St. Petersburg Bowl vs. Houston

[Seattleapp]

If you want to go to a bowl game and have your butt handed to you...... then wish for this. You guys thought Miami whipped us bad? Having watched a few of the Houston and Miami games....Houston is the better team. I know we say anyone and anywhere, but do you really want to risk national humiliation twice in one year? Lets take some baby steps before we think we can run up the mountain.

Not sure that I agree with you on this. Houston is good and talented but they have the same record as us and they have played 6 games against opponents with a .500 record or better. Same as us. Yes they beat two P5s but they also lost to SMU. Besides, after playing in a NY6 bowl last year with National Championship pipe dreams that came crashing down, I don't think they would play inspired football in a lower tier bowl.

I don't think you have been paying close enough attention to just how good Houston is.

[bigdaddyg]

There is so much opinion about Bowl this and Bowl that, where we should play and who we should play. There was a time when it was said about a bowl- "reward to the players for a good year". I don't think I have read much on any thread in that regard. Does it really really matter that we play this one game against an opponent to get a "measuring stick"? If we play and beat a Houston it shows that we have a legit program. If we play some crap 6-6 Mac team it doesn't prove much at all and if we get a really quality opponent like Houston and they thump us it doesn't mean that we are not legit. A bowl used to hopefully be in a nice place where the team could go, have some fun and play one more game. Alumni could go, party and have some fun as well. Should the game be such a pressure packed event that determines the future of App State football? Nah.

I used to think that the best Bowl to go to for a State, UNC or even ECU fan would be the Peach Bowl- short and easy drive, fun city, etc. Of course if one of those schools were in a big NYD bowl that's different. I was impartial and it just seemed logical. All things being equal as a fan of one of those schools why would you want to go to say, the Sun Bowl (old name I know) which meant flying and other added expense?

[ashugh]

If the team that played UT shows up for the bowl game, I'd take any G5 and most P5's happily. Haven't seen that team, with the intensity level they had that night, since.

[Yosef10]

We don't want Houston. Lamb would throw for 30 yards in that game. That is a terrible matchup for us. They beat Oklahoma soundly. They played with Louisville before blowing them out. They are where hopefully we can get to. I think we should temper our expectations just a tad. Obviously if we play them, everyone will jump on board and cheer for us, myself included. But I don't know that we can throw the ball well enough to keep up with them. And they have a big, fast defense to go along with some pretty world class speed on offense.

Then why even field a team? UH is good and all but they're not some juggernaut that can't be beaten. Hell, they got smacked around by SMU and lost to Memphis and Navy. Just don't get the thought process behind wanting to play 6-6 MAC teams or anyone who's not the best opponent possible.

[moonshine]

We want anyone, anytime, anywhere!!!

Forget this defeatist mentality. Beating Houston would not even be the biggest upset by an Appalachian football team. It would be our best win since moving to FBS.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Good thing Colonel McDowell didn't run. He led the Over Mountain men to victory against Major Ferguson's force that was entrenched in an elevated position atop King's Mountain. McDowell put his rag tag militia into a position to win by outflanking Ferguson and executing his plan of attack.

Houston lost to SMU so it's not out of the realm of possibilities that App could find success. To quote a great philosopher of our time, "to be the man, you gotta beat the man! Whoooo!!!"

[bigdaddyg]

We want anyone, anytime, anywhere!!!

Forget this defeatist mentality. Beating Houston would not even be the biggest upset by an Appalachian football team. It would be our best win since moving to FBS.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Good thing Colonel McDowell didn't run. He led the Over Mountain men to victory against Major Ferguson's force that was entrenched in an elevated position atop King's Mountain. McDowell put his rag tag militia into a position to win by outflanking Ferguson and executing his plan of attack.

Houston lost to SMU so it's not out of the realm of possibilities that App could find success. To quote a great philosopher of our time, "to be the man, you gotta beat the man! Whoooo!!!"

Ah mystery solved- we now know why you call yourself moonshine. Lol

[Seattleapp]

Everyone on this board is a huge app fan but admiring there are substantially better programs than us is not being defeatist. There are plenty of name schools I'd like to see us play I just think Houston is a terrible matchup

[appstate77]

We want anyone, anytime, anywhere!!!

