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Lumberjacks76
August 30th, 2005, 10:37 PM
Here are my predictions for every game the Big Sky Conference plays against a Division I-A team in 2005:

Montana @ Oregon: This game will be close for a half, maybe 3 quarters before the superior depth of the Ducks takes a toll on the Griz. Look for Montana to score first (3-0), but fall behind 24-13 by halftime.

Final score prediction: Oregon 45, Montana 21

Eastern Washington @ San Jose State: I'm pulling for Eastern Washington in this one, and I don't think they'll disappoint. San Jose State may be Division I-A, but they won't be able to contain Eastern Washington's passing attack. Eastern Washington goes up early on a fumble recovery (3-0), and maintains the lead going into halftime (21-17). The second half is back and forth, with Eastern Washington pulling out a close one.

Final score prediction: Eastern Washington 38, San Jose State 31

Portland State @ Oregon State/Portland State @ Boise State: Both of these games look like certain mismatches, but I think Portland State can steal one of these games (especially against a weakened Oregon State). However, even if Oregon State flops this year and finished 5-6, look for them to defeat Portland State by at least two touchdowns. As for the Boise State game, I'll predict that Portland State will come through the game relatively unscathed.

Final score prediction(s): Oregon State 45, Portland State 17
Boise State 56, Portland State 24

Northern Arizona @ Arizona: This one has upset written all over it. The Jacks invaded Tucson last year and had many chances to pull out the win. The Wildcats won't be very good this year (yet again) and I fully expect my team to be better than the 4-7 mark they mustered last year. Look for another low scoring game, with the Jacks pulling ahead lead to seal their first Division I-A victory since a 24-20 victory over Tulsa in 1987.

Final score prediction: NAU 24, Arizona 19

Montana State @ Oklahoma State: I like the Bobcats this year, but this is Oklahoma State. Still, I'll give Montana State more points in this one due to emotion and effort.

Final score prediction: Oklahoma State 49, Montana 33

Weber State @ Fresno State: Weber could pull the upset here, but I expect Fresno State to pull away in the 3rd quarter. They always seem to do well against Division I-AA opponents. This game should be around 28-17 Fresno at the half, with a final score in the 38-24 point range.

Final score prediction: Fresno State 38, Weber State 24

Idaho State @ Kentucky: This game could go both ways. Kentucky isn't very good and Idaho State would like to rebound from last season. I think this game will be low scoring, with Idaho State keeping things interesting well into the 4th quarter.

Final score prediction: Kentucky 35, Idaho State 31

Sacramento State @ California: Sacramento State cannot possibly defeat California, but they can at least take some pride in facing a PAC-10 opponent in hostile territory. Cal by at least 35.

Final score prediction: California 42, Sacramento State 7

Paul

IaaScribe
August 31st, 2005, 10:12 AM
Paul, again, you're absolutely delusional.

Arizona will be 100 times better than it was last year. NAU is breaking in a couple of new linebackers (save for Bruce Branch), and Mike Bell is a top-tier Pac-10 back. Arizona took NAU lightly and almost lost last year, and Stoops won't let it happen again. Murrietta's receivers still suck. Simirone Wade and Alex Watson are no Clarence Moore and Johnny Marshall.

Arizona 45, NAU 10.

89Hen
August 31st, 2005, 10:21 AM
Weber State @ Fresno State: Weber could pull the upset here, but I expect Fresno State to pull away in the 3rd quarter. They always seem to do well against Division I-AA opponents. This game should be around 28-17 Fresno at the half, with a final score in the 38-24 point range.

Final score prediction: Fresno State 38, Weber State 24

Idaho State @ Kentucky: This game could go both ways. Kentucky isn't very good and Idaho State would like to rebound from last season. I think this game will be low scoring, with Idaho State keeping things interesting well into the 4th quarter.

Final score prediction: Kentucky 35, Idaho State 31
I don't see either of these games being close. Weber nor ISU is looking particularly strong on paper. Fresno has fielded some pretty decent teams the last several years and Kentucky, even in their bad years can handle a lower team from a I-AA conference. I wish both well against their I-A opponents, but I wouldn't be holding my breath on either game making it to the third quarter.

Lumberjacks76
August 31st, 2005, 10:51 AM
I really believe NAU has a chance in this one. I'm not impressed by Arizona (they have a below-average QB in Kovalcheck) and a good running back (Bell). However, although their defense was improved from last year, I think NAU has better receivers than they did last year. They dropped a ton of passes which won't happen again this year.

I truly feel Murrietta is back to his freshman form when he threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns. We didn't have Clarence Moore or Johnny Marshall in 2004, and it showed. But we've got 6 foot 6 Kory Mahr, who made some great catches against Arizona last year. Simirone Wade is back. I also like the junior college transfer WR we found in Kenneth Franklin, who really impressed the Arizona Daily Sun writer Ed Odeven.

