Teams/team that scare you

[TxNDfan82]

the most that you have to play this season. I figure I'll put up a thread in this board because one hasn't been up in a while. Anyway I guess alot of people would think USC but I'm going to have to say U of M. Because unlike USC or Tenn that might be battered or bruised when we play them we will be playing U of M fresh in there house and after last year they are going to want to put a beat down on us ala 2003.

[unforgiven108]

AU at Jordan Hare. Not only is it a tough environment versus an opponent who is upset that they did not get a title last year...but it's the first game of the season, and will set the tone and pace of our season. IMO we have two good options.

1.) We win.
2.) We lose by a close margin.

If we get rocked, our season may start looking bleak early.

[duck_fan_dan]

The obvious choice is USC. But I like the timing of the game being the first Pac-10 game for both teams, and it is at Autzen. None of these USC guys have traveled to Autzen before thanks to Pac-10 scheduling, so they will not be prepared for it as other teams may.

A not so obvious one in OOC is Fresno State. They have the makings to upset many BCS teams. The fact of just playing a top minor team and the possibility of losing is scary.

[SoonerPGH]

I'm sure mine is quite obvious. Texas. I don't see anyone else being nearly the threat that UT will pose. Yes, there are a few fairly strong teams in line this year, but I don't see any of them as quite the game Texas will be for two reasons. First, they just aren't the team that UT is. Second, UT has a darn good reason to beat OU this year, five of them in fact.

[TxNDfan82]

I mean don't get me wrong I'm scared of USC and Tenn but by luck we will be coming off bye weeks each week we play them, the football gods must looking down on us :) .

[plainseagletiger]

Western Kentucky - They're called the Hilltoppers, and they've got this great big red blob thing for a mascot. I don't know what that thing is, but it scares me. I'm considering skipping that game because I don't want that red blob thing to get me.



Seriously, I've got to go with Arkansas. They are our first road game and we'll be starting a new QB. They don't have Matt Jones anymore, but I think they'll still be tougher than the so-called experts think.

[arktravlr]

USC...takin' a young team to Los Angeles that early in the season and we still don't know who is going to step into Matt Jones shoes. We have some size issues at DE and LB too apparently, and DB's that got abused last year (see Chris Leak's performance)... the whole season looks rough for us, but I'm worried that this one could get ugly. Fortunately there should be a lot of maturing going on this season and we get USC on the Hill next season ;)

[Auburn2000]

I agree with Arkansas as well. Going into 2003, it was the game I worried more about than any other, and we won that one and lost 5 others.

Even though we have won 2 in a row over them, I still see them as having some sort of mojo over Auburn. Maybe we can find out that "mojo" was MJ.

[arktravlr]

I agree with Arkansas as well. Going into 2003, it was the game I worried more about than any other, and we won that one and lost 5 others.

Even though we have won 2 in a row over them, I still see them as having some sort of mojo over Auburn. Maybe we can find out that "mojo" was MJ.

Fred Talley has been injured for the last two years and is slated to be our starting tail-back this year. Word on the Hill is that he has shaved some time off of his 40, and put on about 15 lbs of muscle.





















And that boys and girls is how to make an Auburn fan sweat ;)
You guys will just have to make do with dealing with Peyton Hillis running the ball this year. Still don't know who will be under center

[TxNDfan82]

Arkansas/Auburn should be a great game to see, when it is supposed to go down, early or late in the season?

[Return of SEC_MAN]

Arkansas/Auburn should be a great game to see, when it is supposed to go down, early or late in the season?

middle. mid-october. but i think we've gotten over it, especially since we romped them last year.

my team that im worried about is lsu, obviously we'll probably lose but im worried about them running the table........that'd just suck for me.

[SamTDawg]

Obviously: Tennessee and Florida

Not so obviously: Boise State and Georgia Tech

I think we'll get a chance to see how good our pass defense is against BS, which will be a good indicator of how good we'll match up against UF (In UF's spring game the score was 34-28, and only one TD was made on a run play during the entire game, and it was a 1 yd run). Georgia Tech just scares me because they have potential this year, have a good DC, and we could easily overlook them. Pass defense will be the key to our season.

[TxNDfan82]

Obviously: Tennessee and Florida

Not so obviously: Boise State and Georgia Tech

I think we'll get a chance to see how good our pass defense is against BS, which will be a good indicator of how good we'll match up against UF (In UF's spring game the score was 34-28, and only one TD was made on a run play during the entire game, and it was a 1 yd run). Georgia Tech just scares me because they have potential this year, have a good DC, and we could easily overlook them. Pass defense will be the key to our season.

