We will upset one of the big boys this year...

[McNabb2Brominski]

Going out on a limb and predicting that we will upset one of the following teams this year. In order from most to least likely:

1. Clemson
2. Miami
3. LSU
4. Louisville
5. FSU

This is all under the assumption that we stay healthy this year.

 

[Briancuse]

If I had to pick one I would go with Miami.

 

[Trueblue25]

FSU is the better team but id put LSU as least likely

 

[Orangejet]

I'd also say Miami but let's upset NCState and Pitt first so we could at least qualify for a bowl game.

 

[UnknownOrange]

I love this thread <3

 

[Pyle]

I'd also say Miami but let's upset NCState and Pitt first so we could at least qualify for a bowl game.

I'm with you. Seriously the VT win was nice last year but we need to beat Pitt. They have dominated the W/L column for over a decade. Many of them were close games but we keep losing and I've had enough.

 

[upperdeck]

LSU because of the place will be tough.

but they are having some injury issues.. they are breaking in a new scheme on offense, they have huge QB Issues as well.

they start with BYU who if nothing else will give them a physical game and it will be game 2 for BYU and then they go to MSST week 3.. perhaps it doesnt start well and they go 1-2 out of the box and then who knows what happens..

 

[CousCuse]

ACC refs on the road. No bad 2nd half calls against the Orange. Game would have massive RPI implications.

 

[CuseCactus]

Jesus, what a schedule. All 5 of those teams are likely top 15 and possibly top 10. Should be fun though - always exciting playing up.

If LSU was at home, I'd feel better about it. A night game down there will be extremely tough. They have one of the best home field advantages in the country. (Kinda like what it will be again soon in the Dome.) The noise level is craaaazy there.

Gun to my head - we beat Clemson. Friday night game at home. They have to travel on a short week. We play Pitt the Saturday prior. Maybe we'll be 5-1 by then (one can dream). Dome rocking. I can almost see it now...

 

[OrangeMojo]

I don't consider Louisville a 'big boy' and am in wait and see before I declare Miami back in the 'big boy' category.

Beating either of them would be nice wins like the win over VT last year - but LSU, FSU and Clemson are the big boy teams on the schedule this year.

 

[Briancuse]

I don't consider Louisville a 'big boy' and am in wait and see before I declare Miami back in the 'big boy' category.

Beating either of them would be nice wins like the win over VT last year - but LSU, FSU and Clemson are the big boy teams on the schedule this year.

What would you consider them, they probably have the most dynamic player in college football.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I think Miami is more likely than the other 4.

FSU and Clemson are going to be top 10 all year, imo. LSU is going to be better and I remember what Lamar did to us last year.

Should be a fun season though. Can't wait!

 

[Chip]

If you put a gun to my head I'd say Clemson first, Louisville second.

Clemson because it's Friday night in the Dome, and if we can avoid getting behind early, then anything can happen. Although their DL vs our OL is a bigger mismatch than Apollo vs Drago. And we all know how that turned out.

Louisville because I'm assuming, like last year, that Jackson is beat up by the end of the year, if not just out of the game. Seems unlikely that he could go another 12 games with all that's asked of him.

I bet we hang around with LSU for a little while in a low scoring first half given their QB issues. But eventually Guice is going to break off some crazy runs and there's nothing we (or most teams) can do about it.

If Miami is a noon, 12:30 or even 3:30 start, that's a tough task. I know we play in a hot Dome, but a hot Miami sun beating down adds to it. Plus another DL vs our OL mismatch.

FSU, I'd put our chances as:

 

[PhatOrange]

LVille and then Miami is our best chance imo.

The other three I don't see because we don't have enough in the trenches; defensive line is really going to hurt us. We're going to have to score a million points as is.

We'll have a better chance against LSU if it's in the middle of the day and not as intimidating, but I see it looking something similar to that Bowling Green/Tennessee game 59-30.

