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View Full Version : GATEWAY's 7th week predictions: 4 teams still in the top 15 and battling it out



birdsflyhigh
November 6th, 2006, 03:31 PM
Week 7 of the GFC race already, and this week promises a couple major battles with Gateway and playoff ramifications: YSU @ WKU and UNI @ SIU. The Salukis are battling for their playoff lives, while the Penguins could capture at least a co-champ GFC crown with a win in Bowling Green (NOT going to be easy).

So far this season, I've gone 19-4 in predicting the Gateway game winners. Not too shabby, but both the SIU/UNI and WKU/YSU games are a complete flip of the coin this week....they'll be hard fought battles no doubt about that.

Starting out with the supposed easy calls (you never know in the GFC):

IL St. @ IN St 45-20 Redbirds win

Battle of the ISUs and two night and day programs. Even though the Sycs record does not show it, IN St. has turned the corner some and has shown a definite improvement over the team they fielded last season. The Sycs threw a scare into WIU last week, beat MSU (hey they won a game), and gave Purdue all they could handle for awhile. Not bad for a team that's somehow the but of almost all GFC jokes.

Do think the Birds have their eyes on the prize: a Gateway championship. They'll be more than ready to take on the Sycs. Last week (against MSU) the Birds offense went back into high gear and it was 35-0 before they pulled the starters at the end of the 3rd quarter. The IL St. defense did give up a couple of late TDs to the Bears, but at that point the game was already well in hand and the Birds were playing with their backups. IN St. does have a high powered offense and will score some points, but the Sycs defense has been their downfall, and I can see the Birds offense putting up some serious points against them. IL QB Luke Drone with back-to-back 300+ yard games? Could happen.


WIU @ MSU 24-17 Leathernecks win

The Bears offense was able to move the ball SOME last week against a good IL St. defense, and now they face a WIU D that's pretty weak. However, what the Leathernecks lack in D they make up for in their offense. Plain and simple ...WIU can put up points. This game will be closer than some expect, but I do see the Leathernecks with the upper hand. With a victory in the season finale, WIU has a winning season at 6-5. Man, the 6th place team in the Gateway could finish up strong recordwise...that's saying something about the quality and depth of this year's GFC.


YSU @ WKU 28-27 Hilltoppers win

Going to pick the upset here. YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter). WKU was right there for the victory last week in the UNI-Dome, but it slipped away late with some penalties. Now their back at home with a chance to finish strong in the GFC and a still with a shot to go 7-4 on the season. The Penguins close out their regular season (already in the playoffs) with a major battle. They want the GFC crown in back-to-back seasons.

YSU's D has consistently improved throughout the season, and they have a great QB in Zetts and an amazin RB in Marcus. This game is so much a coin flip....it's crazy. Just think WKU has been playing at a high level for a few weeks now and going with the spoiler here.


UNI @ SIU 30-28 Salukis win

OOOOOO my this is going to be a good game between two programs that have really got a nice heated rivalry going. SIU is literally battling for their playoff lives, while UNi even with a 4th loss still has a shot next week versus IL St. (pending a WKU win over YSU). Man, the Gateway has been WILD this year. You're NEVER sure what's going to happen from week to week.

SIU came to play last week in Youngstown, but the Salukis (who lead most of the game) let a golden opportunity slip by in their loss to YSU.
Meanwhile UNI at home pulled it out late over a stunned Hilltopper team.
The Panthers are indeed worthy of a playoff spot because (despite the WIU setback) they've turned it on over the last few weeks and had major improvement in their defense. Think SIU RB Arkee Whitlock will be the difference maker in this one as the Salukis just do tame the Panthers. What a game!!!

Okay Gateway fans, how do you see this week's GFC games going? :rotateh:

FlyYtown
November 6th, 2006, 03:36 PM
YSU: 34-21
SIU: 30-20
WIU: 27-10
ILSU: 55-3 [no kidding]

Cap'n Cat
November 6th, 2006, 03:37 PM
Week 7 of the GFC race already, and this week promises a couple major battles with Gateway and playoff ramifications: YSU @ WKU and UNI @ SIU. The Salukis are battling for their playoff lives, while the Penguins could capture at least a co-champ GFC crown with a win in Bowling Green (NOT going to be easy).

