#18 WIU at #13 ILLINOIS STATE Noon Kickoff

[fourthandshort]

Ok, we'll just try to get there as early as we can and find something. It's a ~2 hour drive, so it won't be real early either way. Hopefully we can at least beat the people that wait to show up until 30 minutes until kickoff.

Also, here's the kind of stuff that McShane can do, just FYI:
https://twitter.com/NCAA_FCS/status/925166848458584064

thanks for game film Lawson ... I already forwarded this to Spack. We'll be ready for this play .. so bring it!! :naughty: :naughty:

 

[Reggie Redbird]

a 35-40 point win will be needed to to move up in the polls....plain and simple..

It will take a lot for us to move back into the top-10, but we may get closer if NDSU beats SDSU. I can't see SDSU staying in the top 10 at 6-3. Unfortunately, it looks like the only schools that would move out are MVFC schools since we all play each other. USD at #6 has to head to a good UNI team.

At least #11 EWU and #14 Weber State play each other, so one of those Big Sky team will rack up another loss: EWU their 4th or Weber St. their 3rd.

If we win this game and notch our 3rd win over a ranked top-20 team, that should get us into the playoffs with 7 wins and two games vs top-10 teams remaining. If WIU wins this game, they should find themselves in the playoffs with needing to win one game vs a winless InSU or SIU. Even if we beat WIU, I still think they make the playoffs at 7-4 because that would man wins over NAU, UNI, and a big win over an "FBS" Coastal Carolina.

 

[fourthandshort]

a 35-40 point win will be needed to to move up in the polls....plain and simple..

Lawson ... meet Crazzy .. literally.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

I don't really think we need to care about polling anymore. You are at a situation of Wins vs Losses. There is no combination of any 1 win and 2 losses moving forward that will do either of the following:

- Knock ISU out of the T25
- Eliminate ISU from the playoffs.

All you have to do is win 1 of the next 3 games and you get to play after Thanksgiving. It does not matter if you win by 1 over WIU and lose by a combined 60 against NDSU and SDSU. 7-4 with dominating wins over some of the best in the FCS puts you in.

Sure, if you win by 30 and lose by a combined 2, you might get a home game instead of an away to kick off the playoffs, but I think that's splitting hairs.

 

[fourthandshort]

I don't really think we need to care about polling anymore. You are at a situation of Wins vs Losses. There is no combination of any 1 win and 2 losses moving forward that will do either of the following:

- Knock ISU out of the T25
- Eliminate ISU from the playoffs.

All you have to do is win 1 of the next 3 games and you get to play after Thanksgiving. It does not matter if you win by 1 over WIU and lose by a combined 60 against NDSU and SDSU. 7-4 with dominating wins over some of the best in the FCS puts you in.

Sure, if you win by 30 and lose by a combined 2, you might get a home game instead of an away to kick off the playoffs, but I think that's splitting hairs.

I prefer to assume every little bit could make a difference in some way. You just don't know what all the selection committee will look at and focus on. And there are many games among the highest ranked MVFC left to play .. so i think it is safer to assume everything could make a difference.

 

[ThisIsTheLineup]

Forecast calling for 50's and rain (as of now most of it in the morning)....I don't know how many of you went to the Indiana State game two years ago, but that was probably the most miserable I have ever been in a sporting event!

Physically, not emotionally btw. ISU basketball makes me emotionally miserable a lot :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[DaveBird10]

Forecast calling for 50's and rain (as of now most of it in the morning)....I don't know how many of you went to the Indiana State game two years ago, but that was probably the most miserable I have ever been in a sporting event!

Physically, not emotionally btw. ISU basketball makes me emotionally miserable a lot [emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38]

I've saw the forecast and have been wondering which team team that will affect more. The indiana state game from 2 years ago was the worst, idk how I stayed and watched it all.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[saxman210]

https://herosports.com/college-football/team/comparisons/western-illinois-vs-illinois-state

A good statistical comparison. You’d think that rain would help the Birds since we are the better rushing team and they are the better passing team.

 

[fourthandshort]

https://herosports.com/college-football/team/comparisons/western-illinois-vs-illinois-state

A good statistical comparison. You’d think that rain would help the Birds since we are the better rushing team and they are the better passing team.

True for most part ... the rain and wind forecast favors us more than them, because of run game, offensively and defensively .. a little moreso due to our defense. But their pass defense is weaker, while their run defense is tougher. So we have to be willing to throw it more than we did against YSU. Our game plan against YSU was smart .. it was cool and rainy, and their pass defense was better than their run defense. WIU is the opposite .. so we will want to pass more against WIU, than we did YSU, to keep them honest and take advantage of their weakness there.

 

[cpacmel]

https://twitter.com/brianmacwriter/status/925835770992185344

 

[fourthandshort]

https://twitter.com/brianmacwriter/status/925835770992185344

Maybe .. if either team gets 8 wins, they should get a bye. Not saying they will .. just should.

 

[StLRedbird]

I don't think Western will be able to run on us. I'd say that without the rain, but with it even more so. Will they be able to pass on us? Yeah, probably not as well as USD did, but yeah.

I think we'll be able to we'll be able to move the ball better than they will. It may well require us to pass more - similar to the USD game. But both defenses will be stout.

Special teams? Advantage us.

Leathernecks 13
Redbirds 27

 

[ISUBU]

I don't think Western will be able to run on us. I'd say that without the rain, but with it even more so. Will they be able to pass on us? Yeah, probably not as well as USD did, but yeah.

