I think we match up well this weekend.
 

Call me crazy, but after having watched several ND games this year, I think we actually have a shot here.

They are a well-coached team who don't make a lot of mistakes. Their QB is probably above average on the national level. But one thing that they are lacking this year which has killed us in all 3 losses is speed at the skill positions.

From what I have observed, they don't have any speedy WR like what we've seen in our previous 3 losses. Jarius Walker is an effective RB, but our interior run defense is solid enough that I don't see him running all over us. Quinn is not a great runner and they don't run the option especially well.

I try not to get my hopes up too high these days, but right now I'm cautiously optimistic.

best team we have faced this year. Our D wont' stop them.

We're going to get drilled.

I think you give our D far too much credit. A team doesn't really need to have anybody fast at the skill positions to beat us right now. Just someone who can run a crisp route.

I think you guys overestimate ND this year. What looked like a monster schedule on their part has softened up significantly.

Beat a bad Pitt team.
Beat a worse Michigan team.
Lost a close one to a decent Mich St team.
19 point win over one of the worst Washington teams in a long time.
A good win over Purdue.
A good loss to a USC team notorius for playing to the level of their competition.

Head to head I take BC over ND this year. IMO that game against BC was much closer than the score indicated. SDSU didn't happen - it was outlier so we get to throw it out.

I may sound like a bit of a homer, but i've seen what I perceive as significant improvements in our team since week 3. Play calling and offensive execution improved, game plan way better. Defense still sucks. I predict a shootout, not a blowout.

I have to give you credit for calling the SDSU game. You were the only one on this board who was worried about that team iirc. Also, some good points regarding ND schedule. You have convinced me that we might be able to make it respectable.

Gee, thanks. I guess I know what it feels like to have a No Homers Club going against me.

o

well heading to Chicago tomorrow
 

hope to meet Statman there sometime.

The experience will be fun again, even if the game might not be.

Archaea, by Chicago, do you also mean South Bend?

Steel and I had threatened since last year to make the trip, but weren't able to make it happen.

I just saw that the spead for the game is currently at 19 1/2 points.

I hope that my messages above don't make me look too foolish on Saturday.

Isn't there a delete message function on this site just in case???

We suck and I especially suck for thinking we had a chance this weekend.

By the end of the first quarter, I still had a ray of hope, but it faded shortly after that.

I didn't have too much of a problem with the offense. I thought the execution wasn't terrible aside from the fact that Watkins was awful. The play calling seemed okay, in Anaes defense.

The defense was horrendous. While we were definitely out-manned, I don't think it was as much a personnel issue as it was a scheme issue. Bronco made no adjustments as far as I could tell. There is no reason why those guys should be that open all day long. They were big and strong and definitely earned alot of the yards after catch. But please, there were several times when there was no one within 5-10 yards of them.

Charlie Weis is a class act and totally out-coached Bronco this weekend.