Sam Houston

[utucats]

So obviously idk who all was missing in the spring but just looking at JMU SDSU and NDSU and just looking at just the qb and rb position, JMU has a different leading RB, SDSU lost their spring starter and the one who filled in in the spring isn’t their qb for this season, and NDSU their top two RBs weren’t in for the spring and they didn’t have their running qb. Then just looking at those three teams against SHSU, I noticed that they kept SHSU rb relatively in check and thus kept the game close. It’s going to be hard to stop SHSU but I think if we try and follow that same formula of stopping the run and just try and make them as one dimensional as possible will give us a good shot at pulling off an upset.

Agreed. I also think offensively we have the right formula. Not that it is easily done but running game that moves the sticks, wins the time of possession and keeps that offense on the sideline is what it’ll take. That’s why I think we need to complete just enough passes to loosen the box up and then let Ifanse do his thing.

[onceacat]

Their QB was out against SFA.

They HAVE been battle tested. This team won the fake national championship last spring, beating NDSU, JMU, and SDSU. Normally, I'd put less stock in last year, but because of the covid eligibility rule, basically 100% of the team returned.

So not only is this the most tested team in the field, its also been able to rest guys for significant stretches of the season while beating up on teams like Tarleton St.

I'm pretty confident in our D. Troy & Co should hold them to under 24. I'm not confident at all in the O. Even though the O looked a lot better yesterday with Tommy at the helm, Sammy will be every bit as tough against the run as UM. Certainly tougher than any other non-UM team. They look like they might be a little susceptible to the pass...so if Tommy can pass like UIWs stud NFL prospect, then the Cats should be able to move the ball & put up points If Sammy can stack the box and sell out to stop the run like UM, its going to be a fast, disappointing trip to TX.

This season, they most certainly have not been battle-tested, or anything like it. They've played no one. The best defense they've seen is worse than SAC, and the majority of their opponents' defense have been horrendous.

I'm sure they're good. Their defense seems to match up with well with what the Cats do. A win in Hunstville won't be easy I'm sure SHSU will be favored.

But they definitely haven't been tested by anything even remotely similar to MSU.

Sorry, man, but April WAS this season. Its all the same kids playing. If there were a bunch of dudes that left...sure...but the fake nature of the 2020 playoffs means THIS team has been tested by the best of the best. This exact team beat NDSU, SDSU, and JMU THIS YEAR.

Yes, they've been "tested" by teams that are the same caliber as MSU.

A fake spring season without all the teams, players, stakes, etc. is completely irrelevant.

It’s not irrelevant but I don’t believe they are the world beaters onceacat seems to think they are.

Last Springs championship looked like it would be a blowout win by SDSU and then their QB got injured and it became a dog fight that Sammy ultimately won by 2.

I would rather play SHSU than NDSU, SDSU, JMU, and UM for sure and possibly even 'Nova. SHSU is good, but not top of the FCS.

Yeah...I said they were "tested" and all of a sudden Sammy is the best team to ever play college football, they'd probably blowout 'Bama on Friday night and still have enough gas to beat Georgia by 2 scores on Saturday morning.

In all honesty, the FCS championship is as up for grabs as its ever been in the last 10 years. Sammy is clearly the front runner, but there are 8 teams still playing that all have a 10% or better chance of winning out in Frisco.

Its just pretty crystal clear that Sammy is 100% legit. They should be favored by 5 or 7 points this weekend because they are a team thats 1) Talented 2) Tested 3) Well coached and 4) with home field advantage. Cats have a legit chance to pull off the upset, but acting like somehow Sammy is "untested" is probably the most absurd thing anyone has said on social media in the last month.

Ok got it! Those of us who have used the term untested are idiots and you point out that because the spring season was this calendar year that it was THIS season!! They played all the best teams during that spring playoff and they are legit.

Also understand that calling them untested is so offensive to you that it is “probably the most absurd thing ANYONE has said on social media this month.” With all the ridiculous BS spewed about on social media, the statement that a football team has not been tested is at the top of your list

If I’m following your posts so far Sammy is battle tested bad asses, Mellot is the 2nd coming of Bruggman and Murray and it’s going to be a short trip for us to Texas. Quick question, are you on the right site? Seems you might be a fan of the other team.

