NOLA Bowl Opponent

[CajunEXPRESS]

After peeking in on the Rice boards to see if they know something we don't, it seems like the general consensus is that they don't want to play us. Just some excerpts (pardon the LaLas and ULLs):

They did...I probably would prefer NO to Ft Worth but I think AFA is a better match for us than LaLa.

In looking at their stats, yeah, I agree. I think Air Force is a better match-up. UL nearly beat Florida in the swamp and seems to have a good mix of run and pass. Air Force, we know what is coming and have 3 weeks to prep.

LaLa reminds me of Troy in 2006. Too much speed and surprising size.

Rice has been ducking us for years. We whipped their sorry butts the last time we played them in football. Was a very rewarding road game.

Pompous is too kind a word for them, but unlike TooLame they do have some success in the past decade.

If my memory serves me correct their band was not even in uniform, but some sort of casual look.

[CajunZ1]

LALALALALALALALALALALALALALA
ULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Whew, that felt good!

Signed,
Every fan of every other school

[ATXCajun]

BS... I want the weakest possible opponent and a win. Nobody cares who you beat, unless it is a top 10 team from a power conference.

Yep. Somebody needs to come get their beating. 9 hour drive is a lot shorter after a win. BTW, has anyone noticed that the SBC gets raided by other conferences but the MAC does not? There's a reason. It's the same reason why there's always an 11-1 or 12-0 MAC team that gets ranked and then loses its bowl game, and why ever year it is a different team. They take turns beating up on each other in their gigantic conference based on who has the most players back or something. Didn't we work that Kent State team in their own mud hole last year? I'll take any from the MAC, especially the overrated ones. I know they will only bring 300 fans, but who cares. This is our party anyway. I know we probably get Rice. Hopefully one of our conference mates will get one of these 11-1 MAC teams and work them over.

[CrappDaddy]

Yep. Somebody needs to come get their beating. 9 hour drive is a lot shorter after a win. BTW, has anyone noticed that the SBC gets raided by other conferences but the MAC does not? There's a reason. It's the same reason why there's always an 11-1 or 12-0 MAC team that gets ranked and then loses its bowl game, and why ever year it is a different team. They take turns beating up on each other in their gigantic conference based on who has the most players back or something. Didn't we work that Kent State team in their own mud hole last year? I'll take any from the MAC, especially the overrated ones. I know they will only bring 300 fans, but who cares. This is our party anyway. I know we probably get Rice. Hopefully one of our conference mates will get one of these 11-1 MAC teams and work them over.

That being said, we beat last years team not this years. In fact our conf champ last year got worked by a MAC team in a bowl last year. Their best teams are every bit as good as the belts.

[wcd35]

That being said, we beat last years team not this years. In fact our conf champ last year got worked by a MAC team in a bowl last year. Their best teams are every bit as good as the belts.

With the asterisk that ASU had no coaching staff in the bowl basically

[HoustonCajun]

Rice has been ducking us for years. We whipped their sorry butts the last time we played them in football. Was a very rewarding road game.

Pompous is too kind a word for them, but unlike TooLame they do have some success in the past decade.

If my memory serves me correct their band was not even in uniform, but some sort of casual look.

Their band is called the MOB, Marching Owl Band. They are a private school and have a band like Stanford - organized chaos making fun of their opponent. Pretty funny to watch and usually entertaining.

[ATXCajun]

That being said, we beat last years team not this years. In fact our conf champ last year got worked by a MAC team in a bowl last year. Their best teams are every bit as good as the belts.

Had to check some stats to see if my perception was reality. It is not. I'm right that there is no consistently strong team, except maybe Toledo. Crapdaddy is very right that the top teams are tough in thier bowl games. Looking at 10+ win MAC teams since 2000:

2000 Toledo 10-1 No bowl game
2001 Toledo 10-2 Won Motor City
2003 Miami 13-1 Won GMAC
2003 Bowling Green 11-3 Won Motor City
2003 NIU 10-2 No bowl game
2008 Ball St 12-2 Lost International
2009 CMU 12-2 Won GMAC
2010 NIU 11-3 Won Humanitarian
2011 NIU 11-3 Won GoDaddy
2011 Ohio 10-4 Won Idaho Potato

Interesting tidbit: Ball St is 0-7 in bowl games.