Davidson at VMI
Mercer at Ole Miss
ETSU at Jacksonville State
Wofford at Pittsburgh
WCU at Arkansas
UTC at North Alabama
The Citadel at Georgia Southern
Mercer kicks off the season on Saturday. UNA struggled last season, but any out of conference win is a good one in my opinion. UTC will have the same team next week.
Davidson would be a nice win for VMI out of the shoot. The Wildcats were a playoff team last season.
Not holding out a lot of hope for Wofford and Western Carolina, though neither Pitt nor Arkansas are juggernauts as P5 teams go.
ETSU never really seems to settle on whether they are good or not good, but JSU should be a pretty stout team for them week 1.
I suppose we have to pull for the Citadel at Georgia Southern, but it'd be nice for them to both find ways to embarrassingly lose that game.
Mercer kicks off the season on Saturday. UNA struggled last season, but any out of conference win is a good one in my opinion. UTC will have the same team next week.
Davidson would be a nice win for VMI out of the shoot. The Wildcats were a playoff team last season.
Not holding out a lot of hope for Wofford and Western Carolina, though neither Pitt nor Arkansas are juggernauts as P5 teams go.
ETSU never really seems to settle on whether they are good or not good, but JSU should be a pretty stout team for them week 1.
I suppose we have to pull for the Citadel at Georgia Southern, but it'd be nice for them to both find ways to embarrassingly lose that game.
North Alabama lost a bunch of games last year (1-10), but they lost a few of ‘em close, against a few fairly strong opponents. The Lions are also heavy portal-users - 18 of 22 Starters. They also have a new Head Coach, who has hit the portal (coaches version) quite frequently himself over the past 6 seasons…
• 2018: Bethel College (head coach)
• 2019: Kansas (senior offensive consultant)
• 2020: Kansas (offensive coordinator)
• 2021: Middle Tennessee (offensive coordinator)
• 2022: Florida Atlantic (offensive coordinator)
So, they could be as good as UIW or they could go 1-10 again. Hard to know in the current world of college football. We should celebrate every SoCon OOC win. Hoping that Mercer can get one here and look really good doing it here on the ESPN Flagship. From a program support perspective, the Bears will be looking good - just heard they have 6 bus loads of students confirmed to make the trip over to The ‘Gump.
Yep - would be good for the Keydets to start off the Rocco era with a SoCon win over a Playoff Team. He’s had strong D’s at his prior Coaching stops, so that bodes well for finding a way to stop Davy’s unique Offense. And, Davidson shouldn’t have much of an idea about what VMI is going to do. SoCon needs VMI not to slip up here.
Hoping WCU can kinda emulate a Samford @ Florida redux. Don’t think they’ll really threaten the Pigs, but a 77-63 game would be good for the SoCon image/perception.
Woffy needs to be focused on endorsing the Panthers check and finding a way to defeat William & Mary on 9/9. Pittsburgh needs to catch the Terriers looking ahead. Maybe…like an 84-0 score in this one would be helpful to get The Tribe lulled to sleep and looking ahead to ChuckSouth…doubtful…gawd, W&M has a cupcake schedule!
JaxSt sucked in ‘21, but was really good in their transition season last year. That’s odd - hope KSU doesn’t get any crazy notions like that. Anyway…maybe the Cocks will continue to be weird and fall back this year. Coach Quarles and the SoCon could really use an ETSU upset here.
FUBeAR thinks Coach Drayton is about a 300-400% upgrade for the bellhops and he was smart enough to hire an FU Alum OC/OL Coach. Guess he never got past Coach Covington’s resume to see FUBeAR’s was in the stack…his loss . He also hired a DL Coach with FU DNA. So, while FUBeAR, normally, would be thrilled to see the bellhops go 0-13 every year, he wants the boyz in baby blue to prevail in this one. Hoping the GaSou HC’s post-game interview will sound exactly like this one did after he had his FANNY WHIPPED (00:43) by the SamsoniteSlingers.