I think NAU's receivers will have a good year this season. What that will translate into is more touchdowns for the NAU offense and more wins. I believe NAU can win 8 games this year, including the Arizona game. Arizona will finish 4-7 or 5-6 this season. I don't have any faith in Stoops as a coach down there. It may take one or two seasons for the Wildcats to have a winning record. Remember, Mackovic really screwed this program over.

Plus, NAU is long overdue for a victory over a Division I-A opponent. I know Tulsa is no Arizona, and New Mexico is no Arizona, but this Wildcats team is ranked #80 by TSN this year, which makes the Arizona game very winnable yet again.

The Wildcats offense scored 164 points all of last season, and I don't expect much improvement from them this year. Maybe in the 250s, but nothing spectacular. The Wildcats are a 5-6 Division I-A football team (at best).

Paul

polsongrizz
August 31st, 2005, 11:04 AM
No way Weber has a chance in hell of beating Fresno.

WhereDoITypeMyUsername?
August 31st, 2005, 12:51 PM
There are only two that might be close: EWU vs. SJSU and you guys v. the Wildcats.

EWU might steal one. Both the Lumberjacks and U of A are such unknown quantities that it's hard to predict how that one'll go. I'd like to see NAU be back to form this year, and I think their suckage last year had more to do with the underperformance of the highly overrated Robinson than it did Murietta or the lack of Clarence Moore. But who knows.

All the other games will be slaughters, including the Ducks absolutely destroying my beloved Grizzlies. ISU and PSU have no chance in hell of even staying close to even the meiocre teams they play.

Lumberjacks76
August 31st, 2005, 01:26 PM
I wonder why Portland State is scheduling two Division I-A teams this year? That's highly unusual.

Paul

IaaScribe
August 31st, 2005, 02:39 PM
There are only two that might be close: EWU vs. SJSU and you guys v. the Wildcats.

EWU might steal one. Both the Lumberjacks and U of A are such unknown quantities that it's hard to predict how that one'll go. I'd like to see NAU be back to form this year, and I think their suckage last year had more to do with the underperformance of the highly overrated Robinson than it did Murietta or the lack of Clarence Moore. But who knows.

All the other games will be slaughters, including the Ducks absolutely destroying my beloved Grizzlies. ISU and PSU have no chance in hell of even staying close to even the meiocre teams they play.

Robinson's suckage had a lot to do with a very bad offensive line. He had nowhere to run.

JALMOND
September 1st, 2005, 11:08 PM
The reasoning for PSU playing two 1-A schools is money. School funding in Oregon is down considerably so this gives two money games for PSU. The Boise game was set already. The Beaver game came around this spring. OSU originally was scheduled to open with Wisconsin at home to christen the refurnished stadium, then follow it with a home game against Boise and Fresno there. The Badgers backed out, PSU always stays in contact with both the Ducks and Beavers, so PSU gets to be the opponent in the new stadium.

As far as your predictions, I'd say switch the scores around and you might be close. I believe we will have an "easier" time against OSU than Boise, although I don't see us winning either one. Unfortunate, since we do play both EWU and Montana on the road, so the OSU game could already be a battle for our playoff lives. A plus for us against the Beavers is that we had a great running team last year and the Beavers were terrible against the run.

AZGrizFan
September 2nd, 2005, 01:09 AM
Here are my predictions for every game the Big Sky Conference plays against a Division I-A team in 2005:

Final score prediction: Oregon 45, Montana 21
Final score prediction: Eastern Washington 38, San Jose State 31
Final score prediction(s): Oregon State 45, Portland State 17
Boise State 56, Portland State 24

Final score prediction: NAU 24, Arizona 19

Final score prediction: Oklahoma State 49, Montana STATE 33
Final score prediction: Fresno State 38, Weber State 24
Final score prediction: Kentucky 35, Idaho State 31
Final score prediction: California 42, Sacramento State 7

Paul

No homer-ism here, huh Paul? Besides the fact that it's the Bob-kittys playing OSU, surprisingly the ONLY I-AA team you pick to win is the 'Jokes. As Gomer used to say, "Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!"

kmax
September 2nd, 2005, 08:03 AM
surprisingly the ONLY I-AA team you pick to win is the 'Jokes.
Huh, good luck to Eastern Washington in I-A then. Hadn't realized they moved up.

AZGrizFan
September 2nd, 2005, 04:06 PM
Huh, good luck to Eastern Washington in I-A then. Hadn't realized they moved up.

You must have missed the press release.

Sorry Paul. I take back everything I've ever said about the Lumberjokes. At least you're not the Bobcats.