SDSU @ UD WTF?

[houndawg]

Game of the week and no thread about it? I've never seen Blue Hen fans this quiet the week before a big home game with major playoff implications.

IMO the Jacks got a real tough row to hoe. Travel across the country to play your first game against a top FCS program that already has a tune-up game. I love the way SDSU isn't ducking anybody, but, lose this Saturday and the playoffs will be real hard to reach.

Let's have some fans stand up be counted here, sounds like both sides are wary of a dangerous opponent.

Blue Hens by 7.

[93henfan]

I would have posted the official game thread by now if our (UD's) athletic department had published the game notes. They're really sandbagging this season so far.

Anyway,

UD by 3. I think it'll be a classic.

SDSU obviously wants to get the taste of Missoula out of their mouths to start the new season. UD has the advantage of having gotten the preseason rust knocked off against West Chester, plus teams traveling west to east generally have it tougher. UD has owned the MVFC over the last decade, but I'm not sure that's even relevant here. Weather shouldn't be an issue. It may be a tad warmer and more humid than in Brookings, but the worst of summer is over here.

[ToTheLeft]

Hens by 7ish.

I feel the Homefield, warm-up game, and the importance of this game for UD (Both teams know it has big playoff implications.) will be enough, plus, I feel like UD has a strong team. I think this is one where if it was played 10 times at a neutral site it would be a 5-5 type of deal, but all the other factors tilt it towards UD.

[mainejeff]

SDSU wins this by 2 TDs.

[93henfan]

SDSU wins this by 2 TDs.

Maybe we'll lose 3-0. Wouldn't that be some crazy shit?

[guinzone]

5Dimes has Delaware as 2pt favorites.

[DJH]

UD by double digits.

[bluehenbillk]

UD wins 30-14. Don't see SDSU doing much on UD's defense, too simple an attack. Tough way to open a season against a UD team with a game under their belt that hasn't lost to a Gateway/MVFC team in a long, long time.

[G&B]

This game will be a good one. SDSU by 3.

[SDHornet]

SDSU goes up big early....but then UD goes on a tear starting with a blocked punt and rallies...

[billsheets]

Close thru half.blue hens pull away in 2nd half and win 31-20.

[Thumper 76]

SDSU goes up big early....but then UD goes on a tear starting with a blocked punt and rallies...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh burnnnn

[89Hen]

Hens by 30ish. Will be like the last two times MVFC teams came a callin.

Wait, is this in the smack forum?

[ChickenMan]

Barring the turnover factor.. if SDSU can establish the run and put pressure on Devlin.. they win. If UD can do the opposite.. they win.

[Thumper 76]

Barring the turnover factor.. if SDSU can establish the run and put pressure on Devlin.. they win. If UD can do the opposite.. they win.

Agree with that. I think that SDSU should be able to put some pressure on Devlin, but I am very interested to see how our new linemen react to the big time away atmosphere.

[Blue Hen Fanatic]

At home against a program who has only played in front of such a large crowd a few times, losing some very key players from last year's playoff team, going up against the best UD team since going to the Championship Game in 2007, and of course trying to defend the top FCS pre-season pick for the next NFL draft day at the QB position, has mitigated the media hype of this game to many Blue Hen Fanatics.

Hen Fans will not really know how good the 2010 Hens are until the fourth game against their first CAA opponent of the season, Richmond.

SDSU is just another game in the TUB

[Thumper 76]

At home against a program who has only played in front of such a large crowd a few times, losing some very key players from last year's playoff team, going up against the best UD team since going to the Championship Game in 2007, and of course trying to defend the top FCS pre-season pick for the next NFL draft day at the QB position, has mitigated the media hype of this game to many Blue Hen Fanatics.

Hen Fans will not really know how good the 2010 Hens are until the fourth game against their first CAA opponent of the season, Richmond.

SDSU is just another game in the TUB

My my my how do you really feel Just another game? I didn't know the Hens lost regularly

[00bluehen]

I've never seen Blue Hen fans this quiet the week before a big home game with major playoff implications.

They're all over on GoHens kvetching about season ticket sales being down, 4 bad years out of the last 5 seasons, lack of stadium improvements, 100% liklihood that this year will suck, being a better fan than someone else, 2 clouds in the sky today instead of 1, and someone changing the recipe of Coke. Quiet? Please...one early indication I knew this site was down earlier was that 89 left his lil circle-jerk here to go egg those 'tards on.

