Will FCS Weber beat FBS Wyoming on Sep 5?

[native]

Every one is talking about the elevation at Laramie without much mention of the wind. I do not recall having seen a calm day up there. There is a reason to favor a ground game there.

Also it should be reminded that the herein touted Weber offense produced exactly one TD in its final game last year against an FCS team in good weather. A young team that did not have the defensive horsepower that Wyoming should have.

Correction: EXACTLY THREE TDs vs UTAH: 1 against the first team defense, and 2 against the scrubs.

[McPeachy]

Can't promise a win, but the Wildcats will probably be favored and certainly have one of the best shots this year for any FCS program to pull of the win against an FBS opponent.

On the plus side for Weber State is that they bring back eight starters from the #4 scoring offense in the nation, including the #1 passer (Cameron Higgins, 4,460 yards), #1 receiver (Tim Toone, 1,525 yards) and #1 scorer (Trevyn Smith, 168 points and 1,585 all purpose yards). Also favoring Weber is the fact that this is the first game of the season for both teams. My guess is that the WSU offense will be in a much more advanced state of preparation than the Cowboy defense by the time 5 September rolls around.

On the negative side, WSU lost the majority of the starters from a defense that was good but not consistently great last year. The defense will be an unknown quantity.

"Probably be favored" to what...have a team dinner under budget? No way in hell the Wildcats will be favored going into Laramie to win...no way.

[McPeachy]

Elevation will be the reason Weber loses?

I think if WSU loses it will be WYO's defense not the elevation.

You are saying WSU is at 4,300 ft and Wyo is at 7,000 ft. 4000 ft is high elevation, I dont htink WSU will be too affected by the elevation. I talked to some players about NAU last year, they said its not a big deal like everyone says.

Our bball players say the same thing.

And Ive been to NAU, yall, it aint Mt Everest. Now for Sac St going to NAU or Wyo maybe its a big deal??

Hate to say it...but elevation has no real physical impact, when you are an 18 - 22 year old athlete (or in bWHYu's case 21 - 25 year old athlete). Now, if you are a 37 year old out of shape beer drinker, that may be different. That...and if you want to play the side of "mental" things...if anything, the opponents that go into Laramie to play, will think about it and worry about it and wonder about it, and as doing so, THAT itself can make an impact.

Wyoming could play Weber in Telluride Colorado at 20 below, or in the Nevada desert at 110, and the result is going to be the same. Pokes 38 Kitties 10. And only 10 because our 3rd string will be in the entire 4th quarter.

[dbackjon]

Welcome McPeachy!

[native]

Can't promise a win, but the Wildcats will probably be favored and certainly have one of the best shots this year for any FCS program to pull of the win against an FBS opponent.

On the plus side for Weber State is that they bring back eight starters from the #4 scoring offense in the nation, including the #1 passer (Cameron Higgins, 4,460 yards), #1 receiver (Tim Toone, 1,525 yards) and #1 scorer (Trevyn Smith, 168 points and 1,585 all purpose yards). Also favoring Weber is the fact that this is the first game of the season for both teams. My guess is that the WSU offense will be in a much more advanced state of preparation than the Cowboy defense by the time 5 September rolls around.

On the negative side, WSU lost the majority of the starters from a defense that was good but not consistently great last year. The defense will be an unknown quantity.

"Probably be favored" to what...have a team dinner under budget? No way in hell the Wildcats will be favored going into Laramie to win...no way.

Weber is favored by 8.8 points using the final 2008 Sagarin ratings. Read 'em and weep.

According to the final 2008 Massey ratings, Wyoming is ranked "95th" and Weber is ranked "98th," so Wyoming would presumably be favored. Unlike Sagarin, however, Massey has no prediction function.

Vegas does not book odds across FBS and FCS. Sagarin and Massey are the only ratings I am aware of which rank FBS and FCS teams together.

[putter]

Altitude does have an effect. Maybe not much but they will notice it. I voted no, not because I hate Weber but I don't think they will be able to keep Wyo out of the endzone. I thought NDSU would get it done last year and they came close but couldn't close the deal. I think the same will be said of Weber. Good game but coming up short in the end.

[Wedgebuster]

Welcome McPeachy!

That's a confirmed three!

[kemajic]

Every one is talking about the elevation at Laramie without much mention of the wind. I do not recall having seen a calm day up there. There is a reason to favor a ground game there.

Also it should be reminded that the herein touted Weber offense produced exactly one TD in its final game last year against an FCS team in good weather. A young team that did not have the defensive horsepower that Wyoming should have.

Correction: EXACTLY THREE TDs vs UTAH: 1 against the first team defense, and 2 against the scrubs.

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

[native]

Correction: EXACTLY THREE TDs vs UTAH: 1 against the first team defense, and 2 against the scrubs.

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

Ooops! Sorry I missed that on this WSU-WYO thread. More coffee!

[Wildcat Ryan]

Correction: EXACTLY THREE TDs vs UTAH: 1 against the first team defense, and 2 against the scrubs.

