Sorry I'm a little late getting this up. I was in Missoula today getting some stuff done and wasn't near a computer. We finally made it to the cats, and boy have I been waiting to post this one. Before I break down their schedule and give my predictions for the season, I wanna just quickly provide my thoughts on this seasons cat team.
I don't care what cat fans say, with where they stand right now, I see absolutely NO way this cat team will be better then last seasons cat team. I think the simplest form to put this in is this: The cats may have found a way to beat SDSU last year, but they won't this year. I'm sorry cat fans, but when you look at all the talent that you guys lost last season, you just can't expect your young guys to come right in and be on the same level as all your all-conference seniors, many of whom got shots in the NFL. The last I checked, the projected starting O-line for the cats (unless they get a couple transfers) would be 4 freshmen and a Sophomore. Every starter on last years O-line is gone, and the cats only have 1 returning starter on the D-line. That alone is a lot to replace, especially after you throw guys into the mix like Andersen, Mccutcheon, Stewart, etc. Plus I'm still not sold on Tommy Mellott. I will not rule out the fact that he still could be a very good QB, I just need to see a few more games from him. He needs to improve his passing IMO, and I'm interested to see if defenses figure him out this year. With that, let's dive in!
September 3 vs. Mcneese State - W. There's no doubt the once proud Cowboys program has fallen on hard times. The Cowboys have dealt with multiple hurricanes, multiple coaching changes, and a lack of stability. Now led by Gary Goff who took D2 Valdosta State to last seasons D2 National Championship game, the boys may finally be able to return to being the class of the Southland. Mcneese has been very active in the portal, and I love some of the additions they've made. These additions IMO have the potential to make Mcneese compete for the Southland title. I think this could potentially be a closer game then many think, and while I do think Mcneese will get back on track, I don't think they'll be quite ready to go toe-to-toe with the cats. It will be a close game though.
September 10 vs. Morehead State - W. We'll get a look at the Eagles here in a couple seasons when they come to Missoula. The Eagles have pretty much been a middle of the pack to bottom tier team in the Pioneer League. Should be a big win for the cats.
September 17 @ Oregon State - L. This Beaver team is not the PAC 12 punching bag they once were. If this game was 4 years ago, I'd absolutely be picking the cats to win this game, but Johnathan Smith has this Beaver team headed in the right direction. I wouldn't be surprised if they contend for the PAC 12 North this year. The only thing the cats have going for themselves in this one is the games in Portland as OSU has been displaced from their stadium due to a massive renovation project. I think the Beavs win by 20+.
September 24 @ Eastern Washington - W. Really tough draw for the cats having to go to Cheney back to back years, and also Eastern getting msu off a bye week in back to back years. Probably not ideal for Eastern that this game is sandwiched in between Oregon and Florida. This may be Eastern's only chance at a win for a while. That said, I think the cats are gonna win this game. I think Eastern's defense is gonna be awful, and I really don't think they'll have all-american QB play this year (god willing they don't). I'll take the cats in a close one.
October 1 vs. UC Davis - W. This is a really pivotal 3 game stretch for the cats. OSU, EWU, and Davis will be no small feat. The good news for the cats is that no player or coach on this UC Davis team has been to msu before. UC Davis' last trip to Blowsman was 2016. I do think UC Davis will be good this year, and I think Ulonzo Gilliam will be in the running for the Payton this year, but I'll take the cats at home. Davis is trending in the right direction, but I think the cats just eek it out, maybe in the final minute or so.
October 8 vs. Idaho State - W. Brutal draw for the Bungals going to msu 2 years in a row, and getting the cats the week after the Griz. Coming off that all important 3 game stretch, this could be a get right game for the cats if things were to go sideways on them during that stretch. Big win for the cats.
October 15 @ Northern Colorado - W. This will be a great game for the sole purpose of entertainment and what happened last year. I wanna see fist fights breaking out left and right in this one. I wanna see both coaching staffs get into a fist fight in this one. This will be a trash game though as the cats will roll in this one. Really, I just wanna see a may lay in this one. :lol:
October 22 vs. Weber State - W. I've said this before, but I think Weber's reign of terror is over. I think they're trending down and wouldn't be surprised if Jay Hill abandoned ship after this year. However, Weber has been a really tough matchup for the cats over the years. Expect a close game, but I'll give it to the cats.
October 29 BYE. A bye week this late could be a blessing or a curse. Last year, it was a blessing for them, this year who knows.
November 5 @ Northern Arizona - L. A place that the cats haven't been to in a very long time. As I've mentioned, I'm very high on this NAU team, and we'll talk about them next week, but this has trap game written all over it. Flagstaff is a tough place to play, and I think this young cat team will feel that. I'll take the Jacks in a close one.
November 12 @ Cal Poly - W. This also has trap game written all over it. If I didn't think Cal Poly was gonna be so bad this year, I'd pick them to win this game, but they're just not there yet. This game could be similar to last year's Idaho game where the cats just didn't really show up and the Vandy's nearly scared them at home. I'll say the cats win by 7-10.
November 19 vs. Montana. As everybody knows, I don't predict this game as I'm very superstitious, but it will be a dog fight as it almost always is.
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I have the cats going either 9-2 or 8-3. I honestly could see the cats being anywhere between 10-1 to 7-4. I just think right now they got a lot of question marks that need to be answered, but fans are still riding the wave from the Natty appearance last year and aren't seeing all these holes they need to feel. Believe me, I hate the cats with every bone in my body, but at the same time I try to be realistic, and as we sit here on June 27, I just don't see how they're the #3 team in the country. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I think they got some serious work to do in the portal before they can make any type of a run at Frisco. That's my prediction! Thoughts?????