Well you know Urban isn't going to try to beat you running the ball thats for sure.

[dxwwf3]

For us, I don't think that we play a team this year that is better than us....on paper. But with our brutal road schedule and overall just plain hard schedule (We can not afford a letdown in games like UAB and Memphis), a combination of that and playing back to back against UF and LSU on the road scares the heck out of me. Basically every game on our schedule is losable for us, IMO. Vandy and/or Kentucky always scare me to the point that I think we could easily lose to one of them any season. We might bring our absolute A game against UF and LSU and then have a big enough let down the next game where Ole Miss could beat us. You can only play so good, so often. Similar to last years game against UGA. I went into that game as confident as any other game that season. Reason being UGA played thier best game of the year and we played our worst game of the year in the previous weeks. UGA being at home thinking that the game will be a blowout and us being the extreme underdogs wanting to prove something helped tell the tale of that game. Of course, it also didn't hurt that we were alot better than what we showed against Auburn and UGA played a little over their heads against LSU, but I think you get the point.

I would not be surprised one bit if we ran the table this year and went to the Rose Bowl. I think we have the talent and the depth to do it. But I also wouldn't be surprised if we started the season 1-2. We live in the age of parity people. It's hard to get used to it.

[ron4sc]

I'm afraid of all of the games! Afterall, everyone will be lined up to take a swing at USC next season.

If I had to pick a couple of teams that really scare me, it would be Oregon because as someone said, it's at their house and that's a very tough place to play.

Second game would be Notre Dame. Weis will have that team pumped up and ready to fight at their place. I don't think ND will win this year, but I'm betting they will serve notice that ND is back.

The final game that really scares me is Fresno st. Nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was a mistake scheduling them this year but the deed is done and now we have to play them.

The interesting thing about last season versus this season is that last season , except for Virginia Tech, we had all of our toughest games at home. It looks like this year we have all of our toughest games on the road.

[TxNDfan82]

I'm afraid of all of the games! Afterall, everyone will be lined up to take a swing at USC next season.

If I had to pick a couple of teams that really scare me, it would be Oregon because as someone said, it's at their house and that's a very tough place to play.

Second game would be Notre Dame. Weis will have that team pumped up and ready to fight at their place. I don't think ND will win this year, but I'm betting they will serve notice that ND is back.

The final game that really scares me is Fresno st. Nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was a mistake scheduling them this year but the deed is done and now we have to play them.

The interesting thing about last season versus this season is that last season , except for Virginia Tech, we had all of our toughest games at home. It looks like this year we have all of our toughest games on the road.

As you should be about Oregon from what I have heard they should have a above average team this year but again won't know till the season. When considering the ND game, I think Weis is going to give them one hell of a pep talk before the game I wish I could be in the locker room to listen to it! Don't you guys have some history with Fresno St? And yes you guys will have the biggest bulls eye on your back next season its not even going to be funny...

[volznation]

I am scared about the back to back games @Florida and then @LSU not to mention the game @South Bend and @Alabama. Going to be difficult

[Roody]

USC will definitely have a big bullseye, but no one on their schedule has the talent to beat them if they stay focused. That said, it's going to be a very tough year IMO.

[LoneStarTiger]

I am scared about the back to back games @Florida and then @LSU not to mention the game @South Bend and @Alabama. Going to be difficult


win out with that schedule and you get a ticket to the Rose Bowl.

The game I worry about is the Auburn game, mainly because Tubby knows how to beat LSU. That, and another AU win means a week or two of pure misery.

[jmjonesjr]

I'm gonna say arkansas too. new QB and first road game will be a real test.

[plainseagletiger]

If I were to pick another team that scares me a little, it'd have to be Georgia Tech. It's the first game of the year with a new offensive backfield going against a pretty good defense. I think our defense can deal with their offense pretty well, but can we get clicking and move the ball enough to score more than them.

LSU, UGA, and Bama are always scary!

[catcher_0_3]

Georgia Tech's road schedule is probably the toughest in the ACC, and their home schedule isn't too easy either. I see Miami on the road and Virginia Tech on the road being possibly our two hardest games. If we could win a few of our road games and most of our home games, i.e. Georgia, then Tech could be a team to watch out for this year. This season could either be the year that we wish to remember, or the one we wish to forget years down the road.

[cardfandan]

On the road: WVU (I think that I will take a fire extinguisher with me)

At home: Oregon State or Pitt

[TxNDfan82]

On the road: WVU (I think that I will take a fire extinguisher with me)

At home: Oregon State or Pitt

I'll be sure to give you a scouting report after Sept 3rd...

