This weekend

[Seminole Indian]

Looks like UCA and ASU will be favored in their game, and the UofA and UAPB will be dogs.

I think the UofA will play well so we will see.

ASU is a big favorite in their game but any team that gives up 34 points in turnovers as they did against Toledo, should be required to forfeit the next game. They need to go back to the drawing board.

[Seminole Indian]

Posters on the Den say Knighten is out again this Saturday for ASU.

[GolfNut57]

Looks like UCA and ASU will be favored in their game, and the UofA and UAPB will be dogs.

I think the UofA will play well so we will see.

ASU is a big favorite in their game but any team that gives up 34 points in turnovers as they did against Toledo, should be required to forfeit the next game. They need to go back to the drawing board.

ASU only gave up 17 points on turnovers. Not 34. They were down 7-0 after kicking off to Toledo to start the game.

[Seminole Indian]

Thanks, I got that 34 from their stats from the game:
https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf9/3880606.pdf

The had an article in the JB Sun today about their struggles with turnovers, and penalties, and their HC seems to feel that they will improve going forward. Not sure what the basis for his optimism is.

One thing if for sure, they have the talent to beat anyone left on their schedule, but they had the talent to beat Mizzo( who they should have beaten), and Toledo, but there is more to winning than talent. They were also more talented than AppSt and TxSt last year, but simply did not play well.

The bottom line is they are not losing games because they lack talent, they are losing because that talent is not playing well, especially at qb.

At some point that focuses the spotlight on preparation, and coaching, and reading their message boards that point was probably reached last week.

[Seminole Indian]

Based on the questions it looks like most of the focus now is on the performance of their qbs, and their OC Walt Bell.

The 9-29 video on AStateNation.com shows the media is not just moving on ( and bell was taken back for a moment), and want some answers from Bell, something that has not been the case in the past. He is still in the excuse mode, appears nervous and a little anxious to move on, and to be honest they have played against three very good defenses.

http://www.scout.com/college/arkansas-state/story/1593294-walt-bell-9-29

Fans on their message boards are far more critical of their coaching thus far this year than the media, but not to the degree Razorbacks fans have been of their coaches.............yet.

As far as going forward it is obvious they think they will fair better in the SBC, and I don't get the impression that they are concerned about Idaho at all.

[Seminole Indian]

Back to this coming weekend, I'm more confident that UCA will not have to uphold state pride by themselves than I was last weekend.

While A-State will again have their backup qb starting, and their coaches and fans appear to have no respect for their opponent, they have enough talent to be considered the favorite.

Tennessee is a very beatable opponent for the Razorbacks if they play well and i expect they will.

UAPB...........not as optimistic here.

[HOGGISHABOUTAR]

Yes, looks like UCA is on the up-tick. I`ll be headed to the purple and grey turf this weekend to watch. Sounds like its going to be perfect football weather, can`t wait!
Maybe ASU can get it done.
TN should beat the Hogs at home, but only because they are at home.

[Dropkick]

ASU should have no problem with Idaho if they do its gonna be a long year for them too.

[Seminole Indian]

Well using Jeff Sagarin's Ratings of the teams left on their schedule,  just to get a feel mind you, it looks like  A-State is in a good position, UCA not bad, and UAPB has a tough task facing them.

SBC
AppSt  68.53
A-State  63.22
ULM  59.47
ULL  59.47
TxSt  52.78
USA  50.63
Idaho  47.71
GaSt  44.41
NMST  42.3

SLC
SHS  60.13
McNeese  55.84
SE LA  54.99
Lamar  52.99
UCA   51.08
ACU  41.96
SFA  41.51
Nicholls St  23.78
HB  14.42

SWAC
Alcorn  39.8
Prairie View  31.24
Southern  39.35
Grambling  38.28
ASU  27.27
UAPB  17.53
MVS  8.23

http://sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm

All the other rating sites  i have looked at have A-State a underdog to only AppSt at this point, but I look for them to start climbing the ladder. Did not look at the other sites for UCA or UAPB.

Looks like  A-State, and UCA can hit my 8 win +/- 1 target I had for both this year. I had the same prediction for the UofA and they can still do it, but have their work cut out for them at this point. Did not have a clue about what to expect from UAPB this year.

[Seminole Indian]

Went ahead and looked ahead using the Massey Composite Rankings (I like Composite Rankings), again to just get a feel for what to expect:

SBC
AppSt  87
A-State  97
ULL  103
USA  106
ULM  112
TxSt  137
Idaho  167
GaSt  187
NMST  204

SLC
SE LA  132
McNeese  144
SHS  146
Lamar  154
UCA  164
ACU  196
SFA  220
Nicholls St  460
HB  502

SWAC
Alcorn  221
Southern  281
Grambling  268
Prairie View  334
ASU  374
UAPB  508
MVS  580

http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Nothing much changes as far as what the records should be. Barring more injuries I expect that A-State will climb in all the rankings going forward so 8 wins +/- 1 still looks doable at this point for A-State, and UCA.

I'm going fishing again, so good luck this weekend.

[Seminole Indian]

I will give my thoughts on A-State at this point.

First, my prediction of 8 +/- 1 record for them was based on comparing their talent to the teams they play and nothing else( that is the only thing I know anything about anyway). I still have them with the best roster of talent in the SBC even though there are two SBC teams ranked ahead of them ( they only play one of those teams).

While most expected them to be 1-3 at this point, in hindsight everyone agrees they should have beaten Mizzo.

The biggest problem thus far for them, and it has carried over from the end of last year, has been the sub-par performance of their qb's (who have been terrible against fbs competition since late last year), and you have to say their OC. They simply have not got the job done, period.

If they can get a semblance of productivity from the qbs (or at least reduce the damage they have been doing to their team), and don't have a lot of injuries, they again have a very good chance of making a bowl game. They have the talent at the other positions.

[pigture perfect]

Amazingly the same can be said of the Razorbacks.

I'm really looking forward to the Tuesday night game coming up. Got my ticket yesterday.