Quote Originally Posted by msstate7 View Post
Yeah, after re-thinking, I think it's more 9 to 11.

BG rush def totals...
Vs Morgan st: 31 carries 46 yds
Vs KSU: 58 carries 333 yds

Nichols st...
Vs KSU: 58 carries. 361 yds
No opponent week 2

Morgan st is a hell of a running team too**
I think KSU is going to be a great test for the team, both offensively and defensively. And I think, regardless of the outcome, the game will serve as a good bridge between our first two non-conference games and conference play. Upper half of the Sun Belt, upper third of C-USA, mid-tier (-ish?) Big 12, then on to the SEC grind.

After seeing the numbers you've posted about KSU, I had to do a double take. Damn, man. 333 yards rushing and 52 seems pretty stout, regardless. And Bowling Green's usually at least semi-legit. But someone said they were picked last in the MAC. So what's what?

Yeah, they're . . . not good. Here are the teams that rushed for as many or more yards against Bowling Green last year than KSU did last week: Maryland (444 yds), Eastern KY (389 yards; a 7-win FCS team), Ga. Tech (372 yds), and Buffalo (333 yds). And then there was Miami of Ohio's 289 yards rushing, Toledo's 288 yards rushing, Western Michigan's 277 yards rushing, and Kent St. 225 yards rushing.

Those stellar performances landed them at 128th (out of 130 FBS teams) in rushing defense in 2018. Yikes.

Yes, KSU's been impressive so far. They've taken care of business and done so emphatically. But given that they've played an FCS team and what is likely -- at least right now -- one of the worst defenses in the FBS, I don't think it's a stretch to say that their fans know even less about them than we know about our team at this point. Even if our defense is a mid-tier SEC unit (think A&M or South Carolina last year), it's substantially better than what KSU has faced yet. State, on the other hand, has faced what should be a decent offense (UL-Laf. finished 2018 at 53rd in the S&P+ offense rankings) and a solid defense (USM's D ended 2018 at 27th in the S&P+ defense rankings).

KSU could be great, mediocre, or relatively crappy. Who knows. We could be great, mediocre, or relatively crappy. Who knows. My noncommittal, no-risk, wiener-man guess? It'll be a tighter than last year. But we aren't Bowling Green.