Last edited by FUBeAR on Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:32 am, edited 4 times in total.
NCAA MANUAL
20.10.1 ...intercollegiate athletics...competition in amateur athletics… 20.10.1.2 …maintaining a line of demarcation between student-athletes who participate in the Collegiate Model and athletes competing in the professional model
Y’all are giving Davey way too much credit for being a “playoff team”. Somebody had to go from that league. They lost said playoff game 41-0 and it was 31-0 at half and were outgained 482-226. If VMI doesn’t win this one they may not win aa game.
Y’all are giving Davey way too much credit for being a “playoff team”. Somebody had to go from that league. They lost said playoff game 41-0 and it was 31-0 at half and were outgained 482-226. If VMI doesn’t win this one they may not win aa game.
I didn't say they were outstanding. They were a playoff team last season and they are out of conference and perception matters a great deal in the national scene. If the SoCon's cellar dweller from last season can notch a win against a team that made the playoffs last year, that's good for the SoCon.
No surprises there. Only items of note for FUBeAR are …Transfer QB from Missouri State is backup and RB Transfer from Charlotte is backup in that role. Like Furman, the Bears didn’t have many ‘open spots’ in their Top 44 and they seem to have filled the few they had with solid options.
No surprises there. Only items of note for FUBeAR are …Transfer QB from Missouri State is backup and RB Transfer from Charlotte is backup in that role. Like Furman, the Bears didn’t have many ‘open spots’ in their Top 44 and they seem to have filled the few they had with solid options.
Mercer has gotten a fair amount of preseason accolades, probably in no small part to their two excellent wide receivers.
My biggest question marks for the Bears going into the season:
1. How much, if any drop off, will there be between Carter Peevy and Fred Payton? While there were not many open spots on the depth chart, one of the big open spots was at the cornerstone position on the field. Peevy has some experience, but did not play much after Payton transferred in, appearing in only one game last season. Mercer's big advantage offensively is Harper and James, but you gotta have someone that can get the ball to them.
2. Can Mercer win the big games? It seems most seasons like the Bears have been good at racking up early season wins, but have faded down the stretch and have struggled to consistently beat the Conference's best teams. With the SoCon being a two-maybe-three big league, you can't finish fourth. Their first big test will come at Furman in a few weeks.
Mercer, showed impressive flashes last year. They were undisciplined at times and needed that extra step to get wins in big games. I'm interested to see how they come out of the gate tomorrow.
Last edited by FUBeAR on Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
NCAA MANUAL
20.10.1 ...intercollegiate athletics...competition in amateur athletics… 20.10.1.2 …maintaining a line of demarcation between student-athletes who participate in the Collegiate Model and athletes competing in the professional model
No surprises there. Only items of note for FUBeAR are …Transfer QB from Missouri State is backup and RB Transfer from Charlotte is backup in that role. Like Furman, the Bears didn’t have many ‘open spots’ in their Top 44 and they seem to have filled the few they had with solid options.
Mercer has gotten a fair amount of preseason accolades, probably in no small part to their two excellent wide receivers.
My biggest question marks for the Bears going into the season:
1. How much, if any drop off, will there be between Carter Peevy and Fred Payton? While there were not many open spots on the depth chart, one of the big open spots was at the cornerstone position on the field. Peevy has some experience, but did not play much after Payton transferred in, appearing in only one game last season. Mercer's big advantage offensively is Harper and James, but you gotta have someone that can get the ball to them.
2. Can Mercer win the big games? It seems most seasons like the Bears have been good at racking up early season wins, but have faded down the stretch and have struggled to consistently beat the Conference's best teams. With the SoCon being a two-maybe-three big league, you can't finish fourth. Their first big test will come at Furman in a few weeks.
Mercer, showed impressive flashes last year. They were undisciplined at times and needed that extra step to get wins in big games. I'm interested to see how they come out of the gate tomorrow.