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

You must be reading challenged, this is a Weber/Wyoming thread, what the heck does this have to do with Montana?

[weberwildcat]

Correction: EXACTLY THREE TDs vs UTAH: 1 against the first team defense, and 2 against the scrubs.

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

Well every game in college football is week to week. I also remember Weber scoring 45 against Montana that same season. 45 pts, the most scored against UM since 2005 and the most scored against UM by an FCS since 2002.

Since you brought it up...

[MrTitleist]

"Probably be favored" to what...have a team dinner under budget? No way in hell the Wildcats will be favored going into Laramie to win...no way.

Weber is favored by 8.8 points using the final 2008 Sagarin ratings. Read 'em and weep.

According to the final 2008 Massey ratings, Wyoming is ranked "95th" and Weber is ranked "98th," so Wyoming would presumably be favored. Unlike Sagarin, however, Massey has no prediction function.

Vegas does not book odds across FBS and FCS. Sagarin and Massey are the only ratings I am aware of which rank FBS and FCS teams together.

I don't know why you're using 2008 Sagarin rankings to even guess at anything next year. Sagarins really aren't even "fact". I don't know why you keep bringing that up. I'll read it and weep when we the final score.. but I doubt I'll do much weeping.

Back to weberwildcats comments, I'm not sure why you said this:

Called off the dogs in the 4th against Weber??? Uh...didn't they finish 3rd in the nation? No excuse. Utah's 10th string should be able to hold an FCS to 0 yrds. Weber is an FCS team. Weber shouldn't even have scored a pt the entire game whether against the first or last string.

Even top 3 teams give up points to FCS teams, I would venture to say that Idaho State will probably muster a score vs. Oklahoma next year. So that doesn't really make any sense. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the Cowboy defense as they only gave up 20 pts to the Utah offense last season, a 20-7 result had the Cowboy offense not been so pathetic. That won't be the issue this coming season. At the very least, the turnovers should subside compared to this last season. I don't think the starters from Utah were pulled vs. Wyoming until very late, if at all, because Kyle Whittingham really hates Joe Glenn.. after Joe flipped him the Butte salute during their 2007 game.. he really enjoys running it up on Wyoming now. I think it's funny when people say the elevation isn't anything.. but I remember being at the Wyoming/Texas A&M game my freshman year of college and watching those Texas boys sucking out of the oxygen tanks after a few series. That was good for amusement.

Native, I doubt I'll be at the game this year, I'm planning on going to the Texas game, but enjoy some cold beers at the Library before the game for me!

[MrTitleist]

As a side note:
MWC record vs. FCS (1-AA) is 35-4 (since 2000, I didn't want to research further). Cal Poly is responsible for two of those vs. San Diego State (appears they didn't learn after the first beating). Wyoming defeated Furman in 2001, the year they went on to play for the 1-AA National Championship. This was regarded widely as Wyoming's worst team in history.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

Well every game in college football is week to week. I also remember Weber scoring 45 against Montana that same season. 45 pts, the most scored against UM since 2005 and the most scored against UM by an FCS since 2002.

Since you brought it up...

The average length of Weber drives in that game for scores was somthing like 35yds. not exactly a long field to drive for touchdowns. I would have loved it if we could have hung on to the ball and not turned it over but that's how it goes. Now for comparison when we weren't turning it over in a game played against the same team you got one td'r. I will trade you a regular season win for a playoff win every season if you'll take that deal.

[weberwildcat]

Well every game in college football is week to week. I also remember Weber scoring 45 against Montana that same season. 45 pts, the most scored against UM since 2005 and the most scored against UM by an FCS since 2002.

Since you brought it up...

The average length of Weber drives in that game for scores was somthing like 35yds. not exactly a long field to drive for touchdowns. I would have loved it if we could have hung on to the ball and not turned it over but that's how it goes. Now for comparison when we weren't turning it over in a game played against the same team you got one td'r. I will trade you a regular season win for a playoff win every season if you'll take that deal.

LOL
That's a good deal! I'd rather win the Big Sky than a playoff game or even go to the playoffs, if its yearly!

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

The average length of Weber drives in that game for scores was somthing like 35yds. not exactly a long field to drive for touchdowns. I would have loved it if we could have hung on to the ball and not turned it over but that's how it goes. Now for comparison when we weren't turning it over in a game played against the same team you got one td'r. I will trade you a regular season win for a playoff win every season if you'll take that deal.

LOL
That's a good deal! I'd rather win the Big Sky than a playoff game or even go to the playoffs, if its yearly!

Have you thought this out WW? If you lose a playoff game, any playoff game, you can never win a NC. If you guys end up sustaining a team for a while then your POV may change slightly and you will realize that being the best team in the entire nation is better than being the best team in the Big Sky. Consider the trade consumated my friend.

[weberwildcat]

LOL
That's a good deal! I'd rather win the Big Sky than a playoff game or even go to the playoffs, if its yearly!

