They Grow Up So Fast

I hear it all the time.  Anytime I talk to the older folk about my 2 year old daughter, the conversation usually ends with some form of "Enjoy it, they group up fast."  While for those old fogies, this is a perception of 18 years, it truly is occurring with your UTSA Roadrunner football team.  The program's voice is about to start cracking as they take on their first full FBS opponent in WAC conference mate New Mexico State.  The more embarrassing stuff like pimples and sticky computer mice (publications in my day) come later in the season in the form of Louisiana Tech and Utah State.  While puberty is quite a horrific event for all, I think the Runners just might be ready.

There will be many times to say it, especially in the short term, but this is the biggest game of UTSA's history.  The initial WAC game would have been a big deal anyway, but a somewhat surprising 4-0 makes it seem so much sexier.  As firsts go, it's a pretty fair opponent as NMSU typically is considered one of the less formidable FBS level teams.  Last week they lost to New Mexico, another team that has been pretty lousy the last few years.

I like to consider myself a realist, but the Kool-Aid tastes so good.  Before the season, I predicted all road WAC games as a very probable losses.  I did this out of respect for FBS level and the fact that UTSA struggled against some really low level competition last year, especially on the road.  This year has offered some higher quality opponents in name, but all four of them are having terrible seasons, even within their own levels.  That being said, these last two games haven't just been good wins, the team actually looks the way that it should as an FBS level school against lightweights.  Maybe, just maybe, we are already at that low tier level in the FBS.  Perhaps I am being too optimistic.  Looking at the point spreads tonight I am seeing a range of 4-7 favoring NMSU.  If home field advantage is worth the standard 3 points, Vegas doesn't think we are that far off.  Neither do I.

Preseason Prediction- NMSU big
New Kool-Aid Preditction- UTSA by 9

Preseason Record Prediction- 5 wins
New Kool-Aid Season Prediction- 7-5
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Don't feel like getting abducted as you drive through El Paso to Las Cruces?  Come by to Freetail Brewing Company for a watch party.  Game is Saturday at 7pm.  Should be a lot of fun and you can be productive with your Saturday before getting drunk!
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I heard a legend of a guy pulling a Zack Morris this past weekend.  As the story goes, he mistakenly scheduled two dates to the pregame tailgate.  Being the smooth player he is, he put one date at a tailgate party in Lot B and the other girl in Lot C.  He floated between the two effortlessly without either girl knowing of the other.  Both did give him a hard time for breaking the seal early and having to hit the porto-pot all morning.  Not sure which one got the game ticket.

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