PonyFans.com

It's Sunday of game week. This may be tough since none of us have seen a JJ coached SMU team, much less BLM play a down. That said, I'm got some concerns about all these young guys stepping on the field at game speed for the first time.

Are we looking at a blowout loss?
Will the D shock us with their level of improvement?
Are we going to have opportunities to win that are snatched away by untimely interceptions?
Will Dillard do to us what Dillard's done before, along with pretty much every team's best player...e.g. Alridge, Crabtree, Fitzgerald from NTSU?

Some of JJ's other inaugural games include the blowout to USC (which Rice isn't), a loss to Portland State (vis a vis Rice v Nicholls last year). And, in JJ's interview Saturday, could it be foreshadowing when he commented on the talent level, saying "well, yeah they were 1-11?"

Maybe I'm wrong. Hopefully I'm wrong. But I think it's too early to go down to Houston and see our Ponies riding high. Anything less than 30-17 Rice and I'll be somewhat encouraged. What say everyone else?

it will be a close loss to rice

SMU 31
Rice 14

SMU 45
RICE 42

I am predicting that I will not make a prediction on any game this season.

SMU - 41
Rice - 24

I predict I will not find the hat I threw after missing the first and goal two years ago

I predict a loss that looks much closer in the final score than it really was...I think it's going to take a while to get the offense clicking. We'll fall behind early and catch up a little in the end.

Something in the ballpark of Rice 42, SMU 28

SMU 41
Rice 27

ponies 33

owls 17

SMU 13
Rice 45

the true frosh starting qb announcement pretty much ruined my last year here, i have no hope

The good news is that BLM will start against a weak team in front of a small crowd. If there are 20,000 people in attendance it will be a small miracle.

BLM probably played against similar sized crowds in HS. He, therefore, shouldn't suffer from big crowd jitters.

Is the speed of CUSA that much faster than 5A Texas HS? Probably but not to BCS standards.

So, I don't think he will be a total flop. He will suffer from not knowing the offense but hopefully he will get it quickly.

SMU 24
Rice 17

Pony81 wrote:The good news is that BLM will start against a weak team in front of a small crowd. If there are 20,000 people in attendance it will be a small miracle.

BLM probably played against similar sized crowds in HS. He, therefore, shouldn't suffer from big crowd jitters.

Is the speed of CUSA that much faster than 5A Texas HS? Probably but not to BCS standards.

So, I don't think he will be a total flop. He will suffer from not knowing the offense but hopefully he will get it quickly.

SMU 24
Rice 17

If our defense can hold Rice to 17 points we are in for a great season but I think Dillard alone scores more points than this.

SMU will be 1-0

SMU 35
Rice 24