FIU could be a tough opponent on Sat.

[TidePrideGA]

I think its an excellent game for McElroy to continue to get adjusted to the speed of the game and the offense. I think the D will shut FIU down. I say 49-3

 

[Airborne Tider]

This game will be a great opportunity to work out the few kinks we have and get some valuable playing time and develop our depth for the younger players on the roster. I expect to see Trent get a lot more carries, Norwood to get in the game and possibly Bowman, Dre and BJ seeing some time in the secondary, and maybe Nico and Tana at LB if we are sure we are not going redshirt them. I'd like to see Chris Jordan get some time at LB though. Kid is a beast. Hopefully some quality PT for Micheal Williams and Undra Billingsluy because they may be better blocking TE's. I'll be looking for lots of these things. Should be interesting to see how the team responds after a big win as well. RTR.

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

I don't know if this has been mentioned in other threads yet, but I found it very interesting that FIU's head coach, Mario Cristobal was the starting left tackle for Miami in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.

 

[kfo9494]

The game will be a tremendous challenge but also a termendous opportunity.

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

The game will be a tremendous challenge but also a termendous opportunity.

 

[Alasippi]

The line did come out at -33 1/2.

I'd give that in a heartbeat. Is that the half time line?

 

[kfo9494]

Thank you.
I will never forget those words that Dubose said each week.

 

[Let's Roll Tide]

All that said...I see this being another Western Kentucky like last year. We will see guys deeper in the depth chart making big plays...and will get to see some of these younger guys proving why they were so highly touted by recruiting services.

Did we play Western Kentucky last year? Really, did we?

 

[ABamaManNTX]

I just do NOT want the Crimson Tide to take them lightly. _ _ _ _ has happened in the past and I don't want Bama to take any team lightly this year. If you do, you can be greatly disappointed in the end. It's hard to get psyched-up every week of the season. It's hard to get psyched-up after a game like last Saturday. Will the Tide be ready? I hope so. Our coaches in H. S. always told us that the opponents put on their jockeys and uniform just like we do and anything can happen when that ball bounces.

Our players have to have that mentality of One-Game-at-a-time without looking forward to any opponent. I'm sure Coach Saban is preaching that this week!

I think this Bama team has a chance potentially to be the very BEST Bama team in history, but you have to kick _ _ _ and take names later every week so that you won't be disappointed.

I would like to see lots of Star, Trent R., Nico J., Tana P., Dre K., B. J. Scott, Courtney U., D. J. Fluker, Tyler Love, Darrington, S., Kerry M., David Ross, et al on this Saturday and on several Saturdays, but in prior years we have not been able to do that very much. I hope it's different this year. We need back-ups with lots of experience.

The state of Florida has outstanding recruits and I'm sure FIU has many of them. It would make their season to beat Bama. I'm sure they will be playing to knock off the Tide. _ _ _ _ happened in Michigan last year; it can happen anywhere.

I can't wait for Jess' realistic analysis of FIU and this game.

Roll Tide Roll

 

[chains]

Let's get real here. Two......three years ago, I'm really worried. If we are indeed "back", then these guys have no chance. If they play us really close, then we still have issues.
Bama 48 FIU 10

 

[lafella]

Wasn't North Texas HC the HC for McElroy in High School?

 

[IMALOYAL1]

I honestly dont know anything about them so far. I remember they were the team that got in the big fight with Miami a few years ago, and I know this is the school that just hired Isiah Thomas to be its basketball coach.....but I can't imagine if we play disciplined football that this would be any kind of test. I think the only team that can beat us this week is ourselves.

Agree...

You have got to be kidding me?! Bama wins as big as they want to and everyone plays Saturday.

As long as the players don't think this way....

I think its an excellent game for McElroy to continue to get adjusted to the speed of the game and the offense. I think the D will shut FIU down. I say 49-3

I think we need to get McElory as many snaps as possible so he can continue to progress. I know many would like to keep him healthy, so keep the 1st team line in whenever he's in. Let Ingram rest, maybe let someone besides Javy return kicks. Get up big quick and play a lot of guys.

 

[12ROLL12TIDE12]

I hope we score fast and often JUST to work on our special teams coverage!

 

[Trobinson97]

Wow, not the replies I expected.

Yeah, it's very true that we should beat them handily. But, lets not get ahead of ourselves. CNS would tell us "1 week at a time". Each and every game is a test. FIU is a pretty decent program on the rise. Remember, we have been beat by La Tech/Central Florida/La Monroe in the recent past. Let's not be arrogrant about ANY team.

Having said that, I think we'll beat them by 31+

Roll Tide Roll!