Huh? Yeah, Sammy is total badasses. All 8 teams that are left are badass teams. Cause its the playoff.

And I'm not offended that someone called Sammy untested...just pointing out the absurdity of the statement.

And obviously Mellot isn't the second coming of Tyler Bruggman. But he could be Chris Murray. But as you pointed out before, thats based on a really small sample size. But so far his passing isn't any better than Chris'. I've said repeatedly that the jury is out. We will get a chance to see next week. If he completes 60% and 7-8 yards per attempt, the Cats have a really good shot at knocking off the #1 team in the country.

I'm not sure what seems so out of line there...or anything that I said that would make someone think I don't like the Cats.

I'm not the one on the message board calling players "bitches"...so what do I know?

Just ex players that quit in the middle of the season but let’s not get back into that again. I know you get hung up on specific words and not the overall thought so I don’t want to rehash.

I started a thread trying to look at stats for SHSU and just concentrate on the game and you are going down this path that someone who doesn’t agree with your take has made the most absurd statement on social media. You oversell your point and then act like anyone who disagrees has some crazy point of view.

Let’s sum it up and move on:

You think Sam Houston is tested due the the spring season and we don’t because of their cupcake schedule. We are idiots and you are smart. Got it. Next topic.

Has nothing to do with anyone being an idiot or anyone else being smart. It has to do with a group of Cat fans saying something that is completely at odds with 99.9% of the voters in the FCS polls, the competition committee, and the computer algorithms.

I mean, maybe all the coaches...and writers...and selection committee...and the computers are all wrong. And maybe you are right. Stranger things have happened.

Or maybe some fans here are looking at our upcoming game with Blue and Gold glasses. Which I guess is possible too.

[kwcat]

[media] [/media]

[Lord Vigo]

This season, they most certainly have not been battle-tested, or anything like it. They've played no one. The best defense they've seen is worse than SAC, and the majority of their opponents' defense have been horrendous.

I'm sure they're good. Their defense seems to match up with well with what the Cats do. A win in Hunstville won't be easy I'm sure SHSU will be favored.

But they definitely haven't been tested by anything even remotely similar to MSU.

Sorry, man, but April WAS this season. Its all the same kids playing. If there were a bunch of dudes that left...sure...but the fake nature of the 2020 playoffs means THIS team has been tested by the best of the best. This exact team beat NDSU, SDSU, and JMU THIS YEAR.

Yes, they've been "tested" by teams that are the same caliber as MSU.

A fake spring season without all the teams, players, stakes, etc. is completely irrelevant.

It’s not irrelevant but I don’t believe they are the world beaters onceacat seems to think they are.

Last Springs championship looked like it would be a blowout win by SDSU and then their QB got injured and it became a dog fight that Sammy ultimately won by 2.

I would rather play SHSU than NDSU, SDSU, JMU, and UM for sure and possibly even 'Nova. SHSU is good, but not top of the FCS.

Yeah...I said they were "tested" and all of a sudden Sammy is the best team to ever play college football, they'd probably blowout 'Bama on Friday night and still have enough gas to beat Georgia by 2 scores on Saturday morning.

In all honesty, the FCS championship is as up for grabs as its ever been in the last 10 years. Sammy is clearly the front runner, but there are 8 teams still playing that all have a 10% or better chance of winning out in Frisco.

Its just pretty crystal clear that Sammy is 100% legit. They should be favored by 5 or 7 points this weekend because they are a team thats 1) Talented 2) Tested 3) Well coached and 4) with home field advantage. Cats have a legit chance to pull off the upset, but acting like somehow Sammy is "untested" is probably the most absurd thing anyone has said on social media in the last month.

Ok got it! Those of us who have used the term untested are idiots and you point out that because the spring season was this calendar year that it was THIS season!! They played all the best teams during that spring playoff and they are legit.

Also understand that calling them untested is so offensive to you that it is “probably the most absurd thing ANYONE has said on social media this month.” With all the ridiculous BS spewed about on social media, the statement that a football team has not been tested is at the top of your list

If I’m following your posts so far Sammy is battle tested bad asses, Mellot is the 2nd coming of Bruggman and Murray and it’s going to be a short trip for us to Texas. Quick question, are you on the right site? Seems you might be a fan of the other team.

