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wilson5869

ESPN Bowl Prediction: State to Indy, OM to Liberty

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Posts: 65

06/24/08 05:48 PM

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Early forecast predicts Buckeyes, Bulldogs in title game

By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: June 24, 2008, 6:15 PM ET

The heat of June dragging you down? Wondering what cool bowl matchups might happen in December and January? Well, here's a very early look at what the 2008 bowl season could bring.

2008-09 Bowl Projections
Bowl (Matchup)	Projection
FedEx BCS National Championship Game (BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2)	Georgia Bulldogs vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Tostitos Fiesta (BCS vs. BCS)	Oklahoma Sooners vs. BYU Cougars
Allstate Sugar (BCS vs. BCS)	Auburn Tigers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
FedEx Orange (BCS vs. BCS)	West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Clemson Tigers
Rose Bowl presented by Citi (BCS vs. BCS)	USC Trojans vs. Wisconsin Badgers
GMAC (C-USA vs. MAC)	Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Central Michigan Chippewas
International (Big East vs. MAC)	Louisville Cardinals vs. Miami (Ohio) RedHawks
AutoZone Liberty (C-USA vs. SEC)	Houston Cougars vs. Ole Miss Rebels
AT&T Cotton (Big 12 vs. SEC)	Texas Longhorns vs. LSU Tigers
Konica Minolta Gator (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame)	Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Capital One (SEC vs. Big Ten)	Florida Gators vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
Outback (Big Ten vs. SEC)	Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Chick-fil-A (SEC vs. ACC)	Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Insight (Big 12 vs. Big Ten)	Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Purdue Boilermakers
Gaylord Hotels Music City (ACC vs. SEC)	Miami Hurricanes vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Brut Sun (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame)	Oregon State Beavers vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces (Mountain West vs. C-USA)	TCU Horned Frogs vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Pacific Life Holiday (Pac-10 vs. Big 12)	Arizona State Sun Devils vs. Missouri Tigers
Texas (Big 12 vs. C-USA)	Colorado Buffaloes vs. UCF Knights
Roady's Humanitarian (WAC vs. ACC)	Boise State Broncos vs. Maryland Terrapins
Valero Alamo (Big Ten vs. Big 12)	Michigan State Spartans vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Papajohns.com (Big East vs. SEC)	Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Kentucky Wildcats
PetroSun Independence (SEC vs. Big 12)	Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Emerald (Pac-10 vs. ACC)	California Golden Bears vs. Boston College Eagles
Champs Sports (ACC vs. Big Ten)	Florida State Seminoles vs. Michigan Wolverines
Meineke Car Care (Big East vs. ACC)	Pittsburgh Panthers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
Motor City (MAC vs. Big Ten)	Ball State Cardinals vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Sheraton Hawaii (WAC vs. Pac-10)	Nevada Wolf Pack vs. UCLA Bruins
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia (Mountain West vs. Pac-10)	Air Force Falcons vs. Arizona Wildcats
R + L Carriers New Orleans (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)	East Carolina Pirates vs. Florida Atlantic Owls
Congressional (ACC vs. Navy)	Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Navy Midshipmen
Pioneer Las Vegas (Mountain West vs. Pac-10)	Utah Utes vs. Oregon Ducks
St. Petersburg (Big East vs. C-USA)	USF Bulls vs. Memphis Tigers
New Mexico (WAC vs. Mountain West)	Fresno State Bulldogs vs. New Mexico Lobos

Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.

Reply Quote

OMlawdog

If we win 4 games.....

#81

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Posts: 674

06/25/08 02:40 PM

I doubt I will be thrilled, but if that is your opinion of how well Ole Miss can do next year so be it, I disagree.

Where in any of my posts have I told MSU fans how to feel? I gave my opinion as to whether or not the way someone felt was reasonable in my opinion. I didn't tell anyone to feel satisfied, pissed, happy, or overjoyed about MSU's season, I gave my opinion as to how I didn't think it was unreasonable for some people to think 6 wins would be a step back from last year.

If I had said, "If MSU wins 6 games next year, MSU fans should feel disappointed and pissed" then that is telling you how to feel.

By saying, "If a MSU fan was disappointed about winning 6 games, I think that would be reasonable because of the way the schedule and the talent on the 08 team" which is what I said, is not telling anyone how to feel.

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Coach34

at least you made sense here...

#82

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Posts: 9700

06/25/08 02:44 PM

Peaches

"Beats Middle Tennsesse State, La Tech, Southeastern La, Vandy, UK, and Arkansas and proceeds to lose the egg bowl, you wouldn't be disappointed in the season? Really?"

