Ohio Valley Conference Predictions - Week 1

[JaxStateDSM93]

This is the time of year where a lot of FCS schools get their 'money' game out of the way. Austin Peay, TN Tech, Murray State and Eastern Kentucky, are doing just that this week. Here are my predictions. Feel free to chime in.
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9/1 - Murray State @ Louisville: Murray State could possible make this interesting....in the first half. Louisville 45 Murray State 24

9/1 - UT-Martin @ Jacksonville State: While a lot of people are touting UTM's defense, the JSU defense, and the entire team, has been under wraps for the bulk of summer practice. JSU 38 UTM 13

9/1 - Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois: Really a tossup here, but EIU is looking much better than they did last year. EIU 24 Illinois State 14

9/3 - Tennessee Tech @ Iowa: I think this may speak for itself. Iowa and it's strong ground game...rolls. Iowa 59 TTU 13

9/3 - Southern Illinois @ SEMO: Probably the best matchup of the week concerning an OVC team. I give the nod to Southern Illinois. SIU 27 SEMO 24

9/3 - Southern @ Tennessee State: TSU brings a MUCH better team in 2011, than the one that went winless in the OVC in 2010. TSU 31 Southern 20

9/3 - Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State: KSU 52 EKU 24

9/3 - Austin Peay @ Cincinnati: Could get out of hand. Cincinnati 56 APU 10

[Cocky]

Louisville
JSU
EIU
Iowa
SEMO
TSU
K State
Cincy

[TTUEagles]

Louisville
JSU
EIU
Iowa
SEMO
TTU - should be TSU
K State
Cincy

I will make it a consensus with the above picks but, I'm not that sold on TSU vs Southern and EIU over Ill St.

[eiu1999]

9/1 - Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois: Really a tossup here, but EIU is looking much better than they did last year. EIU 24 Illinois State 14

If that happens, I'd be pleasantly surprised.

[jayhawkdaddy]

Louisville
Jacksonville State
Illinois State
Iowa
Southern Illinois
Tennessee State
Kansas State
Cincinnati

[msupigskin]

Murray State @ Louisville: Ville pulls away in second half. 49-31

UT-Martin @ Jacksonville State: too many JSU weapons but will be closer than many think 45-27

Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois: give it to improved Panthers to start Spoo-nathon 2011 in a close one 21-17

Tennessee Tech @ Iowa: ouch for Golden Eagles 49-14

Southern Illinois @ SEMO: not sold on the preseason hype on either of these teams but will give it to SIU on tradition 21-17

Southern @ Tennessee State: TSU improves but is still TSU, winning in a nail biter 21-20

Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State: Colonels get steamrolled without the services of injured QB Pryor 56-7

Austin Peay @ Cincinnati: some games just painful to watch and will be for Govs fans 52-10

[TTUEagles]

Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State: Colonels get steamrolled without the services of injured QB Pryor 56-7


Too lazy to look it up...What happened to Pryor? Is he out for very long?
Side note: TTU has maybe just lost it's leading tackler and starting FS from last year to a broken ankle. Unsure if the fracture will require surgery - let's hope not. Starting A-back injured shoulder pretty bad last week, too... Figures.

[Twentysix]

9/1 - Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois: Really a tossup here, but EIU is looking much better than they did last year. EIU 24 Illinois State 14

If that happens, I'd be pleasantly surprised.

With the way ISUr plays, If EIU is going to win, it will have to be in the 30's or 40's.

I have a hard time beliving they will only score twice.

[JaxStateDSM93]

Too lazy to look it up...What happened to Pryor? Is he out for very long?
Side note, TTU maybe has just lost it's leading tackler and starting FS from last year to a broken ankle. Unsure if the fracture will require surgery - let's hope not. Starting A-back injured shoulder pretty bad last week, too... Figures.

Would that be Marty Jones? When did that happen?

[GeauxLions94]

9/1 - Murray State @ Louisville
9/1 - UT-Martin @ Jacksonville State
9/1 - Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois
9/3 - Tennessee Tech @ Iowa
9/3 - Southern Illinois @ SEMO
9/3 - Southern @ Tennessee State
9/3 - Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State
9/3 - Austin Peay @ Cincinnati

[TTUEagles]

Would that be Marty Jones? When did that happen?

