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Topic: Official MAC Championship Game Thread: Western Michigan
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Ted Thompson
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Posted: 11/25/2016 11:49 PM
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Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we'll have a separate travel thread.

Date: December 2nd, 2016 7:00 PM

Opponent: Western Michigan  (12-0, 8-0 MAC)

Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Ohio Radio

Webcast: ESPN3.com

WMU statistics, roster and media guide.

WMU Fan Sites: Bronco Stampede    Bronco Blitz (Rivals)

LuckySparrow
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Posted: 11/26/2016 10:21 AM
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I thought WMU looked like a Top 10 team last night.
The Situation
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Posted: 11/27/2016 2:38 AM
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L.C.
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Posted: 11/27/2016 1:21 PM
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The Situation wrote:expand_more

When I think of Carrie, I'll always think of the Relentless series from 2012, and the leadership role he played with the younger cornerbacks that year, calming them, and guiding them before the big win at Penn State, when he couldn't play himself due to his shoulder injury. It's great to seen his success in the NFL, and I wish him tons of success when his playing days are through.
Last Edited: 11/27/2016 1:22:26 PM by L.C.
C Money
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Posted: 11/27/2016 3:33 PM
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WMU ranked #13 in the AP poll, #14 in the coaches' poll.

If we pull this off, would it be a bigger upset than the NCAA tourney win over Georgetown?
Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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Posted: 11/27/2016 3:44 PM
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I think Ohio's third down conversion rate is the most important stat of this game. Bobcats need long sustained drives even more than they need points early in the game.
brucecuth
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Posted: 11/27/2016 5:31 PM
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19 pt underdog...
The Situation
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Posted: 11/27/2016 6:27 PM
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brucecuth wrote:expand_more
19 pt underdog...
During the 2013 season the PJ Fleck coached Western Michigan Broncos lost to Nicholls State, 27 point underdogs.
Last Edited: 11/27/2016 6:28:04 PM by The Situation
The Situation
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Posted: 11/27/2016 7:05 PM
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I haven't seen WMU play a game this season. But I did enjoy reading this description of the end of their closest game, a one point win over 6-6 Northwestern:

"With three minutes to go, Northwestern was driving for the go-ahead touchdown when quarterback Clayton Thorson fumbled on the 1-yard line. The ball went into the end zone and was about to go out of bounds, which would have been a touchback. The ball would have gone to Western Michigan.

Instead, a Western Michigan player inexplicably grabbed the ball, threw it back into the end zone, and it was recovered by Northwestern for what would have been a Wildcats touchdown. However, the official ruled that the Western Michigan player stepped out of bounds before throwing it back in, giving the ball to the Broncos."
brucecuth
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Posted: 11/27/2016 8:15 PM
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The Situation wrote:expand_more
19 pt underdog...
During the 2013 season the PJ Fleck coached Western Michigan Broncos lost to Nicholls State, 27 point underdogs.
yep. Would help if we were playing the '13 team. They were 1 - 11.
ShoreCat
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Posted: 11/28/2016 8:08 AM
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We made it. It wasn't always pretty this season but we are here with a chance to pull off the upset and bring the title home.

To me, at the risk of sounding like Captain Obvious, our chances of pulling off an upset hinge on 2 factors.

1. We have to run the ball and control the clock.
2. We have to put pressure on the QB. Without that, Corey Davis and crew could have a field day against our DB's.

I've been wrong about this team all year and have no idea what to expect. But we're here. Can't ask for more than that right now.
The Situation
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Posted: 11/28/2016 8:24 AM
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brucecuth wrote:expand_more
19 pt underdog...
During the 2013 season the PJ Fleck coached Western Michigan Broncos lost to Nicholls State, 27 point underdogs.
yep. Would help if we were playing the '13 team. They were 1 - 11.
The moral to the story is that a 19 point spread upset is possible. We are not talking about a #16 seed playing a #1 (so to speak).