I don't care what cat fans say, with where they stand right now, I see absolutely NO way this cat team will be better then last seasons cat team. I think the simplest form to put this in is this: The cats may have found a way to beat SDSU last year, but they won't this year. I'm sorry cat fans, but when you look at all the talent that you guys lost last season, you just can't expect your young guys to come right in and be on the same level as all your all-conference seniors, many of whom got shots in the NFL. The last I checked, the projected starting O-line for the cats (unless they get a couple transfers) would be 4 freshmen and a Sophomore. Every starter on last years O-line is gone, and the cats only have 1 returning starter on the D-line. That alone is a lot to replace, especially after you throw guys into the mix like Andersen, Mccutcheon, Stewart, etc. Plus I'm still not sold on Tommy Mellott. I will not rule out the fact that he still could be a very good QB, I just need to see a few more games from him. He needs to improve his passing IMO, and I'm interested to see if defenses figure him out this year. With that, let's dive in!
September 3 vs. Mcneese State - W. There's no doubt the once proud Cowboys program has fallen on hard times. The Cowboys have dealt with multiple hurricanes, multiple coaching changes, and a lack of stability. Now led by Gary Goff who took D2 Valdosta State to last seasons D2 National Championship game, the boys may finally be able to return to being the class of the Southland. Mcneese has been very active in the portal, and I love some of the additions they've made. These additions IMO have the potential to make Mcneese compete for the Southland title. I think this could potentially be a closer game then many think, and while I do think Mcneese will get back on track, I don't think they'll be quite ready to go toe-to-toe with the cats. It will be a close game though.
September 10 vs. Morehead State - W. We'll get a look at the Eagles here in a couple seasons when they come to Missoula. The Eagles have pretty much been a middle of the pack to bottom tier team in the Pioneer League. Should be a big win for the cats.
September 17 @ Oregon State - L. This Beaver team is not the PAC 12 punching bag they once were. If this game was 4 years ago, I'd absolutely be picking the cats to win this game, but Johnathan Smith has this Beaver team headed in the right direction. I wouldn't be surprised if they contend for the PAC 12 North this year. The only thing the cats have going for themselves in this one is the games in Portland as OSU has been displaced from their stadium due to a massive renovation project. I think the Beavs win by 20+.
September 24 @ Eastern Washington - W. Really tough draw for the cats having to go to Cheney back to back years, and also Eastern getting msu off a bye week in back to back years. Probably not ideal for Eastern that this game is sandwiched in between Oregon and Florida. This may be Eastern's only chance at a win for a while. That said, I think the cats are gonna win this game. I think Eastern's defense is gonna be awful, and I really don't think they'll have all-american QB play this year (god willing they don't). I'll take the cats in a close one.
October 1 vs. UC Davis - W. This is a really pivotal 3 game stretch for the cats. OSU, EWU, and Davis will be no small feat. The good news for the cats is that no player or coach on this UC Davis team has been to msu before. UC Davis' last trip to Blowsman was 2016. I do think UC Davis will be good this year, and I think Ulonzo Gilliam will be in the running for the Payton this year, but I'll take the cats at home. Davis is trending in the right direction, but I think the cats just eek it out, maybe in the final minute or so.
October 8 vs. Idaho State - W. Brutal draw for the Bungals going to msu 2 years in a row, and getting the cats the week after the Griz. Coming off that all important 3 game stretch, this could be a get right game for the cats if things were to go sideways on them during that stretch. Big win for the cats.
October 15 @ Northern Colorado - W. This will be a great game for the sole purpose of entertainment and what happened last year. I wanna see fist fights breaking out left and right in this one. I wanna see both coaching staffs get into a fist fight in this one. This will be a trash game though as the cats will roll in this one. Really, I just wanna see a may lay in this one. :lol:
October 22 vs. Weber State - W. I've said this before, but I think Weber's reign of terror is over. I think they're trending down and wouldn't be surprised if Jay Hill abandoned ship after this year. However, Weber has been a really tough matchup for the cats over the years. Expect a close game, but I'll give it to the cats.
October 29 BYE. A bye week this late could be a blessing or a curse. Last year, it was a blessing for them, this year who knows.
November 5 @ Northern Arizona - L. A place that the cats haven't been to in a very long time. As I've mentioned, I'm very high on this NAU team, and we'll talk about them next week, but this has trap game written all over it. Flagstaff is a tough place to play, and I think this young cat team will feel that. I'll take the Jacks in a close one.
November 12 @ Cal Poly - W. This also has trap game written all over it. If I didn't think Cal Poly was gonna be so bad this year, I'd pick them to win this game, but they're just not there yet. This game could be similar to last year's Idaho game where the cats just didn't really show up and the Vandy's nearly scared them at home. I'll say the cats win by 7-10.
November 19 vs. Montana. As everybody knows, I don't predict this game as I'm very superstitious, but it will be a dog fight as it almost always is.
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I have the cats going either 9-2 or 8-3. I honestly could see the cats being anywhere between 10-1 to 7-4. I just think right now they got a lot of question marks that need to be answered, but fans are still riding the wave from the Natty appearance last year and aren't seeing all these holes they need to feel. Believe me, I hate the cats with every bone in my body, but at the same time I try to be realistic, and as we sit here on June 27, I just don't see how they're the #3 team in the country. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I think they got some serious work to do in the portal before they can make any type of a run at Frisco. That's my prediction! Thoughts?????