Yes. Last series (so I hear) of the scrimmage last Saturday. Makes me wonder why he was in there so late...

[RattlerFan70]

Murray State @ Louisville
UT-Martin @ Jacksonville State
Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois
Tennessee Tech @ Iowa
Southern Illinois @ SEMO
Southern @ Tennessee State
Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State
Austin Peay @ Cincinnati

[Bam]

Too lazy to look it up...What happened to Pryor? Is he out for very long?
Side note, TTU maybe has just lost it's leading tackler and starting FS from last year to a broken ankle. Unsure if the fracture will require surgery - let's hope not. Starting A-back injured shoulder pretty bad last week, too... Figures.

Some sh**ty news from Colonel's camp. That first game was going to bad enough! See info. below:

http://richmondregister.com/localsports/x2080081036/FOOTBALL-Injury-could-keep-EKUs-Pryor-out-for-opener

[eiu1999]

EIU WR Erik Lora is done for the year, last year caught 50 passes for 478 yards and 2 tds.

http://jg-tc.com/sports/football/article_7f0cb160-ca88-11e0-a951-001cc4c03286.html

[eiu1999]

http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2011/08/24/Sports/Breaking.Down.Easterns.Enemies-4000010.shtml

[813Jag]

Murray State @ Louisville
UT-Martin @ Jacksonville State
Illinois State @ Eastern Illinois
Tennessee Tech @ Iowa
Southern Illinois @ SEMO
Southern @ Tennessee State
Eastern Kentucky @ Kansas State
Austin Peay @ Cincinnati

[TTUEagles]

So, what are the thoughts regarding Eastern Illinois this year? Was last year just a total anomaly or has the talent level dropped that bad? Is the local media/fan base expecting another down year in Coach Spoo's last go at it, or are they significantly underrated?

[eiu1999]

So, what are the thoughts regarding Eastern Illinois this year? Was last year just a total anomaly or has the talent level dropped that bad? Is the local media/fan base expecting another down year in Coach Spoo's last go at it, or are they significantly underrated?

From people I've talked to and what I've seen, seven wins at best are what most people think, 8 if things go really well.

The strong areas of the team are WR, and DL.

Areas of concern are an undersized OL and unproven RBs (though there is tons of talent and speed there)

Look for QB Jimmy Garoppolo to have a huge year passing the ball, unlike the traditional EIU running game. Coaches have been quotes saying his accuracy has improved last year and he has a very quick release on the ball, even quicker than Romo.

There's too many unknowns and a tough schedule to expect more than 7 wins, with road games at Northwestern and SIU, plus ISU at home. Most fans just see this as a send off year and then which coordinator will replace Spoo.

[TTUEagles]

So, I am not seeing many "gimmies" on this year's OVC schedule. NO offense to any APSU fans out there (are there any on this board?) but, that's the only one I see. I hear about TSU ad nauseum here but, they are optimistic this year, too. They always have too many good skill players (LB, this year) to count them out...I'm excited about TTU's team this year, however, it may be a bad year to have their "best team in a long time" due to so many other good OVC teams...

[eiu1999]

So, I am not seeing many "gimmies" on this year's OVC schedule. NO offense to any APSU fans out there (are there any on this board?) but, that's the only one I see. I hear about TSU ad nauseum here but, they are optimistic this year, too. They always have too many good skill players (LB, this year) to count them out...I'm excited about TTU's team this year, however, it may be a bad year to have their "best team in a long time" due to so many other good OVC teams...

I think there will be a lot of teams bunched in the middle, Tech, EIU, UT-Martin, SEMO.

[eiu1999]

http://jg-tc.com/sports/article_a39fe4ea-cebe-11e0-8081-001cc4c03286.html

[eiu1999]

EIU Scrimmage


http://www.youtube.com/weiutv#p/c/1A99745F5052EAE0/0/6MgTuPp06OQ

[eiu1999]

http://jg-tc.com/sports/article_3a44af2e-d375-11e0-a233-001cc4c03286.html

http://jg-tc.com/sports/article_a62b707a-d374-11e0-a3c7-001cc4c03286.html