I could've cited larger spread upsets like Stanford's 2007 win over USC as 39 point underdogs, but the WMU line felt more appropriate.
Ted Thompson
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Posted: 11/28/2016 8:57 AM
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cc-cat
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Posted: 11/28/2016 9:42 AM
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The Situation wrote:expand_more
19 pt underdog...
During the 2013 season the PJ Fleck coached Western Michigan Broncos lost to Nicholls State, 27 point underdogs.
yep. Would help if we were playing the '13 team. They were 1 - 11.
The moral to the story is that a 19 point spread upset is possible. We are not talking about a #16 seed playing a #1 (so to speak).

I could've cited larger spread upsets like Stanford's 2007 win over USC as 39 point underdogs, but the WMU line felt more appropriate.
And except for a fluke play, Western Michigan loses to Northwestern - and would not be undefeated. Would not be ranked in the top 20. And (with a win Friday) would not be headed to a New Year's Day bowl. Stay calm. Stay focused. Ohio is not playing Alabama, or Clemson, or even Louisville Friday. On Friday we are playing a very good MAC team - nothing more - nothing less.
Last Edited: 11/28/2016 9:44:29 AM by cc-cat
dropping-by
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Posted: 11/28/2016 10:17 AM
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It's amazing people keep bringing up at Northwestern game as evidence Western Michigan is a average team. The fumble wasn't a fluke, it was a forced fumble. Secondly, they have beat every other opponent like a drum by an average margin of over 20 points. Ohio will hands their hands full.
KC Bobcat
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Posted: 11/28/2016 10:22 AM
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C Money wrote:expand_more
WMU ranked #13 in the AP poll, #14 in the coaches' poll.

If we pull this off, would it be a bigger upset than the NCAA tourney win over Georgetown?
I don't think so. Georgetown was recognized as a national power. If we can upset WMU, the talking heads will just say Broncos were overvalued.
cc-cat
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Posted: 11/28/2016 10:46 AM
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dropping-by wrote:expand_more
It's amazing people keep bringing up at Northwestern game as evidence Western Michigan is a average team. The fumble wasn't a fluke, it was a forced fumble. Secondly, they have beat every other opponent like a drum by an average margin of over 20 points. Ohio will hands their hands full.

Feel free to "drop by" an english class during your time at WMU. I don't see anyone here calling WMU "average." And I'm not sure what "hands their hands full" means - I guess it is a Bronco thing.
TrueFan
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Posted: 11/28/2016 11:32 AM
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Let's look at it this way: We were the underdogs by 4 touchdowns to Tennessee, and lost by 9 points to a ranked SEC team. I'm not sure which team will show up on Friday, but it will be interesting to see. Either way, our Offense has to stay on the field longer than 3-5 minutes and give our defense some breathing room. Let's stop running the ball up the middle, which clearly isn't working for us. We gotta play the way we played against Tennessee. We lost the game, but I felt like we won their respect. Nobody expected Ohio to hang with them AT ALL..... We gotta stay relevant during the entire game, and not act as if we are on the field doing the "Mannequin Challenge" Let's Go Bobcats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul Graham
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Posted: 11/28/2016 2:36 PM
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Fleck's teams have absolutely demolished us recently. At a minimum, our upperclassmen should be out for blood. I expect to see Blair Brown produce some Game of Thrones type carnage.
AlumDadDad
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Posted: 11/28/2016 2:46 PM
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TrueFan wrote:expand_more
Let's look at it this way: We were the underdogs by 4 touchdowns to Tennessee, and lost by 9 points to a ranked SEC team. I'm not sure which team will show up on Friday, but it will be interesting to see. Either way, our Offense has to stay on the field longer than 3-5 minutes and give our defense some breathing room. Let's stop running the ball up the middle, which clearly isn't working for us. We gotta play the way we played against Tennessee. We lost the game, but I felt like we won their respect. Nobody expected Ohio to hang with them AT ALL..... We gotta stay relevant during the entire game, and not act as if we are on the field doing the "Mannequin Challenge" Let's Go Bobcats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure which one will show up Friday either...hopefully the one that will ruin Western's perfect season.