Yes - the Peevy / Payton question is one that must be answered this season
But…as Peevy is the son of a Furman Paladin OLman, was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in the Spring of 2021, and has been a great/loyal Teammate for the Bears for the past 2 seasons, FUBeAR only expects greatness from him and certainly would not cast any aspersions, veiled or otherwise, his way.
While “impressive flashes,” “faded down the stretch” and “undisciplined” are all mostly to ridiculously unfair (but not unexpected), mischaracterizations, the Bears have definitely had a backloaded schedule and become somewhat depth depleted at OL & RB due to a combination of injuries and residual effects from the roster rebuild Coach Cronic began in the midst of Covid.
EXTREMELY NARROW last-second and double OT losses to Seeded Playoff Teams (that have won games & advanced in the Playoffs) in the final regular season games of 2021 AND 2022 are the 2 ‘events’ that, alone, have prevented Mercer from capturing a SoCon Championship and 2 Playoff berths in the past 2 seasons.
It is almost impossible to be closer to glorious success without reaching it than Mercer Football has been - LITERALLY inches away in the past 2 seasons.
FUBeAR expects Mercer to go 10-1 in the regular season and is looking forward to watching the Bears, in January, seeking to avenge their only loss of the season, in Frisco, TX.
Last edited by FUBeAR on Fri Aug 25, 2023 11:35 am, edited 2 times in total.
NCAA MANUAL
20.10.1 ...intercollegiate athletics...competition in amateur athletics… 20.10.1.2 …maintaining a line of demarcation between student-athletes who participate in the Collegiate Model and athletes competing in the professional model
No surprises there. Only items of note for FUBeAR are …Transfer QB from Missouri State is backup and RB Transfer from Charlotte is backup in that role. Like Furman, the Bears didn’t have many ‘open spots’ in their Top 44 and they seem to have filled the few they had with solid options.
Mercer has gotten a fair amount of preseason accolades, probably in no small part to their two excellent wide receivers.
My biggest question marks for the Bears going into the season:
1. How much, if any drop off, will there be between Carter Peevy and Fred Payton? While there were not many open spots on the depth chart, one of the big open spots was at the cornerstone position on the field. Peevy has some experience, but did not play much after Payton transferred in, appearing in only one game last season. Mercer's big advantage offensively is Harper and James, but you gotta have someone that can get the ball to them.
2. Can Mercer win the big games? It seems most seasons like the Bears have been good at racking up early season wins, but have faded down the stretch and have struggled to consistently beat the Conference's best teams. With the SoCon being a two-maybe-three big league, you can't finish fourth. Their first big test will come at Furman in a few weeks.
Mercer, showed impressive flashes last year. They were undisciplined at times and needed that extra step to get wins in big games. I'm interested to see how they come out of the gate tomorrow.
Yes - the Peevy / Payton question is one that must be answered this season
But…as Peevy is the son of a Furman Paladin OLman, was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in the Spring of 2021, and has been a great/loyal Teammate for the Bears for the past 2 seasons, FUBeAR only expects greatness from him and certainly would not cast any aspersions, veiled or otherwise, his way.
While “impressive flashes,” “faded down the stretch” and “undisciplined” are all mostly to ridiculously unfair (but not unexpected), mischaracterizations, the Bears have definitely had a backloaded schedule and become somewhat depth depleted due to a combination of injuries and residual effects from the roster rebuild Coach Cronic began in the midst of Covid.
EXTREMELY NARROW last-second and double OT losses to Seeded Playoff Teams (that have won games & advanced in the Playoffs) in the final regular season games of 2021 AND 2022 are the 2 ‘events’ that, alone, have prevented Mercer from capturing a SoCon Championship and 2 Playoff berths in the past 2 seasons.
It is almost impossible to be closer to glorious success without reaching it than Mercer Football has been - LITERALLY inches away in the past 2 seasons.
