5 GT opponents begin year in Top 25

[InsideLB]

FWIW (Preseason polls notoriously inaccurate!!!)

USA Today Coaches' Poll

3 Buttsniffers
4 Clemson
16 Miami
17 Pitt
24 Ole Miss

Avg. Ranking 12.8

UCF (55 votes), UNC (34 Votes) were among the next 10 teams receiving votes.

Trying to be optimistic but just don't see this going well for GT. Hoping to at least see a team that plays smart, scratches, claws, fights-to-the-death.

 

[TooTall]

Man we get the chance to induce a lot of upsets! Love it when they count us out!

 

[awbuzz]

Man we get the chance to induce a lot of upsets! Love it when they count us out!

Let's make it happen!!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Sounds like a 7 win season then.

 

[iceeater1969]

Sounds like a 7 win season then.

If I get to pick the 4 wins over the most likely 3 wins (WCU, Duke, Virginia), i would pick VT, Miami, FSU, and UNC.
These 4 games are at the end of year - finish strong for recruiting
These teams have more donations and ticket sales than GT.
They kind of look down on GT.
2 teams (VT, MIA) have new coaches from power 5 schools (Penn State and Oregon).
The other 2 teams (FSU/UNC) have coaches that may leave if we win.
With possible realignment - this would be a strong statement by GT,
Today our ol and dl 2 deep are the youngest in the acc. If we finish like this, they will be grown men.
IF I WIN
I have a good recipe for CROW - as i will need to eat a lot - as CGC will have proven me in error.

 

[RamblinRed]

If I get to pick the 4 wins over the most likely 3 wins (WCU, Duke, Virginia), i would pick vt, miami, fsu, and UNC.
These 4 games are at the end of year - finish strong for recruiting
These teams have more the more monied programs compared to GT.
They kind of look down on GT.
2 teams (VT, MIA) have new coaches from power 5 schools (Penn State and Oregon).
The other 2 teams (FSU/UNC) have coaches that may leave if we win.

Today our ol and dl 2 deep are the youngest in the acc. If we finish like this, they will be grown men.

I have a good recipe for CROW - as i will need to eat a lot - as CGC will have proven me in error.

I'd agree that those are the 4 most likely after the hopefully three we definitely win.
The biggest issue is that 3 of those 4 are going to be on the road and the one home game is against the team out of those 4 I think is going to be the strongest - and definitely has the best QB.

 

[dmel25]

Call me optimistic but I think at best GT could go 8-4 this year.

Clemson - L (although I doubt it's a blow out we almost beat them last year and they lost both coordinators, and we are the first game of the year.)
WCU - W (we should win this game easy)
Ole Miss - L (I just see this as a loss)
UCF - W (we want revenge for the bull**** game we lost to them plus they lost their QB)
Pitt - W (they no longer have Pickett and Addison)
Duke - W (they always play us tough but think we beat them)
Virginia - W (it's at home and all they have is Armstrong)
FSU - L (they played some tough teams and did well I think we lose to them)
VT - W (new coach and new QB)
Miami - W (new coach and we always play them tough)
UNC - W (no longer have Howell so we should win)
UGA - L (sadly we lose to the dawgs)

In the end I see us being 8-4 this year because I think Chip Long will be much better at playcalling ad developing our offense and teaching the players.

 

[BuzzDraft]

I'd agree that those are the 4 most likely after the hopefully three we definitely win.
The biggest issue is that 3 of those 4 are going to be on the road and the one home game is against the team out of those 4 I think is going to be the strongest - and definitely has the best QB.

For the record, I have consistently expected 4 wins since this first exercise back in the spring. I racked and stacked our opponents recently from the most likely for a win to the least likely, and without the benefit of FPI rankings.

1. W.Carolina home
2. Duke homecoming.
3. UVa home
4. VPI away
5. UCF away
6. FSU away
7. UNC away
8. Pitt away
9. ThugU home
10. Miss home
11. Clemson "home" at MB, but still likely outnumbered by Clems
12. dwags away

W.Carolina and Duke are simply MANDATORY wins or my yard will be looking pretty spiffy this fall. Those may be the only two games we're favored all year. I had UVa as slightly better on a neutral, but a win since it's on the Flats. I had VPI a +/- tossup, and since it's away that hurts, but it's the next likely win to reach 4 wins in my book.
Bottom line is we need to win 2 of 3 against UVa, VPI and UCF to get to 4 wins on the season, and UCF is both better and a road game. That early UCF game will be our canary in the coal mine indicator for how things will go. I just think the rest are out of reach. The final stretch where 4 of the last 5 games we'll be road underdogs with the sole home game ThugU is just brutal, like the 6 game losing streak to finish last season. We've only won 1 on the road each of the last 3 seasons so I'll hope VPI becomes the 1 this year.
In chronological order, I expect a 1-4 start, a 2 game winning streak to get to 3-4, and a 1-4 limp to the finish line.