I like the first quarter margin to be the eventual margin of victory. I sense SDSU may be slow out of the gate just due to this being their first game, but they're well-coached and will get up to speed quickly. The major issue is how far will they be behind once they get their acts together? I'm going to say 6 points on the strength of 2 Perry FGs, and that's what the Hens end up winning this by.

[93henfan]

At home against a program who has only played in front of such a large crowd a few times, losing some very key players from last year's playoff team, going up against the best UD team since going to the Championship Game in 2007, and of course trying to defend the top FCS pre-season pick for the next NFL draft day at the QB position, has mitigated the media hype of this game to many Blue Hen Fanatics.

Hen Fans will not really know how good the 2010 Hens are until the fourth game against their first CAA opponent of the season, Richmond.

SDSU is just another game in the TUB

No offense, but that sounds like a lot of bravado to me. We only got 19,000+ fans last week. Hopefully a few more turn out for a ranked FCS team, but a lot of people are ticked about all the new fees and mandatory donations that the UDAF has added. Season tickets are down into four figures this year for the first time in a long time. The student section was 2/3 empty when the Hens ran onto the field last week because the students were too busy out in the parking lot finishing off their drinks. It was one of the weakest intros I've seen in a long time. I felt disappointed for the team. It's not like the Tub is the advantage it once was any more. SDSU played in front of a much more raucous crowd in its last game and came out firing on all cylinders to boot.

SDSU is absolutely not just another game at the Tub. This game will go a long way in determining what kind of season the Hens will have. Lose this one and the CAA slate looks even that much more daunting. This game is setting up very similarly to last year's Richmond game. Win that one and we would have been feeling really good about ourselves. Lose it, which we did on a gut-wrenching blocked field goal that would have won it at the gun, and the season instantly has zero room for error and the Hens finished a mediocre 6-5.

[jd of de]

Forecast @ Kickoff; 75, sunny, 43% humidity with 6mph wind our of the SSW.

More thing in favor of UD (home, warm-up game, regularly play ranked teams, hyped crowd) more negatives for SDSU (8 hrs dorm to hotel on Friday, 1st game, CAA reputation and playoff stakes). Weather favors UD run/pass balance and UD defensive front four a bit better than SDSU. Turnovers in this game can't be glossed over on either side. SDSU plays well enough to gain addition respect.

UD 10-7 1st
UD 17-14 half
UD 31-14 3rd
UD 31-21 final

Loss gets SDSU ready for win against ISU (over-hyped) and Jacks make the playoffs. UD goes 4-0 (yep @Richmond too) in September.

[Thumper 76]

Forecast @ Kickoff; 75, sunny, 43% humidity with 6mph wind our of the SSW.

More thing in favor of UD (home, warm-up game, regularly play ranked teams, hyped crowd) more negatives for SDSU (8 hrs dorm to hotel on Friday, 1st game, CAA reputation and playoff stakes). Weather favors UD run/pass balance and UD defensive front four a bit better than SDSU. Turnovers in this game can't be glossed over on either side. SDSU plays well enough to gain addition respect.

UD 10-7 1st
UD 17-14 half
UD 31-14 3rd
UD 31-21 final

Loss gets SDSU ready for win against ISU (over-hyped) and Jacks make the playoffs. UD goes 4-0 (yep @Richmond too) in September.

The one point I would argue with this is that your d-line is better that ours. The only guy we really lost is Danny Batten last year. The rest is pretty much back. Don't count on there to be much if any drop off for our d-line play from last year. Watch out for Batten 2.0, Jake Steffan

Otherwise your spot on, well besides your prediction of course

[SDHornet]

SDSU goes up big early....but then UD goes on a tear starting with a blocked punt and rallies...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh burnnnn

I couldn't resist.

[ChickenMan]

This a big game and an even bigger season for Delaware. As was posted.. there are a lot of disgruntled Hen fans who are not only upset with the recent performance of the team on the field.. but they are also very unhappy with the the UD administration's new policy relative to the placing of premiums on parking & tickets along with their not so veiled threats of having your long term seats relocated if those donations aren't forthcoming. All that combined with numerous promises.. but precieved inaction of the part of the UD crew relative to the long debated facilities improvements has created a lot of disenchantment and frustration within the UD faithful. UD needs to return to prominence this season.. if KC comes up with another 6-5 type year things could get very ugly in Henville.

[clenz]

I'll go UD by 8-13

[Thumper 76]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh burnnnn

I couldn't resist.

No worries it was a good one