SMU only Div 1team in the Metroplex that

[PonySnob]

was not picked to win its conference. Both TCU and UNT have been picked to win their respective conferences and to go to bowl games. Meanwhile, SMU fans are predicting 4 or 5 wins and are talking about how likely the team is to start 0-4 this season. Hard to believe that we have been passed in the football world by North Texas.
When can we expect more????

[PonyFan]

We'll be better than North Texas this year — whether the schedule and level of competition allow our record to show it — and the "more" you seek is on the way in a year. Coach Bennett is loading the team with better players across the board. Give them a year or two to grow into their roles, and look out - the stampede is on!

[EastStang]

Yeah, UNT will win the Sun Belt Conference, so what?? TCU will win CUSA, so what? They have been picked as having one of the most creampuff schedules in Division 1. The WAC this year is a meatgrinder with BSU, FSU, Hawaii, Nevada all having some attitude. Watch they'll knock each other off and no one will be ranked because of it. I doubt that TCU would win the WAC this year. UNT would be lucky to be in the top half.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Remember, we were picked to win more games LAST year, and didn't...this team has more talent than last year, but they disappointed last year and are paying the price this year in the rankings. Let's rehash:

Navy L 38-7
Bennett was outcoached and unprepared. We should have won this game.

Texas Tech L 24-14
Bennett redeemed himself with an excellent game plan and we stayed in this game with a BigXII 2nd tier team until the end.

at TCU L 17-6
We had a shot to tie this thing late but an excellent interception in the end zone sealed the deal for TCU. Better QB play and we might have won this.

at Oklahoma State L 52-16
The TICKET made fun of SMU, but this team went on to a bowl victory, and beat Top5 OU 2 years in a ROW!

at Hawaii* L 42-10
I went to this game, and it was being called like the Tech game, but poor ol' Wallis just couldn't play QB. Our D was burned. Bartel was suspended and might have fared much better.

San Jose State* L 34-23
We were winning but BRIGGS fumbles late to give the ball to SJSU.

at Fresno State* L 30-7
Overmatched.

Louisiana Tech* W 37-34
Might have lost this one, against the 2nd best QB in the WAC (BSU is better).

at Rice* L 27-15
Could have won.

Nevada* L 24-6
Didn't see.

at UTEP* El Paso, Texas W 42-35

Tulsa* W 24-21

I believe what Bennett has been saying...that with just solid QB play last year we would have won at least 2 more games...I think that they will definitely build from last year. They have 3-4 OLinemen coming back, a top Running game to base an offense on, and with a much improved Bartel, this team could gel and be much better.

They may only be favored in one of the 4 games to start, but they could win 1-2 or 3 of them. Likely they will be 1-3, but I am putting even odds on them being 2-2, with a slight chance at 3-1.

The doomsayers

[SmooPower]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by GoRedGoBlue:
[B]Remember, we were picked to win more games LAST year, and didn't</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Considering we had the top two quarterbacks leave the team, lost our primary WR for the year with injuries, in addition to having our stud HB out for the majority of the year with back problems (although Kincade stepped up very well), I can understand why we didn't. The offense was horrible (116th in the nation out of 117). Thus, the defense found itself on the field too long, they wore down, and we some lost games we might have won in another reality.

There were very few offenses that have the depth to handle those losses, and we weren't one of them. This year Cunningham is back, and with Bartel having some experience we should be able to move the ball downfield some more. Hopefully this will open up the running game even more (imagine that) and keep our defense fresh.

[SmooPower]

By the way, TCU and UNT are probably picked to win their respective conferences because they have good teams and they won them last year! It's not much of a stretch to suggest that each will repeat.

[MeanGreenGem]

To quote Mark Cuban's little snippet of a drop on KTCK 1310 The Ticket: "OKaaaaayyyyy......"

Nothing wrong with having optimistic fans like PonyFan in your program, wish we had 10,000 more like him in Mean Green Country.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyFan:
<B>We'll be better than North Texas this year — whether the schedule and level of competition allow our record to show it — and the "more" you seek is on the way in a year. Coach Bennett is loading the team with better players across the board. Give them a year or two to grow into their roles, and look out - the stampede is on!</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[PonyFan]

Thanks, MGG!

[OldPony]

Last season was horribly disappointing. We, somehow, best a decent LaTech team but fell to a bottom 10 and beat 2 bottom 5's (barely). Only TT and TCU gave us any reason for hope. There is no excuse to lose to Rice or SJSU unless you belong on the bottom 10 which we did.
Let all hope that this season can at least give us reason to continue to believe that the Mustangs are on the right path. Five wins could do that and I will be ecstatic with 6.