FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[downtown48]

A ten point lead in the first quarter is hardly something to hang your hat on...Collins and Elliott are tough but it will be the defenses that decide this one...

[ChiTownOxyMoron]

We all know that Elliot and Collins are good, but I have to agree with those who say that the defense will make the biggest difference. Although Linfield has better stats on D, Oxy's D isn't that bad. They have major speed at linebacker, and some good schemes to run. When I was back at homecoming, I noticed that the Oxy's DBs looked better than I remember them looking last year. The coaching staffs for both teams are top notch, and will gameplan well, so it looks like it will come down to the players. Recent Oxy teams have been good about sticking in games and grinding them out, so I don't think it will be the blow-out that Linfield fans are claiming. Sure, Wildcat fans will post the score from last year's game, but this Oxy team has a year of playoffs under its belt, which is something that last year's didn't have. That first year of experience can go a long way. Linfield has obviously proved that they can play, but so has Oxy. With the quality of offensive weapons on the field for both sides, this game ought to be a shoot-out.

[Tezbaseball]

Good luck to OXY this weekend. I was on the OXY sideline last year and the team was a class act all the way. It will be fun to watch.

[beancounter]

ChiTown.....there is a lot of truth to what you wrote.  First of all, Oxy has been here.  They have dealt with the Linfield atmosphere before, they won't be surprised by it (or at least shouldn't be.   It won't be like playing a game at Whittier or something).  They have played on the turf and played in cooler weather.   There won't be surprises there.

As Oxy experienced last year, Linfield is just a different deal athletically than few others in the country.   Oxy will have to be improved in every area....especially the skill and athleticism the secondary in order to hang with Linfield....it was a mismatch last year.

But as they say, you've got to play the game.....

[Browneagle64]

Wow---sagecock, relax on the whole outlook of Redlands and Oxy's season. At least at this point in the season, I would expect that any SCIAC fan would start cheering for the SCIAC school to do well in the postseason. I guess i was wrong. OH well.

Anywho's, as mentioned before, both Oxy and Linfields defense will determine the game on saturday. With the experince of oxy's playoff battle's last year, this will help the tigers understand how to use their defense to its highest. Sure, you might say that the defense of backfield is vulnerable, but i would assume that they will adjust to the whole game situation and get comfortable by the end of the 1st quarter.

Expect the game to be close. The score will indeed be Oxy 48-Linfield 45.
And yes this is only my opinion, as i would hope that all of you guys on this site would understand from a football fan.

Have fun waiting for saturdays game

[Tezbaseball]

Wow---sagecock, relax on the whole outlook of Redlands and Oxy's season. At least at this point in the season, I would expect that any SCIAC fan would start cheering for the SCIAC school to do well in the postseason. I guess i was wrong. OH well.

Anywho's, as mentioned before, both Oxy and Linfields defense will determine the game on saturday. With the experince of oxy's playoff battle's last year, this will help the tigers understand how to use their defense to its highest. Sure, you might say that the defense of backfield is vulnerable, but i would assume that they will adjust to the whole game situation and get comfortable by the end of the 1st quarter.

Expect the game to be close. The score will indeed be Oxy 48-Linfield 45.
And yes this is only my opinion, as i would hope that all of you guys on this site would understand from a football fan.

Have fun waiting for saturdays game

If anyone will drop 48 on someone it will be Linfield. OXY will not and can't drop 48 on Linfield. 'Cats 38 OXY 7

[wildcat11]

I really have no idea on what the final score will be....however, I just want Linfield to win and move on.  If they win by 1 or 40....it doesn't really matter...just as long as the 'Cats win.

Collins was probably the second best QB Linfield saw last year (Whitworth's Clark is still be best QB Linfield has seen the past two years) and I respect his game.  He's big, fast, and has a strong arm. 

Are any of you Oxy posters going to be up at the 'Catdome this weekend?  If so, drop me a P.M. and we'll have to meet up and chat before the game.  That is one great thing about the playoffs...it gives some of us the chance to meet and talk shop. 

[scandihoovian]

Early in the season I though Oxy was even stronger than last year, although as time went on I began to doubt a little.  As many have mentioned  - I think the defense is softer than last year's version.  It seems critical that the Tiger D make enough key stops to give the offense a chance to keep up.  I don't think they can "stop" Linfield in the sense of the whole game, but I do think they can do a lot by coming up with big plays at the right time.  I have not seen Linfield play, but it sounds like their D is strong in a "bend but not break" kind of fashion.  Oxy's O will be the biggest test for the Cats D by far, and they need to break off some big plays early to assure that they'll still be in the game past halftime.  It's a big challenge - but we do our conference a disservice by doubting Oxy's ability to at least give the Cats a run for their money.