[cardfandan]

gracias

[gtfan7773]

I'll be sure to give you a scouting report after Sept 3rd...
Here is a scouting report for Pitt. They can pass and can't play defense.

[cardfandan]

Here is a scouting report for Pitt. They can pass and can't play defense.

Oddly similar to the early report for Louisville. . .

[jmjonesjr]

Oddly similar to the early report for Louisville. . .

and 9 of the 10 teams in the PAC 10

[cardfandan]

Well, Louisville's problem is that it can't recruit great players in the secondary. In the PAC-10 however, it's because of the philosophy. The PAC-10 seems to believe that defense is just wandering around on the field between offensive possessions.

[Return of SEC_MAN]

im not scared of any team, doesnt mean i dont see us losing a game here and there but defintely not scared of any team.

[cardfandan]

OK, let's rephrase the question for SEC_man

"Which team on the schedule has the most potential for a loss?"

[Return of SEC_MAN]

OK, let's rephrase the question for SEC_man

"Which team on the schedule has the most potential for a loss?"

lsu

[LowerAlabamaTrojan]

Fresno State. Just because of what was mentioned earlier, they have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. And I believe we've never won against them (they lead the series 1-0, thanks to an inspired Trent Dilfer led performance in the short lived Freedom Bowl: Embarrassing).

[jmjonesjr]

LSU, they and georgia are the best teams on our schedule, and we play better in Athens than in Baton Rouge

[ron4sc]

Don't you guys have some history with Fresno St?

Yeah, they beat us in 1991 in the freedom bowl if i recall the year correctly. USC promptly fired coach Larry Smith after the season. That was one of the most humiliating defeats in our program. Not because of the score but because of who beat us. the nineties were a very very bad decade.

As for ND, I want to go to that game but stubhub has the nosebleed tickets going for $300. I've really got to think about the cost of the trip to see if I can make that game. It should be one for the ages.

[jmjonesjr]

my roommates and I have already decided that once we have money, we're going to the first big home game for ND that falls on an Auburn off week. Its just something I gotta see.

[gtfan7773]

Well, Louisville's problem is that it can't recruit great players in the secondary. In the PAC-10 however, it's because of the philosophy. The PAC-10 seems to believe that defense is just wandering around on the field between offensive possessions.
Yeah ya'll were awful in the secondary against Memphis.

[TxNDfan82]

Yeah, they beat us in 1991 in the freedom bowl if i recall the year correctly. USC promptly fired coach Larry Smith after the season. That was one of the most humiliating defeats in our program. Not because of the score but because of who beat us. the nineties were a very very bad decade.

As for ND, I want to go to that game but stubhub has the nosebleed tickets going for $300. I've really got to think about the cost of the trip to see if I can make that game. It should be one for the ages.

Ron, me and my dad are in the ND ticket lottery for the USC, Tenn and Mich St games as probably everybody else and their brother. I really want to go to the USC game because as you said I think its going to be one for the ages. I have a feeling that its going to be a knock down drag out fight when its all said and done and might go down to the last possession. No more lame ass 31 point ass kickings.

[Return of SEC_MAN]

my roommates and I have already decided that once we have money, we're going to the first big home game for ND that falls on an Auburn off week. Its just something I gotta see.

lately our ole miss game has fallen on the week but i still have to go to a uga/florida game in jax.

[cardfandan]

Yeah ya'll were awful in the secondary against Memphis.

The Cardinals haven't had a pro-level cornerback since Ray Buchanan played there. The safties are always OK but they look less effective because they are always trying to clean up after the CBs.

[USC55ND24]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't see Arkansas as a huge threat. We have them at home this year and on the road next year. I see the toughest games for USC this year as follows:
1) @Cal the flaming hippies play us close every year now, Tedford is great.
2) @Ore first conference road game is always tough for us
3) @ASU we've had their number lately, but they could close the gap
4) @ND rivalry on the road
5) yUCLA rivalry
6) Fresno St a top 25 program
7) Stanford the trees get up for us
8) Arkansas ?
9) Wazzu down now after several 10 win seasons
10) 'Zona how fast will Mike Stoops rebuild
11) @Wash how fast will Ty Willingham rebuild
12) @Hawaii they play well at home

Not trying to be arrogant, but the biggest opponent will be overconfidence this year since we have the horses. All our opponents will be focused on the #1 bullseye on our chests and want to knock off #1. All will play like a top 25 team.