That mediocre bound for .500 Northwestern team

[GoSU96]

finished 9-3 and 2oth in the BCS.

Pretty good for a nothing program.

 

[normaliswear]

Man that L still ticks me off.

 

[rrlbees]

They were no worse than the 2nd best team we played and in the end may have been the best.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[MaxwellCuse]

They were damn lucky they played us in early December instead of late November or they would be 8-4.

 

[longislandcuse]

I cant even try to think about this season. Im going to call it "the season of what could have been". No reason we shouldnt be in the Sugar Bowl. So many missed opportunities.

 

[OrangePA]

That is the one game we clearly gave away.

Would love re-match.

 

[orangecuse]

They were damn lucky they played us in early December instead of late November or they would be 8-4.

I must have been sleep walking...I missed all those early December games.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

finished 9-3 and 2oth in the BCS.

Pretty good for a nothing program.

I was one of those guys ... and the NW win over Michigan State has proven me wrong. But not for their upset of Michigan State they would have been a very mediocre 4-4 in a VERY down Big Ten this year. As it was they were 5-3, without having to face Ohio State or Wisconsin. (with how underwhelming the Big Ten was this year, it is not a certainty that NW loses to either). Good year for NW indeed, but don't get too carried away.

 

[SWC75]

596-337

http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=322450183

 

[Chris02M]

that was the worst special teams game of the year by far how far are specials have come since then

 

[BlackKnight76]

Was just going through the bowls with an SEC friend of mine, that was the one that stuck out as a solid opportunity for an SEC loss (they play Mississippi State). They're a sneaky good team. Two fewer losses than the B1G Champ, too.

 

[SmilinBob]

I give NW credit for taking advantage of the many opportunites given them. Smart play by their qb to fall and go boom...Claude Lemieux type of move.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Good example of our overscheduling.

 

[SmilinBob]

Good example of our overscheduling.

Hopefully SU recognizes this and how much it cost them.

 

[Crusty]

Good example of our overscheduling.

We lost by 1 point with a comedy of errors - we were hardly over-matched. It was an exciting game and better than beating St Mary's.

 

[Millhouse]

63rd in offense
52nd in offense

They're lucky to be 9-3 instead of 6-6 or 7-5. Michigan State was their other lucky win, I think. (MSU is like us - record and yards for/against doesn't line up that well)

 

[SWC75]

63rd in offense
52nd in offense

They're lucky to be 9-3 instead of 6-6 or 7-5. Michigan State was their other lucky win, I think. (MSU is like us - record and yards for/against doesn't line up that well)

Still another connection between the Spartans and the Orange.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Hopefully SU recognizes this and how much it cost them.

Sad to say, but true. I know we take pride in having a difficult OOC, but it has a price.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

63rd in offense
52nd in offense

They're lucky to be 9-3 instead of 6-6 or 7-5. Michigan State was their other lucky win, I think. (MSU is like us - record and yards for/against doesn't line up that well)

They should have beaten Nebraska and Michigan... They were up on both and made a couple of bonehead plays to lose... They are 9-3, 9-3 is well 9-3

They could just as easliy been 11-1, again they are 9-3

 

[PhatOrange]

finished 9-3 and 2oth in the BCS.

Pretty good for a nothing program.

They are medicore, just like buttgers.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

We lost by 1 point with a comedy of errors - we were hardly over-matched. It was an exciting game and better than beating St Mary's.

It isn't about being overmatched or not, it's about the difficulty of your opponent's week to week. I think we should start scheduling softer. Playing Northwestern is fine. Also playing Minnesota, USC and Mizzou, plus your conference slate... we're not leaving much margin for error with that kind of scheduling.

It is tough though. Who's to say that we win all those games in conference if we weren't toughened up by our OOC schedule? :noidea:

 

[Millhouse]

They should have beaten Nebraska and Michigan... They were up on both and made a couple of bonehead plays to lose... They are 9-3, 9-3 is well 9-3

They could just as easliy been 11-1, again they are 9-3

Outgained opponents 7 times, got outgained 5 times.

we know they were lucky against SU.

 

[SmilinBob]

Sad to say, but true. I know we take pride in having a difficult OOC, but it has a price.

I love the fact SU plays a tough OOC as well but it is so painfully obvious an overall record of 9-3/10-2 playing crap is more attractive than 7-5 and playing all those teams to a bowl committee.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Outgained opponents 7 times, got outgained 5 times.

we know they were lucky against SU.

I don't understand people that scream luck in football. We were lucky to win two games in the final seconds. Or does that not apply?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Outgained opponents 7 times, got outgained 5 times.

we know they were lucky against SU.

Understood, but they were unlucky versus Michigan and Neb. They were also beating PSU in the 4th quarter. For me given the parameters and limitations of NW football, Coach Fitz is one of the better coaches in football. Guy does more with less year after year, gets to bowl games and competes every week, all you can ask for

Fitz's record 6-6, 9-4, 8-5, 7-6, 6-7, 9-3, not too shabby for Northwestern football. Syracuse would be quite happy with that, I would. He is also very loyal to his alma mater when bigger schools have come calling.

Luck? Wins/ Losses is all that is left at the end of the year.