Fresno State, Indiana, and James Madison

Who is the best among them? According to the analysts of the magazines, the Bulldogs of Fresno. But, IU should be better head to head. The Dukes will be scrapping for their FBS lives, and it should be fun.

IU has the toughest schedule. Some are predicting that they finish 3-9. Umm. And that would be an improvement from last year, 2-10. They were competitive against the CFP semifinalists Cinncy Bearcats... but they ran out of the 2020 steam... 

We shall see. They play all the Big 10 Eastern Division beasts. We have to beat Maryland and Rutgers, and Illinois to begin with.

FSU and JMU are predicted to go to bowls. IU, not. I may catch a game. We shall see.

My Map of Indiana

    I may never live in another state or land as much as my home state of Indiana. It totals to 22 years, less than half of my present life. I have lived abroad more or less five years, nearer the West Coast over 10, and now on the East Coast more than 10. But the MidWest is my home state, the Hoosier State, the Crossroads of America.

    Hoagy Carmichael and Michael Jackson both sing of it. I dream of it, I am sure. Childhood and first impressions, subconscious and prevalent memories of yore. 

    In my house I have a bathroom with a map of Indiana by the sink. I enjoy gazing at the map of Indiana, with southern Indiana close to my eye level. I like looking at the towns, the parks, the roads, the lakes and memorials.

    It is a big detailed map, one of the best I have seen. It shows my home county, and neighboring counties where I have spent hours or days and nights, with family, friends, Scouts, and contractors.

    

    I dream about some of the places I have been, and others where I will never go. Maybe, just maybe, like Marengo Cave with my youngest daughter last April. What county? 

    Many counties of Indiana, of the 92 I have never been to. And likely never will.

    In fifth grade a couple came to my class at Elm Heights with Mrs. Daniels, a Bloomington native, a tremendous teacher; they showed a film strip of all the county courthouses in all the ninety-two counties of Indiana. Some are really small, and forgotten, and out of the away. Perhaps that is the closest that I will ever get to be in some of those isolated rural places.

    But I got my map. And it comes to me when I look to her.

    I can look at it backwards and forwards, up and down, through mists of time and spells of sun, clouds, storms, and all temperatures in between.

    This past weekend in central-east Virginia I drove on a few highways, some of which I have not passed by much before. Went through Thornberg. I commented to my fellow riders that parts of the surroundings were just like southern Indiana. I saw long rows of corn fields, and I thought nostalgically of my home state.

    I'm going back to Indiana! (Michael Jackson). On the Banks of the Wabash, far away. (Hoagy). 

    I'll be back soon.

    Monroe County. Daviess County. Brown, and Greene, and on...

State of the World: August 2022

    Perhaps this report will be more valuable in the future. The myriad panoply of world news and other resources fill the world with their messages and information. Just a few things from me. Tonight. My blog, some 700 posts strong. Or weak.

    Start with China! They have the most people, after all. Incidentally, I just had my soon to be full-fledged sixth grader look up Bhutan. Why? Well, sometimes it is good to know that a kingdom of some 900,000 people exists between the two most populated countries on Earth. No news of Bhutan that I know of. That is probably good.

    China, according to certain Muslim officials from other Muslim countries around the world, is not abusing and or torturing and raping Chinese Uighurs, those indigenous Chines Muslims that we are pretty confident are being held in concentration camps, re-education centers, prisons and jails, and are being forced to labor, or being sexually assaulted and worse. Ugh.

    I believe that China is doing all those things. They are also quashing the rights and opportunities of millions of its citizens in Hong Kong and elsewhere. China is threatening Taiwan, "the renegade province", and being aggressive with its own local seas where there are islands disputed by multiple other countries. As far as I know China has not had a dust up with India lately, as they did last year.

    India, a massive country that will surpass China in overall population soon, is doing okay. They continue to grow, economically doing better than China, from what I know. They suffer even more poverty than China. India and China have both not condemned Russia in their invasion of Ukraine. India seems to be taking oil and other commodities that the Western world is struggling to eschew. Sanctions to show disapproval of the Russian aggressors.

    Europe is having a hard time ridding itself of Russian oil dependency. But they are conducting austere measures to do so, preparing for the cold winter. Summer is roiling many northern continents, drying up rivers, causing food problems. Speaking of food problems, some grain was allowed to leave Ukraine only recently, alleviating food supply chains, mostly to desperately hungry or poor peoples in the "southern nations".

    Latin America has voted for more leftist regimes in the last few years, to include Chile, with a very young president named Boric.

    Africa has had some terrorist issues, as always. Ethiopia has had war issues, and there have been diseases and issues in other parts. Monkey pox has followed COVID-19 worldwide. It does not kill as many people but it has alarmed many.

