MUHAWKS
November 14th, 2021, 01:50 PM
Even though we are just The lowly Big South I figured this upcoming "Championship" game was worth a thread- at least to me and the few KSU fans!
Fitting that once again and for the final time, the Big South Championship and auto bid to the FCS playoffs will be decided in this end of season game.
Kennesaw owned this matchup from 2015-2018, winning the first 4 contests, most of them in convincing fashion before Monmouth turned the tables and won the last 2, both in blowout fashion.
It seems many still see Kennesaw as one of the most overrated teams in the country while Monmouth finally got some respect after their showing against Sam Houston last year. However, Monmouth basically squandered their high preseason ranking and most of that respect by losing big to Holy Cross and then failing to seal the deal against Princeton. This game clearly is more important for Monmouth as most see Kennesaw a shoe in for an at large even with a loss. The only path to the playoffs for Monmouth is to win this game. However, I doubt after the last 2 games against Monmouth that Kennesaw will be happy with "backing in" to the playoffs and of course they want another Big South Championship. Around the Monmouth program, we honestly feel we are a top 10-15 team and have just been victimized but a number of things including injuries, the psychology of being the hunted, a perfect storm not showing up for Holy Cross and somehow letting up in that Princeton game. The truth is, losing to Princeton by 3 on the last play of the game although it is a loss, is really not that much different than beating them by 3. What I mean by that is- The game down to 1 play- If we had won and been 8-2 right now, people probably would have written Holy Cross off to just a bad day and we would be ranked in all 3 polls and being talked about for an at large. Does that really make us that different of a football team? Of course not, but that is how it goes however and it is fine b/c we did not win that game and this is what needs to be done!
I do NOT think this game can be analyzed by common opponents but if one want to look at that-
KSU 14, NC A&T 0
MU- 35 NC A&T 16
KSU 30, Campbell 7
MU 34 Campbell 17
KSU 34 Gardner Webb 30
MU 54 Gardner Webb 17
KSU 45 Robert Morris 21
MU 44 Robert Morris 7
KSU 28 North Alabama 24
MU 45 North Alabama 33
Not too much to learn there really anyway.
Here is what I can tell you about Monmouth coming into this game. We were ravaged by key injuries in the 2 weeks preceding the opener. It took a bit for the younger guys to come around but other than Holy Cross we showed up in every game. Even the first game against FBS Middle Tennessee State we were in that game in the 4th quarter. We had the ball at midfield down by 13 and then it just went south but we were only outgained by 60 yards had 2 less first downs and ran 20 more plays winning TOP by almost 8 minutes. The 4 turnover to 0 was the big key. We then controlled the Fordham game and were up 10 with a 1st and goal on the 1 before turning the ball over and letting them back in. We then blew out Charleston Southern before the Holy Cross debacle. After that game there were some doubts among fans but not by coaches and players. The next week saw us blow out Gardner Webb before dominating Princeton for 3+ quarters. They came back and beat us and frankly I think it was just part of the process of THIS team understanding how to finish and changing the psychology. Since the Holy Cross game in week 4 we are 5-1 with our only loss being to ranked Princeton on the last play of the game. Every other game was a win by double digits where we have averaged 40 pts.
But let me tell you this- The injuries never stopped! We have played our last 3 games without both conference pre season players of the year, on offense, RB Juwon Farri and defense, Safety Anthony Budd. On top of that, during this last 6 game stretch we had another starting OL out for 2 games, lost 2 starting DL and played 2 games without a starting WR. We also lost our MLB for 3 games. What this has done is allowed younger guys to step up and gain confidence. We seem to have some good depth. But the best part is we should have almost everyone back for Kennesaw.
We look like a well rounded team and the psychology and attitude are very good right now. Football is about staying alive and peaking at the right time and it truly looks like we are peaking/about to peak. It has not been perfect but this is a different "team" from the first 3-4 weeks of the season and we are playing our best football right now. We have serious depth at WR and RB. Our O line has struggled a bit with consistency and pass protection and the defense has not been dominant, but we are an offensive led team so our defense just needs to be adequate and sort of play the bend don't break game.
I think we should be able to throw the ball against KSU and believe it or not what scares me the most about KSU is our D getting too aggressive and biting on play action and wide stuff. This will very much be a game where coaching will play a HUGE part in the outcome.