Regardless of the decision making process that paired up Linfield and Oxy in the first round, this game is a huge opportunity for the SCIAC to gain respect on the national stage.  A strong showing by the Tigers goes along way for the conference.

[D O.C.]

A Johnnie once posted what a missed opportunity he created when he did not go to the Stagg Bowl when his team was there. His team did not get back for years. Life changes. This was advice to the LINFIELD people last year.
May I pass  it on to Occidental? You students go to your profs and ask what work could be done in the LINFIELD library on-line. You alumni get Jack Kemp on the stick.

Drive 8 hrs and get above Sacramento on the first day. There is a Day's Inn, Holiday Express and Indian Casino lodging along I-5 below Redding. (11 hours will get you over the big mountains into Medford, OR) An early start and no snow over the Siskyou's (the big mountains) will get you 10 hours the next day to the Salem area.
Salem is about a 40-minute drive to Mac. More lodging to be had there. McMinnville has precious little small college town accommodations and the WILDCAT fans will eat that up this year.

Flying is Southwest into Portland (PDX). You doctors and lawyers fly private if you must  (small airport rule1:do not get into a private plane with a doctor at the controls)  A rent-a car to Mac is going to take you 80-90 minutes to get through the suburbs and Californication of the Willamette Valley; more on Saturday AM because of the losers with green, yellow, and orange flags flying out the window on the highway.

You may never pass this way again.

Of course, if the wheels come off the best team in the country you have a home game next week.

[tigersports]

I'm one of those saps flying in on Saturday morning.  I get in at 9 am and will be cutting it close.  Forgot about the civil war cloggin up traffic.  Hopefully, I'm on the road in time to avoid it.  Plus, once I'm off I-5, I won't have to deal with them.  Wish the CW was a little later in the day, then I could do the double.  I went to a cool bar downtown for postgame suds last year.  If any 'Cat could give me the name of a place, I say we meet after the game.  My flight's not till 7.50 outta Portland.

[cawcdad]

Avoid the I-5 and downtown Portland mess and save a few minutes. From PDX take the 205 to 5 north for a quarter mile and then the Tualitin-Sherwood Road to 99W. I've done both and this route is faster. Find Gig Harbor Cat's motor home and there will any number of people to socialize with. Golden Valley Brewery is a good place for a post game meal.

[KennethK]

Last year Casey came up huge 13 catches for 221.  Can Oxy limit his numbers this year now that Carter is gone?  Collins was 28 of 50 for 311 with 3 ints.  Did any of those interceptions lead to easy scores for Linfield?

[Browneagle64]

Scandi--- You made a good point on your recent post and i must agree with you. This game will indeed be critical in the sense that if the defending champs fall, the SCIAC will have a national spotlight. One can only hope that when this happens the East coast schools will start learning about all of the SCIAC schools and start scheduling games against them. This will indeed get SCIAC schools exposed to more competition.

However, i must disagree about the Tigers Defense. I understand that Oxy's D last year was different then this year, but this years defense has gone a long way in adjusting to new things. There is a reason why the tigers ended up being 9-o in conference and one of those reasons was because the defense got them there. THere are some new people on the tiger D, but they have adjusted just fine. THe only thing that i can say now is that this unit as a whole will need to play their games of their lives to get onto the next stage of the playoffs.

God speed to all and have fun at the games

[beancounter]

Kenneth....take a look at last years box score and play by play

http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football_champs_records_book/2004/d3/oxy1204.htm

That ought to help you answer your questions about the Oxy vs. Linfield game last year...although I'm really a bit more puzzled why you aren't spending any time being a worrywart for the Johnnies' first obstacle....UW-Whitewater.

[Tezbaseball]

Scandi--- You made a good point on your recent post and i must agree with you. This game will indeed be critical in the sense that if the defending champs fall, the SCIAC will have a national spotlight. One can only hope that when this happens the East coast schools will start learning about all of the SCIAC schools and start scheduling games against them. This will indeed get SCIAC schools exposed to more competition.

However, i must disagree about the Tigers Defense. I understand that Oxy's D last year was different then this year, but this years defense has gone a long way in adjusting to new things. There is a reason why the tigers ended up being 9-o in conference and one of those reasons was because the defense got them there. THere are some new people on the tiger D, but they have adjusted just fine. THe only thing that i can say now is that this unit as a whole will need to play their games of their lives to get onto the next stage of the playoffs.

Shouldn't the SCIAC schedule games vs. the likes of Linfield again before they go East?

God speed to all and have fun at the games