a word of caution from an older dog #theeighties

[CarolinaDawg]

As a 80's graduate, and a long term bulldog fan... I do not endorse a "manage expectations" kind of attitude. We have a great coach, great players, and an overall great program. We have just as good a chance as any one else to win the West and the SEC. Let's ditch the "lovable loser" mentality.

[LC Dawg]

For the first time in my life I feel like we have a good chance to win every game on our schedule. It feels good so I am going to keep doing it instead of worrying about some soon to be 1-AA team from south Mississippi. Anyone that thinks this weekend's game is going to be close should probably go ahead and get a handful of Xanax for when we beat the shit out of LSU.

[Ralph]

Nothing motivates a player like our own fans saying pump the brakes

[the59dawg]

Different times, different programs, different era. We can stop being afraid of being confident.

great point.

[drunkernhelldawg]

If you don't know whats going to happen Saturday you must already be drunkern Hell. we will beat them by 40!

I was actually thinking we'll win by 24. Let's see who ends up closer.

[archdog]

Fact. PBR debut was the worlds fair when the eiffel tower was completed.

[War Machine Dawg]

I hope the players are not as overconfident as this board is about the game Saturday. Having seen us lose their in 78 and having witnessed several bitch slaps by the buzzards in the eighties, we are in for a fight Saturday night. If we show up and play well, we will win easily. If we don't show up, or turn the ball over, we will find ourselves in a barroom brawl with them and anything can and will happen, circa La
tech 2007.

The rising tide of the SEC has lifted all boats. We're never going back to the days where we lose to teams as bad as USM, outside of a fluke occurrence. Stop worrying about the days of the dinosaurs. USM ain't getting Brett Favre, Reggie Collier, etc. again. And hell, they couldn't beat us when they had Favre.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

So you're not supposed to act confident when you're playing a team you're clearly better than?

Confident yes, cocky no, it breeds mistakes. Over-confident can make you lazy. All I'm saying is the team needs to stay focused. Simple, nothing complicated.

[mstatefan91]

F*ck USM.

We better hang 28+ on them. That is all

[1bigdawg]

Mullen has lost one game to a non-Power 5 team, which was Houston, a very respectable team and favorite in the game and it was also only Mullen's 6th game as a head coach. USM might be improved, if you consider a ceiling of 6-6 in the CUSA improvement. We would beat them, handily, with our 2nd team offense playing the whole game. Croom's teams would've beaten this USM team handily. It's sad that they got stuck in a state of 2 million with 2 SEC West teams, they will never be relevant again unless they can get into a P5 conference.

Let's not get too carried away. Remember Maine.

That said, I expect to win handily also. This is not a Croom team.

[Pollodawg]

If we have to worry about USM, go find another hobby for Saturdays in the Fall because the season is over before it starts.

[tcdog70]

i prefer to remember laying 56 on them the week after Little Willie beat Archie and knocked the Rebs from their High ranking. The first time Little Willie ran the reverse that killed the Rebs we knocked His dick in His watch Pocket and they toted him off the field.

[NCDawg]

Confident yes, cocky no, it breeds mistakes. Over-confident can make you lazy. All I'm saying is the team needs to stay focused. Simple, nothing complicated.

I agree with this. Don't be cocky, but be confident. As Mullen said against LSU, nobody knows what's about to take the field.

[FISHDAWG]

Fans don't determine the outcome of games. Never have never will. No matter how much is said on message boards it doesn't matter. I can assure you that our guys are focused & ready to play. So I'm not going to be shy about being confident in my team.

love your confidence Dan ... I do think fans can influence (just a little) an outcome - #40K clanging cowbells

[Ifyouonlyknew]

love your confidence Dan ... I do think fans can influence (just a little) an outcome - #40K clanging cowbells

We've been ringing those bells for years. They didn't become an influence until the team on the field got better.

[maroonmania]

Let's put it this way, if we don't summarily thump USM pretty good, even on the road, then losing to USM is the LEAST of our problems this year. We are probably looking at a guaranteed losing season at that point. IF this game is somehow a loss or even still in doubt late in the 4th quarter then I will feel free to make holiday plans that don't include a bowl game. I mean we play 6 SEC West teams and 1 SEC East team that are WAY better than USM will even think about being this year.