Eagles's D??? It was whoever had the ball last, pretty much.

Except that we forced two punts, 1 turnover on downs, and a fumble. Had forced another turnover on downs but a debatable PI call gave them a fresh set of downs.

ODU's defense forced one fumble then we pitched one away that the defender made a good play to get on the 2, although I haven't watched replay to see how concrete it was that he had possession inbounds....still a hell of a play by the defender though in any case.

We made the stops we needed.

[TwoFeathers]

This is now the game of the week for me...
I was really impressed with Maine and less than impressed with GSU (either that or ODU was AWESOME) I can'r figure out which

Maine might win this game

ODU is pretty awesome (at least on offense). That kid Heinicke is sick, and he's a true freshman. Unbelievable. GSU is awesome in their own right.

[Bear1]

Georgia Southerns D is much better than that last game. ODU is a very good team. They took advantage of GSUs biggest weakness. There defensive backfield is young and dinged up. Maine is also pretty good at passing the ball, so it could get real on Sat.. But I honestly belive that GSUs D-line will get pressure this week. I think that the Eagles D plays the best game they have all year this week. Its kinda like when App played them, they had already seen the option twice before. This week the Eagles have already seen this type passing the week before. It should be a fun game.

[TwoFeathers]

MY bad.......2002 (not 2001).

That "guy" was current San Diego Charger Stephen Cooper.

Interesting stat:

The University of Maine is known currently to have the most active players on NFL rosters at the Division 1 FCS level

[TwoFeathers]

I wasn't surprised at all that Maine took down App St. Maine is always BIG and they play tough. Besides being seriously depleted in our defensive secondary, the big O-Line of ODU kept our rush in check for the most part. Maine's O-Line will be similarly huge. As long as we can move the ball, we'll be fine.

That's the optimistic version from the GSU perspective, of course. The 8 teams left are there for a reason - there are no easy games next week (unless you're NDSU or Montana St.).

I recall one of the GSU posters saying Brent Russell would run all over the ODU 6'8", 340lb lineman, calling him big and slow. How'd that work out?

[The Eagle's Cliff]

I recall one of the GSU posters saying Brent Russell would run all over the ODU 6'8", 340lb lineman, calling him big and slow. How'd that work out?

I didn't post that, but Russell was very effective - Heinicke was just better.

I wish the game were being played today. It's 77 degrees, which is 87 in the direct sunlight. Those big Maine boys would be begging for air before halftime. It'll be nice for them Saturday at 61 and Sunny.

[TwoFeathers]

not trying to make gsu sound better or anything, but ODU is legit. Their qb was making sick throws and they have some major speed on offense. They execute extremely well.

And any team left can win their game. I give GSU the edge since they are at home. Maine will have to get pass happy if they want to win, but the question is, can they pass as much as ODU, and rely on that instead of being balanced like ODU can?

Maine ranks #21 in FCS with 241 passing yards per game. And #73 with 138 yards rushing per game. Not stellar on offense.

[TwoFeathers]

Maine ranks #21 in FCS with 241 passing yards per game. And #73 with 138 yards rushing per game. Not stellar on offense.

And #34 in total defense at 342 yards per game allowed. And #36 in scoring defense with 22pts per game. How are these guys still in it???

[eaglesrthe1]

And #34 in total defense at 342 yards per game allowed. And #36 in scoring defense with 22pts per game. How are these guys still in it???

Looks to me like they are in the top 25% in ALL phases of the game. Not lights out but solid.

[eaglesrthe1]

Try playing LB or DB and having to deal with this for 60+ plays a game.

There were LOTS of ODU players doing headstands last Saturday.

[eaglesrthe1]

We last played Maine in 2002. I remember their players were very big, and they had a guy who had been caught with steroids. I hope our defensive line comes ready to play next weekend.


MY bad.......2002 (not 2001).

That "guy" was current San Diego Charger Stephen Cooper.

I had forgot about that. Cooper was arrested with a LARGE (1000+) amount of pills a couple of weeks before the GSU game (and the ASU game the prior week as well), told the coach about it and was still allowed to compete in the playoffs. Cosgrove was censured by the university after it all came to light. Low rent move by Cosgrove for letting Cooper play.