I'm worried that they'll pass for big gains. We've been susceptible to big pass plays...and WIU seems to be good at that.

 

[StLRedbird]

I'm worried that they'll pass for big gains. We've been susceptible to big pass plays...and WIU seems to be good at that.

They've given up 14 sacks for 84 yds. We've given 15 for 79 yds, even with all of our OL issues. I think we're gonna put more pressure on McGuire than they put on Kolbe. It wasn't talked about much, but I really like the read option with Kolbe at QB and Broadnax in the backfield.

There remains a possibility that this is as big a season as we thought back in August. I think we'll know more about that after Saturday. I'm optimistic.

 

[Chi-bird]

Birds - 27
Dawgs - 17

 

[chuckie1980]

100th meeting...

http://www.videtteonline.com/sports/podcast-redbird-report-take-a-dive-into-isu-s-th/audio_2d60acee-bf47-11e7-8f03-e384b7309bb6.html

 

[JHBird]

a 35-40 point win will be needed to to move up in the polls....plain and simple..

It will take a lot for us to move back into the top-10, but we may get closer if NDSU beats SDSU. I can't see SDSU staying in the top 10 at 6-3. Unfortunately, it looks like the only schools that would move out are MVFC schools since we all play each other. USD at #6 has to head to a good UNI team.

At least #11 EWU and #14 Weber State play each other, so one of those Big Sky team will rack up another loss: EWU their 4th or Weber St. their 3rd.

If we win this game and notch our 3rd win over a ranked top-20 team, that should get us into the playoffs with 7 wins and two games vs top-10 teams remaining. If WIU wins this game, they should find themselves in the playoffs with needing to win one game vs a winless InSU or SIU. Even if we beat WIU, I still think they make the playoffs at 7-4 because that would man wins over NAU, UNI, and a big win over an "FBS" Coastal Carolina.

What rank do you think we'll need to get a home playoff game? If we stay at least where we're at now would that be good enough?

 

[JHBird]

Forecast calling for 50's and rain (as of now most of it in the morning)....I don't know how many of you went to the Indiana State game two years ago, but that was probably the most miserable I have ever been in a sporting event!

Physically, not emotionally btw. ISU basketball makes me emotionally miserable a lot [emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38]

I've saw the forecast and have been wondering which team team that will affect more. The indiana state game from 2 years ago was the worst, idk how I stayed and watched it all.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

:text-+1:

Ha! I stayed too and got pretty soaked. I was probably sitting next to you. But nothing was worse than the USD game two years ago, with the high winds and snow. I didn't think it would be that cold, so I didn't dress properly. Hardly any fans were on the west side ... and with the wind howling thru the stadium it felt like a blizzard. I remember one of the USD punts going backwards. I'll never forget that one!

 

[fourthandshort]

100th meeting...

http://www.videtteonline.com/sports/podcast-redbird-report-take-a-dive-into-isu-s-th/audio_2d60acee-bf47-11e7-8f03-e384b7309bb6.html

Good of Michael Mara to fess up to pushing panic button too early. Great article describing the significance of how quickly we righted this ship.

The thing that strikes me about how we righted the ship in very convincing fashion against teams like USD at home and YSU on road is this .. all of a sudden, we look like NDSU in how we win games .. we lead with strong run game and defense, then pass as much as each opponent/game/weather dictates.

OC Dicken needs to remember this ... game plan each week for who we are and who we are playing, and then game conditions/score. Obviously both games, we were leading early .. which makes it easier to stick to your game plan .. but even when we are down and have to pass a little more .. it all must center on a strong ground game.

This week ... WIU has solid run defense and weaker pass defense .. game plan accordingly .. more like USD game offensively.

Next week .. SDSU has weaker run defense, and ok pass defense .. but their offense is finding it's stride .. so we should run it down their throats and pass to keep them honest .. more like YSU game.

One game at a time for sure, but NDSU run defense is coming in 3 weeks .. by far the best run defense we will face all year ... we should be building our offensive recovery towards that contest which will require very balanced run/pass attack.

 

[Total Red]

Coaching situation What I was mad about and what fuels my animosity towards him is HOW he left...or more specifically, how he communicated with the players about it. Essentially getting them together, telling them repeatedly that he wasn't going anywhere, and then taking off a few days later. I would rather he have been honest with the players, either not telling them anything, or telling them that he doesn't know what his future may hold, or something. But he outright lied to many of our players about it.[/b]

Great stuff Mr. Lawson. If there was a Fan Draft we would take you in the first round and put a Redbird cap on your head.

You touched on one of my favorite topics within the murky realm of college football - "Coach Speak", particularly as it relates to departures and arrivals. You have convicted Coach Nielson of lying to his players when he told them that he wasn't leaving but if Coach Nielson were here I'll bet he would tell you with a straight face that he didn't lie.

When Coach Nielson addressed the WIU players he did so as the HC of Western Illinois University. At that time he had not told the wife to start packing dishes and his house was not yet on the market. He had not reached a deal with any other university and he was not going anywhere.

Now a few days later (or even 5 minutes later) Coach Nielson may have received a call from his agent saying a deal had been reached with South Dakota. At that time the dishes started being packed and the house went on the market and a jet may have been scheduled to whisk him away to an introductory news conference in Vermillion, SD. Then and only then was Coach Nielson leaving.

In the verbally contorted world of "Coach Speak" Coach Nielson spoke only the absolute truth.