So far this season, I've gone 19-4 in predicting the Gateway game winners. Not too shabby, but both the SIU/UNI and WKU/YSU games are a complete flip of the coin this week....they'll be hard fought battles no doubt about that.

Starting out with the supposed easy calls (you never know in the GFC):

IL St. @ IN St 45-20 Redbirds win

Battle of the ISUs and two night and day programs. Even though the Sycs record does not show it, IN St. has turned the corner some and has shown a definite improvement over the team they fielded last season. The Sycs threw a scare into WIU last week, beat MSU (hey they won a game), and gave Purdue all they could handle for awhile. Not bad for a team that's somehow the but of almost all GFC jokes.

Do think the Birds have their eyes on the prize: a Gateway championship. They'll be more than ready to take on the Sycs. Last week (against MSU) the Birds offense went back into high gear and it was 35-0 before they pulled the starters at the end of the 3rd quarter. The IL St. defense did give up a couple of late TDs to the Bears, but at that point the game was already well in hand and the Birds were playing with their backups. IN St. does have a high powered offense and will score some points, but the Sycs defense has been their downfall, and I can see the Birds offense putting up some serious points against them. IL QB Luke Drone with back-to-back 300+ yard games? Could happen.


WIU @ MSU 24-17 Leathernecks win

The Bears offense was able to move the ball SOME last week against a good IL St. defense, and now they face a WIU D that's pretty weak. However, what the Leathernecks lack in D they make up for in their offense. Plain and simple ...WIU can put up points. This game will be closer than some expect, but I do see the Leathernecks with the upper hand. With a victory in the season finale, WIU has a winning season at 6-5. Man, the 6th place team in the Gateway could finish up strong recordwise...that's saying something about the quality and depth of this year's GFC.


YSU @ WKU 28-27 Hilltoppers win

Going to pick the upset here. YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter). WKU was right there for the victory last week in the UNI-Dome, but it slipped away late with some penalties. Now their back at home with a chance to finish strong in the GFC and a still with a shot to go 7-4 on the season. The Penguins close out their regular season (already in the playoffs) with a major battle. They want the GFC crown in back-to-back seasons.

YSU's D has consistently improved throughout the season, and they have a great QB in Zetts and an amazin RB in Marcus. This game is so much a coin flip....it's crazy. Just think WKU has been playing at a high level for a few weeks now and going with the spoiler here.


UNI @ SIU 30-28 Salukis win

OOOOOO my this is going to be a good game between two programs that have really got a nice heated rivalry going. SIU is literally battling for their playoff lives, while UNi even with a 4th loss still has a shot next week versus IL St. (pending a WKU win over YSU). Man, the Gateway has been WILD this year. You're NEVER sure what's going to happen from week to week.

SIU came to play last week in Youngstown, but the Salukis (who lead most of the game) let a golden opportunity slip by in their loss to YSU.
Meanwhile UNI at home pulled it out late over a stunned Hilltopper team.
The Panthers are indeed worthy of a playoff spot because (despite the WIU setback) they've turned it on over the last few weeks and had major improvement in their defense. Think SIU RB Arkee Whitlock will be the difference maker in this one as the Salukis just do tame the Panthers. What a game!!!

Okay Gateway fans, how do you see this week's GFC games going? :rotateh:



I don't even give a **** anymore. I'd like to see UNI win and get in, but this is a tremendous conference and any and all rep's will do well.

JMU_MRD'03-'07
November 6th, 2006, 03:40 PM
I was talking about this situation a week ago in the A10... 4 or 5 teams with high hopes of making the playoffs... Then the late season jitters and tiredness got to them. These next two weeks will separate out at least 2 of the teams for greatness then the others will possibly sneak in to the playoffs barely, but expect some upsets. Its the time of the year where the team that couldn't do anything well in the begining is starting to gel together and is looking to rain on someone's playoff parade. That's what happened to Richmond and Towson this week. They played teams hungry to make a mark on their lost season and came out worse for the wear.