On the topic of UTM, I believe that would be a good thing for us to do against WMU. My observation has been that the middle of their front 7 appears to be their soft spot against a good running team.
AlumDadDad
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Posted: 11/28/2016 2:51 PM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
Fleck's teams have absolutely demolished us recently. At a minimum, our upperclassmen should be out for blood. I expect to see Blair Brown produce some Game of Thrones type carnage.
Speaking of Brown, anyone have injury status for him after the Akron game? He had a huge friendly-fire collision with Strobel and didn't re-enter the game. It appeared from the stands that they were checking him out for concussion symptoms.
Ted Thompson
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Posted: 11/28/2016 3:17 PM
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PhiTau74
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Posted: 11/28/2016 6:33 PM
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TrueFan wrote:expand_more
Let's look at it this way: We were the underdogs by 4 touchdowns to Tennessee, and lost by 9 points to a ranked SEC team. I'm not sure which team will show up on Friday, but it will be interesting to see. Either way, our Offense has to stay on the field longer than 3-5 minutes and give our defense some breathing room. Let's stop running the ball up the middle, which clearly isn't working for us. We gotta play the way we played against Tennessee. We lost the game, but I felt like we won their respect. Nobody expected Ohio to hang with them AT ALL..... We gotta stay relevant during the entire game, and not act as if we are on the field doing the "Mannequin Challenge" Let's Go Bobcats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tennessee wasn't that good, they lost to South Carolina and South Carolina just lost to Clemson 56-7.
The Situation
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Posted: 11/28/2016 9:45 PM
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PhiTau74 wrote:expand_more
Let's look at it this way: We were the underdogs by 4 touchdowns to Tennessee, and lost by 9 points to a ranked SEC team. I'm not sure which team will show up on Friday, but it will be interesting to see. Either way, our Offense has to stay on the field longer than 3-5 minutes and give our defense some breathing room. Let's stop running the ball up the middle, which clearly isn't working for us. We gotta play the way we played against Tennessee. We lost the game, but I felt like we won their respect. Nobody expected Ohio to hang with them AT ALL..... We gotta stay relevant during the entire game, and not act as if we are on the field doing the "Mannequin Challenge" Let's Go Bobcats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tennessee wasn't that good, they lost to South Carolina and South Carolina just lost to Clemson 56-7.
Jerry Rig Jeff Sagarin has Tennessee at #25, WMU at #22, South Carolina at #77 and Ohio at #93 (LMAO! at that Ohio ranking behind 9-3 Youngstown State).

For what ever you think it's worth I (OPPA+-) have Tennessee at #14, WMU at #5, South Carolina at #61, and Ohio at #62.
Bobcat110
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Posted: 11/28/2016 10:14 PM
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C Money wrote:expand_more
If we pull this off, would it be a bigger upset than the NCAA tourney win over Georgetown?
It'd be great, but no, not bigger than Georgetown. The OU BB team was a 9th seed in our own MAC tournament. Noone expected any MAC team, must less the 9th seed from the MAC, to beat Georgetown. Very few OU fans even made the trip outside of alums who lived in NE, player's families, 110 pep band and OU glad handlers. Most of us had return flights booked for the Friday after. And, nationally, the front page coverage of papers like the USA Today of the Geogetown upset won't be repeated for a win over WMU. Beating WMU won't get much more than some highlights on ESPN before they go on to discussing the Big Ten Championship and national championship. Walking out of the arena with the stunned faces on the Georgetown fans is something I won't ever forget and one of the best sports experiences I've had.

I'm hoping our defense can muddy up WMU and keep us in the game until the end. It's a great thing for our guys to be there and great experience for Maxwell (and other young players) if he is our QB for next few years. Might not win this year, but could lay foundation for a near future championship. I just don't think the sports world would feel the shock of Ohio beating WMU as it did when we beat Georgetown.
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