FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

I hate to rain on the parade,but I don't think this will be a close game. Wabash hasn't played a passing team like Mount. They have to cover four very good wide receivers,with size and speed they simply cannot match up with.  Mount's running game is the best it's been all year and the QB and offensive line are in a groove. Mount by four,and I don't mean points. No disrespect intended or implied.

Last week all we heard was how Wabash hadn't played anybody that runs/defends/whatever as well as NCC does (did actually...we can talk about North Central in the past tense now I guess).  Those statements weren't false, but the conclusion that gets drawn that Wabash can't match up with North Central or Mount Union or whoever because they didn't play anybody that good in the regular season is certainly false.  You are not what league you play in and you are not what teams you played against.  I have no idea who is going to win on Saturday.  I do know that the outcome won't have anything to do with who either team played in October.  Whoever wins on Saturday will do so because they are the better side. 

[mr_mom]

I realize that I'm typically a "glass half empty" kind of guy, but my idea of rolling and in a groove is a lot different than yours.   Mount could win comfortably, but I sure don't expect it.  This offense is way too inconsistent for me to have faith in an easy win.  Haven't looked at the spread, but if I was stilling setting them it would probably around 8.5

I originally had it at 10.5 but jacked it up to 13.5 last night to get more play.  Currently 60%-40% MUC, so I'm pretty happy.

[formerd3db]

seventies:
Great and +k!   Kind of like "who's related to who in the Bible"!

[BashDad]

I hate to rain on the parade,but I don't think this will be a close game. Wabash hasn't played a passing team like Mount. They have to cover four very good wide receivers,with size and speed they simply cannot match up with.  Mount's running game is the best it's been all year and the QB and offensive line are in a groove. Mount by four,and I don't mean points. No disrespect intended or implied.

Piloto completed less than 50% of his passes last week. He also threw for less than two bills on 27 throws. Oh, he also threw a pick. So. Yeah. Against CENTRE, by the way. So. I dunno. 

Try again?

[Toph]

I hate to rain on the parade,but I don't think this will be a close game. Wabash hasn't played a passing team like Mount. They have to cover four very good wide receivers,with size and speed they simply cannot match up with.  Mount's running game is the best it's been all year and the QB and offensive line are in a groove. Mount by four,and I don't mean points. No disrespect intended or implied.

Piloto completed less than 50% of his passes last week. He also threw for less than two bills on 27 throws. Oh, he also threw a pick. So. Yeah. Against CENTRE, by the way. So. I dunno. 

Try again?

If we're only going to look at one game, using said game to base our opinions...

Wabash beat Wooster 19-7, completing less than 50% of their passes, throwing two picks, missing 5 field goals and an extra point.  Against WOOSTER, by the way.  So. I dunno.

Based on this SINGLE game, we can clearly predict that Wabash will complete 25% of its passes, throw at least 5 interceptions, miss 11 field goals and any extra points they may attempt against Mount Union.






Of course, I am only trying to point out that judging one team's chances against another by breaking down a single game through the course of a season isn't the best of ideas.

With that said, Mount by 17.

[raiderpa]

I am very concerned that the inconsistency of Mount's offense makes them a disaster waiting to happen.  I hope that I am wrong, and I hope LK and staff can correct this.  If the offense doesn't get things improved, I think they are very vulnerable, especially if they turn it over and fall behind .

[BashDad]

Declaring that "Wabash hasn't seen a passing team like Mount" a week after a fairly mediocre passing performance against an iffy defense is not the best timing, is it?

[PurpleSuit]

You are correct.  I don't get all these Mount Union posters talking about a big time passing game.  Centre held them to just over 29 points last week.  Who here had ever even heard of Centre??? Exactly.  There are eight QB in DIII with a higher efficiency rating than Mount's scrubby starter.  And those guys are probably only up there because they were lucky enough not to play Wabash.  I mean Wabash always fights, right?  Come on guys take of the purple tinted glasses, Wabash beat North Central.  NORTH CENTRAL!!! I think that I've lost count but how many Final Fours and Stagg Bowls has NC been to lately?  It has to be a bunch.

Wabash 37 Mount Union 4

[Toph]

Declaring that "Wabash hasn't seen a passing team like Mount" a week after a fairly mediocre passing performance against an iffy defense is not the best timing, is it?

Maybe not the best timing, but you could just as easily look at Piloto's performance the week before.  18/23 for 206 against an iffy defense in windy conditions...and the statement looks true.  That's the point.