[Bearwitness]

I had forgot about that. Cooper was arrested with a LARGE (1000+) amount of pills a couple of weeks before the GSU game (and the ASU game the prior week as well), told the coach about it and was still allowed to compete in the playoffs. Cosgrove was censured by the university after it all came to light. Low rent move by Cosgrove for letting Cooper play.
Cooper was a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding. When the state trooper searched the car he found the pills in a duffel bag belonging to Cooper. He was not arrested at the time and federal charges were not filed against him until weeks after the season had ended. He ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession.

At the time, possession of steroids was not a NCAA violation, just the use of them. Cooper played 5 more games after the incident came to light, including the two playoff games. Cosgrove was admonished, not censured, by the university for violating the "spirit" of the athletic conduct code, by allowing him to continue playing until he had been tested for usage. Cooper maintained that he was not using steroids, but had purchased them for use after the season to help him bulk up before the NFL draft. After the incident came to light, a large number of athletes were drug tested by the athletic department for steroids, presumably including Cooper, but none tested positive.

While Cosgrove has come under fire for his won-lost record over the years, nevertheless, he has always been regarded as a class act, personally and professionally. I'm sure he recognized that he made a judgement error in the way he handled the Cooper case at the time, but also believes that Cooper still would have been eligible for the playoff games.

[straightshooter]

I recall one of the GSU posters saying Brent Russell would run all over the ODU 6'8", 340lb lineman, calling him big and slow. How'd that work out?

Russell had seven tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss despite being double teamed on every play by the big guy and the center. I'd call that a pretty good day at the office. Heinicke spent a lot of time scrambling, because he was pressured quite a bit. The all world DT that ODU had, Cameron, had three tackles on the day.

[Eaglegus2]

Maine has always had big lineman. They are very athletic and can dominate the offensive line. This game scares me more than the ODU game. (I never expected to see as many points scored in the game). This could become a defensive game with turnovers determining the outcome. I expect the winner to score in the 30's and loser score around 20 - 23. This is one of those bruiser games. I hope all players remain injury free to play again the next week. Whomever it will be? The Fargo Dome awaits the winner.

[eaglesrthe1]

Maine has always had big lineman. They are very athletic and can dominate the offensive line. This game scares me more than the ODU game. (I never expected to see as many points scored in the game). This could become a defensive game with turnovers determining the outcome. I expect the winner to score in the 30's and loser score around 20 - 23. This is one of those bruiser games. I hope all players remain injury free to play again the next week. Whomever it will be? The Fargo Dome awaits the winner.

NOT a forgone conclusion.

[Eagle22]

NOT a forgone conclusion.

Yep, this game could end up Maine @ Lehigh.

[eaglesrthe1]

Cooper was a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding. When the state trooper searched the car he found the pills in a duffel bag belonging to Cooper. He was not arrested at the time and federal charges were not filed against him until weeks after the season had ended. He ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession.

At the time, possession of steroids was not a NCAA violation, just the use of them. Cooper played 5 more games after the incident came to light, including the two playoff games. Cosgrove was admonished, not censured, by the university for violating the "spirit" of the athletic conduct code, by allowing him to continue playing until he had been tested for usage. Cooper maintained that he was not using steroids, but had purchased them for use after the season to help him bulk up before the NFL draft. After the incident came to light, a large number of athletes were drug tested by the athletic department for steroids, presumably including Cooper, but none tested positive.

While Cosgrove has come under fire for his won-lost record over the years, nevertheless, he has always been regarded as a class act, personally and professionally. I'm sure he recognized that he made a judgement error in the way he handled the Cooper case at the time, but also believes that Cooper still would have been eligible for the playoff games.

Not conducting a drug test nor an investigation until AFTER UMs elimination shows clearly what Cosgrove believed.

[Bearwitness]

Not conducting a drug test nor an investigation until AFTER UMs elimination shows clearly what Cosgrove believed.
The investigation and tests were conducted in November before the end of the season, not after Maine's elimination. The mistake made was by the interim athletic director, Paul Bubb, who did not notify the school's compliance officer of the Cooper situation. Even the school's President was aware of the situation in mid November and faulted himself for assuming those responsible were handling compliance issues properly, and not following through, personally, to make sure. Bubb, incidently, who was a frontrunner for the AD's job, did not get it and moved on shortly after.

