It's frustrating, I know it is. I'm there with you.

But...

As much as it's been run over, around and through, this team is improving. It's a better product that the team Marrone inherited from that other guy who we ran out of town. It's a better actual on the field product than Doug's second year, even though he went 8-5 with a bowl. It's a better product than last year's 5-2 to 5-7 disaster-swoon. We're getting better.

We're up towards the top of the nation in statistical rankings, we're playing solid competition and playing them well. If we'd have scheduled like most teams, we'd probably be bowl eligible right now.

People bust on Doug's coaching decisions. Some of them are maddening and you can tell are a residual of years in the pros (long field goal calls, not being aggressive in your opponent's half). However, the offensive scheme also has created many more chances that we haven't taken advantage of either from a drop, or from a turnover (picks on pass plays where 2/3 of your receivers, and your check-down are open, dropped passes: Most recently see Wales, Beckett, random fumbles at the most inopportune times: See, Broyld, Ashton). He's the best coach we're going to get at SU and a guy who actually wants to be here. He has the alumni support (outside of Troy Nunes) behind him. For all the warts that SU Football shows, I still say we're on the upswing.

Look at what has happened:

Losses:

• Northwestern: 41-42
• USC: 42-29
• Minnesota: 10-17
• Rutgers: 23-15
• Cincinnati: 35-24

Victories:

• Stony Brook: 28-17
• Pittsburgh: 14-13
• Connecticut: 40-10
• USF: 37-36

The only game we played that wasn't in dispute in the 4th quarter was our blowout of UConn. The only other game that wasn't in dispute until the end of the 4th quarter was the USC game. We've shot ourselves in the foot repeatedly and are still talented enough to win games, or in the position to win games. The variance on these games is closing down, we're getting better and what we're doing.

Louisville's Schedule:

• KENTUCKY W, 32-14
• MISSOURI STATE W, 35-7
• NORTH CAROLINA W, 39-34
• FIU* W, 28-21
• Southern Miss* W, 21-17
• Pittsburgh* W, 45-35
• USF W, 27-25
• CINCINNATI W, 34-31 (OT)
• TEMPLE W, 45-17

* denotes away game

Louisville has played three games away from Papa John's Stadium. They're 3-0, but non of them have been blowout wins. They eked out single possession victories against FIU, Southern Miss and a shootout against Pitt. OT against Cincinnati at home, we've talked about how we're as talented as Cincinnati, and we should have won that game.

They're coming into the Loud House not playing amazingly on the road. We're 2-1 at home, with the Northwestern game being our only blemish. It's probably the Orange colored glasses, but I"m thinking we've got a shot this weekend.

All that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see the team go 3-0 down the stretch and I wouldn't be surprised to see them go 1-2. (I would still be surprised if they lost to Temple...).