Huh? Yeah, Sammy is total badasses. All 8 teams that are left are badass teams. Cause its the playoff.

And I'm not offended that someone called Sammy untested...just pointing out the absurdity of the statement.

And obviously Mellot isn't the second coming of Tyler Bruggman. But he could be Chris Murray. But as you pointed out before, thats based on a really small sample size. But so far his passing isn't any better than Chris'. I've said repeatedly that the jury is out. We will get a chance to see next week. If he completes 60% and 7-8 yards per attempt, the Cats have a really good shot at knocking off the #1 team in the country.

I'm not sure what seems so out of line there...or anything that I said that would make someone think I don't like the Cats.

I'm not the one on the message board calling players "bitches"...so what do I know?

Just ex players that quit in the middle of the season but let’s not get back into that again. I know you get hung up on specific words and not the overall thought so I don’t want to rehash.

I started a thread trying to look at stats for SHSU and just concentrate on the game and you are going down this path that someone who doesn’t agree with your take has made the most absurd statement on social media. You oversell your point and then act like anyone who disagrees has some crazy point of view.

Let’s sum it up and move on:

You think Sam Houston is tested due the the spring season and we don’t because of their cupcake schedule. We are idiots and you are smart. Got it. Next topic.

Has nothing to do with anyone being an idiot or anyone else being smart. It has to do with a group of Cat fans saying something that is completely at odds with 99.9% of the voters in the FCS polls, the competition committee, and the computer algorithms.

I mean, maybe all the coaches...and writers...and selection committee...and the computers are all wrong. And maybe you are right. Stranger things have happened.

Or maybe some fans here are looking at our upcoming game with Blue and Gold glasses. Which I guess is possible too.

It’s just weird that when I am explicitly saying that SH is good and that they should be favored to win, I’m still being a homer just because I don’t care at all about what happened in the spring season.

[kwcat]

[media] [/media]

[Rich K]

Remember the most amazing catch ever?

[Lord Vigo]

To me, the intrigue of this game is twofold.

1) How does the Cats offense, almost entirely reliant on the running game, deal with this statistically elite SHSU run defense?

2) How does the SHSU scoring offense respond in a game against a defense that’s head and shoulders better than anything they’ve seen this season?

How those questions are answered will decide the game, in my opinion.

Maybe the Cats’ rush offense will turn out to be stronger than anything else that SH has faced, or maybe they’ll be totally stifled and really struggle to put up points.

Maybe the SH offense will keep on rolling and prove that they can score on anyone, or maybe they’ll be held down all day.

[Common Cat]

The cats will have to establish a quick passing game in my opinion. I think if we go in there and try to establish the run, I fear we might have a Cat/griz type of result. In short, unless we can have more of a balance offensively, at least early in the game, I find it hard to believe we will be able to dictate our terms with their mass upfront and their speed.

[utucats]

This season, they most certainly have not been battle-tested, or anything like it. They've played no one. The best defense they've seen is worse than SAC, and the majority of their opponents' defense have been horrendous.

I'm sure they're good. Their defense seems to match up with well with what the Cats do. A win in Hunstville won't be easy I'm sure SHSU will be favored.

But they definitely haven't been tested by anything even remotely similar to MSU.

Sorry, man, but April WAS this season. Its all the same kids playing. If there were a bunch of dudes that left...sure...but the fake nature of the 2020 playoffs means THIS team has been tested by the best of the best. This exact team beat NDSU, SDSU, and JMU THIS YEAR.

Yes, they've been "tested" by teams that are the same caliber as MSU.

A fake spring season without all the teams, players, stakes, etc. is completely irrelevant.

It’s not irrelevant but I don’t believe they are the world beaters onceacat seems to think they are.

Last Springs championship looked like it would be a blowout win by SDSU and then their QB got injured and it became a dog fight that Sammy ultimately won by 2.

I would rather play SHSU than NDSU, SDSU, JMU, and UM for sure and possibly even 'Nova. SHSU is good, but not top of the FCS.

