Big Sky predictions 9-23

[JALMOND]

Alright, let the conference play begin. These games count so make the best of them. Onward to the conference championship and the autobid.

EWU @ MSU---Great. Have to start with this game. Two of the great programs, yet both are staring death at the door this early. Both offenses have been relatively absent and both defenses have seen slight glimpses of hope. Low scoring games have always favored the Cats, so let's take them...MSU 18, EWU 10.

NAU @ ISU---Now, this is more like it. The Jacks coming off what amounted to a glorified scrimmage over Dixie and the Bengals coming off of a strong showing in Moscow. Take the Bengals, but barely...ISU 30, NAU 27.

Western Illinois @ UNC---The only non-conference game this week. UNC got the victory on the road against Texas State. But this is the Gateway coming to town. Bears put up a game fight...W Illinois 24, UNC 17.

PSU @ WSU---Vikings got pretty beat up last week at Cal, and Weber put up with a fight from a strong Southern Utah team. Still, the Viking D came away rather unscarred and the Weber offense still had some shaky moments...PSU 20, WSU 10.

SSU @ UM---Griz had two weeks to prepare for this game against the Hornets. Did they stay focused? Were they looking ahead for Portland State? Meanwhile the Hornets were building confidence with their performance against Cal Poly. Will it carry over?...UM 24, SSU 19.

Some close, good games in the Sky this weekend.

[Proud Griz Man]

Alright, let the conference play begin. These games count so make the best of them. Onward to the conference championship and the autobid.

EWU @ MSU---Great. Have to start with this game. Two of the great programs, yet both are staring death at the door this early. Both offenses have been relatively absent and both defenses have seen slight glimpses of hope. Low scoring games have always favored the Cats, so let's take them...MSU 18, EWU 10.

NAU @ ISU---Now, this is more like it. The Jacks coming off what amounted to a glorified scrimmage over Dixie and the Bengals coming off of a strong showing in Moscow. Take the Bengals, but barely...ISU 30, NAU 27.

Western Illinois @ UNC---The only non-conference game this week. UNC got the victory on the road against Texas State. But this is the Gateway coming to town. Bears put up a game fight...W Illinois 24, UNC 17.

PSU @ WSU---Vikings got pretty beat up last week at Cal, and Weber put up with a fight from a strong Southern Utah team. Still, the Viking D came away rather unscarred and the Weber offense still had some shaky moments...PSU 20, WSU 10.

SSU @ UM---Griz had two weeks to prepare for this game against the Hornets. Did they stay focused? Were they looking ahead for Portland State? Meanwhile the Hornets were building confidence with their performance against Cal Poly. Will it carry over?...UM 24, SSU 19.

Some close, good games in the Sky this weekend.

Jalmond, I'll take the Griz at home minus 5 points, and take Weber plus 10 at home. PM me if you want to make a little wager. :twocents: :nod:

[RockyMtnGriz]

I'd say you have all the right teams.

Cat/Eagles is hard to figure tho. Both looked like ***** last week, but with the Cats at home...??? actually that hasn't helped :confused:

The Griz will put 30+ on the Hornets. Hornets will get maybe 10.

Vikings/Wildcats could go either way, but both defenses will shine and the final could be 9-6.

Bengals/Jacks, home team has won the last 7, so it will be the Bengals with both teams scoring over 35.

[I Bleed Purple]

Give me a status report on PSU's quarterbacks that says they're okay and I'll be more inclined to accept a 20 spot. Weber State is outstanding against the run, and only can have sustained drives against them through the passing game.

10 seems like a middle of the road score for WSU. Could be more, could be less.

[Proud Griz Man]

IBP is sand-bagging. xlolx

[GOKATS]

Look like fair picks to me. Hopefully the 'Cats can get it together against the Eagles.

ISU should win because they play tough in the dome.

SSU might have trouble putting up 19 points in wa/griz so that game may not be that close.

PSU/WSU could go either way- I'd give the nod to PSU, but I'm not sure what the QB situation is after last weekend.

[OrneryAggie]

SSU @ UM---Griz had two weeks to prepare for this game against the Hornets. Did they stay focused? Were they looking ahead for Portland State? Meanwhile the Hornets were building confidence with their performance against Cal Poly. Will it carry over?...UM 24, SSU 19.

SSU is short for Sonoma State University, the alma mater of NFL superstar Larry Allen. They're DII and dropped football in 1996.

CSUS (Cal St U Sacramento) is the correct nomenclature for Suc St. Remember, you can't spell CSUS without SUCS!

[dbackjon]

SSU is short for Sonoma State University, the alma mater of NFL superstar Larry Allen. They're DII and dropped football in 1996.

CSUS (Cal St U Sacramento) is the correct nomenclature for Suc St. Remember, you can't spell CSUS without SUCS!

