118th Monon Bell Classic

[DPUIrish1]

How good is a 5-4 team really? It's obviously the best win DPU has had this year, but winning 7-3 in a throwaway game isn't exactly a statement.

i don't believe a statement was made today.  we won.  it wasn't pretty.  we move on to Monon Week

[bashbrother]

The Dannies were in trouble yesterday,  but after seeing the Little Giants play their most complete game of the year with key portions returning from Injury,  they are in a bunch of trouble next weekend.

I had thought that 47-0 may not be attainable two years in a row,  but now, we may be heading for another M-Stomp in the Bell....  I hope HDNet continues to cover the game after this weekend.  Blowouts, typically do not bring desirable ratings.

[DPU3619]

man, Wes - giving us a real shot, huh?  we've mentioned it thousands of times here....it's a game of unpredictabililty.

Oh, I think we can win, because statisically our defense is better than any defense on their schedule to this point.  We're just not going to move the football in large chunks and score points.  I'm calling a spade a spade here.  I've laid out a plan to win.  There's not really another way to do it, I don't think.  You stop them a bunch.  You turn them over.  You find a way to scrape some points together and make it hold.  It has to be a grind.  Wabash's offense has had to do that at times.  They have went through spurts where they look really out of sync.  Witt did a really bad job of making them do that today.  But Oberlin's second half defensively was great against the LGs.  That's what has to happen.  DePauw did a really bad job of making them do that in the last 6 quarters they've played against Wabash.  Robby had these guys pegged in 2007, 2008, and in the first half in 2009.  It's not like he's never seen them before.

We have a similar defense to Wooster, which gave them 19.  Our defense gave similar efforts to theirs against our two common opponents.  Yeah, the numbers were ugly against some bad teams, but that's the offense's fault to a degree.  It's certainly possible.  But if we think DePauw's offense is going to come out, punch them in the mouth, and win this game 31-28, I think we're all kidding ourselves to a degree.  That's just honesty from me.  Been around this team and this game since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  I won't keep my criticism of this football team off the table if they deserve it. 

EDIT: On that note, I'm going to grab a Zima.  I'll be back in a bit.

[BashDad]

But, I do think if DePauw can turn Belton over a time or two...

That's a big ask. He isn't turning the ball over these days.

[smedindy]

It's fortunate that Wabash has burned the tape from the first half of Wash U and Denison...

The issue though is where the DPU field position will be. Wabash's defense can absolutely crush a team that's always buried deep in their territory.

DPU has made a nice comeback from what was going to be a laughingstock of a season. But still, this isn't anything like the halcyon teams of the past. And Wabash won't be Albion (or Thomas More). They'll be motivated to keep the Bell and get homefield for the playoffs. You know, what you had last year. But I can guarantee after the first quarter of their playoff game Wabash wouldn't have been outscored 74-7 in the previous five quarters of play.

[Breckenridgebear]

Welcome to Monon Week! Ding Mother Fing Dong!

[smedindy]

I wish HDNet would have bought an ad or two on the "Game of The Century (FG Kicking Edition)" tonight regarding the Bell Game.

[sigma one]

Both Sides:  It's BELL WEEK, baby!  We all know this year's records.  For the first time in several years, the Little Giants and Tigers will come into the game separated by more than a win or two on their records.  To help gear up, let's recognize, as I am sure that most of this Board do, that in the past the undefeated team coming in, is not always the undefeated team going out:  2010 (DPU), 2008 (WC), 2007 (WC)--though in those years the records were not this far apart.  And we can go further back in time to find major upsets, including my favorite, 7-0 in the rain in poor conditins, at Blackstock in 1967. (Hardly relevant to this year, but fond in my memory since my roomie was the Wabash QB)  And among many Wabash mens' least favorite, 1981.  Even during this past decade about half the games have been decided by a TD or less. There's been lots of discussion about DePauw's offensive challenges (about 16 ppg), but the Tiger defense has not been much discussed, giving up only 17 a game, a TD more that the Wabash D.  I know, I know, apples and oranges, stats for losers, etc.  Without know much about Albion (they seem to be an average team in a below average league this year), the DPU win yesterday has to give them hope.   While I love rubbing it in, and 47-0 is special--the first shut out in the series since that 7-0 game so long ago--that's all past.  Do I think Wabash is the better team?  Certainly.  But in recent weeks, they have shown a bit of offensive inconsistency.  Can DPU, find a way to score enough on the Wabash D while holding the offense in check?  Seems unlikely.  Let the mockery and analysis begin.

[HSCTiger74]

Both Sides:  It's BELL WEEK, baby! ....  Let the mockery and analysis begin.

Begin?!?! Where have you been?
Your post shows up on page 25 of a thread that was only started two months ago, with a good bit of analysis and even more mockery already in evidence.

[sigma one]

HSCTIGER74, You are correct.  And BEll WEEK always attracts more than the usual suspects, myself included.

[OldCaveman]

If I was a DPU scout observing the first half of Wabash's game vs. Witt, I would have trembled yesterday seeing Wabash's first half performance. If they had stayed to scout the 2nd half, then they would have hope for next week. IF Wabash's head is in the game, then they will win big. If not, then they will lose or either win a very tight, low scoring game. In years past, so many guys on here have pooh poohed the chances of the underdog winning and yet in the last 4 years, the favorite has NOT won the game. The beating DPU put on us at Wabash in 2008 and the thrashing we gave them last year (47-0 for those who might have forgotten...hehe) will hopefully encourage the Wabash coaches to impress on those young minds the gravity of what could happen if they are not ready for war. DPU just beat the MIAA conference champion and their SOS is twice as good as Wabash's through week 8. DPU has NOTHING to lose and everything to gain. War it is and war it will be. DePauw to hell, we'll keep the bell. Wabash ALWAYS Fights. 

[wally_wabash]

IF Wabash's head is in the game, then they will win big. If not, then they will lose or either win a very tight, low scoring game. In years past, so many guys on here have pooh poohed the chances of the underdog winning and yet in the last 4 years, the favorite has NOT won the game. The beating DPU put on us at Wabash in 2008 and the thrashing we gave them last year (47-0 for those who might have forgotten...hehe) will hopefully encourage the Wabash coaches to impress on those young minds the gravity of what could happen if they are not ready for war.

Do you think that a coach needs to tell anybody playing in this game that it's important?  I don't.  These players, all of them on both sides, know what time it is. 

[wally_wabash]

...their SOS is twice as good as Wabash's through week 8.

The NCAA SOS metric isn't always what it seems.  For instance...WashU is currently ranked 202 in SOS which is pretty awful.  Their games against Wabash (9-0) and Wittenberg (7-2) don't get factored in to the calculation, so the SOS isn't all inclusive.  How much can one game against a team with a gaudy record matter?  Last week Wittenberg was ranked down around 200 in SOS.  Today they are 117.  That's about 80 spots from just one game.  What's not being counted on DePauw's SOS is their game against soon-to-be 0-10 Austin, so that schedule isn't as good as the list would lead you to believe. 

[Breckenridgebear]

http://youtu.be/RuQtwGkHR9w

http://youtu.be/dzXWiJ_DQno

http://youtu.be/dcUVLTmkRhw

http://youtu.be/UlxLMJLTPIM

http://youtu.be/v1knNDye3I0

http://youtu.be/x_7rvpUJKkY

http://youtu.be/F-fQhMTv4Lg

[DPU3619]

From Part 2 of your video BRB...

"In this ancient battle between the Cavemen and the Tigers, it is survival of the fittest and a man can redeem his whole career, indeed, his whole life by slaying the dragon in a Monon game."