Forget this defeatist mentality. Beating Houston would not even be the biggest upset by an Appalachian football team. It would be our best win since moving to FBS.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Good thing Colonel McDowell didn't run. He led the Over Mountain men to victory against Major Ferguson's force that was entrenched in an elevated position atop King's Mountain. McDowell put his rag tag militia into a position to win by outflanking Ferguson and executing his plan of attack.

Houston lost to SMU so it's not out of the realm of possibilities that App could find success. To quote a great philosopher of our time, "to be the man, you gotta beat the man! Whoooo!!!"

Ah mystery solved- we now know why you call yourself moonshine. Lol

It was Japan that attacked Pearl Harbor

[bigdaddyg]

We want anyone, anytime, anywhere!!!

Forget this defeatist mentality. Beating Houston would not even be the biggest upset by an Appalachian football team. It would be our best win since moving to FBS.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Good thing Colonel McDowell didn't run. He led the Over Mountain men to victory against Major Ferguson's force that was entrenched in an elevated position atop King's Mountain. McDowell put his rag tag militia into a position to win by outflanking Ferguson and executing his plan of attack.

Houston lost to SMU so it's not out of the realm of possibilities that App could find success. To quote a great philosopher of our time, "to be the man, you gotta beat the man! Whoooo!!!"

Ah mystery solved- we now know why you call yourself moonshine. Lol

It was Japan that attacked Pearl Harbor

I'll say it. AppState77 did you graduate in '77? Just checking. Perhaps you haven't seen one of the all time great movies- Animal House

[goapps93]

That one gets somebody every time.

[eggers76]

"Forget it, he's on a roll"

[ah59396]

Everyone on this board is a huge app fan but admiring there are substantially better programs than us is not being defeatist. There are plenty of name schools I'd like to see us play I just think Houston is a terrible matchup

I think if the game mattered to Houston, and their coach was still there, they would smash us.

But let's face it. They had Playoff aspirations this year. Or at the very least, NY6. Playing App State in the St. Pete Bowl would be an "insult" in their eyes and a reminder of a disappointing season. I think we'd face a shell of the Houston we've seen all year. With an interim coach too.

[bigdaddyg]

Everyone on this board is a huge app fan but admiring there are substantially better programs than us is not being defeatist. There are plenty of name schools I'd like to see us play I just think Houston is a terrible matchup

I think if the game mattered to Houston, and their coach was still there, they would smash us.

But let's face it. They had Playoff aspirations this year. Or at the very least, NY6. Playing App State in the St. Pete Bowl would be an "insult" in their eyes and a reminder of a disappointing season. I think we'd face a shell of the Houston we've seen all year. With an interim coach too.

Houston has to be at least on par with if not better than Miami talent wise. Some folks on the board believe we would do markedly better against Miami if we got them again- maybe. We have greatly improved on defense throughout the season and I believe that the outcome would be different. That being said there is still an aspect of the game that is hard to coach against and beat- speed. Our "undersized" d linemen can play with most anyone and we can run the ball. It all comes down to speed and playmakers which can create matchup problems. I agree that Houston would be insulted to play in this possible matchup. But bring it on!

[Rick83]

I think it'd be the perfect time to play Houston if it, by some wild chance, happens. Isn't like our old days when we were FCS playing P5 teams? In those situations for us, we were supposed to lose (just like we would be considered the underdog against Houston) so not so bad that we lose (assuming it's not by 60 points or something). However, huge for us if we pull off the upset. So, the football world would expect us to lose to Houston (as would the Houston team) so it'd be an upset ripe for the picking. I would think we'd get a little more national press playing Houston (even if we lose) than if we play like a MAC team. Seems to me like a good situation either way that would move the program forward. Not that it's up to any of us of course.

[bigdaddyg]

A few thoughts come to mind regarding the idea or suggestion of a G5 playoff and championship game. One, if you are watching Alabama destroy Florida the notable divide between even these two programs is massive. In North Carolina if you follow high school football you know that come playoff time schools are divided between say, large 4A and smaller 4A. Both levels play for state championships and it's all good.