    Australia? It has not had as many fires this past year. They are an isolated nation, got in trouble for submarine purchases with the U.S. instead of France.

    Southeast Asia? I think they are doing well. Japan had a former Prime Minister, Shino Abe, assassinated, which was shocking. But I think Japan and South Korea are all right, despite the kooks of North Korea.

    I have family headed to that peninsula. Pretty cool.

    The Middle East? Craziness in Syria, I have not heard much of Yemen lately.

    What else? My Church is dedicating more temples; I saw the Prophet announce this lately at the re-dedication of the D.C. Temples.

    The Lord is preparing His ways. Try to see the signs and be good.

Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Sizing Up Competition UVA - 2022 Pt. 5

Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Sizing Up Competition - 2022 Pt. 5

What Lindy's (x) and Athlon [y] have rated them pre-season, which magazines I own.

A) Texas A & M ....... (5), [5] Disparity: 0

B) Utah ..................... (7), [8] Disparity: 1

C) BYU....................(19), [27] Disparity: 8

D) Virginia...............(33), [68] Disparity: 35 (!!!)

E) Fresno State.........(35), [35] Disparity: 0 

F) Indiana................ (71), [82] Disparity: 11

G) James Madison...(110),[98] Disparity: 12

Virginia, FSU, Indiana, and JMU:

Sizing up the Competition.

UVA is picked to finish 33 or 68 by the two magazines. That is a large disparity of predictions as far as strength. Speculated at 5th best in the ACC.

Who do they play? Here is their schedule with Lindy's preseason ratings. The Wahoos are predicted top 33 with Lindy's. Athlons has them at 68.

Richmond (FCS, picked 2nd of 13 in the CAA)

Illinois (78, picked 14th in Big-10)

Old Dominion (111, picked 10th in the Sun Belt)

Syracuse (89, 13th in ACC)

Duke (91, 14th in ACC)

Louisville (61, picked 11th in ACC)

Georgia Tech (85, 12th in ACC)

Miami (14, 2nd in ACC)

North Carolina (50, 9th in ACC)

Pittsburgh (34, 6th in ACC)

Coastal Carolina (53, 2nd in Sun Belt)

Virginia Tech (55, 10th in ACC)

According to Lindy's Sports, the Cavaliers are favored as a higher power against all their opponents, except for the Miami Hurricanes. Pitt is close. According to Athlon Sports, I imagine they are training teams in preseason rankings, like North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and even state rival Virginia Tech.

    Former BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall surprisingly stepped down at the end of last season. The QB is incredibly strong, fast. His health will determine a lot of how the team does. 

    I think they will finish better than .500, but Athlon has them at 5-7.

    This team has a wide berth of possibilities in 2022. Should be interesting.

Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Sizing Up BYU Competition - 2022 Pt. 4

     I am writing about expectations for the 7 teams that I wish to follow and report on this fall of 2022. They are Utah, Texas A&M, BYU, Fresno State, Virginia, Indiana, and James Madison. I believe that they will finish in that order of rank.

    I already scouted Utah's and A&M's schedules. Now for number three, the Cougars of Provo.

    So, the third holiday season unblemished team, BYU, will have the following schedule and Lindy's predicted rankings. Oh, yeah, I have presaged that Utah, Texas A&M, and BYU will be undefeated by Christmas.

    Lindy's has BYU as 19th best for 2022. Last year, many magazines did not have them ranked at all, and they finished in the top 25, despite losing their bowl disappointedly at the end. To a hyped up UAB. The Cougs were nearly top ten throughout the season.

    I am expecting better things than 2021. We will avenge Boise State, hopefully Baylor. Arkansas and Oregon are huge tests. Should be fun. Yeah, a Bronco fan gloated over me last October or so when they got the best of BYU. Four or five turnovers doomed it. But, the season was overall very good, as said: we went 5-0 against the PAC-12. Got outrun by the Baylor Bears in Texas, where some family and friends attended, but even withe season ending loss, it was a positive result. Many guys were hurt and scrapping at the end.

Here is who BYU will play, according to Lindy's Sports:

U South Florida (102)

Baylor (12)

Oregon (11)

Wyoming (100)

Utah State (68)

Notre Dame (8)

Arkansas (13)

Liberty (75)

East Carolina (80)

Boise State (41)

Utah Tech (FCS, picked 7th of 8 in the WAC)    

Stanford (65)

    There are some top 15 back-to-back challenges in there. Brigham Young has its work cut out, which will be a combination of solid offense, defense, and no dumb turnovers. And hopefully stellar special teams.

    I plan on seeing the Cougs in person in October, and we should come away champs of that one. In 2013 I took some family to UVA and the lightning delayed game was lost by a fumbled pass in the rain. Some payback there, as well as opponents that I have seen BYU lose to in their home stadiums, Stanfor and East Carolina.