I wouldn't go as far as to call them pretty decent. They were dead last in the Sunbelt in offense and gave up over 390 yards a game on defense. They do return 16 starters so they may be on the rise in the Sun Belt but I don't think they will be tough for Alabama unless BAMA comes out walking around.

I definitely agree that you shouldn't overlook ANY team though. I also don't think that will be a problem for Alabama this year.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

I don't look for us to run the score up high. I expect us to use 2-3 or 4 deep. The guys on 2,3 and 4 will still try to score, so we could still have scores against a tired FIU.
If we can get Star,Trent, Dre, and a couple of others quality playing time, it will benefit us later this season. This is when I think we see Grant as a WR or at least receiving more out of the backfield.
This is where we work on the 'Rogue Elephant' formation and possibly throw one halfback pass. This is where the QB gets to spread passes among more receivers. That will give defenses something to think about the rest of the year. The VT game means future defenses will try to put more pressure on our tight ends (These things will open holes for our running game, cause they can't stack the line to stop the run on every play)

I think that Saturday night CNS put a deposit on the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game. Now all we've got to do is EXECUTE & FINISH.

 

[lafella]

Well they'll be as tough as we let them be.

 

[Dizzy Boozer]

To answer this question actually necessitates knowledge of what other fans think. So that makes it difficult. With that in mind I'm gonna take the liberty to take this in another direction.

First of all, please. FIU and UNT, who follows the week after, are both patsies. Any team as good as Kentucky or Texas A&M should squash either of these teams in '09. I'm sure they're both "solid teams" with "good coaching" who "emphasize fundamentals" or any and every other politically correct cliche that's thrown out there the week before you heel-stomp a cupcake 88-6. The fact of the matter is that FIU and N Tex both are D1A programs at the bottom of the barrel. Both teams are bottom 30 programs with bottom 30 talent.

FIU has pulled itself up out of the bottom ten and could be good enough to beat solid mid majors (USM, La Tech, Fresno St.) or BCS schools at the bottom of their conference (Iowa St., Indiana, Syracuse). At the rate they're going and given the overabundance of talent in FL they could well become a top 60 program w/in a few years. However they still have work to do to get to the level of a Troy or S Miss. Could they play better than expected and keep it w/in 3 or 4 TDs, sure. They could also lose 84-0. This one will probably end up about 59-10.

As for N Tex, seems like they went to a bowl a few years ago. Maybe. Can't really remember. Today they may actually have the distinction of being THE WORST team in Division 1A, edging out the fledgling Hilltoppers who could not stay in the game with UT this weekend. One can literally flame N Tex w/ impunity. It doesn't matter how motivated they are when they play you. The team is absolutely devoid of talent and will get HOUSED by every top 80 program that they play. Football is quite evidently not a priority in Denton, and it shows. The only way it's even imaginable that they could score on Bama is if McElroy thought that time-out had been called, started walking toward the sideline and Vlachos snapped the ball at their own 3. Then maybe.....MAYBE they could punch it in. MAYBE. But probably not. Either that or run back a kickoff, which I guess we can worry about all year....AGAIN. Still, if Bama scores less than 50 on UNT it will be either a) an act of mercy or b) utterly deplorable preparation and execution. Losing this game is unconscionable. 73-0 Bama.

Dizzy

 

[BamaUte]

Bama will win this game handily. Why? Because I'm making my first trip to BDS, and I'll cheer loud enough to make sure it isn't close.

 

[Harmost]

As for N Tex, seems like they went to a bowl a few years ago. Maybe. Can't really remember. Today they may actually have the distinction of being THE WORST team in Division 1A, edging out the fledgling Hilltoppers who could not stay in the game with UT this weekend. One can literally flame N Tex w/ impunity. It doesn't matter how motivated they are when they play you. The team is absolutely devoid of talent and will get HOUSED by every top 80 program that they play. Football is quite evidently not a priority in Denton, and it shows. The only way it's even imaginable that they could score on Bama is if McElroy thought that time-out had been called, started walking toward the sideline and Vlachos snapped the ball at their own 3. Then maybe.....MAYBE they could punch it in. MAYBE. But probably not. Either that or run back a kickoff, which I guess we can worry about all year....AGAIN. Still, if Bama scores less than 50 on UNT it will be either a) an act of mercy or b) utterly deplorable preparation and execution. Losing this game is unconscionable. 73-0 Bama.

What's that make last year's double digit winner Ball State then?

 

[Bamaball2001]

I think it will be a great game to fine tune our defensive and offensive execution and to get some other players a few reps.