Mid Week Predictions for Ill State

[penguinpower]

That meant to say I wouldn't spy hunter he is not theat to run.

[ysuguins4]

Illinois State has struggled with the read option for several years.  In 2006 they were unable to stop us with Marcus Mason and we beat them twice running ithe that year once in the playoffs and once in regular season.

Zetts ran the read option to perfection in that regular season match-up.  He had over 100 yards rushing and I believe Mason was close to 200.

[ysubigred]

YSU has too much muscle to lose this one.. "IF" Coaches heads out of their asses and YSU wins going away. To play it safe I predicted 31-27 on AGS 

[Penguin Nation]

I can never predict outcomes with the Wolf.  One week you win in the Fargodome and the next week lose to Mizz St.  Another time you beat Pitt and lose 4 in a row in the Valley.

I think this could go either way....and no outcome would surprise me either way.....but I'd give ISUr the edge, especially due to the home field....hope I'm wrong.

FWIW....Massey favors ISUr over YSU. .....but favors us to beat ISUb next week....

http://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=9217&s=262657

[HappyPenguin]

Whoa those Massey numbers don't give me a great feeling about the NDSU game 

[ysuguins4]

I say Guins 28 - 27.

[YGUINSNO1]

  Guins  31.. Birds  28   

[seanbryan3]

Im never consistent with picking scores, especially with YSU, as I agree, you never know what your going to see. But im going to be a homer and pick us by 6. I think we are the better football team, I also think that we can contain the QB, and im very bias as it's Christians senior season and there is nothing more that he wants than to make the playoffs (because they have blew it the last two seasons).

[FOOTBALLFEVER]

Well it all comes down to these final 3 games against the top teams in the conference. After last year's season ending collapse what more could you ask for if your the players or coaches? Dry but very windy conditions are in the forecast for kickoff time in Normal. I think this might limit what Montgomery  wants to do with Wells downfield. I look for a strong dose of Ruiz and Webb and the O-line will take over in the 2nd half just like they have done all season and running clock to keep the ball out of I.S.U. playmakers hands will be key. Defensively I think we will have a great game plan. Our ends and secondary must play discipline that will be key as well. I like the penguins in a overtime thriller 20-17..I hope I'm right !!

[ValleyTalk]

As I alluded to on another message board, we have won 6 of our last 7 MVFC road games. The lone loss in that span coming on a last second field goal to UNI last year, a game we all know we should have won.

In addition, the last 2 meetings in Normal ended on a sour note. In Wolf's first year we lost on a Hail Mary pass with .7 seconds remaining to the Redbirds 41-39. I remember sitting in a parking lot waiting to leave my car thinking we were going to win and that happened. It was the story of our season that year. Then two years ago we led 28-7 and led into the 4th quarter 28-21, before losing 35-28. That was a game where we went ultra conservative in the 2nd half and it cost us as we could not get a stop on defense.

I expect a similar type affair this year, but the X factor is the fact our defense has played very well this year. I like how our defense sets up against their QB, Indiana transfer Tre Robinson, a dual threat QB. Robinson is completing just 53% of his passes this year and he has 8 interceptions as well. He is quicker and better than MSU's Kierra Harris, but he is a similar type QB. If we can have a game plan like we had against Harris, which is to stop the QB from rushing and forcing him into passing, I think we will be successful.

This has the makings to be a great one.

YSU 28
ILSU 24

[HappyPenguin]

I'd be interested to see Travis Williams shadow this QB. I know he has the athleticism to shut him down.

Hopefully we come up with something good. Sounds like crowding the box wouldn't hurt if he's that inaccurate.

[IAA Fan]

I am convinced that the struggles we have with S Dakota played a factor in last season's final 3 games. I think that the coaches studied that game. The difference is that UNI, SDSU and NDSU were much stronger teams than USD; so where USD collapsed in the second half, those other three teams did not. I hope this does not hold true again for these final games. USD stayed strong on D until Q4 this year. On O they did not have much for most of the second half.

Am I just being paranoid?

[ValleyTalk]

The difference is that UNI, SDSU and NDSU were much stronger teams than USD; so where USD collapsed in the second half, those other three teams did not.

Am I just being paranoid?

The answer to your question is yes.

To my next point, I was in Vermillion for that game and you have it all wrong. USD did not "collapse" in the 2nd half. USD led at one point 27-19, but that was their biggest lead of the 2nd half. After they fell behind 31-27, they scored a TD with 2:14 left to take a 34-31 lead. So please do explain to me how they collapsed in the 2nd half???

[IAA Fan]

It is just that it happened two-years running, but the USD game followed our collapse in 2012 ...so I see your point Valley. I remember that we had the bad second half in 2012 against USD.

[OleYSUfan]

Somehow we seem to have inopportune events that are game changers; for example:
* Blocked punts
* fumbles
* dropped passes on a critical 3rd downs
* a penalty at a critical time ie. a TD called back

If, we force some ISU turnovers and play without any ridiculous mistakes, we will prevail. My gut feeling, the score will be:

YSU   31
ISU   21

GO Penguins