FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Toph]

If it weren't for our Warhawk friends (and HScoach), who would represent for John Carroll?  Even Toph has been silent.  I'm sure if JCU wins tomorrow plenty will show up to rub it in. 

Some of us have jobs, my friend.  Unfortunately, my work week continued as usual, despite the big game tomorrow.

[skunks_sidekick]

If it weren't for our Warhawk friends (and HScoach), who would represent for John Carroll?  Even Toph has been silent.  I'm sure if JCU wins tomorrow plenty will show up to rub it in. 

Some of us have jobs, my friend.  Unfortunately, my work week continued as usual, despite the big game tomorrow.

Well Toph....that's just not right.  You mean you couldn't invoke the "big game" clause and have today/this week off?   

[emma17]

its not arrogance if your team backs it up, arrogance would be the couple 'berg fans two weeks ago or the lone JCU fan.   Its easy to call names but I would like to see somebody predict a JCU win using numbers.  Any chance they had of coming out and grabbing an early lead has been erased by their own "arrogance" on social media.  Discuss....

First, pal...I've been around here far longer than you have, and secondly, I'm fairly certain I've seen more Mount Union games than you have.  I saw games at Mount Union before the purple suits even existed.  I watched Bill Borchert carve up defenses in person. 

I also find it funny that you ask people to back up a prediction for a JCU win "using numbers" and then later mock that use of numbers...here:

but how many Pitt transfers have they beat??? well I guess last year when they beat the current JCU QB...but its a whole new JCU offense and coach and their players have confidence now!!!!  JCU has stats!!!

You're projecting.  I actually haven't seen anyone actually outright predicting a JCU win (myself included).  If I had to pick a winner, I'd pick Mount close.  I'll stick to what I said earlier.  This is JCU's best shot in years. 

Stick to what you do best.  Get outrageously drunk, put on a suit you bought at the thrift store and dyed purple.  The adults are talking.

That was really funny.

[rscl70]

Well...well...well.....

UWW looks to be back on the national scene..and what do we have here?  UWW fans commenting on arrogance, the game, etc...

WELCOME BACK MEN......WE MISSED YOU!   

PS usually goes a bit hyperbolic to the negative when he talks about Mount's opponents.  Suit....easy there big fella!  I think we need to give JCU all the credit in the world.  They have made DRAMATIC improvement over last year, and I think they are definitely a top 10 team in the nation for sure.  That's an AMAZING turnaround!

Now..on to the game.  This is not quite the typical "Mount is Mount" team this year.  They've shown some glitches (not sure I would call them weaknesses), but it's all relative.  At the end of the day, to BE the man, you gotta BEAT the man, and I would make Mount a solid 7 point favorite due to the home field advantage, and due to the fact that they have been there before and before and before.

If JCU does win tomorrow, then they are definitely deserving all that goes with that.  They will be the new BULL in the woods.

I for one am looking forward to a great game, which will do nothing but get both teams even more ready for a lengthy play-off run.

See some of you at Pancho's tomorrow!   

Sidekick, I will be there no later than 1130.  Plans are to be on the road by 5 for the 6 hour drive, with a stop included to take care of business it should be 1100 ish.

As far as the game goes, on paper it should be a good one.  on the field we shall find out.  I am looking forward to a really good game, if not, why would I take the drive if I thought it was going to be Mount as usual.

I heard that it is Ohio High School playoff time.  Are there any Saturday evening games in the Alliance area?

Fairless - Manchester at Canton Central Catholic Stadium should be a good one.

[rscl70]

If it weren't for our Warhawk friends (and HScoach), who would represent for John Carroll?  Even Toph has been silent.  I'm sure if JCU wins tomorrow plenty will show up to rub it in. 

Some of us have jobs, my friend.  Unfortunately, my work week continued as usual, despite the big game tomorrow.

You have a job?  WOW!  Isn't that special!

[jcu_fan]

Here's another JCU backer.  Frequent reader/infrequent poster.

This will be my 19th straight Mt. Union/JCU game, so I know better than to jump on with wild predictions and inflammatory remarks.  But I don't want to disappoint, so here goes.

I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC OF OUR CHANCES TOMORROW!!!!

OUR STATISTICS THUS FAR CAUSE ME TO THINK JCU MATCHES UP WELL AND THAT WE'RE IN FOR A COMPETITIVE GAME TOMORROW!!!!!

OUT OF THE 20 OR SO MT. UNION POSTERS I READ, THERE MAY BE ONE OF YOU THAT IS UNDERESTIMATING JCU!!!  THE REST OF YOU HAVE THOROUGHLY ANALYZED THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF BOTH SIDES AND MADE COGENT POINTS!!!!

WOOO!!!!!!

[jcu_fan]

Here's another one: 

I THINK THE D3FOOTBALL TOP 25 RANKING HAS ACCURATELY REFLECTED JCU'S RISE INTO PROMINENCE BASED ON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE EACH WEEK, AND WE'RE NOT BEING OVERLOOKED AT ALL!!!!!!!!

[wesleydad]

Well...well...well.....

UWW looks to be back on the national scene..and what do we have here?  UWW fans commenting on arrogance, the game, etc...

WELCOME BACK MEN......WE MISSED YOU!   

PS usually goes a bit hyperbolic to the negative when he talks about Mount's opponents.  Suit....easy there big fella!  I think we need to give JCU all the credit in the world.  They have made DRAMATIC improvement over last year, and I think they are definitely a top 10 team in the nation for sure.  That's an AMAZING turnaround!