The bottom line is, no NCAA infractions occurred, and no penalties were assessed. Cooper was eligible to play and he did.

[eaglesrthe1]

The investigation and tests were conducted in November before the end of the season, not after Maine's elimination. The mistake made was by the interim athletic director, Paul Bubb, who did not notify the school's compliance officer of the Cooper situation. Even the school's President was aware of the situation in mid November and faulted himself for assuming those responsible were handling compliance issues properly, and not following through, personally, to make sure. Bubb, incidently, who was a frontrunner for the AD's job, did not get it and moved on shortly after.

The bottom line is, no NCAA infractions occurred, and no penalties were assessed. Cooper was eligible to play and he did.

No it wasn't.

http://mainecampus.com/2003/01/27/hoff-cooper-case-handled-poorly/

“They showed poor judgment by allowing a team member who had admitted to possessing a performance-enhancing substance to participate in game competition until receiving objective verification, through testing, that Mr. Cooper had not used the substance that he had in his possession on Nov. 1,” Hoff said.

"Following Cooper’s admission of possession, he told university officials he had not used the substance but was planning to when the season ended to prepare for a possible National Football League tryout. From there the investigation ceased until the season ended and the information was then made public."

[Srdnaty]

No it wasn't.

http://mainecampus.com/2003/01/27/hoff-cooper-case-handled-poorly/

“They showed poor judgment by allowing a team member who had admitted to possessing a performance-enhancing substance to participate in game competition until receiving objective verification, through testing, that Mr. Cooper had not used the substance that he had in his possession on Nov. 1,” Hoff said.

"Following Cooper’s admission of possession, he told university officials he had not used the substance but was planning to when the season ended to prepare for a possible National Football League tryout. From there the investigation ceased until the season ended and the information was then made public."

I'm not trying to justify what cosgrove did, but I'll bet the majority of fcs coaches would handle this situation in a similar manner. Ethics are a pipe dream in college football.

[eaglesrthe1]

Meh, let it drop. No need to hash years ago.

[GSU Eagle]

I agree -- who cares now. I will say this -- Maine's coach at least appears to have some respect for GSU. Everything I have seen said by him has heaped praise on GSU. Our coach, J Monken, has said similar things about Maine. Maine's coach seems like a class act, unlike the arrogant clown from ODU.

[Srdnaty]

Does anyone else feel like they have no idea what to think of this game? I feel like one of two scenarios will play out.

First and more likely of the two. GSU wins a what appears early to be a shoot out (42-28) and Maine can't keep up at the end.

Or

Maine's defense steps up and gets a couple key turn overs and Maine wins 28-24 or 31-28.

I have no idea! But I cannot wait. I'm expecting a good game.

[GSU Eagle]

I am expecting a war. I don't think it will be a shootout like the ODU game. Maine has a much better defense than ODU, and while I don't think Maine has as much firepower on offense as ODU, I expect a game within a TD. I am really interested to see how effective Maine will be in limiting the Eagles offense. Right now I would predict GSU 35 Maine 28.

[Bearwitness]

Meh, let it drop. No need to hash years ago.
Yeah, it's a silly thing to argue about a decade later. I still think, when compared to many other programs and coaches, Cosgrove was worth defending. That's what this was all about on my part. I've known him on a casual basis for years and have always liked him, so it shouldn't surprise if I come to his defense.

[Bearwitness]

I hope I'm wrong, but I think GSU has a huge advantage on special teams and they could play a big role. Maine does not return or cover kickoff returns particularly well and LaRon Scott could be a game changer. The last thing I want to see is GSU starting drives from their own 40 and beyond and Maine starting inside their own 25 all day.

I won't venture a guess on the final score...just hoping Maine brings their A game and gets a few lucky breaks along the way.

[Eagle22]

The last thing I want to see is GSU starting drives from their own 40 and beyond and Maine starting inside their own 25 all day.



The bolded part won't happen, unless the wind is wacky wild like it was the day we played Citadel. Even then, we weren't consistently pinning them deep when we had the win. Expect to start each possession around the 30 or so. Been very few touchbacks either by design or by our effort. Our kickoff specialist doesn't have the biggest leg, but he has been good at putting the ball where the coaches want it, it just hasn't been very deep.

