Predict the Record: Ragin' Cajuns Football 2010

[Rebel02]

_ @Ohio is a winnable game. If we can't win that game, Bustle needs to go, and we just aren't that good a team. Same goes for @FAU. I don't see how you completely disregard our chance to win AT HOME against Okie State. They lost LOADS of starters, not to mention the offense pop that carried them for 3 years. They're defense wasn't and won't be world beaters, so again, where is the optimism? Weren't you one of the guys saying we didn't have a chance against K State as well? _

@ Ohio is not a winnable game. This is a game on the road against a team that played for a MAC championship and was in a bowl game last year. Not to mention that they have a better coach in Frank Solich. Remember, we couldn't even beat these guys with Fenroy and Desormeaux at home!

Okie State is still Okie State. They will be a good football team and have a good football coach.

Where is the optimism? Show me where the optimism should come from. And you'll have to find a post by me where I said we didn't stand a chance against KSU. I, like most people, didn't like our chances, but I didn't say we didn't stand a chance.

[ManAboutTown]

_ @ Ohio is not a winnable game. This is a game on the road against a team that played for a MAC championship and was in a bowl game last year. Not to mention that they have a better coach in Frank Solich. Remember, we couldn't even beat these guys with Fenroy and Desormeaux at home!

Okie State is still Okie State. They will be a good football team and have a good football coach.

Where is the optimism? Show me where the optimism should come from. And you'll have to find a post by me where I said we didn't stand a chance against KSU. I, like most people, didn't like our chances, but I didn't say we didn't stand a chance. _

So we had a better chance to beat K State pregame, then we do of beating Ohio University pregame? Interesting... I personally will never label a game against a MAC school "unwinnable". True, they played for a MAC championship last year, but I have two issues with that: 1 - They lost half of their team to graduation. 2 - The MAC is widely considered a sub par conference when compared to the SBC in the last 7 years.

OSU will still be good, I agree. But wasn't K State "good"? They were Big XII North Champions, so I guess "good" is in the eye of the beholder. The point is, people said the same thing about Kansas St that they're saying about OSU. And its been stated several times that this years' squad is going to be much better. So we'll see..

[Rebel02]

_ So we had a better chance to beat K State pregame, then we do of beating Ohio University pregame? Interesting... I personally will never label a game against a MAC school "unwinnable". True, they played for a MAC championship last year, but I have two issues with that: 1 - They lost half of their team to graduation. 2 - The MAC is widely considered a sub par conference when compared to the SBC in the last 7 years.

OSU will still be good, I agree. But wasn't K State "good"? They were Big XII North Champions, so I guess "good" is in the eye of the beholder. The point is, people said the same thing about Kansas St that they're saying about OSU. And its been stated several times that this years' squad is going to be much better. So we'll see.. _

They may have lost half of their team to graduation (I'm sure you meant starters and not team), but they will still contend for a MAC championship again this year. The MAC champion did beat the SBC champion in a bowl game last year, so you cannot say the entire conference is sub par when compared the Sun Belt. They are on equal ground.

I wouldn't say K-State was "good" last year. Everyone knew they were going to stuggle and they did struggle, but Snyder proved once again how good of a coach he is by getting them to contend for a Big 12 North title. K-State finished tied for 2nd in the Big 12 North with Mizzou, 2 games back of Nebraska.

The 2010 Okie State team would beat the 2009 K-State team.

[ManAboutTown]

_ They may have lost half of their team to graduation (I'm sure you meant starters and not team), but they will still contend for a MAC championship again this year. The MAC champion did beat the SBC champion in a bowl game last year, so you cannot say the entire conference is sub par when compared the Sun Belt. They are on equal ground.

I wouldn't say K-State was "good" last year. Everyone knew they were going to stuggle and they did struggle, but Snyder proved once again how good of a coach he is by getting them to contend for a Big 12 North title. K-State finished tied for 2nd in the Big 12 North with Mizzou, 2 games back of Nebraska.

The 2010 Okie State team would beat the 2009 K-State team. _

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree here. I don't see how you could say the 2010 Pokes could beat the 2009 Wildcats when you haven't seen them hike the ball one time yet this season.

I still stand by my statement that Ohio is absolutely a winnable game on the road, and I believe we have a chance to beat the Pokes at home. Can't come soon enough mate!

[Rebel02]

_ I think we'll just have to agree to disagree here. I don't see how you could say the 2010 Pokes could beat the 2009 Wildcats when you haven't seen them hike the ball one time yet this season.

I still stand by my statement that Ohio is absolutely a winnable game on the road, and I believe we have a chance to beat the Pokes at home. Can't come soon enough mate! _

I just don't see how someone can say that the 2010 Cajuns can beat the 2010 Pokes when neither team has hiked the ball one time this season!

You're not the only one who can't wait. Depsite us not having a lot of winnable road games (at least in my opinion), it is probable that I'm going to UGA and definitely going to Monroe. And I'll be at the 5 games in the Swamp.

[don63]

I think it says a lot when most of here are hoping for a 7-5 record after the length of time Bustle has been here. I like Bustle. I really do, he has done a lot for the program. The university and the fans have been more than patient with him. Bustle begged himself another year and got it. I have already seen him complaining about the schedule. He is already making excuses for the coming L's we will all suffer through. What have other coaches done in 9 years. I was at the McNeese (uggghhh) and the FAU game as you most of you were. We as fans stepped up. The university is stepping up. It is time for him to step up. I mean we play in the Sun Belt, not the Big Ten or CUSA.