    If we lose to the big boys, Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, and the Razorbacks, 8-4 could still earn them a ranking. We cannot lose to Boise State or anyone less favored.

    But of course, this team is going all the way!

    See you in the CFP, Utah or Texas A&M!

    

Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Sizing Up Competition - 2022 Pt. 3

    Well, last post I made the insane prediction that both Texas A&M and BYU will run their schedules, going undefeated, and they would then both be fighting to enter the College Football Championship against spotless Utah. Oh, yes, the Utes will be without a loss by Christmas.     

    Should be fun! Not realistic, but it could happen... I sized up the competition for the Utes in part one of this amazing college football series (Clinch It Sooner or Later: Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Predictions - 2022 Pt.1 ) 

    If there is only one preseason series to read and absorb, this ought to be the one -- to not go by. Caveat emptor. I am an unrealistic homer and dreamer, especially when it comes to college football. And I might be this way when I am 80, if I can help it.

    So, what are the preseason ranks of the Aggie and Cougar opponents? When looking at the Utes' rather favorable amazing run against its adversaries, Florida (30), SDSU, and the 9 teams of the PAC-12 not UW or Cal, I used the Lindy's ranks. I will do the same for the next two.

    Texas A&M will play bully goliath Alabama (1) (midway in the season), then:

Sam Houston St. (FCS)

Appy State (52) 

the U (Miami) (14) 

Arkansas (13)

Mississippi St. (38)

the bully (see above)

Missouri (57)

South Carolina (45)

Ole Miss (17) 

Florida (31)

Auburn (46)

UMass (130!!!)

LSU (29) 

and presumably the SEC Championship (likely a top 5 team). 

That is a lot of good matches. Especially considering that the Gators and the Tigers of Auburn are ranked so low, more in the Appalachian State territory than normal SEC power. Mizzou and the Gamecocks are not highly favored, but the overall schedule will be an incredible feat of conquest if they go unscathed. Spotless.

    Time to mention that Jimbo Fisher has recruited a lot of strong talent since being in College Station, and the Aggies have upset 'Bama before, and I hope that they do it again.

    Go Aggies. Avoid the LSU Tiger upsets. Or whomever.

Next segment: BYU schedule and difficulty.

    

Home School Fans Episode 1: Preseason Predictions - 2022 Pt.2

    Texas A&M and the Y.   ---      Football presences. Powers? The next two programs that I will track weekly out of seven. One is recalled from last year, of these two, because I am BYU fan. Fanatic. yeah, I get hyped. 

    As great as Georgia, Notre Dame, Clemson, Auburn, and Miami are, and I enjoyed following and commenting on their seasons in 2021, these seven will be closer to my interests, and they are my alma maters. The schools of my two bachelors, age 24 and age 28.

    So, who comes after Utah in my seven? How will they do? Will the miracles continue? (In a word, yes.)

A, M, Y. So many acronyms! Agriculture and ... I cannot remember. Mechanical! (college). I looked it up. Sure, I knew it was technically related, regarding a practical science or vocation. And "Y", for Young, as in Brigham.

Texas A&M Aggies: They have a coach in College Station, Jimbo Fisher, who lives up to the grandiosity of his name when it comes to recruiting. And oh, they can and will be the mighty Crimson Tide. The two coaches have had some wars of words, which has increased the temperature across the land of football greatness, which is the South. Which has the ever growing, powerful Southeastern Conference. OK and TX coming soon.

    Looking at their opponents, they will get big wins and I think, if they handle Alabama, they may run the gamut and join Utah in the CFP.  Undefeated till then. BOTHS! Sure, I will go with that. I had originally tacked them losing to Alabama, but now I just want them to run the table and push the other Biggies out. Hard to do, as I have mentioned before. Of course, Vegas money will have 'Bama, or Georgia, and certainly Ohio State, being there again.

    If BYU were to go undefeated, then the universe would be coming to an end. They are super talented, and are capable of achieving such things, with stronger defense against Baylor. Oregon and Arkansas, even Stanford are formidable obstacles.

    The Aggies have a likely better than last year Miami Hurricanes opponent, then an SEC slate that does not involve all the killers, but lacks Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt... They avoid Georgia, too, probably until the SEC Championship game. Which would be an amazing thing if they arrived there. 

    Why not? Aggies and Cougars, undefeated against pretty tough schedules.

    For Utah, A&M, and BYU to go perfect till Christmas would be one in a nillion, A number that may not exist. 

    But again, why not?

    I will enjoy seeing all three trying.

    Next: teams BYU wants to pass in winning percentage. Bronco's old team, UVA, and Fresno State, Indiana, and James Madison.