Have you thought this out WW? If you lose a playoff game, any playoff game, you can never win a NC. If you guys end up sustaining a team for a while then your POV may change slightly and you will realize that being the best team in the entire nation is better than being the best team in the Big Sky. Consider the trade consumated my friend.

I only say this because we've only won the Big Sky 3 times in 46 years. Imagining winning a national title just isn't as realistic as winning a conf title, and winning a conf title is still a big deal. As a WSU fan its hard to look past winning the conf title after so many years (most years) of not even finishing in the top 3.

A national title would be amazing but looking to the future I don't know what WSU's chances are after Higgins/Trevyn/Toone/Coach Mac are all gone.

I will though enjoy it while it lasts!!! I didn't know Big Sky football could be fun til 2008! lol

[Catattack]

I apologize if this has been posted before.

Christensen changes culture at Wyoming

April 27, 2009 12:04 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Graham Watson

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- More than 40 minutes had passed in what was supposed to be a 70-minute practice, and head coach Dave Christensen had seen enough.

After a series of dropped passes, overthrown balls and fumbled snaps, Christensen, Wyoming's new football coach, blew his whistle.

"What the [expletive]! This is an hour-long practice and you guys can't focus for an hour? Get in the end zone."

The team, which is down to 53 players after injuries decimated the ranks, jogs toward the end zone as Christensen follows barking. This is the 13th of 15 spring practices and the Cowboys have come to learn that giving anything less than 100 percent, even in a shortened practice, will result in nothing but bad things for them.

Christensen's lecture is met with a series of unison "Yes sirs" by a bunch of players who aren't sure what's going to happen next. And then Christensen does something neither he nor any of the coaches he's worked for has ever done before.

He starts practice all over again. From the beginning.

He blows his whistle, the team jogs to other side of the field, around the goalpost and into the same stretch lines it formed almost an hour ago. The Cowboys go through every stretch and ultimately every drill again. It was their very own version of Groundhog Day.

This is the new Wyoming football.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/others/0-4-3 ... oming.html

[MrTitleist]

That's how you whip some slackers into shape.

[kemajic]

You either have a poor set of facts or are reading-challenged. EXACTLY ONE TD vs MONTANA in Weber's final 2008 game.

Well every game in college football is week to week. I also remember Weber scoring 45 against Montana that same season. 45 pts, the most scored against UM since 2005 and the most scored against UM by an FCS since 2002.

Since you brought it up...

You are right and when you lose late when the money is on the line, I guess you can fall back to celebrate that early win, especially since it was just your third in the last 22 tries. Too bad there was no one there to see it. It was clearly your day.

[weberwildcat]

Well every game in college football is week to week. I also remember Weber scoring 45 against Montana that same season. 45 pts, the most scored against UM since 2005 and the most scored against UM by an FCS since 2002.

Since you brought it up...

You are right and when you lose late when the money is on the line, I guess you can fall back to celebrate that early win, especially since it was just your third in the last 22 tries. Too bad there was no one there to see it. It was clearly your day.

Trust me, the 12 of us that were there enjoyed it. We didn't care about anyone who missed the game.

But anyhoo, that was last year, the point of me saying week to week changes, apply to any part of the season early or late.

We really won 3 of 22? I thought it was 1 of 22...

[kemajic]

You are right and when you lose late when the money is on the line, I guess you can fall back to celebrate that early win, especially since it was just your third in the last 22 tries. Too bad there was no one there to see it. It was clearly your day.

Trust me, the 12 of us that were there enjoyed it. We didn't care about anyone who missed the game.
But anyhoo, that was last year, the point of me saying week to week changes, apply to any part of the season early or late.

We really won 3 of 22? I thought it was 1 of 22...

1-22 is NAU againt UM. Weber won in Ogden in '92, '98 and '08.

[dbackjon]

Trust me, the 12 of us that were there enjoyed it. We didn't care about anyone who missed the game.
But anyhoo, that was last year, the point of me saying week to week changes, apply to any part of the season early or late.

We really won 3 of 22? I thought it was 1 of 22...

1-22 is NAU againt UM. Weber won in Ogden in '92, '98 and '08.

Nope - 1 of last 21 is NAU vs Montana. 2 of 22, 3 of last 24. Pathetic, I know. NAU won 10 of first 21 in series, pathetic since 1988

[kemajic]

1-22 is NAU againt UM. Weber won in Ogden in '92, '98 and '08.

Nope - 1 of last 21 is NAU vs Montana. 2 of 22, 3 of last 24. Pathetic, I know. NAU won 10 of first 21 in series, pathetic since 1988

Your're right; 22 games for Weber in the 21 years because of the playoff game; 21 for NAU.

[Wildcat Ryan]

Sorry Weberwildcat, I would rather win a playoff game, than just a conf title, nothing would be better than being conf champs and winning in NC, but even if Weber finished second place but still won games in the playoffs it would be awesome. I know conf titles dont come around very often (unless its basketball season), but the whole point of the season is getting to NC and winning the National Championship.