Would love to hear from some KSU fans on what ya'll are thinking and seeing coming into this. I am guessing KSU will be anywhere from a 3 to 7 point favorite.
Fitting that once again and for the final time, the Big South Championship and auto bid to the FCS playoffs will be decided in this end of season game.
Kennesaw owned this matchup from 2015-2018, winning the first 4 contests, most of them in convincing fashion before Monmouth turned the tables and won the last 2, both in blowout fashion.
It seems many still see Kennesaw as one of the most overrated teams in the country while Monmouth finally got some respect after their showing against Sam Houston last year. However, Monmouth basically squandered their high preseason ranking and most of that respect by losing big to Holy Cross and then failing to seal the deal against Princeton. This game clearly is more important for Monmouth as most see Kennesaw a shoe in for an at large even with a loss. The only path to the playoffs for Monmouth is to win this game. However, I doubt after the last 2 games against Monmouth that Kennesaw will be happy with "backing in" to the playoffs and of course they want another Big South Championship. Around the Monmouth program, we honestly feel we are a top 10-15 team and have just been victimized but a number of things including injuries, the psychology of being the hunted, a perfect storm not showing up for Holy Cross and somehow letting up in that Princeton game. The truth is, losing to Princeton by 3 on the last play of the game although it is a loss, is really not that much different than beating them by 3. What I mean by that is- The game down to 1 play- If we had won and been 8-2 right now, people probably would have written Holy Cross off to just a bad day and we would be ranked in all 3 polls and being talked about for an at large. Does that really make us that different of a football team? Of course not, but that is how it goes however and it is fine b/c we did not win that game and this is what needs to be done!
I do NOT think this game can be analyzed by common opponents but if one want to look at that-
KSU 14, NC A&T 0
MU- 35 NC A&T 16
KSU 30, Campbell 7
MU 34 Campbell 17
KSU 34 Gardner Webb 30
MU 54 Gardner Webb 17
KSU 45 Robert Morris 21
MU 44 Robert Morris 7
KSU 28 North Alabama 24
MU 45 North Alabama 33
Not too much to learn there really anyway.
Here is what I can tell you about Monmouth coming into this game. We were ravaged by key injuries in the 2 weeks preceding the opener. It took a bit for the younger guys to come around but other than Holy Cross we showed up in every game. Even the first game against FBS Middle Tennessee State we were in that game in the 4th quarter. We had the ball at midfield down by 13 and then it just went south but we were only outgained by 60 yards had 2 less first downs and ran 20 more plays winning TOP by almost 8 minutes. The 4 turnover to 0 was the big key. We then controlled the Fordham game and were up 10 with a 1st and goal on the 1 before turning the ball over and letting them back in. We then blew out Charleston Southern before the Holy Cross debacle. After that game there were some doubts among fans but not by coaches and players. The next week saw us blow out Gardner Webb before dominating Princeton for 3+ quarters. They came back and beat us and frankly I think it was just part of the process of THIS team understanding how to finish and changing the psychology. Since the Holy Cross game in week 4 we are 5-1 with our only loss being to ranked Princeton on the last play of the game. Every other game was a win by double digits where we have averaged 40 pts.
But let me tell you this- The injuries never stopped! We have played our last 3 games without both conference pre season players of the year, on offense, RB Juwon Farri and defense, Safety Anthony Budd. On top of that, during this last 6 game stretch we had another starting OL out for 2 games, lost 2 starting DL and played 2 games without a starting WR. We also lost our MLB for 3 games. What this has done is allowed younger guys to step up and gain confidence. We seem to have some good depth. But the best part is we should have almost everyone back for Kennesaw.
We look like a well rounded team and the psychology and attitude are very good right now. Football is about staying alive and peaking at the right time and it truly looks like we are peaking/about to peak. It has not been perfect but this is a different "team" from the first 3-4 weeks of the season and we are playing our best football right now. We have serious depth at WR and RB. Our O line has struggled a bit with consistency and pass protection and the defense has not been dominant, but we are an offensive led team so our defense just needs to be adequate and sort of play the bend don't break game.
I think we should be able to throw the ball against KSU and believe it or not what scares me the most about KSU is our D getting too aggressive and biting on play action and wide stuff. This will very much be a game where coaching will play a HUGE part in the outcome.
Would love to hear from some KSU fans on what ya'll are thinking and seeing coming into this. I am guessing KSU will be anywhere from a 3 to 7 point favorite.