[Srdnaty]

I hope I'm wrong, but I think GSU has a huge advantage on special teams and they could play a big role. Maine does not return or cover kickoff returns particularly well and LaRon Scott could be a game changer. The last thing I want to see is GSU starting drives from their own 40 and beyond and Maine starting inside their own 25 all day.

I won't venture a guess on the final score...just hoping Maine brings their A game and gets a few lucky breaks along the way.

That was the thing most non-Maine fans wouldn't have noticed last week. Our kicker had a couple touchbacks! Normally our kicks travel to about the 10 and teams start drives around the 35 yard line. I think that makes our defensive rankings that much more impressive. We need another top effort on speciality teams (as bob calls them).

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

In the App State game I was real impressed with hang time on Waxman's punts, I don't think any of them were returned b/c of it. Of course ideally we are not punting it that much.
GO BLUE!!!

[eaglesrthe1]

I hope I'm wrong, but I think GSU has a huge advantage on special teams and they could play a big role. Maine does not return or cover kickoff returns particularly well and LaRon Scott could be a game changer. The last thing I want to see is GSU starting drives from their own 40 and beyond and Maine starting inside their own 25 all day.

I won't venture a guess on the final score...just hoping Maine brings their A game and gets a few lucky breaks along the way.

Me lika the sound of this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqzUS12o25k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttLq2CzPZ2c&feature=related

[Saint3333]

Maine's strength on defense is in their secondary and pass defense. That will not help very much vs. GSU. Someone pointed out they had two weeks to prepare for ASU vs. just one for GSU - this will be the difference. GSU makes enough stops on defense to beat Maine by 10.

[seantaylor]

The bolded part won't happen, unless the wind is wacky wild like it was the day we played Citadel. Even then, we weren't consistently pinning them deep when we had the win. Expect to start each possession around the 30 or so. Been very few touchbacks either by design or by our effort. Our kickoff specialist doesn't have the biggest leg, but he has been good at putting the ball where the coaches want it, it just hasn't been very deep.

If the coaches love putting the ball at about the 18 on a line drive just about every kick.

[eaglewraith]

If the coaches love putting the ball at about the 18 on a line drive just about every kick.

He hasn't dropped one on the 18 in a long time.

Get to more games.

[Jacked_Rabbit]

The line has been released:

GA Southern -7 with the Total at 58.5.


Thoughts?

[SpeedkingATL]

The line has been released:

GA Southern -7 with the Total at 58.5.


Thoughts?

Sounds about right but I expect the points to go higher more in the 68-70 range. Maine only has a few days to prepare for the options and I expect Maine with hang with GSU much like ODU did. Will be a fun game to watch IMO.

[spdrumline]

The line has been released:

GA Southern -7 with the Total at 58.5.


Thoughts?

33-26 is pretty close to what I was thinking: 35-24.

[Jacked_Rabbit]

Sounds about right but I expect the points to go higher more in the 68-70 range. Maine only has a few days to prepare for the options and I expect Maine with hang with GSU much like ODU did. Will be a fun game to watch IMO.

FWIW, I like the over as well...

[TwoFeathers]

I agree -- who cares now. I will say this -- Maine's coach at least appears to have some respect for GSU. Everything I have seen said by him has heaped praise on GSU. Our coach, J Monken, has said similar things about Maine. Maine's coach seems like a class act, unlike the arrogant clown from ODU.

GSU fans are spending way too much time bantering about the ODU coach, after winning the game. Here's a conspiracy theory for you... Maine asked ODU coach Wilder to throw a fit at the end of the game in order to distract GSU for the upcoming game. Sure seems to be having an effect...

[I-16Bandit]

Maine asked ODU coach Wilder to throw a fit at the end of the game in order to distract GSU for the upcoming game. Sure seems to be having an effect...

You might be on to something here...

[TwoFeathers]

You might be on to something here...

There was another 1,000,000 page thread on the topic already...

