I LOVE how it shapes up. First take a peek here....The Link Some observations. #1. Our out of conference does not suck. Yes NMSU will have a hard time getting 3 wins... but their SOS will likely be fine. They play UCLA, Minnesota, and Boston College this year. BYU is probably a bowl team. They also play Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame. Ole MIss... they're an SEC team. Big boost to our SOS. #2. Look at the time we have between games. We have 12 days to prep for Iowa State. We have 9 days to prep for OU. 14 days to prep for TCU. 12 days prep for Ttech, 9 days prep for Baylor. I don't ever remember a schedule set up so well where we have so many days to prepare for the next team on our schedule. Further.... while we have 14 days to prep for TCU... they play Okie State while we play bye. NICE. And while we have a couple extra days to prep for OU... OU will be playing TCU. NICE.. And finally... where we have extra time for Baylor... Baylor will also be playing TCU. TCU could really help us this year because we play a bunch of teams right after they play them. Hopefully they can soften some folks up for us. #3. Look at how things set up. We get to play KSU early... before they get their young offense going and before their defense of 2 returning starters can gel. We get OK state, Tech, AND kstate at home. NICE. We have to travel to TCU... but like i said earlier, we have a bye week to prepare. We have to travel to ISU.... shouldn't matter. and if ever there was a year to travel to WVU... this is the year. They are rebuilding this year. HOWEVER, the schedule makers did us no favors with Baylor. This will be their final home game at the old stadium with the new one going up in 2014. It should be rocking. What do you guys think? I like how it sets up. How's this for a scenario? 11-1 TX plays 10-2 ATM in a BCS at large game like the sugar bowl?
Good perspective on the season, thanks for writing it up. That’s a very favorable setup, I hope we can capitalize on it.
Noticed the same thing...I'm thinking if these guys FOCUS, we're 13-0.... yes, I'm mostly optimistic, but this year...I'm pumped!!! Hook'EM!!!
Thanks for the information. I agree with you. The schedule sets up about as well as one could hope. No excuses!
Dead on post. I've been praising the schedule all off-season. Mostly due to the fact we get KSU and OSU at home. With playing KSU before the load of new guys fully gel, we have a big advantage. Or at least we are a very experienced team giving their new squad their first test of real competition. 10 years under their foot built up and playing at home will unleash some Horn fury. I point to this one as a HUGE season forecaster. If we beat them soundly and shake the monkey on our back, it will signal karma is finally taking a turn in our favor. The second (probably most important) aspect is getting both OSU and KSU at home. IMO, the only true contender we play at their place is TCU. And as you say we get a well placed bye prior. The schedule works well in our favor, we are the most experienced in the conference by far, and as a fan the home schedule is gonna be awesome viewing for the first time in quite a well. 4 of 6 games will be full tilt intensity and competition. Sweet.
Also of note regarding our schedule. The Big XII plays 3 sec teams OOC. LSU plays TCU. Okie State plays Mississippi State. We play Ole Miss. Those are 3 vey winnable games. If we go 3-0 against the SEC... You have to think that come nut-crunching time we'll be favorably ranked by the computers with regards to SEC teams. (BCS wise) Also note: We don't have a murderer's row this year. Arguably our toughest 3 game stretch is BYU, Ole MIss, and KSU. Before OU... we get to play ISU. Before TCU we get a bye. Before Okie State... we get a weak WVU. Now look at OU's Schedule. They have to play Notre Dame, TCU, and Texas in consecutive weeks. Reminiscent to me of our 2008 stretch where we played 3 straight top 10 teams culminating in a loss to Tech. TCU's schedule is strange to me. All their bye weeks are at the back end of the schedule. they play 8 consecutive weeks without any time off. Better hope they don't have injuries. Oke States schedule sets up very nicely as well. They also play KSU early and at home. They also get a bye before the OU game. AND a bye before the TCU game.... and those 2 matchups are also at home in Stillwater. No wonder the media picked them #1. Very favorable schedule like ours.
Glendale, maybe. Or, if the OL and D don't suck, maybe even Pasadena. And with Desmond now eligible, I'd amend that to "If Diaz doesn't suck."
Our defense (Diaz) was indeed awful last year: Idiotically blitzing, where players are running out of the play without having to be blocked, tackling habits that include not wrapping up. Schemes that allow mediocre running backs to have career games against us week after week. Allowing 50 + points against at least three conference teams (WVU, BU, OU); ugh! Yes, Diaz sucked beyond belief. Here's hoping his giantnormous egotistic need to "outscheme" opponents' offenses will morph into simple hard nosed coaching and fundamentally sound playing. With our athletes we just need to coach them and put them in position to make plays. They will do the rest.
One thought I forgot to add. I hope we get West Virginia at like a noon kick off, while the locals are still sleeping it off until halftime.
Thanks! But does Baylor really care about rocking the last game in their old POS stadium? If they are rocking, it is because they are playing TEXAS!
I must admit I have been very optimistic about our team this season. We really have no excuses this year to not win the conference and win at leat 10 games. A blowout loss to OU and more than 2 regular season losses should signal the end of the Mack era. With the talent we have coming back and the losses to our conference rivals we are very well positioned. I really think if our offense is as good as last year we will win 10+ games. My only real concern is how our defense will play. Diaz really was aweful last season. There are no excuses as to how bad we played. Hopefully, Diaz learned something last season.
KSU early in the season = good ISU on Thursday night = not as good OU whenever in October = probably doesn't matter TCU after long break = good WVU in November = probably helps them more than us OK State after a three-game win streak = possible upset (them beating us) Tech = meh no matter where you put it Baylor = hate to say it, but could be our marquee game with **** on the line.
How is TCU a "respite" for ou? TCU kicked our *** on our home field with a freshman QB. They have Pachall back who is one of the top QB's in the conference, plus their typical outstanding defense. ou will be lucky to beat tcu. And we'll have our hands full with them.
Have to agree with caryhorn. There's a reason TCU is a consensus pick to finish bunched at the top of the Big 12 with Texas, OSU and OU. I certainly won't take them lightly and I doubt the Horns will either.
