Better than we’ve ever done it before

[bigdaddyg]

So do we believe that on a neutral field could/would/should we beat:

Washington
Tulane
Iowa State
Temple
Wake
Cal
UVA
Memphis
USC
S Carolina
A&M
UCF
San Diego St
La Tech

All ranked below us currently

"Should" and "would" are tricky, but "could" the answer is obviously yes. I suspect many would be good, hard fought contests though, few blowouts either way.

Besides:

App>UNC</>#3 Clemson
and
App>UNC>SCAR>#10 UGA>#8 Notre Dame
therefore
App</>AP Top 10

Yes I'm joking somewhat with the transitive nonsense but it does highlight the competitive circles we are capable of running in.

I intentionally used could/would/should..kind of like when folks use coulda, woulda and shoulda after the fact. Anyway looking at the list there are some teams that we definitely would beat, some we should and a few we could (Texas A&M) under the right circumstances. At any rate I believe we can make the case that we are better than the teams below us.

[Apple@chin1]

If we don’t beat USC, I believe that us beating UNC will be considered a case of us catching them early/enter your excuse. It would lose it’s significance outside of the program, in my opinion.

That's a completely lame excuse. We could just as easily say the same thing. Our D is getting better as the season progresses. If they hadn't caught us early, they might not have scored. They game was played when it was played. Both teams knew what to expect. We won. Period.

The average fan doesn't follow the seasonal trends enough to make that excuse. The knowledgeable fans know better. Only Tarheel fans will attempt that kind of lame rationalization.

I agree with almost everything you said here. Your last sentence is the only part that I disagree with. In the sense that it will be ALL Tarheel fans AND MOST media outlets that will attempt that or some other lame rationalization. People believe what they hear on TV and read online and in the newspaper. Regardless of the reality. It’s just human nature. That was the point that I was trying to make. I think that if we played UNC the last week of the year that we still take the W. We’re the better team. I’m only speaking to perception.

[AppinATL]

Sure is a lot of keyboard time being wasted on here talking about a team that we dont play for another three weeks.

Meanwhile a team that ruined what could have been an undefeated conference season for us two years ago looms on Saturday.

Beware top 25 intoxication, fellas.

[ASU3432Mi]

Just go 1-0 Homecoming Week!!

[TheMoody1]

Sure is a lot of keyboard time being wasted on here talking about a team that we dont play for another three weeks.

Meanwhile a team that ruined what could have been an undefeated conference season for us two years ago looms on Saturday.

Beware top 25 intoxication, fellas.

[NewApp]

Sure is a lot of keyboard time being wasted on here talking about a team that we dont play for another three weeks.

Meanwhile a team that ruined what could have been an undefeated conference season for us two years ago looms on Saturday.

Beware top 25 intoxication, fellas.

Good advice

[bigdaddyg]

Figured I would grab one of the ranking threads to throw this out. Has anyone really analyzed Boise's record and schedule? Their big wins so far are over FSU and Marshall (both .500 teams right now). Just for the sake of argument let's say both Boise and App go undefeated, UNC wins the coastal and FSU continues to stink. Let's also say that USC grabs another decent win, goes about 6-6 in the SEC and has the Georgia win. Boise plays what appears to be a fairly bad BYU and their conference as a whole doesn't look much better than the Sunbelt. I realize a whole bunch of what ifs but none of them are crazy. All of this happens and both of us are the last two unbeatens standing. No way SMU runs the table. I think we stack up better than Boise.

[bigdaddyg]

Oh yeah obviously go 1-0 this weekend and beat LMU.

[Yosef84]

a fluke filled game against UGA that took a missed FG in Double OT to win.

I watched the entire game. Not sure what you mean by "fluke" filled. USC looked like the better team all day. I thought it would be over after their freshman QB got knocked out of the game but the USC D came to play. USC missed an easy FG in the first OT so it should have ended right there.

The fluke is what looked like a dominate UGA team before Saturday completely falling on its face. The fluke is needing a near perfect kicker missing a gimme to win in double OT.

Yes, USC looked solid all day and even played through losing their current QB but lets not act like that game wasn't UGA losing to themselves and not USC somehow making a turn from being an overall middle of the road team this season.

Are you a Dog fan? Sure, this was an upset, but it was no fluke. UGA got outplayed.

OK, so I was raised a Dog fan (father was an alum) prior to attending App and yes I watched the game. It's all semantics at this point. Yes, SC outplayed them because UGA played uncharacteristically like crap! Let's not pretend that suddenly SC is playing at a top 10 level. Fromm had a horrible day and for some unconceivable reason, Georgia continued to air our the ball, despite having 5 RBs and an OL who could have muscled a win. Full credit to SC for playing a solid game and taking advantage of the opportunities. The interception was an uncharacteristically bad decision by Fromm, but also a great play by the defender.

This is the "any given Saturday concept in action." Georgia is by far the better team, but they didn't show up to play and SC did. ON THAT DAY, SC out played them and won the game.

SC will be a tough opponent and App will need to play our absolute A game. We can beat them, but

[Yosef84]

If we don’t beat USC, I believe that us beating UNC will be considered a case of us catching them early/enter your excuse. It would lose it’s significance outside of the program, in my opinion.

That's a completely lame excuse. We could just as easily say the same thing. Our D is getting better as the season progresses. If they hadn't caught us early, they might not have scored. They game was played when it was played. Both teams knew what to expect. We won. Period.

The average fan doesn't follow the seasonal trends enough to make that excuse. The knowledgeable fans know better. Only Tarheel fans will attempt that kind of lame rationalization.

I agree with almost everything you said here. Your last sentence is the only part that I disagree with. In the sense that it will be ALL Tarheel fans AND MOST media outlets that will attempt that or some other lame rationalization. People believe what they hear on TV and read online and in the newspaper. Regardless of the reality. It’s just human nature. That was the point that I was trying to make. I think that if we played UNC the last week of the year that we still take the W. We’re the better team. I’m only speaking to perception.

I'm not really seeing the media outlets discounting our win in favor of UNC. Maybe I'm missing something but only those tied to the Heels are making excuses.

[APPdiesel]

Didn't want to start a new thread for this but steel beams are going up in the NEZ. Looking forward to seeing it in person Saturday.

[NewApp]

Didn't want to start a new thread for this but steel beams are going up in the NEZ. Looking forward to seeing it in person Saturday.

What's wrong with starting an new thread instead of burying a post in a three page thread on a completely different topic?