He would, but he wont admit it now...6 wins in 08 with what we have on our team is regression, plain and simple...You're dealing with the same people that will excuse Stansbury for not making the NCAA's without Jamont and Rhodes this upcoming season, which is valid- but when we have a team with lots of talent, the bare minimum is expected....rightttttttttttttt

Lets dont have expectations- we are Mississippi State

"I don't think LSU finishes at the bottom of the West, by any stretch, but I think think they have the least chance of winning it." - Bulldogbaja on the upcoming SEC West

Reply Quote

Goat Holder

Well, I wouldn't go that far........

#83

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Posts: 3185

06/25/08 02:49 PM

Meteorologist

I think they have some inexperienced players. Too many variables to really get a hold of what Ole Miss will do. One thing's for sure, Houston Nutt has ALWAYS had his guys ready to play ball. He'll get the most out of every player, well, maybe except quarterback. But therein lies the problem, do they have any players? They say they do, but that's definitely a glass half full assumption. And also, do they have any depth? You can't really say either way because they don't have experience, and ones that do, went 3-8 last year.

The motivational thing is something Croom has struggled with, even last year. We don't come out fired up for games we should win. See the Egg Bowl for the first example. I could go deeper.

"You believe a 4-seed Fresno State was as talented through and through as Georgia (top SS, top closer, and several other draftees)?" - WillemWallace, 7-10-08, just weeks after Fresno State outscored Georgia 31-18 in the College World Series Finals to win the National Championship.

Reply Quote

OMlawdog

Unlike others on here...

#84

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Posts: 675

06/25/08 02:51 PM

Im not trying to set up Croom to fail by raising expectations, I don't care if Croom stays at MSU for 5 years or 20. I just look at the schedule and look at the talent and think the schedule sets up nicely for MSU.

"But it shouldn't be considered a step back to only win six this year."

Would you feel that way if Brown and Johnson were still on the team? Maybe Im underestimating their impact.

Reply Quote

Optimus Prime 4

two projected first rounders on the team

#85

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Posts: 4716

06/25/08 02:56 PM

Cobra Kai Sensei

and two studs on the DL alone. A good, if inexperienced, QB should make a big difference as well. We're good in the trenches, which is important. Linebackers will be the biggest weakness. Hopefully good runners will offset a new qb.

I think 6 is certainly doable. I'll be very happy with any bowl, but know enough not to expect one.

Reply Quote

FlabLoser

6-8 wins with style > 8 wins off the seat of our pants

#86

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Posts: 4567

06/25/08 03:03 PM

I'm not expecting us to blow anybody out. But if we get 6-8 wins using an offense that looks competent, I'd consider that an improvement over last year.

Reply Quote

dawgstudent

Yes...

#87

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Posts: 12424

06/25/08 03:05 PM

The Godfather

I told them it was stupid to fire Cutcliffe. He deserved one more season. I even said the reason he was probably fired was because of how quickly our ship sunk with Sherrill.

I support the two most frustrating teams in America: The New Orleans Saints and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Reply Quote

Stormrider81

Something I noticed

#88

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Posts: 9470

06/25/08 03:13 PM

Some of those talking about how 6 wins would be a regression are the same people who blast Ole Miss for firing Cutcliffe for winning 6-8 games a year. One of those posters has consistently said that if Croom doesn't win big this year, he never will, and has, in times past, said he doesn't think Croom has a 9-10 win season in him. I find it highly hypocritical for us to blast Ole Miss fans for being highly dissatisfied with Cutcliffe's level of success and then turn right around and start complaining about trips to the Liberty Bowl and such. If I'm not mistaken Ole Miss frequented the Indy Bowl during Cut's tenure. If Croom has a run like Cut did I'll be extremely happy, but I suspect some on this board won't be because he won't have elevated the program to a higher level. What you said in another post is dead on and should be accepted by every State fan: 6-8 wins a year in football should be the standard at MSU. No reason why we can't accomplish that, but we also won't elevate ourselves above this for any consistent period of time. I'll say this, after the 6 year 3 wins per year run we went on, I'm more than satisfied with bowl appearances of any sort.

Reply Quote

Goat Holder

Vanderbilt had a couple of early rounders last year too......

#89

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Posts: 3188

06/25/08 03:24 PM

Meteorologist

and, State had some studs on the DL in 2006, see where that got us. And how do you know if you have any good runners or if Snead is good enough to make a difference? Just sayin'.

Like I said, a ton of variables. And 6 wins is doable, definitely. But so is 4. And so is 8. Nutt took Danny Ford's 4-7 team and went 9-2, so you never know.

Reply Quote

RebelBruiser

#90

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Posts: 1846

06/25/08 03:45 PM

Not that there's
anything wrong with that

Goat Holder wrote:

and, State had some studs on the DL in 2006, see where that got us. And how do you know if you have any good runners or if Snead is good enough to make a
difference? Just sayin'.

Like I said, a ton of variables. And 6 wins is doable, definitely. But so is 4. And so is 8. Nutt took Danny Ford's 4-7 team and went 9-2, so you never
know.

I agree. This season has a lot of question marks for us. However, there are enough areas of potential that I think we'll at least be competitive and have a shot at a crap bowl.