And appropriately for an ag school, you can't spell UC-D without the Cud!

[Proud Griz Man]

You kids and all your name-calling!! xlolx xlolx xlolx

Q - Which NAU team will show up?

[ncbears]

My winners are:

EWU

Montana

ISU

WSU

W. Illinois

I wish I could pick my Bears, but we face a very good Western Illinois team. I say we hang with them late, but lose by a TD.

[JALMOND]

A few points needs to be cleared up...

1. PSU QB situation---Holland (2nd string) done for the year. Smith (1st string) is listed as "questionable". Reports have him wanting to return to the Cal game, but the coaching staff wouldn't let him. The reports also say that the hip stiffened up on the flight back from the Bay Area. No reports since Monday morning. Freeman (3rd string) looked good in mop-up duty against UNC, and led the team to two scoring drives against Cal.

2. Most of the publications I have show the name of the school as Sacramento State (and what has been commonly abbreviated on here as Sac St), hence why I use the moniker SSU. The California university system does use UC for University of California and CSU for California State University.

3. Weber's offense showed some light against SUU, but PSU's defense held Cal scoreless in the second half, and also held both UNC and I-A New Mexico without a touchdown. The Wildcats will find it pretty tough to score.

4. Sac State and UNC both surprised me with their play last week, and even with the games being a tad more difficult, I think both will play well and not go down without a fight. If the Griz are looking past the Hornets to next week's game in Portland, it might even be closer.

5. NAU/ISU will be a typical, seesaw Big Sky game that anyone could win. I gave the edge to the Bengals at home.

[I Bleed Purple]

It's annoying to hear myself homerising, but I'm having trouble seeing PSU with a third stringer QB putting 20 points on the board against a defense that has allowed 10 in two games at home against good competition.



Notice I haven't said a word about WSU's offense. :p

[DaGriz]

It's annoying to hear myself homerising, but I'm having trouble seeing PSU with a third stringer QB putting 20 points on the board against a defense that has allowed 10 in two games at home against good competition.



Notice I haven't said a word about WSU's offense. :p

I agree. If Smith doesn't play I have a hard time believing their 3rd stringer isn't going to miss a beat. If no Smith I would actually pick Weber for this one.
MSU/EWU. I think MSU wins this one hands down. EWU with a Frosh QB at the helm. I think they are in for a long year. I think MSU will blitz blitz blitz and win.
UNC and their punter last week was something they could rally around. I think it will be hard for them to sustain that intensity and rally. I think they lose handily.
Sac St. is going to get crushed. Especially if Swogger plays in his first Wa.Griz game of his career.
I can't figure out ISU/NAU. This is probably the Big Sky game of the week and the hardest to pick. I'll go ISU only because they are home but I really have no idea.

[catbob]

MSU Blitz? We didn't seem to figure out the only way to stop UC Davis on 3rd down was to put pressure on the QB, I doubt we've learned anything.

I have no idea who is going to win this game.

[SactoHornetFan]

And appropriately for an ag school, you can't spell UC-D without the Cud!

Post of the Day!! :hurray: :bow:

[NC Aggie]

Post of the Day!! :hurray: :bow:

Simply bovine.

All california state university schools have historically been called X-state. However they are officially California State University X. (X is a variable here for the Sac State folks or folks in Rio Linda).

My wife went to Hayward State (which I call it) but she always says Cal State-Hayward.

SUU is Southern Utah University in any case

[poly51]

Simply bovine.

All california state university schools have historically been called X-state. However they are officially California State University X. (X is a variable here for the Sac State folks or folks in Rio Linda).

My wife went to Hayward State (which I call it) but she always says Cal State-Hayward.

SUU is Southern Utah University in any case

The exception is Cal Poly. It is officially California Polythecnic State University. Cal Poly Pomona is California State Polythecnic University. It was originally a branch of Cal Poly-SLO.

[melloAggiesousa]

Yup, and this is off-thread. So, where does the California Maritime Academy fit in? Isn't it part of the CSU system now?

BTW, UCD-CUD was already in evidence in 1981 when we played basketball vs. Cal-Berkeley at Harmon Gym. C A L backwards is LAC, we discovered.

I hope for Mooshagian's sake (no, not sake...that's brewed in Folsom) his O can score a TD without a gift from his D. Anyway, Go Griz! Montana 34, THE California State University (now, doesn't that sound better?) 3. The Hornet Band even plays OSU's "Down The Field". Sheesh!

[GrizFoo]

My wild guesses.

msu 31 ewu 21
um 31 sac 10
unc 17 wi 31
isu 28 nau 27
psu 24 wsu 10

[Jacks76]

Montana State 24, Eastern Washinton 17
Montana 34, Sacramento State 16
Western Illinois 38, Northern Colorado 10
NAU 35, Idaho State 31
Portland State 27, Weber State 13

Paul