[Hardcore]

@ GA L (deeper and better talent)
Ark St. W (we are deeper and better talent)
MT W (2 weeks to prepare)
@ NT L (expect a letdown and Dunbar is an exceptional RB)
Ok St. W (on national TV our boys come to play)
@Troy W (finally win over in their house)
WKU W (tougher than expected but it is HC)
@Ohio W (a little payback)
@Ol'Miss L (see GA)
@FAU W (no Rusty Smith)
FIU W (last home game goin' out in style)
@ULM L (they rain on our parade forcing us to share the SBC title)

8-4 6-2

[zephyr]

_ I don't see why people think 7-5 is a possibility. Going 7-5 means winning at least 3 games on the road (we will not beat OSU at home). Hell, we probably won't win against MT, which means winning 4 games on the road. Bustle has never been better than .500 on the road (3-3 in 2005 and 2006). I don't see Bustle as the man that can get us those wins on the road when we need them this year.

W: ASU, UNT, WKU, FIU, Monroe
L: UGA, MT, OSU, Troy, Ohio, Ole Miss, FAU

I actually have ASU has a toss up, but went ahead and put it as a W because the game is at home. Best I see is 6-6, worse is 4-8. My gut says 5-7. _

I'm just curious but what was your preseason win total expectation for last year's team? I only ask because I venture to say that you felt we would win 7 games or more. I find that interesting. You had higher expectations of a much younger and inexperienced team with more questionmarks last year rather than this year?

The theory that the Ohio game is "unwinnable" is truly laughable. Foo Foo has it right. There is no way that you can categorize a game against a MAC team as downright Loss before it is played. Your reasons for that theory are also outdated. I really don't care what they did last year or what bowl they went to. That was last year. If you remember correctly, Ball State had a really nice year (almost BCS) two years ago and what did that do for their 2 win season last year? Nothing. Just because Ohio had a nice year doesn't mean that they will be able to duplicate it, even in a very weak MAC conference. Oh, and by the way they did beat us at home in 2007. However, if you saw the first half of that game, we dominated them and showed that we are every bit as athletic and talented overall as they were. They did outcoach us at half which I mentioned before and I believe that was the true factor as to why we lost so they definitely have the coaching advantage.

Truth be told, this team is much more experienced from last year and we have so many less questionmarks that I feel that they will be very underrated. The schedule is difficult, no doubt but to think we can't go 6-2 in conference is crazy, considering that the class of the SBC have all had tremendous losses this year and that includes MTSU and Troy.

[Rebel02]

_ I'm just curious but what was your preseason win total expectation for last year's team? I only ask because I venture to say that you felt we would win 7 games or more. I find that interesting. You had higher expectations of a much younger and inexperienced team with more questionmarks last year rather than this year?

The theory that the Ohio game is "unwinnable" is truly laughable. Foo Foo has it right. There is no way that you can categorize a game against a MAC team as downright Loss before it is played. Your reasons for that theory are also outdated. I really don't care what they did last year or what bowl they went to. That was last year. If you remember correctly, Ball State had a really nice year (almost BCS) two years ago and what did that do for their 2 win season last year? Nothing. Just because Ohio had a nice year doesn't mean that they will be able to duplicate it, even in a very weak MAC conference. Oh, and by the way they did beat us at home in 2007. However, if you saw the first half of that game, we dominated them and showed that we are every bit as athletic and talented overall as they were. They did outcoach us at half which I mentioned before and I believe that was the true factor as to why we lost so they definitely have the coaching advantage.

Truth be told, this team is much more experienced from last year and we have so many less questionmarks that I feel that they will be very underrated. The schedule is difficult, no doubt but to think we can't go 6-2 in conference is crazy, considering that the class of the SBC have all had tremendous losses this year and that includes MTSU and Troy. _

I believe last year I predicted another 6-6 season.

Again, it has nothing to do with having more experience this year. It all has to do with 7 road games, games in which a Bustle coached team has always struggled with. Even when Bustle had Desormeaux and Fenroy running the show, he could never win more than 3 games on the road and he could never win more than 6 in a season.

You point out the coaching advantage as the reason why we lost to Ohio in 2007. I don't see a change in that for this year's game. Solich will outcoach Bustle (again) and with the game being on the road, I see it as a loss.

[zephyr]

_ I believe last year I predicted another 6-6 season.

Again, it has nothing to do with having more experience this year. It all has to do with 7 road games, games in which a Bustle coached team has always struggled with. Even when Bustle had Desormeaux and Fenroy running the show, he could never win more than 3 games on the road and he could never win more than 6 in a season.

You point out the coaching advantage as the reason why we lost to Ohio in 2007. I don't see a change in that for this year's game. Solich will outcoach Bustle (again) and with the game being on the road, I see it as a loss. _

The game is on the road. However, I would certainly qualify this team as a lot better than the one that played Ohio at home in 2007. That was a 3 win season for us and nothing went right. I think we are way more balanced this year and the coaching disparity will hopefully not be as big of a factor. Bottom line though, this game is not unwinnable as you suggested. We will likely be underdogs due to being on the road but I think they are very beatable and if we feel that 7 wins is within reach, its a game that we need to win and should be able to win.