As far as QB play, we couldn't be any worse. Snead can't be much worse than Schaeffer/Spurlock/Flatt/Adams. Our RBs are unproven. However, both of our lines are experienced, and both have talent, which is a change. Our WRs are deep and talented.

For us, the question marks are at LB, DB, RB, and QB. QB, RB, and LB all have at least one string of players with enough potential for us to get by if they all step up and stay relatively healthy. Of course they could all fall well short of that potential, and in that case, we're screwed.

DB is the only spot on our team that I think will definitely be a weak spot without question. All of our other positions I can at least hold out a little bit of hope that we'll at least be serviceable.

Reply Quote

BillBraskyDOG

drawing a blank...

#91

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Posts: 807

06/25/08 04:13 PM

Who is the other projected first rounder besides Oher? I am completely drawing a blank on ole miss' team.

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8Dog

Greg Hardy*

#92

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Posts: 4214

06/25/08 04:15 PM

Moderator

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The difference is you told them what you thought...

#93

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Posts: 643

06/25/08 04:41 PM

not what they should think. Ole Miss fans don't decide what a disappointing season is to State fans.

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dawgstudent

What??...

#94

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Posts: 12426

06/25/08 04:59 PM

The Godfather

I am telling them what they should think. They should think it was stupid to fire Cutcliffe.

I support the two most frustrating teams in America: The New Orleans Saints and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Reply Quote

HD6

I see a team...

#95

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Posts: 726

06/25/08 05:04 PM

The General

with no experience in the backfield. You've got recruiting website talent there, but who's seen it in action? Orgeron's recruiting was filled with non-qualifiers and busts, and your depth is for shit. Your linebackers and secondary just aren't very good. Hardy and Jerry are good players, but your d-line last year was thin enough that for the limited time Powe got to practice, he ran with the first team. Now we assume he's there, but he's just like your backfield, nobody has seen anything since high school. What's to like about your team? Two first round picks? Hey, we had that in 1995! And we went 3-8!

Reply Quote

OMlawdog

Its a double edged sword...

#96

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Posts: 676

09/05/12 03:14 PM

Croom should get the credit for putting MSU in the position to have a good season. That is what some people are missing, he deserves a lot of credit for putting MSU in position to have a good season and raising expectations. These are all good things that Croom has done after last season.

Now that there is talent at MSU and the schedule sets up nicely, what is wrong with having expectations? I think it is reasonable for fans to be disappointed if MSU wins 6 games, do I think it is reasonable if people start jumping off the bandwagon, nope.

Should Croom be expected to win 8 games every year from here on out, of course not the SEC schedule is simply too damn hard, this year he gets a break and should take advantage of it.

There may be years where you get FL, GA, LSU, AU and Bama (If Saban turns them around which he should) all in one year and if that happens, 6 to 7 seven wins would be a good year.

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Good luck with that.*

#97

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Posts: 645

06/25/08 05:15 PM

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South Panola Dawg

Just to clarify, Arrow....

#98

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Posts: 551

06/25/08 05:15 PM

I agree Croom bought himself some time by winning last year. That's just the MState way. 1 good year after the 4 terrible ones gets you time at dear ol' MState. But the majority of fans I know think this year is the litmus for his ability. That's what I'm talking about when I say win or go home. This year shows whether or not he can sustain success. If he goes back to < 6 Ws this year, there will be a feeling of inevitability hanging over him through '09 and maybe '10, if GB doesn't pull the plug quickly.

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Cry Havoc, and Let Slip the Dogs of War!
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"I won't be sippin' much happy kool-aid from my fools gold holy grail cup till I see a consistant offense on the field against our higher rated SEC bretheren. If McCorvey keeps offense ranked anywhere close to 100th this season I want to see mayflower trucks in his yard gettin er done. " - jackbaddawg, 8/8/08
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"It's like Peaches and JR hooked up 18 years ago and out popped Fishwater." - Afro Dawg, 6/26/08
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"This effort yesterday (Carroll: 421 yds, 4 TDs, 4 Int; 31 offensive points) proves that we can throw the ball with some success. The three yard and a cloud of dust offense, where the only passes we'll attempt are FB flares and short curls needs to stop. It became apparent to me yesterday by watching Carroll throw the ball around that we are the worst offensive team in the conference because Croom has chosen for us to be, not because we don't have enough talent to be good offensively."

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"we have a team with lots of talent"

#99

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Posts: 646

06/25/08 05:22 PM

I think I just had a stroke.

I agree with you. There's no comparison to prior years.

Reply Quote

Porkchop

I agree Cutcliffe should have had one more year. But,

#100

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Posts: 626

06/25/08 06:09 PM

Louis Winthorpe III

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ESPN Bowl Prediction: State to Indy, OM to Liberty

Early forecast predicts Buckeyes, Bulldogs in title game