Scary Fact

[dan_beeding]

This sucks.

[GonzoCat]

Re: Scary Fact

Ha, if we won out we'd be 8-4, with a BCS win, and 5 points away from being undefeated and #1 ranked. Yeah, I think we'd be in, but at this point it seems like a 50-1 longshot.

[Kyle]

Re: Scary Fact

This sucks.

For sure.

4-0 with a win over ISU and ranked #4 in the country to 4-4 and last place in the conference.

This is one of the most disappointing seasons in the past 10 years.

[panther-state]

Re: Scary Fact

I think playoffs are a distant memory, even if we managed to break through this funk and win out. A 4-game losing streak, no matter who it is too and by how much, just leaves too much of a black mark. At this point just get some wins and some confidence to go with the valuable experience our young guys are getting.

I can't imagine how pissed and amped up these players will be during the offseason and looking to improve. Remember, when healthy (and this is still without LeMaster and Rohr) this team was easily one of the top two teams in the nation if not the top team based off of what we saw in the NDSU game.

[dan_beeding]

Do a ctrl-f for "if" in the top 3 threads on this board. That was not an apple hitting your head.

[truepanther]

Re: Scary Fact

you don't make playoffs at 7-4 unless you somehow win conference.....that's assuming we win out

[JayJ79]

Re: Scary Fact

you don't make playoffs at 7-4 unless you somehow win conference.....that's assuming we win out

plenty of teams have made it into the playoffs at 7-4 w/o winning conference, and that was back when they only took 16 teams (or 20). Now they take 24.

and besides, if we win out, we'll be at 8-4.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scary Fact

I think playoffs are a distant memory, even if we managed to break through this funk and win out. A 4-game losing streak, no matter who it is too and by how much, just leaves too much of a black mark. At this point just get some wins and some confidence to go with the valuable experience our young guys are getting.

nonsense.
a four-game losing streak sandwiched between 2 four-game winning streaks wouldn't be any worse than if a team went WWLWWLWWLWWL (or any such combination). If anything, the commitee would put more weight on how a team ends the season over what happened in the middle or beginning of the season.

Unfortunately, I don't foresee UNI winning out, but if they did, they're likely in.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scary Fact

if we win out (IF IF IF IF) we are a lock.

FBS win. Look no further.

in reality, a 1-point loss in Fargo is a more impressive performance this year than an 8-point win in Ames. though I agree that to the "average joe", the IaSU win is what stands out.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scary Fact

While I like that you are optimistic, I think UNI has to not only win out but win out big to make it in. I still think even then it would be a stretch but win the rest of the games by 20 & they would at least get the committee talking. Personally, I think they are only playing for a winning season at this point. Not even sure that is very realistic.

I disagree, as far as I don't think we'd have to "win big". But I don't think winning out is going to happen in any case.

And a winning (or at least a 6-6) season isn't un-realistic. we're sitting at 4-4, with our toughest games behind us. Not saying the remaining games will be cakewalks by any means, but picking up two wins isn't unthinkable.

[MnPantherFan]

Re: Scary Fact

For sure.

4-0 with a win over ISU and ranked #4 in the country to 4-4 and last place in the conference.

This is one of the most disappointing seasons in the past 10 years.

I agree.....and the bar has been set very high lately.

[arealcat]

Re: Scary Fact

plenty of teams have made it into the playoffs at 7-4 w/o winning conference, and that was back when they only took 16 teams (or 20). Now they take 24.

and besides, if we win out, we'll be at 8-4.

Not sure if there has been "plenty", but there has been some. From the 24 years that they had 16 teams, there were only 9 teams that had 4 losses and qualified without winning the conference. Since they changed it to 20 teams, I agree there has been plenty. (7 teams in 3 years) Now that there are 24, I think we will make it if we win out. That is a big IF. We still have a shot, but they need to turn this thing around.

In 2005, we were sitting at 4-3 and went on a run. We could put together another run like that if…. our entire defense plays better, oline plays better, sawyer settles down, the WR's get separation, and we are + in turnovers… that's it.

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Scary Fact

I haven't given up on this team yet, and I do think there's still a shot at playoffs with the expanded field. That being said... we have some TOUGH games ahead of us. Our backs are against the wall. Truly now.

Farley talked at the press luncheon today like the team hasn't given up. He is more worried about them getting rest right now with the three overtime games we've played. He said he can't keep them away from film and the Dome on Sundays even when he wants to.

[Luther_Heggs]

Re: Scary Fact

I disagree, as far as I don't think we'd have to "win big". But I don't think winning out is going to happen in any case.

And a winning (or at least a 6-6) season isn't un-realistic. we're sitting at 4-4, with our toughest games behind us. Not saying the remaining games will be cakewalks by any means, but picking up two wins isn't unthinkable.

I think you are probably right with 6-6 as a guess. Even with overtimes involved, UNI is still 0-4 in the conference. All the remaining teams on the schedule should consider a win against UNI very possible.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scary Fact

Another scary fact:
the last time UNI went 0-4 to start conference play was way back in 1978, the first year of the Mid-Continent Conference, where the Panthers went 0-5 in conference play that season and 2-9 overall.

This is only the third time since moving to Division I, where UNI has even accrued 4 conference losses in a season altogether; the others being last season (UNI started 0-3 before beating SDSU and home and finishing 4-4 in the MVFC and 5-6 overall) and back in 2002 (started 0-2, won at YSU, finshed 2-5 in the Gateway and 5-6 overall).

They also started 0-3 in the Gateway in 1998 before winning at Indiana State and finishing 3-3 in conference, 7-4 overall.