Even with that less than stellar game, Matt Piloto has completed 65% of his passes, thrown for 1700 yards splitting time (often 3 quarters or less between 2 QBs) for a good chunk of the season, and has 16 TD to 5 INT.

I've seen 3 Mount games this year.  In my opinion, Wabash needn't worry just about the passing attack.  From what I've seen this team is most effective with balance.  We've seen Mount Union teams that were heavy on the pass (particularly in the late 90s and early 00's), heavy on the run with a passing attack to back it up (Moore, Kmic), but this team is balanced.

Rush yards per game:  254.1
Pass yards per game:  217.2
24 TD's passing
37 TD's rushing (32 coming from what I would deem the Usual Suspects)
3 receivers at or near 40 receptions and 500+ yards for the season

I think Mount is the better team and if they play well the outcome on Saturday won't be in doubt.

[BashDad]

Declaring that "Wabash hasn't seen a passing team like Mount" a week after a fairly mediocre passing performance against an iffy defense is not the best timing, is it?

Maybe not the best timing, but you could just as easily look at Piloto's performance the week before.  18/23 for 206 against an iffy defense in windy conditions...and the statement looks true.

It does?

[BashDad]

I don't get all these Mount Union posters talking about a big time passing game.

Me neither. It's your worst in a decade.

[skunks_sidekick]

Well well well well well.......sigh.

Bash Dad...at least you are consistent. 

Purple...seriously dude.....that is just a bit wacky kooky.

IF Mount plays to its potential (which they haven't done for a long time), Mount will win this game by two touchdowns.  BUT....what is their "potential"?  We haven't seen it this whole year. 

Wabash on the other hand, has played to the top of their potential LAST WEEK!  That scares me.......  Now I for one was never the biggest NCC fan.  They hadn't proved anything to me no matter what the UWW guys try to convince themselves to believe.  They never beat anyone that meant anything, and never made it to a semi-final.  Having said that, neither has Wabash until last week.  From a OAC/Mount perspective....the NCAC...really?  Please! 

I happen to believe that Wabash made that "next step".  I also believe that unless Mount plays the game we have all been waiting for...it's going to be one hell of a game!

After further review.....there will be NO Belden Village get together.  That is messing with karma, and I for one will not go down that road.  I have heard talk of a place called Vusuvio?  V something?  I looked it up online, and it appears to be a decent place.  Alliance guys (Mt. Fan...HURF)....I need a review. 

Any Wabash fans traveling....you will probably have a better chance to get a hotel in Alliance than Canton/North Canton/Belden Village due to the Ohio State High School Play-offs.  You are all welcome, and would really be appreciated if you join us.

More to come......

[Toph]

I don't get all these Mount Union posters talking about a big time passing game.

Me neither. It's your worst in a decade.

You are clearly a reasonable man who makes reasonable arguments.

Enjoy the game.

[BashDad]

Right. I'm the moron.

You guys have played three suspiciously close games. BW, Cap, and ONU. In two of them you didn't throw for a hundred yards. Against Capital you were 9-21 for 85 yards. You didn't score a touchdown until the 4th quarter and it wasn't through the air.

Over the course of the season, your Raiders have tossed 26 TDs and are averaging 217 ypg passing. Those are all in the statistical basement of the last decade's UMU teams. 

And getting back to the actual point:

I hate to rain on the parade,but I don't think this will be a close game. Wabash hasn't played a passing team like Mount.

Wabash had a team on its schedule that threw for 400 more yards and 4 more touchdowns against the Crusaders than Seaman/Piloto. That was Witt. Ask them how easy it was to throw against Bash.

I don't get all the eye-rolling. Stop it.

[PurpleSuit]

Its hardly worth a response, but why not.

You bring up the two sub 100 yards passing games.  The ONU game was played in a foot of mud and the wind gusting from end zone to end zone.  LK made the decision to forgo the passing game and win the game on the ground.  Worst field conditions I've seen.  As a Mount fan, I'm ok with his judgement.  The Capital game was probably the worst performance by a Mount QB that I have ever seen, but Seaman is no longer the QB.  LK actually pulled both QB and went with a freshman for portions of the game.

Since when is 26 TD and 217 ypg indicative of a poor passing game?

Mount's "worst team in a decade" would be Wabash's best team in a lifetime.  Hope you all enjoy your trip to Ohio