BillLuc1982
November 6th, 2006, 03:49 PM
UNI @ SIU

Farley knows that every game is a must-win for the playoffs and a Gateway title! SIU will give the Panthers a game, but UNI wants the Gateway title more. Kicking game gives UNI the edge in Carbondale.

Northern Iowa 27, Southern Illinois 24

YSU @ WKU

WKU got spanked last year. However, YSU has kept it close with WKU, even when WKU won the national championship! The only time YSU got blown out by WKU was when YSU had a birdbrain offensive coordinator. He's gone and YSU wants a lock for the playoffs. Even though it looks like they're in, they do not want to be woofed like last year!

Youngstown State 31, Western Kentucky 21

ILSU @ INSU

"Sexual Healing" on the PA may be the most exciting part of this game. Next game, please!

Illinois State 57, Indiana State 2

WIU @ MSU

This is not a "next game please" scenario. WIU is much better than their record says, but remember: ANY GIVEN SATURDAY. MSU will pull off the upset for the seniors.

Missouri State 21, Western Illinois 20

Killtoppers90
November 6th, 2006, 03:54 PM
YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter).
We actually have one more game after YSU, home against Austin Peay. So it will be our last gateway Conference game.

PantherMan
November 6th, 2006, 04:20 PM
YSU @ WKU 28-27 Hilltoppers win

Going to pick the upset here. YSU needs to win to have a chance at a top 4 playoff seed, but I can see the Tops playing the spoiler and wanting to win their last Gateway game (and last I-AA game for that matter). WKU was right there for the victory last week in the UNI-Dome, but it slipped away late with some penalties. Now their back at home with a chance to finish strong in the GFC and a still with a shot to go 7-4 on the season. The Penguins close out their regular season (already in the playoffs) with a major battle. They want the GFC crown in back-to-back seasons.

YSU's D has consistently improved throughout the season, and they have a great QB in Zetts and an amazin RB in Marcus. This game is so much a coin flip....it's crazy. Just think WKU has been playing at a high level for a few weeks now and going with the spoiler here.


UNI @ SIU 30-28 Salukis win

OOOOOO my this is going to be a good game between two programs that have really got a nice heated rivalry going. SIU is literally battling for their playoff lives, while UNi even with a 4th loss still has a shot next week versus IL St. (pending a WKU win over YSU). Man, the Gateway has been WILD this year. You're NEVER sure what's going to happen from week to week.

SIU came to play last week in Youngstown, but the Salukis (who lead most of the game) let a golden opportunity slip by in their loss to YSU.
Meanwhile UNI at home pulled it out late over a stunned Hilltopper team.
The Panthers are indeed worthy of a playoff spot because (despite the WIU setback) they've turned it on over the last few weeks and had major improvement in their defense. Think SIU RB Arkee Whitlock will be the difference maker in this one as the Salukis just do tame the Panthers. What a game!!!

Okay Gateway fans, how do you see this week's GFC games going? :rotateh:

Wow, these two predicted results would equal a CRAZY showdown between UNI and ISU in the final week of the season in the DOME! Personally, I think that UNI wins at SIU, which still sets up an autobid showdown in the Dome. Should be a couple of good games regardless.

SO ILLmatic
November 6th, 2006, 05:14 PM
WIU
IL ST
SIU
YSU (a Penguin win would help us out with the predicament we are in)

shakdaddy3
November 6th, 2006, 05:22 PM
WIU - b/c MSU has a bad D and the Leathernecks have a great O
ILSU - b/c same as above but switch MSU with INSU and Leathernecks with Redbirds... add the fact that ILSU has a good D
SIU - they are hitting their stride, they are at home, they are fighting for their playoff lives, and i want UNI to lose :) (to be honest, the same goes all for UNI minus the home thing... i don't mind seeing SIU not making the playoffs and making the UNI-ILSU matchup even more important)
WKU - YSU's history of ineptitude @ WKU continues and WKU goes out with a bang in the gateway... bye bye WKU, miss you Hilltoppers

BearsCountry
November 6th, 2006, 05:31 PM
WIU @ MSU

This is not a "next game please" scenario. WIU is much better than their record says, but remember: ANY GIVEN SATURDAY. MSU will pull off the upset for the seniors.

Missouri State 21, Western Illinois 20

:hurray: