Maryland will tell the tale. Over the years, it has seemed that the next game will decide if NU is for real or not. In this case, I believe that to be true. If NU wins, even by a small amount, that may indicate Fitz is getting handle on this. If not, all the speculation that NU is irrevocably trending down will be verified. Who else might we beat? Iowa, but so what? One more win will not change the situation. However, Maryland, NU's last chance for salvation this year, just might turn that around. I sure hope so.
Maryland
- Thread starter stpaulcat
- Start date
Maryland's defense gives up some points, presuming we can take advantage, but I have zero confidence in being able to stop them. Wisconsin had 6 TD passes. Taulia?
The only tale it will tell is whether we can beat a mediocre team - without their by far most important player.
If they are a mediocre team, what does that make us?
Whatever one may think of Maryland, that's what everyone else in the Big Ten thinks of us - they pencil in a win, even when there's evidence to the contrary.
Of course I am hoping/praying for a win here, but I don't think a bye week is enough time to fix the systemic issues we've been seeing over the past two/few seasons. I'm sorry to say, even a win may not be an indication that we're truly improving (but...obviously I'll take a win!)
To an extent this is true, but the back half of our schedule is a murderer's row compared to the front half.
Iowa might be the only game we have a realistic chance due to their complete lack of offense. Then again their defense is one of the best in the country so it might be first to 10 points wins the game, and I don't know if we can get 10 against them. And of course their defense may get some TDs off of ours...
Ohio State is going to be bad unless they just don't show up or play their worst game of the past decade.
Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota all look much better than us on both sides of the ball. Our team of the last 5 weeks would lose easily to all 3 of them.
We're going to be heavy underdogs the rest of the way regardless of the Maryland result.
The backup Quarterback stepped it up and at 5-2, the Terps are not mediocre. If we win it will be against a good team.
We would have to improve a whole lot to be even close to mediocre.
Implicit in my point is that the Cats not only beat Maryland, they look improved doing it. I'm looking for a turn around, not just a win.
Last edited:
I consider Purdue and Minny to be winnable simply because both teams are painfully inconsistent...outcome will depend more on them than on us based on what we've seen so far this season.
I'm expecting a loss to Bret B. and Illinois. He's got them on track.
After watching Wisconsin's offense do very little against a bad, banged-up Michigan State defense, our loss to them looks even worse. I worry that Purdue is going to have a field day against us with their passing game and Minny will run up and down the field against us.
unless he finds a bar he just loves in Champaign and a friendly co-ed.
Taulia being out gives the Cats a chance, maybe. They are still going to have a hell of a time covering those WRs and stopping the read option attack under that athletic backup QB.
If Nu can't score at least a good number of points, just go ahead and fire everybody.
If Nu can't score at least a good number of points, just go ahead and fire everybody.
I like the Terps a lot. Watched them for years. My point is that they are not a "good" team (and are indeed mediocre without Taulia) and beating them without their leader doesn't mean anything other than winning a game. No "turned the corner" or anything else.
I ignored CFB on Saturday and am just learning that Taulia is out, leaving us with...the dreaded second string QB! Run away!
He led two TD drives of over 60 yards in a close game… without completing a pass and while attempting only 3 but runjing for over 50 yards and a TD on 5 carries as part of an effective option attack. He’s athletic. If their receivers are wide open again, he can certainly hit a few of them like Graham Mertz could.
I feel NU will need some serious growing pains from Maryland and some turnovers, but we’ll see.
NU had a difficult time stopping running QB’s when Hank was here.In our last good year Rocky Lombardi drove us nuts when he was at MSU.
I just want to see improvement.On D guys being in position and making tackles.Keeping everything in front of us.
On offense.Play with more tempo and move the QB around no matter who is taking the snaps.Obviously Sully will run more but have RH tuck the ball and run a couple of times to keep the D honest and do not be a turnover machine.
Maryland can be beat and I want to see us do it.
It is time to put what Fitz says he sees in practice and bring it on game day.Let’s get some positive vibes going this season.
I just want to see improvement.On D guys being in position and making tackles.Keeping everything in front of us.
On offense.Play with more tempo and move the QB around no matter who is taking the snaps.Obviously Sully will run more but have RH tuck the ball and run a couple of times to keep the D honest and do not be a turnover machine.
Maryland can be beat and I want to see us do it.
It is time to put what Fitz says he sees in practice and bring it on game day.Let’s get some positive vibes going this season.
Yeah, but sometimes a backup can come in cold and do some things that the opposing team is not ready for at all. With a full week of preparation, a good coaching staff can start to gameplan around those new looks and do a much better job of stopping it.
I know, I know....a good coaching staff.
I agree this is very true, which is why I think we have better than 7% chance of winning the game. A 13 point spread translates to roughly a 6-1 shot, or about 16%. With Taulia, numbers suggest we’d be more like a 20 point dog, in which case 7% might be generous.
What it would mean is, NU can win a game. Improved would be good also.
Can I buy you a plane ticket to Chicago and arrange a meeting for you with Fitz?
Regardless of anyone’s opinion on Maryland (I think they’re pretty good, but it doesn’t matter), beating any semi competent team would constitute an improvement. NU got smacked by a good FCS team and a mediocre MAC team, so any team that isn’t a clown show is an improvement.
We know we're a pretty sh*tty team this year and Fitz is doing nothing to change it.
Hi All, Terp fan here. I remember the beating we took from you guys a few years ago and take nothing for granted. Its the nature of being a Maryland fan. Taulia was just officially announced as a gametime decision. He suffered a sprain so not nearly as bad as first feared. Hope you guys are able to turn it around (after Saturday, of course) and finish strong. If anyone is coming to the game, we would be happy to have you stop by our tailgate for a beer. Cheers.
Maryland looks like its in good hands with Locksley.
Quite frankly, we're rightfully 2 TD underdogs, especially if Taulia plays. Program trajectory there looks squarely pointed up.
I think a lot of us are just expecting 1-11 this year at this point and anything different would be a surprise.
We have a DC who's never coached anything other than a bottom tier defense in his years as DC at both NFL/college levels, and we have an OC who doesn't seem to be able to develop QBs.
Maryland is an important game in deciding if we will have double digit losses (1-11, 2-10) or single digit losses (e.g., 3-9).
Yeah I think most of us are expecting 1-11 and for good reason. But there is at least one fan, HTP, who is modeling that we'll probably pick up an upset win somewhere along the way.
I'm flying down from NY and will be there - hope for a nice fall day and a fun football game with no injuries. Not particularly optimistic about our chances, but it's college football so who knows. Maryland fans have been gracious hosts before. Thanks for the kind words and best of luck to you folks the rest of the season also.
Simply how statistics work! Maryland without Taulia has to be our second best shot.
Their backup QB played really well last game and put up some nice yardage on limited carries from what I read.
Either way they’ll put up points.
Source? Not seeing anywhere with him reported as any better than a game time decision.
Officially, he is a game time decision. There is footage from practice this week, however, that shows him running and throwing without any apparent problems. All trends point to Taulia being available on Saturday. That said, with a bye next week before a visit to Wisconsin, I strongly suspect that Billy Edwards will get the start with Taulia only playing if the offense is struggling. Edwards has looked good in limited play. He led two scoring drives in the fourth quarter in a comeback win over Indiana last week. He also led a late TD drive at Michigan. Personally, I think this game is going to be closer than people are expecting.
