Prediction Thread: MU @ NU

[rmndcat]

So football is finally here, even if Dyche Stadium/Ryan Field no longer is. The Cats christen their new, temporary home with an opponent with whom they have some history.

It was Miami of Ohio that was the lone blemish in the perfect 1995 miracle regular season. In addition to instilling a little humility (according to some) that helped on the road to the Rose Bowl, it also was an introduction to one Randy Walker. Walker came to Evanston to coach the second revival of NU Football, introducing the spread offense that, um, spread throughout the college game in the years that followed. It was in the Walker Era and with that spread offense that NU won what some consider the greatest game in college football history, remembered by many just by the score: 54-51.

Walker wasn't the only coach to come to Evanston from Miami. Legendary Ara Parseghian took NU to its most recent #1 ranking in the 1962, before being lured away to an independent school in Indiana.

But the question at hand is will the Cats be ready to play in their new home against a solid MAC foe. With Coach Braun being circumspect, particularly about starting QB, and with new coaching, particularly on offense, predictions would be pretty speculative at this point.

Nonetheless, the time has come for that speculation...

Red Birds 17
Purple Cats 28

 

[phatcat]

17-14 Cats. Timmy Mac's guys do the heavy work and Olsen kicks a late one. Forecast predicts low wind

 

[Hungry Jack]

I suffer from belief without evidence syndrome.

I believe Braun will rid NU of its habit of losing to lesser programs that the previous regime had mastered.

I believe the defense front 7 will control the MOhio offense.

I believe the run game will work over the MOhio defense.

I believe we win the game 30 - 16.

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

NU - 24
MoO - 17

Defense preserves the win after Wright runs free to the end zone.

 

[techtim72]

Game called for lack of balls. All blown into Lake Michigan.

 

[TheC]

NU 20
MiamiOH 14

 

[rmndcat]

Game called for lack of balls. All blown into Lake Michigan.

Wind lakes the posts.

 

[SmellyCat]

I'll go with NU 23, Miami 17. Three field goals for the purple! Wright/Kirtz for one TD and Porter for another (on the opening drive).

 

[JoeWildcat]

I will be optimistic: NU 24. MU 13

 

[Jaguar 88]

I would like to see the Wildcats score at least 30 in a dominant win!

 

[DaCat]

NU 33
MOH 24

 

[phatcat]

dominant win!

I initially read this as dominant wind

 

[stpaulcat]

Game called for lack of balls. All blown into Lake Michigan.

Game lost for lack of balls.

Prey 6
Predator 30

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I’ll do this a weird way and give a few legitimate possibilities/narratives in the order of those I think are most likely to those least likely:

1. The game is a defensive slog but the Cats have the better horses in the end and win narrowly
2. The game is a defensive slog but lack of experience in the Cats secondary or a quarterback mistake costs them the low scoring game
3. The Cats have simply too much speed on the edges on offense for Miami’s defense to strangle, score a good number of points, and win solidly
4. The Cats make a lot of mistakes and Miami plays clean and looks like a genuinely better executing team and a dark horse 11+ win MAC contender
5 The game is a defensive slog but it’s REALLY a slog for Miami and they just can’t do anything at all vs a Big Ten defense and lose something like 17-3

I’m unsure if 1 or 2 are the most likely…

 

[NUCat320]

49-3 Cats.
And take the over with this set of powerhouse playmakers.

 

[DrillCat]

Cats 100- them 0.

 

[mountaindrew]

Wow. A LOT of purple kool aid flowing on this board on the eve of opening day. Understandably. The program is definitely on the rebound, if not back on the rise.

But sorry. I'm just not there yet. My big concerns are the OL, the OL, the OL, the OL, and in case I didn't mention it yet, the OL. Other concerns of course, like our young corners, and Miami being 11-3 last year with a very experienced senior QB .... but this is a prediction thread, so lets get to it:

M/O 27, Cats 20

I would LOVE to be wrong. GO CATS!

 

[stpaulcat]

Game lost for lack of balls.

Prey 6
Predator 30

Well, I got the 6 part right.