Let's beat a dead horse. We are 65 days away from kickoff, recruiting is over, and fall camp starts in not too long. Seems like every person has different expectations from this team. Anywhere from 5-7 again (eye roll) to some people (idiots) at 10-2. Personally my expectations are turn games like Cal, OSU, Iowa St and WV from last year to wins and play games like TCU close. Realistically, I expect we drop some games to teams like OU, TCU, ND, Tech and, even with what recently went down, BU. Beat the teams we are supposed to (ISU, Kstate, Utep, Kansas, WVU) and win 3 of 7 against the field (ND, Cal, OU, OSU, TCU, BU, Tech). That's 8-4 and an upset puts us at 9-3. That should be what is expected realistically in my opinion. On the same hand I could believe we drop a game we are supposed to win and pick up another upset to level back out at 8-4.
8-4 is about my expectations too. This team has yet to find its identity so until we know who we are, you can expect a couple of disappointing, unexpected* losses. Also, we will have OU's and Baylor's full attention this year so we can't count on wins there (even BU) But overall, we should be competitive, and dangerous enough to anyone on our schedule not to be overlooked. I don't expect any embarrassing "no shows" either. Sure we will lose some between ND, TCU, and OU, etc, but no one will cut out our hearts out and eat them in front of us this year.
I'm going with 7-5. ND 0-1 UTEP 1-1 Cal 2-1 OSU 2-2 OU 2-3 ISU 3-3 KSU 4-3 BU 5-3 TTU 5-4 WVU 6-4 KU 7-4 TCU 7-5 I get tripped up on the BU/TTU stretch. I could see us losing both, but expect we'll one of those two - just not sure which.
I can see that happening. However, I'd be very surprised if we have losses to all ND, OSU, OU, Baylor (at home), Tech, and TCU. That leaves our only signature win over Cal. Given the fact we nearly beat both OSU and Tech last year those games are real coin tosses in my opinion. And TCU well at least we get to play them at the end of the season. The difference between a 7-5 and 9-3 season is about as big as a hair on a horses ***. Could easily go either way.
I started to fill this out but my glasses are to orange. I think we could win every game on the schedule. Or lose 4 to 5 of them. I am going to be excited come the Domer game. I think we win it.
Let me go ahead and spike your Koolaid again. 6'3" 293 Freshman Center - 2 Star Prospect 6'3" 279 Sophomore - Walk On 6'3" 291 RS Fr - Converted Defensive Tackle 6'3" 305 Jr - 2 Star Prospect 6'5" 300 Sr - 0 Star Prospect That was the Tulsa Oline Mattox and Gilbert started against OU. They promptly put up 603 yards and 38 points (24 in the first half). Think what these guys can do with the talent in Austin. Ill be far more optomisitic I think dropping a game we should have won and walking away with a few games we shouldn't have won "upsets"
This season I expect growing pains, some boneheaded stuff, but also a lot of bright spots and things to be excited about. I anticipate we'll see improvement over last year and will finish with a winning record. On the national stage I think we're still 2-3 years away from being 'back', but, all indicators are that we are heading in that direction.
While I expect growing pains, they should be far less frequent than last year. This year should show clear direction and development over the season. I feel like what you just outlined is exactly how I felt about last year, talent but a hot mess when it came down to any continuity. No more 2 steps forward and 1 steps back. After this year I hope we can start to smell Big12 title contention. I don't know what you consider being "back" on a national stage but when Texas goes 10-2 that should qualify as back in everyone's book. That better not take 3 more years after this year.
I want to be that idiot and say 10 but I'll go one lower and say 9. I think we beat ND and OU but the over confidence sets in and we drop games we should win. I'm thinking losses to Kstate in Manhattan is always tricky, tcu lost a lot on offense but defense is young and experienced and Baylor simply because we are going up against the same offense and it will be so much tension due to what happen over the off season maybe lose by a field goal. But hey time will tell all
If we win 10 games I will literally BBQ a crow and eat it. I will document the whole process with photographs and will post to the forum.
i'm betting the 100:1 to one that we win the national championship. however i think realistically that we go 9-3. i think after attending over 30 years of ou games any that predicts that game is nuts (lets hear it for james brown). the horns clearly outplayed ou the last two years and will improve more this year than ou will. i think we rout tech.
I'm not sure I've ever even seen a crow around these parts. If I made that pledge, I'd have to promise to eat a grackle, and that would be pretty disgusting.
Wasn’t it grackles that were (are?) all over campus? I remember what seemed like thousands of them along 21st street near the fountain and PCL, just crapping all over the place. Good times.
I think you should sticky his own thread at the top and lock it. Then when the season starts document wins when they start to pile up after ND game, since that is the only game where I think we have a slim shot to win. All other games are winnable and should be won.
I really want to win 10 games this year, but seeing @BevoQ actually eat crow might be almost as much fun.
If I were you, start looking for a crow to freeze. I only say this because come January it will be hard to get a crow.