Now..on to the game.  This is not quite the typical "Mount is Mount" team this year.  They've shown some glitches (not sure I would call them weaknesses), but it's all relative.  At the end of the day, to BE the man, you gotta BEAT the man, and I would make Mount a solid 7 point favorite due to the home field advantage, and due to the fact that they have been there before and before and before.

If JCU does win tomorrow, then they are definitely deserving all that goes with that.  They will be the new BULL in the woods.

I for one am looking forward to a great game, which will do nothing but get both teams even more ready for a lengthy play-off run.

See some of you at Pancho's tomorrow!   

Sidekick, I will be there no later than 1130.  Plans are to be on the road by 5 for the 6 hour drive, with a stop included to take care of business it should be 1100 ish.

As far as the game goes, on paper it should be a good one.  on the field we shall find out.  I am looking forward to a really good game, if not, why would I take the drive if I thought it was going to be Mount as usual.

I heard that it is Ohio High School playoff time.  Are there any Saturday evening games in the Alliance area?

Fairless - Manchester at Canton Central Catholic Stadium should be a good one.

if it is sat night, then I will try to make my way there.  short drive as far as I know.  thanks for the info.

[edward de vere]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Wesleydad really, really likes football.

As in, if he lived in Jacksonville, Florida, he'd be one of the three Jaguars season-ticket holders.

[edward de vere]

Also, I don't know how to do the whole karma thing, or even if I'm eligible to give it, but I'm lovin' me some jcu_fan.

I know funny and THAT'S funny.

[mtfan]

FINALLY!!!!  ITS SATURDAY!!!!!!! about one more spin around the clock by the hour hand and its game time! been so pumped for this game all week can't even sleep now!!! good thing there is some high school state playoff action on!!!
Wesleydad
glad to see your making that gauntlet again, a true D3football diehard through and through, safe travels. Will try and make it to Pancho's before game time to meet up!
HScoach
Thanks for the stats! Can't remember when there has been so many close numbers as well as numbers on both sides of the same stat on a collision course! Something is going to have to give. Got to believe that with numbers so close it will be those intangibles that make the difference, or a major mistake swings momentum.

Obviously this looks to be so close  either way, but I believe the Raiders will prevail via some special teams play to win by 13.
Either way its great to have two OAC teams sitting in the Top 10 and poised for post season action. I can hear it echoeing now in the locker rooms this morning...."BOYS.THE POST SEASON STARTS TODAY!"

[MUCRaker]

Here we go Folks!!  What could be better?  Mount facing John Carroll for the OAC championship and all the playoff advantages.  The weather should be perfect, and the rivalry between these two young coaches begins TODAY!!  The teams are pretty even, however Mount has an hidden advantage.  The John Carroll killer is on his way from his hovel in New York to Alliance.  He's packing his purple hex kit.  So if you see small puffs of smoke, flying chicken feathers, and purple sparks that will be him applying the coup de grace on Tom Arth and his fearless blue streaks.  God I love D3 football!  Safe game for both teams, and a smooth safe road for all travelers.
GO Raiders!!!

[bleedpurple]

Good luck to both teams today. I'm happy for both fan bases because I know how fun it is to wake up the morning of a big game! The morning will probably feel like another week, but at least it will be a good week! 

Reading this board all week has been entertaining. Having seen neither team play gives me an excuse for being wrong, but doesn't keep me from offering a prediction!

I find it hard to put as much stock in statistics and comparative scores when we are comparing blowouts (which has been most of the conference season for both teams). What is obvious to me is that John Carroll is a different team this year. It appears their QB/Coach combination and improved defense has vaulted them into a new stratosphere from last year. They had huge turnaround results against Heidi, Ott, and BW. But none of those teams were close to Mount. The two keys questions for me are:

1. Has JC improved enough to turn around the score against Mount (which is very different than doing the same against the other three).
2. Is Mount still  an LK type Mount team?

This game MAY reveal some answers.

With no disrespect at all to John Carroll, My "never seen either team" prediction is Mount 31 JC 13.

Hope everyone is safe and has fun!

[Desertraider]

It is game day! Here is to a great game absent of injuries and all of that. As a Raider poster I am used to the assumption being made that since I am pro-Mount I am by default anti-anyone else. While not true I am used to it. My remark yesterday about "Mount is Mount" was not a reference to Mount being the same 800lb gorilla we have seen for nearly 25 years. It meant that Mount will do what Mount does - win. For 25 years Mount has won the games they should, won the games that should be close, and more often than not won the games that could go either way. They win. I am conVINCEd they will again. Does that mean I am not worried? No way. Here are some stats from last year that cause me great concern:

197 - Yards recieving by Jasper Collins
137- Yards recieving by Chris Denton
379- Passing yards by Kevin Burke
5- Touchdowns by Collins and Denton
11- Yards recieving by a Mount WR still on the roster
8- Yards rushing by a Mount rusher (not named Burke) still on Mounts roster.

Collins and Denton accounted for 334 of 379 rec yards in last years game and 5 TDs. They are both gone. In addition Mounts current RBs and WRs accounted for 19 total yards and 0 TDs. That is a lot to replace and Mount does not have that dynamic WR core as in years past. That concerns me. Mount has had to replace a number of key weapons - and they have but they lack a "game changer" aside from Burke. I think Mount will win this game - because that is what they do - but JCU is the best team Mount has faced all year (including Franklin) and the best Mount will see until the semi-finals. The playoffs have begun gentleman. Roll Raiders ~ Roll!

[rscl70]

22-12-2013