[eaglewithabus]

Really looking forward to saturday. I am praying that our defense will wake up after a torching from ODU last week. Funny thing how much talk we did last year about how good our defense was. I was really expecting us to be even better this year, which has simply not been the case. I sure hope that one or all of our coaches have lit a fire under those boys this week in practice. I told several people last week that in my time as a GSU fan since 2001 I have never seen us have a secondary that I had much confidence in.

[TwoFeathers]

Really looking forward to saturday. I am praying that our defense will wake up after a torching from ODU last week. Funny thing how much talk we did last year about how good our defense was. I was really expecting us to be even better this year, which has simply not been the case. I sure hope that one or all of our coaches have lit a fire under those boys this week in practice. I told several people last week that in my time as a GSU fan since 2001 I have never seen us have a secondary that I had much confidence in.

Your squad will be fine... "The best defense is a good offense."

[Cleets]

Your squad will be fine... "The best defense is a good offense."

Especially an offense that runs for 300 yards (that's really exhausting on a defense)

[TwoFeathers]

Especially an offense that runs for 300 yards (that's really exhausting on a defense)

As long as Jaybo stays healthy, the offense will keep clicking. Worst case scenario would be Jaybo gets knocked out early, and things get out of sync, turnovers begin to happen, etc...

[eagle07]

As long as Jaybo stays healthy, the offense will keep clicking. Worst case scenario would be Jaybo gets knocked out early, and things get out of sync, turnovers begin to happen, etc...

nah, we be ok, 2nd and 3rd string are lightning fast, just not as experienced, but give them a small hole and they r gone

[seantaylor]

He hasn't dropped one on the 18 in a long time.

Get to more games.

The guy never puts it deep. Always on a liner.

[Srdnaty]

The line has been released:

GA Southern -7 with the Total at 58.5.


Thoughts?

Its going to be GSU and the over OR Maine and the under.

Right now I'd lean toward GSU and the over.

[Srdnaty]

Not that it matters but sportsnetwork has Maine winning this weekend.

Pretty good read...
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4456104

[straightshooter]

Not that it matters but sportsnetwork has Maine winning this weekend.

Pretty good read...
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4456104

That's the opinion of an assistant at Sports Network. The head guy, Haley, has GSU winning the NC.

[Cleets]

That's the opinion of an assistant at Sports Network. The head guy, Haley, has GSU winning the NC.

As do I...
I have UM and GSU in the final game with GSU winning by two scores

[Srdnaty]

That's the opinion of an assistant at Sports Network. The head guy, Haley, has GSU winning the NC.

Well... They could both be wrong. I don't have an abundance of confidence heading into this game.

I can't wait! Maine will probably need an early lead to win the game.

The largest variable is Maines defense vs GSU's triple option. There's no way to know what to expect.

[FIDO-GATA]

This game is a total toss up just like any quarterfinal game. I'm just excited we are still playing and hope to see the Eagles GATA One More Time!

[caribbeanhen]

Maine's strength on defense is in their secondary and pass defense. That will not help very much vs. GSU.

I am looking at it 180 out from this, Maine will need the secondary to fight thru blocks and make some big hits in this game, maybe force a few fumbles,

[Srdnaty]

I am looking at it 180 out from this, Maine will need the secondary to fight thru blocks and make some big hits in this game, maybe force a few fumbles,

Maine has two great safety's and they both have been known to layout some big hits. Coston and McMillan will need to have big games.

[gsu1moretime]

http://youtu.be/djNwVqfPEYw


http://youtu.be/djNwVqfPEYw

thoughts?

this guy has picked against Georgia Southern a few times this year. aka wofford

[caribbeanhen]

The largest variable is Maines defense vs GSU's triple option. There's no way to know what to expect.

True dat, but Maine D much better than ODU D and more physical, d - rail the TO express

[GSC75]

I'm just happy as hell to be able to visit the 'boro one more time and see my Eagles play. kicking some bear butt will just be icing on the cake.

For you Maine Bears, make sure you get there in time to see our Eagle fly... pretty awesome.

[Baldy]

I'm just happy as hell to be able to visit the 'boro one more time and see my Eagles play. kicking some bear butt will just be icing on the cake.

For you Maine Bears, make sure you get there in time to see our Eagle fly... pretty awesome.

Oh, you decided to show up this week? :D