Break out year for the bulls -- we start 10-0.

[Guest Ari_Hinkelberger]

Lots of aprehension for the coming year -- but I have looked at the schedule and I think our defense carries us to 10-0 headed to Louisville and we are the talk of the country this year.

Talk of 6-6 is just a total joke.  Our defense is much better then last year -- and we have most of the big games at home.  6-6 is way to low.

On paper -- i can't see any of those teams better then us.  Just aint so.

Kansas sucks

UNC isn't very good.

Pitt is at home

UCONN is at home

Rutgers is at home

I just get these vibes --10-0 - but maybe its gas.

[vankai]

could be the gas ...

[Zonald]

Certainly possible if nothing else.  I like our chance but worry about our inconsistent play on the road.  I've been to several of the big road games and we have a hard time putting it together for some reason ??   :-/

Watch out for next year too!!

[Joe]

I will not ever say it's out of the question and 10-0 is possible but...

college football is geared more towards the offense and away from the defense. Penn State was a top 5 defense in 2004...yet they went 4-7. That same top 5 defense returned in 2005, with a few 5 star freshman WRs and a completely new offense that allowed the QB to run to help Michael Robinson and all the sudden their 11-1.

Alabama had the second rated defense in 2004, they went 6-6. They get a great WR like Tyrone Prothro (before injury) and Brodie Croyle stays healthy and they're 10-2.

My point is college football for the last 20 or so years has been about the offense. There have been a few teams that have won national championships because of their defense (Oklahoma in 2000, LSU in 2003) but teams of the 90s/2000s like Nebraska, FSU, Florida, Miami, and USC all had great defenses...but even greater offenses.

Until I see that this offense is consistent on a week in and out basis, I cannot convince myself we have a 10-0 team, even with a weak schedule.

One game at a time...

As mentioned before predictions like this just fuel who know who...

[JoeB]

Like I said a few months back, only 5 teams started last year with 8 straight wins.  I believe only 2 started with 10 straight wins.  You do the math.  2 out of 119 teams, is about 1.2 % chance based on last years stats/teams.

[FazaUSF]

I've said this for a while now. Look for us to start at least 9-1 with a road loss to UNC or Kansas. If we have our ish together, 10-0 isn't out of the question. But even a 10-0 team with our pathetic schedule isn't going necessarily to be competitive with L'Ville and WVU. 10-2 or 9-3 carries us to a decent bowl.

[Guest Ari_Hinkelberger]

just think we have a good bit of experience coming back this year and think we may surprise a lot of people.

10-2 this year boys

[South_Florida_Flip]

I think you're asking way too much out of this team. Let's look at the first 10 games realistically:

McNeese State - Should be a good game for our offense to work out some kinks and get some of our depth players into the game. (1-0)

FIU - Another game where we can work out the offensive kinks and get depth players more time. (2-0)

@ UCF - A scary game regardless of what some may think. They remember last season and want revenge. Offense faces first test. Our D should be able to contain them the way we did last year. This game will be closer than last year, but the D comes through again. (3-0)

@ Kansas - This could be a very low scoring game. Both offenses have numerous question marks. Kansas has to replace a good number of players on D, but they are at home, so I will give them the nod. (3-1)

Rutgers - This could be the most pivotal game this season. Their offense racked up a good number of yards on us last season and they bring most of those guys back in Leonard, Rice and Harris. We can't count on getting 6 turnovers again, even with them breaking in a new QB. Should have a big crowd for this game and the D will come to play and win this game for us. (4-1).

UConn - Pretty safe to say this game has 2 circles around it. (5-1)

@ UNC - A tough road trip against a team who should be improved. After 2 big wins in the prior games we suffer a let down. (5-2).

@ Cincinnati - They gave us a pretty tough game until the INT return for a TD broke the game open for us. Cincinnati should be improved this season. Thankfully the bye week awaits, so we aren't caught looking ahead. This will be a close one though. (6-2).

Pitt - The other pivotal game for us this season. They will be very good on D. Palko doesn't have much of a returning corps of WR's, but he's a gamer. Our D should be able to stop. Another big crowd helps us. (7-2).

Syracuse - As long as we aren't caught looking ahead to the following week we should be fine. They will be improved, but our D will be too much for them. (8-2).

That's the best case scenario for us in my opinion. It's certainly achievable. Hope that we can do it.

[BullsFanInTX]

I would have to agree that 8-2 is more realistic.  We can hope, but there probably be at least one or 2 slip ups.

Also, we know we will have a good D, but why is everyone so sure the offense will be "bad".  This is a new year, they might surprise us.  Let's at least wait 3 or 4 games before we come to that conclusion.  I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and think they will move the ball.  Remember, our offense is practicing against one of the best defenses in the country.  Alot of the defenses they will see will be much worse.  That has got to help.  We have an exciting fr. RB and a large group of capable recieves.  If we get any improvement from the qb, this offense will surprise some people.  Let's wait and see what they do for a few games.  

[Bulls Are We]

If I've learned one thing about this team over the years it is this:  

We will win a game we should lose and lose a game we should win.

For some reason that UCF game is scaring me... :-/