THE MUSTANGS WILL GO 7-5 IF......

[GoRedGoBlue]

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THE MUSTANGS WILL GO 7-5 IF: Their offense, which seemed to jell at the end of the 2002 season under quarterback Richard Bartel, can improve upon a woeful 17.2 points per game average.

THE MUSTANGS WILL GO 4-8 IF: They start the season 0-4 -- a very real possibility considering three of their first four games are against Big 12 teams and the fourth is at much improved Nevada.

[Hoop Fan]

Honestly, I think 4-8 is par for this season. 5 wins or more will be considered a good season, 3 or less a big disappointment.

[MrMustang1965]

SWEET CHRISTMAS! I am SO friggin' tired of reading the negative posts and the naysayers on this board! DREAM BIG! I'm looking for a 12-0 season! Do you think that Coach Bennett told his team yesterday or today: "Alright, men. I think we're gonna go 0-4 the first four games..." or "Men, it's gonna be a 4-8 season so do your best but I understand that you're not gonna be able to win 'em all." NO! NO! NO!

I find it very strange that those of you who post these 'negative' (some say realist) messages are probably the same folks who are waving the flag and saying that America's troops can kick anyone's butt! Well, guess what? APPLY THAT SAME PHILOSOPHY TO THE SMU MUSTANGS FOOTBALL TEAM! I BELIEVE THAT THEY (WE) CAN KICK ANYONE'S BUTT WITH THE WILL AND DETERMINATION TO DO SO!

I am looking for a 12-0 season and will be yelling and screaming at the top of my lungs at each game that I can attend for the Mustangs to KICK SOME [deleted]!

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Sam I Am]

Negativism? Last year we were all excited aobut our new head coach turning things around. We saw that he couldn't do it yet. About all of the hope we have left is that Bennett can recruit well and that eventually he will have the talent to win some games. Folks, you can't open with a Big 12 South schedule and expect to have a winning record by October. I wish it were different. If we win any of the first three games we play, that will be cause for celebration.

[EastStang]

"What's with the negative waves, Moriarity?"
"There you go again with the negative waves, Moriarity." Two timeless quotes from Kelly's Heros which apply.

[GoRedGoBlue]

We should all hope and expect for a 2-2 after 4 games. Yes, very possible to be 4-0, but TECH is winnable, and so is Baylor and Nevada. We should at least be 1-3, but with a little luck (called working hard with 89 players here over thesummer) perhaps we can sneak one more in.

If we can beat TECH early, then pounce on BAYLOR...who knows.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Obviously, I meant 0-4

"Yes, very possible to be 4-0"

[OldPony]

I hope you guys aren't bettors. If so, please make your contributions to the Mustang Club before the season starts!!!1

[WreckEm16]

I could see SMU sneaking up on Baylor, and even OSU (since it's your home opener).

But you're asking a lot to win in Lubbock. The Raiders don't lose there very often.

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And when I die
You can bury me
In Lubbock, Texas,
In my jeans.

-Mac Davis

[Roach]

You're right - winning at Tech will be tough. But OSU and Boise State could well be the toughest games we have all year. I think we have a better chance of an upset in Lubbock than we do winning those two games.

[JustAFriend]

I'm glad the players don't sound like you people. I know of at least two, and I'm sure you know one of them, who expect to do very well, as in win every game. In fact the only one they even worry about is OSU. Its a good thing they have more faith in theirselves than you all have in them, otherwise it would be a boring season. Here's to a bowl game THIS year...

[MrMustang1965]

JustAFriend: THANK GOD! I thought I was a lone voice of optimism! When the players believe it - and the fans believe it, too! - then it will happen!

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[This message has been edited by MrMustang1965 (edited 08-07-2003).]

[Mike Damone]

I'm glad the players are confident about the season, but I sure hope they're worried about more games than just the OSU one. Especially since most of the teams we play beat us last year.

You think Ohio State is sitting there saying, "We're going to win all out games this year. The only one we're even worried about is Michigan."

Every single game this year is going to be a BATTLE! We could lose every one just as easy as win every one.

[JustAFriend]

Yes I do think Ohio State players think they will win every game this year. What other attitude can you have and be competitive? There is a difference in understanding the possibility of defeat, and expecting it. I can promise you the guys in the locker room aren't sitting around saying "Man I would be pumped if we won 5 games this year." Gimme a break, they wanna win em all. The only way to do that is to KNOW, not think, that you can be competitive with all of them. Thats the great thing about college football, any team can beat any other on any given day. I honestly think this year will be a breakthrough year. I think the players do too, and they're the only ones who matter.

[Southland]

If we shock a lot of people (my self included) and go 7-5, it would put us in the Fort Worth Bowl, filling the spot the Big XII won't be able to fill (8th place).

That game is on Tuesday, December 23 and will sparsely attended no matter who plays in the game. Also, it is one of the those ESPN weekday classics that everyone on the west coast misses the first 3 quarters of... so the composite rating is going to be bad, regardless of the match-up. Hence, when selecting the at-large, they would have as good a chance as any of making money with a local school.