No surprises there. Only items of note for FUBeAR are …Transfer QB from Missouri State is backup and RB Transfer from Charlotte is backup in that role. Like Furman, the Bears didn’t have many ‘open spots’ in their Top 44 and they seem to have filled the few they had with solid options.
Mercer has gotten a fair amount of preseason accolades, probably in no small part to their two excellent wide receivers.
My biggest question marks for the Bears going into the season:
1. How much, if any drop off, will there be between Carter Peevy and Fred Payton? While there were not many open spots on the depth chart, one of the big open spots was at the cornerstone position on the field. Peevy has some experience, but did not play much after Payton transferred in, appearing in only one game last season. Mercer's big advantage offensively is Harper and James, but you gotta have someone that can get the ball to them.
2. Can Mercer win the big games? It seems most seasons like the Bears have been good at racking up early season wins, but have faded down the stretch and have struggled to consistently beat the Conference's best teams. With the SoCon being a two-maybe-three big league, you can't finish fourth. Their first big test will come at Furman in a few weeks.
Mercer, showed impressive flashes last year. They were undisciplined at times and needed that extra step to get wins in big games. I'm interested to see how they come out of the gate tomorrow.
Yes - the Peevy / Payton question is one that must be answered this season
But…as Peevy is the son of a Furman Paladin OLman, was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in the Spring of 2021, and has been a great/loyal Teammate for the Bears for the past 2 seasons, FUBeAR only expects greatness from him and certainly would not cast any aspersions, veiled or otherwise, his way.
While “impressive flashes,” “faded down the stretch” and “undisciplined” are all mostly to ridiculously unfair (but not unexpected), mischaracterizations, the Bears have definitely had a backloaded schedule and become somewhat depth depleted due to a combination of injuries and residual effects from the roster rebuild Coach Cronic began in the midst of Covid.
EXTREMELY NARROW last-second and double OT losses to Seeded Playoff Teams (that have won games & advanced in the Playoffs) in the final regular season games of 2021 AND 2022 are the 2 ‘events’ that, alone, have prevented Mercer from capturing a SoCon Championship and 2 Playoff berths in the past 2 seasons.
It is almost impossible to be closer to glorious success without reaching it than Mercer Football has been - LITERALLY inches away in the past 2 seasons.
I can appreciate you disagree with whatever words I select to describe my observations, but I'm not sure you've actually disagreed with most of the substance of what I said.
My concerns on discipline were from watching several key players become disqualified [Not true - 1 “key Player” DQ’d on a very close Targeting call in the Furman game - absolutely nothing to do with “discipline” & 1 backup Player DQ’d for behavior in the Samford game, who via discipline, lost his privilege of being a Mercer Football Player ever again. Contrary to this false claim, Mercer did not have ANY starting players disqualified for ‘lack of discipline’ in either of these games. - FUBeAR] in the two biggest games of the season for otherwise avoidable reasons. I would say the same thing if they were Furman players (or played for any other team I was watching)
Nice edit - 1 good edit deserves another…so FUBeAR’s blistering response has been deleted…but FUBeAR, with a disclaimer added, is leaving your original snide, snarky, erroneous comment/reply, FWIW (negative something, methinks)
NCAA MANUAL
20.10.1 ...intercollegiate athletics...competition in amateur athletics… 20.10.1.2 …maintaining a line of demarcation between student-athletes who participate in the Collegiate Model and athletes competing in the professional model
Mercer appears to be the better team, but seems to be having a tough time keeping the Lions out of the backfield. UNA is pressuring without blitzing, causing Peevy to scramble a bit more than I assume Cronic would prefer.
UNA also seems pretty committed to keeping Harper and James in front of them.
Conditioning is going to be key in the second half.
. He also hired a DL Coach with FU DNA. So, while FUBeAR, normally, would be thrilled to see the bellhops go 0-13 every year, he wants the boyz in baby blue to prevail in this one. Hoping the GaSou HC’s post-game interview will sound exactly like this one did after he had his FANNY WHIPPED (00:43) by the SamsoniteSlingers.
