Juco's Season Preview
So... I'm finally going to do it. I have had roughly... 30 people ask me "so, what does Juco All-American think this season is going to be like?" Until now, I have been able to say, "I guess you'll just have to wait for the article." Now I can say, "I guess you'll just have to read the article."
You know, it's difficult for an Ole Miss fan to handle the emotions I have felt for the past eight months. We're good at football. We don't just think that. We know it. It's real. We beat LSU 31-13 last season. LSU.
But here's the question. "How good are we, really?"
I think that this team is more talented than the rebels of 2003, who went 10-3. I think they're probably more talented than any team in the history of Ole Miss. The 50s and 60s were totally different in college football. This Ole Miss team would obliterate those teams.
But still, is even a team this talented capable of winning at Ole Miss, a program once known for the hints of racism; a program that has never had to deal with exp- just kidding.
So here's my game-by-game analysis. I'm only doing a quick entry for each. Remember, I'm the pre-game prediction fella here, so you'll get a more detailed prediction every Friday.
@ Memphis: W - We're going to beat them. Tommy West is a bad coach, and Memphis is full of players who couldn't make it at their first stop, thus being forced to transfer to middle-of-the-C-USA school. We will run well against them. We will throw well against them. Our defense will stop their stupid bubble screens and draws.
SELA: W - We're going to beat them a lot worse than we beat Memphis. Nathan Stanley and Billy Tapp will split reps late in the third and all through the fourth.
@ South Carolina: W - When the schedule came out, I was immediately scared about this game. The thing is that we lost to them last year, and Steve Spurrier is scary. Still, Spurrier has struggled a lot at South Carolina, and I don't see that changing too much this year. Maybe we, as pessimistic Ole Miss fans, didn't get the memo. South Carolina lost their leading passer, rusher, and two leading receivers. We will beat them, but it will be close.
@ Vanderbilt: W - We killed them every where but the scoreboard last year, and we weren't playing our best football yet. This season, we will put it together and beat them for only the second time in five years.
Alabama: L - This prediction hasn't made me popular with even some of my fellow-bloggeurs. But you know what? Saban can stop the wild rebel, and Alabama can run the football. Also, we played an excellent second half last season and still couldn't beat them. There's so much talent on that team, I just don't think we will be able to maintain a lead against them.
UAB: W - Southern Miss scored 70 points against them last year. I'm predicting two Billy Tapp juke moves.
Arkansas: L - It's difficult for me to write that L. I know that's also not a popular prediction. I just think that Arkansas stacks up well against us. Their biggest strength (throwing the football) is our biggest weakness (defending the pass). I think we lose a close one here.
@ Auburn: W - Auburn is in for a world of hurt this season. When they couldn't decide whether to start Neil Caudle or Kodi Burns, only to end up moving Burns to wide receiver and starting Chris Todd, I knew it was over for them. Don't forget, Chris Todd was the quarterback in this game.
Northern Arizona: W - I'm not even going to discuss this.
Tennessee: W - Ha. Tennessee. They have some talent on roster, but I just don't see how they could be very good. I'm predicting they'll win seven this year. Crompton and Stephens both suck pretty badly, and there are no other quarterbacks on roster.
LSU: W - Oh how good it feels to write that W. As some of the Friends of the Cup (FoTCs) have recently enumerated, I went to the LSU - Ole Miss game last season on my bachelor party weekend. Oh what a weekend. It couldn't have been better. Here's the funny thing. We were in bed by eleven on Saturday, and I didn't regret anything.
@MSU: W - It was a good idea for Mississippi State to bring in a spread coach, since that's the only way they can actually compete with legitimate programs. We should have considered it as well, since I don't really think we will ever be able to sustain elite success in a traditional offense. Anyway, it doesn't matter this year. Mississippi State is full of terrible players. Those with other offers made huge mistakes.
So that's 10-2 in the regular season, and honestly, that probably means another trip to the Cotton Bowl. That's great though. If we could consistently get there, our program would be in great shape. Unfortunately, 2010 is going to be rough.
0 recs |
8 comments
Comments
I think we should outscore Arkansas...
They’ll be explosive if Mallett lives up to the hype but our offense should be better and more experienced than theirs. I feel our defense is at least as good as theirs overall, though not necessarily a clear cut above. I’d be a lot more worried if this game were in Fayetteville this year.
Can’t argue with Alabama. It’s very winnable, but if we do beat them I will be ecstatic.
by OxfordAndrew on Sep 3, 2009 10:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree...
I think our offense will handle them if we control the clock the way we did in the Cotton Bowl. Of course, that’s assuming that they don’t get to hold onto the ball long because of our d-line.
by RightRev on Sep 3, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Juco, your prediction made me sick.
I almost stopped reading at the Arkansas prediction. I’m not saying you don’t make some good points, but I think for the most part you tried to really set your predictions apart from the usual w/o being too “homerish”. I am generally optimistic, but I seriously don’t see a game where we need to write an “L” down in pen.
I see us having a loss on the road (Vandy or USC) and bouncing back to absolutely trounce opponents the rest of the year, a la Corch Irving Meyers “Go Gator” team of 08.
From there, a close loss to the Gators in Atlanta still gets us a good bowl bid.
by Hunter C. on Sep 3, 2009 10:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
10-2 is never a bad year....
….but does it have to be those 2?
A 10-2 record with losses to two out of South Carolina, Vandy or Tennessee might mean we still win the West, assuming Bama will slip up in one other game. LSU will lose at least two, probably three.
by FireBoone on Sep 3, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Come on, really?
We are gonna stomp South Carolina, Vandy, and Tennessee. We just need to hurt Cody again from Bama and we’re golden. Arkansas is going to be really good, but they DON’T have a defense. We can out gun them with our talent vs. theirs……
Our team got the swagger in Fayetteville last year……now it’s the alumni and fans turn. We’ve got to be every bit as rowdy as the LSU folks (just not making out dude on dude) and get the swagger the team has…..very confident in our team and confident that we will win every game hands down.
Quit this 10-2 B.S. If the fans and alumni bring it as much as the players will, we’ll be in Pasadena biatches! 13-0.
BIB
by Team BIB on Sep 3, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
10-2? I'll take it.
But damn, it’s hard to get to Atlanta this way, and I really feel like this team will get to Atlanta. Somebody has to beat Alabama. May as well be us.
Don't try and lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock 'n roll.
by RobRob9 on Sep 3, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
10-2... I'll give you that as a possibility.
But I don’t see a loss to Arkansas in the mix. That will be right after the UAB game so we’ll be fresh, and I think Coach Nutt we’ll make sure we don’t overlook it. Vandy is a bigger threat in my book than Arkansas, but I don’t think even that’s a big threat. I think 10-1 is a reasonable expectation, but 10-2 isn’t out of the question.
by unidentified black male on Sep 3, 2009 1:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That should be 11-1 not 10-1 in my comment
sorry about that
by unidentified black male on Sep 3, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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