Yeah...I said they were "tested" and all of a sudden Sammy is the best team to ever play college football, they'd probably blowout 'Bama on Friday night and still have enough gas to beat Georgia by 2 scores on Saturday morning.

In all honesty, the FCS championship is as up for grabs as its ever been in the last 10 years. Sammy is clearly the front runner, but there are 8 teams still playing that all have a 10% or better chance of winning out in Frisco.

Its just pretty crystal clear that Sammy is 100% legit. They should be favored by 5 or 7 points this weekend because they are a team thats 1) Talented 2) Tested 3) Well coached and 4) with home field advantage. Cats have a legit chance to pull off the upset, but acting like somehow Sammy is "untested" is probably the most absurd thing anyone has said on social media in the last month.

Ok got it! Those of us who have used the term untested are idiots and you point out that because the spring season was this calendar year that it was THIS season!! They played all the best teams during that spring playoff and they are legit.

Also understand that calling them untested is so offensive to you that it is “probably the most absurd thing ANYONE has said on social media this month.” With all the ridiculous BS spewed about on social media, the statement that a football team has not been tested is at the top of your list

If I’m following your posts so far Sammy is battle tested bad asses, Mellot is the 2nd coming of Bruggman and Murray and it’s going to be a short trip for us to Texas. Quick question, are you on the right site? Seems you might be a fan of the other team.

Huh? Yeah, Sammy is total badasses. All 8 teams that are left are badass teams. Cause its the playoff.

And I'm not offended that someone called Sammy untested...just pointing out the absurdity of the statement.

And obviously Mellot isn't the second coming of Tyler Bruggman. But he could be Chris Murray. But as you pointed out before, thats based on a really small sample size. But so far his passing isn't any better than Chris'. I've said repeatedly that the jury is out. We will get a chance to see next week. If he completes 60% and 7-8 yards per attempt, the Cats have a really good shot at knocking off the #1 team in the country.

I'm not sure what seems so out of line there...or anything that I said that would make someone think I don't like the Cats.

I'm not the one on the message board calling players "bitches"...so what do I know?

Just ex players that quit in the middle of the season but let’s not get back into that again. I know you get hung up on specific words and not the overall thought so I don’t want to rehash.

I started a thread trying to look at stats for SHSU and just concentrate on the game and you are going down this path that someone who doesn’t agree with your take has made the most absurd statement on social media. You oversell your point and then act like anyone who disagrees has some crazy point of view.

Let’s sum it up and move on:

You think Sam Houston is tested due the the spring season and we don’t because of their cupcake schedule. We are idiots and you are smart. Got it. Next topic.

Has nothing to do with anyone being an idiot or anyone else being smart. It has to do with a group of Cat fans saying something that is completely at odds with 99.9% of the voters in the FCS polls, the competition committee, and the computer algorithms.

I mean, maybe all the coaches...and writers...and selection committee...and the computers are all wrong. And maybe you are right. Stranger things have happened.

Or maybe some fans here are looking at our upcoming game with Blue and Gold glasses. Which I guess is possible too.

I am certainly doing that. I’m a Cats fan so finding chinks in the armor and believing our team might be able to exploit them comes with the territory.

Certainly not disputing the coaches and writers. They are defending champs and undefeated. Respect that but I’m hopeful that a weak schedule and some close games when they’ve played quality opponents shows that we’ve got a shot.

I also think the wind is a decent reason for the shoddy passing numbers cause I saw in person what the football did to every high throw or kick Saturday so I’m hopeful that Tommy is capable of much better passing numbers.

[utucats]

The cats will have to establish a quick passing game in my opinion. I think if we go in there and try to establish the run, I fear we might have a Cat/griz type of result. In short, unless we can have more of a balance offensively, at least early in the game, I find it hard to believe we will be able to dictate our terms with their mass upfront and their speed.

I agree. Every time they sell out on the run we have to try and make them pay. We don’t need perfect balance but enough of a passing game to keep their defensive calls balanced.

[Common Cat]

The cats will have to establish a quick passing game in my opinion. I think if we go in there and try to establish the run, I fear we might have a Cat/griz type of result. In short, unless we can have more of a balance offensively, at least early in the game, I find it hard to believe we will be able to dictate our terms with their mass upfront and their speed.