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Going out on a limb and predicting that we will upset one of the following teams this year. In order from most to least likely:

1. Clemson
2. Miami
3. LSU
4. Louisville
5. FSU

This is all under the assumption that we stay healthy this year.

They probably are already upset they are playing Syracuse.

 

[sufandu]

I'm a bit surprised at the number of people that have Clemson falling below teams like LSU, Miami, and Louisville. Not necessarily just in this thread but in a few others too.

 

[bnoro]

I'm with you. Seriously the VT win was nice last year but we need to beat Pitt. They have dominated the W/L column for over a decade. Many of them were close games but we keep losing and I've had enough.

Pitt has had about as bad of a summer/fall as they could have. There's no excuse this year for us. Multiple starters injured/kicked off team/suspended/academically ineligible.

 

[elimunelson]

Just curious for the board historians but how big a mismatch was the Nebraska DLine vs our OLine in 1984? I feel like we haven't had a competent O-Line to handle "the big boys" since about oh 2003 (the year we manhandled ND at the Dome).

Big boy win to me is Clemson/LSU/FSU. Miami is down and should be competitive no matter what. It's not the 2001 Miami team that's for sure. we need to get back to the point where Louisville/Pitt are peer victories.

 

[bcubs9497]

I'm a bit surprised at the number of people that have Clemson falling below teams like LSU, Miami, and Louisville. Not necessarily just in this thread but in a few others too.

A lot of it, I'm sure, has to do with Deshaun Watson no longer at the helm. That back up, though, is no slouch. And their DL is killer.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Just curious for the board historians but how big a mismatch was the Nebraska DLine vs our OLine in 1984? I feel like we haven't had a competent O-Line to handle "the big boys" since about oh 2003 (the year we manhandled ND at the Dome).

If Justin Pugh had been healthy against USC in 2012...

 

[elimunelson]

If Justin Pugh had been healthy against USC in 2012...

...We'd have still lost. If history is any guide that is. I recall us being down 21-3 and then starting to put up some points. It was a function of USC easing up in some regards. We were rope a doped in that game. It was never that close. Similar to the LSU games where we were "in it" but it never felt like we were going to seriously win the game.

 

[bnoro]

...We'd have still lost. If history is any guide that is. I recall us being down 21-3 and then starting to put up some points. It was a function of USC easing up in some regards. We were rope a doped in that game. It was never that close. Similar to the LSU games where we were "in it" but it never felt like we were going to seriously win the game.

I disagree, it was an 8 point game and I believe we had the ball at one point. The lightning delay hurt our momentum.

 

[CuseLegacy]

LVille and then Miami is our best chance imo.

The other three I don't see because we don't have enough in the trenches; defensive line is really going to hurt us. We're going to have to score a million points as is.

We'll have a better chance against LSU if it's in the middle of the day and not as intimidating, but I see it looking something similar to that Bowling Green/Tennessee game 59-30.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

...We'd have still lost. If history is any guide that is. I recall us being down 21-3 and then starting to put up some points. It was a function of USC easing up in some regards. We were rope a doped in that game. It was never that close. Similar to the LSU games where we were "in it" but it never felt like we were going to seriously win the game.

You're probably right, but my point was that our offensive line was really good that season, especially when Pugh was in the lineup. And we played without him against USC, which was probably the most "big boy" defensive line we faced that year.

 

[Chip]

I'm a bit surprised at the number of people that have Clemson falling below teams like LSU, Miami, and Louisville. Not necessarily just in this thread but in a few others too.

That wasn't my point when I posted. I don't think we're going to win any of the 5 games listed. Which is ok, we're not there yet. But if I had to pick one, I just went with Clemson because it's the only home game of the 5, and hoping for some Friday night magic.

In reality that means nothing though. BC played Clemson at home on an emotional Friday night last year. That game was over by the end of the 1st quarter.

We also played Louisville on a Friday night in the Dome last year, 850 yards later, we all know how that went.

This league is still Clemson, FSU, and everyone else.