Bowl will be decided in first 6 weeks

[kirbivore]

Have to start 5-1 to have any shot. After that is 3 losses to Clemson, Miami, and FSU. Finishing kick is Wake, Louisville, and BC. I wouldn't call L'ville an auto loss, but it's still in the extremely unlikely category. A 5-1 start sets SU up for only having to split with Wake and BC to get the magic 6 wins.

 

[McNabb2Brominski]

The @NC State followed by Pitt at home will make or break the season. Need to win at least one of those. 4-2 (assume LSU is a loss) is the absolute minimum in the first half of season to have a shot at a bowl. Also - I wouldnt count the Clemson and Miami games as sure losses...yet. The only definite losses are LSU and FSU.

 

[care taker]

Who annointed Miami a power ?

 

[Chris02M]

i would be disappointed if we lose to either wake or bc

 

[bigmike]

Who annointed Miami a power ?

Took the words right out of my mouth. Thinking of heading down to see what happens in person.

 

[blizz]

i would be disappointed if we lose to either wake or bc

Yeah. But you gotta admit neither of them are exactly gimmes.

 

[Chris02M]

Yeah. But you gotta admit neither of them are exactly gimmes.

there at home and especially bc should be a gimmee

 

[OttoinGrotto]

i would be disappointed if we lose to either wake or bc

BC will be a woodshed beatdown.

Wake will be closer, but our style will prevail.

 

[Chip]

Have to start 5-1 to have any shot. After that is 3 losses to Clemson, Miami, and FSU. Finishing kick is Wake, Louisville, and BC. I wouldn't call L'ville an auto loss, but it's still in the extremely unlikely category. A 5-1 start sets SU up for only having to split with Wake and BC to get the magic 6 wins.

I don't think we're starting 5-1. 3-2, and that Pitt swing game is HUGE.

Win that, beat Wake, beat BC, go bowling.

Need to be 6-1 at home. 6 of the 7 home games are winnable.

 

[Chip]

Who annointed Miami a power ?

They don't have to be a power to beat us down there. Not this year anyway.

Their DL against our OL likely won't be pretty.

We'll compete of course, but on paper, I wouldn't go betting any farms.

Next year, our non-Pitt Coastal crossover is home against UNC. I'd like to think we'll be in good position to win that one.

 

[SoBristol]

Yes, have to hold serve in those 6 winnable games. To do that, have to keep Dungey healthy, and have to get after opposing QBs, and get our share of turn-overs. The ingredients are there for a much better team than any since 2012.

 

[Chip]

Yes, have to hold serve in those 6 winnable games. To do that, have to keep Dungey healthy, and have to get after opposing QBs, and get our share of turn-overs. The ingredients are there for a much better team than any since 2012.

I actually think we could win those 6 games with Mahoney (although I'd rather not find out).

With a healthy Dungey, we really should win all of them. He'll be the best QB on the field for all of them. Maybe a push with Mid Tenn St, but we're better in other positions.

I hope there's the 1 win that most don't expect (like VT last year). But it will have to come on the road. What Clemson's DL will do to our OL should earn them all a night in a local Syracuse lockup.

 

[sufandu]

The @NC State followed by Pitt at home will make or break the season. Need to win at least one of those. 4-2 (assume LSU is a loss) is the absolute minimum in the first half of season to have a shot at a bowl. Also - I wouldnt count the Clemson and Miami games as sure losses...yet. The only definite losses are LSU and FSU.

You like LSU more than Clemson? Is it that you think Clemson has lost that much or that Orgeron will make LSU that much better?

 

[Scooch]

I don't think we're starting 5-1. 3-2, and that Pitt swing game is HUGE.

Win that, beat Wake, beat BC, go bowling.

Need to be 6-1 at home. 6 of the 7 home games are winnable.

Agreed. Obviously we must start 3-0. Then gotta find 3 more in these six: NC State, Pitt, Louisville, Miami, Wake, BC. The three most winnable of those are at home.

 

[CousCuse]

The Orange will upset lsu.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Remember, our APR was high enough for us to have gone bowling last year with 5 wins. But let's not leave anything to chance. 3-0 start is a must & then go 3/4 vs our peer schools (most likely Pitt, Wake, & BC at home). Maybe it's the fact that Trueblue25 has been beating this drum for months, but I really believe that we win a nail biter at Miami on a short ED rushing TD with under a minute to go. I just envision him giving every last inch to stretch the ball over, Ishmael jumping up & down signaling touchdown, Byrne pushing defenders off before lifting Dungey off the ground, & our sideline erupting. I've had this exact dream twice.

 

[texascpa]

Who annointed Miami a power ?

They still don't know who their QB will be.

 

[texascpa]

The Orange will upset lsu.

I agree.

 

[PhatOrange]

Healthy this team should steamroll Wake and BC at home.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Have to start 5-1 to have any shot. After that is 3 losses to Clemson, Miami, and FSU. Finishing kick is Wake, Louisville, and BC. I wouldn't call L'ville an auto loss, but it's still in the extremely unlikely category. A 5-1 start sets SU up for only having to split with Wake and BC to get the magic 6 wins.

There is no way to tell without seeing the team on the field. I have no doubt that the offense will continue to improve despite the loss of Roberts.

Whether or not they make it to a bowl will depend largely on the defense. Unfortunately, the defense took a big hit with the loss of 3 DL. There is also a big, IMHO, question mark: The same coach who authored last year's defense is still there. Maybe it was a matter of personnel, or maybe not.

 

[gbo]

You like LSU more than Clemson? Is it that you think Clemson has lost that much or that Orgeron will make LSU that much better?

I would guess it's because Clemson is at home and LSU is on the road. Too early to tell that LSU is a definite loss. Every game is winnable. The key to the season is holding serve at home.

This year's schedule is brutal for Cuse. Toughest in the nation in my opinion.

 

[Trueblue25]

Have to start 5-1 to have any shot. After that is 3 losses to Clemson, Miami, and FSU. Finishing kick is Wake, Louisville, and BC. I wouldn't call L'ville an auto loss, but it's still in the extremely unlikely category. A 5-1 start sets SU up for only having to split with Wake and BC to get the magic 6 wins.

Miami will be ours.

 

[omg_cuse_rules]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I feel we could start 2-1 going into LSU.

Shafer will throw the kitchen sink at us when we face him again. He likely has a serious hard-on to beat us after his termination.

If we start 3-2 after playing NCst, we still have a good shot at a bowl. I think miami is overrated, and pitt, wake, and BC are all winnable. Throw in a possible big upset from ville, fsu, clem (or even LSU) and we should be fine.

 

[elimunelson]

If we start 5-1 i'll be blown away. It's gonna be a gauntlet every year in the ACC no matter where we are in our trajectory. I could see us losing one of the first three and then beating LSU. Not sure why everyone has an Ed Orgeron team as an automatic loss. He runs a real clogged toilet offense. I could see us opening up against them. I may be crazy though.

Key to playing the bigger programs (Miami, Louisville, etc) later on in the season means we could be facing a real downbeat team if they are struggling as well and are only playing for a lower level bowl game. Miami is a front runner type program which could b had.

 

[CousCuse]

Wake Forest is going to move up a tier or 2 in the Atlantic division, Dave Clawson is an excellent coach.