I agree. Every time they sell out on the run we have to try and make them pay. We don’t need perfect balance but enough of a passing game to keep their defensive calls balanced.

There nose guard is a twitchy 300 dude and then you have a buck finalist as a defensive end. I mean come on!

[utucats]

The cats will have to establish a quick passing game in my opinion. I think if we go in there and try to establish the run, I fear we might have a Cat/griz type of result. In short, unless we can have more of a balance offensively, at least early in the game, I find it hard to believe we will be able to dictate our terms with their mass upfront and their speed.

I agree. Every time they sell out on the run we have to try and make them pay. We don’t need perfect balance but enough of a passing game to keep their defensive calls balanced.

There nose guard is a twitchy 300 dude and then you have a buck finalist as a defensive end. I mean come on!

Yep, offensive line is gonna have its hand full just with the front so if we can keep them from sending more that is gonna be a big piece of our success or lack of it on Saturday night.

[Common Cat]

The cats will have to establish a quick passing game in my opinion. I think if we go in there and try to establish the run, I fear we might have a Cat/griz type of result. In short, unless we can have more of a balance offensively, at least early in the game, I find it hard to believe we will be able to dictate our terms with their mass upfront and their speed.

I agree. Every time they sell out on the run we have to try and make them pay. We don’t need perfect balance but enough of a passing game to keep their defensive calls balanced.

There nose guard is a twitchy 300 dude and then you have a buck finalist as a defensive end. I mean come on!

Yep, offensive line is gonna have its hand full just with the front so if we can keep them from sending more that is gonna be a big piece of our success or lack of it on Saturday night.

Put it this way they look as every bit as good on defense as the griz - they just don’t send the house as much. Not sure about their secondary. Their offense will be the best we’ve seen. They have great balance as an offense. Schmid can make plays both ways. They have a thunder and lightning duo at running back and they have a creative pass plays. Super impressed with what I saw.

[AFCAT]

You can go all the way back to 1987 and the classic finish of this game with Sam Houston.

[kwcat]

You can go all the way back to 1987 and the classic finish of this game with Sam Houston.

Back when you can celebrate a touchdown! Love the Sam Houston player dancing around the 39 minute mark

[kwcat]

Also love their post game chant in that video

[aucat]

I'm not disputing that SHSU doesn't have a good defense because honestly I know nothing about their personnel; however, if they are that great, how did they give up 42 points to Word? I guess our coaches need to take a close look at what Word ran on offense. I would take 42 points in a heartbeat. Especially with our D!

[BleedingBLue]

I'm not disputing that SHSU doesn't have a good defense because honestly I know nothing about their personnel; however, if they are that great, how did they give up 42 points to Word? I guess our coaches need to take a close look at what Word ran on offense. I would take 42 points in a heartbeat. Especially with our D!

Cam Ward, their sophomore QB who has thrown for 4600 yards and 47 TDs this year, went 39-61 for 481 yards and 5 TDs, that's how They ran the ball only 22 times because they didn't need to run it. They are the exact opposite of the Cats offensively.

[Common Cat]

I'm not disputing that SHSU doesn't have a good defense because honestly I know nothing about their personnel; however, if they are that great, how did they give up 42 points to Word? I guess our coaches need to take a close look at what Word ran on offense. I would take 42 points in a heartbeat. Especially with our D!

Cam Ward, their sophomore QB who has thrown for 4600 yards and 47 TDs this year, went 39-61 for 481 yards and 5 TDs, that's how They ran the ball only 22 times because they didn't need to run it. They are the exact opposite of the Cats offensively.

Exactly.

[BleedingBLue]

I'm not disputing that SHSU doesn't have a good defense because honestly I know nothing about their personnel; however, if they are that great, how did they give up 42 points to Word? I guess our coaches need to take a close look at what Word ran on offense. I would take 42 points in a heartbeat. Especially with our D!

Cam Ward, their sophomore QB who has thrown for 4600 yards and 47 TDs this year, went 39-61 for 481 yards and 5 TDs, that's how They ran the ball only 22 times because they didn't need to run it. They are the exact opposite of the Cats offensively.

Exactly.

I share your concern.