 

[takethepoints]

The big problem here is the lethal combination of ranked opponents in away games. I don't think pre-season rankings are much use - they pick the usual suspects - but having so many away games against opponents we had a tough time with in the past isn't encouraging. I also see 4 wins, but a schedule like this could descend into disaster very easily.

Oth, we could win 6 if the cards fall our way. I doubt they will, but you never know.

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

FWIW (Preseason polls notoriously inaccurate!!!)

USA Today Coaches' Poll

3 Buttsniffers
4 Clemson
16 Miami
17 Pitt
24 Ole Miss

Avg. Ranking 12.8

UCF (55 votes), UNC (34 Votes) were among the next 10 teams receiving votes.

Trying to be optimistic but just don't see this going well for GT. Hoping to at least see a team that plays smart, scratches, claws, fights-to-the-death.

Miami and Ole Miss are over rated. Pitt is the real deal. I would not be surprised if we beat both of them and then lose to Virginia. Plus until proven otherwise we own FSU

 

[iceeater1969]

I'd agree that those are the 4 most likely after the hopefully three we definitely win.
The biggest issue is that 3 of those 4 are going to be on the road and the one home game is against the team out of those 4 I think is going to be the strongest - and definitely has the best QB.

The Miami qb is good. He started slow but finished strong. His two best recievers were NFL draft picks. Last year Sam Howell at unc dropped off because his top 2 receivers went in draft.

Remember - I don't bet $$ on my pick- it's my favorite case that is possible.

 

[JacketFan137]

miami could be number 1 and i still wouldn’t be afraid of them. seems like win or lose we play them close no matter how good or bad both of our teams are lol

 

[wesgt123]

FWIW (Preseason polls notoriously inaccurate!!!)

USA Today Coaches' Poll

3 Buttsniffers
4 Clemson
16 Miami
17 Pitt
24 Ole Miss

Avg. Ranking 12.8

UCF (55 votes), UNC (34 Votes) were among the next 10 teams receiving votes.

Trying to be optimistic but just don't see this going well for GT. Hoping to at least see a team that plays smart, scratches, claws, fights-to-the-death.

On the chance Tech does decent and exceeds expectations, we are gonna be thankful for the tough schedule

 

[Gtech50]

Miami and Ole Miss are over rated. Pitt is the real deal. I would not be surprised if we beat both of them and then lose to Virginia. Plus until proven otherwise we own FSU

I disagree on Pitt. They are hilariously overrated to me. They have a good OL but lost all other offensive weapons and Pickett carried them last year through an embarrassingly easy schedule. Would not be surprised at all if they start out 0-2.

 

[JacketFan137]

On the chance Tech does decent and exceeds expectations, we are gonna be thankful for the tough schedule

the big test will be if we have a close loss to a great team like clemson or ole miss, do we come out flat vs one of the bad teams we play. felt like we played to our competition at times the last few years so hopefully we can resolve that

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

I disagree on Pitt. They are hilariously overrated to me. They have a good OL but lost all other offensive weapons and Pickett carried them last year through an embarrassingly easy schedule. Would not be surprised at all if they start out 0-2.

Pitt will do Tech things and beat teams they are not supposed to and follow that up with dumb losses. But they are typically underrated. I did not say they were world beaters but I agree with their 17. ie barely in the top 20. But not Miami and Ole Miss (SEC Bump)

 

[Gtech50]

Pitt will do Tech things and beat teams they are not supposed to and follow that up with dumb losses. But they are typically underrated. I did not say they were world beaters but I agree with their 17. ie barely in the top 20. But not Miami and Ole Miss (SEC Bump)

Based on their ranking they are supposed to beat everyone they play except Miami. I think they will finish with 7-8 wins which is not top 25 with their SOS.

Likely losses: Miami, Tenn, Louisville
Possible losses: GT, WV, UNC, UVA

Like you said though they could lose to anyone

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

FWIW (Preseason polls notoriously inaccurate!!!)

USA Today Coaches' Poll

3 Buttsniffers
4 Clemson
16 Miami
17 Pitt
24 Ole Miss

Avg. Ranking 12.8

UCF (55 votes), UNC (34 Votes) were among the next 10 teams receiving votes.

Trying to be optimistic but just don't see this going well for GT. Hoping to at least see a team that plays smart, scratches, claws, fights-to-the-death.

A little skeptical about Clemson being #4. Not too sure about Pitt and Ole Miss either. It is hard to replace really great quarterbacks that have carried teams like those two. That said, it is one of the most difficult schedules in the country...again. UNC got 34 votes? Another team losing a great quarterback. UVA and Virginia Tech are transitioning, Duke is well, Duke. The biggest question mark is Miami. They could be a real threat to make the playoffs or do what they do best. IIWII

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

The Miami qb is good. He started slow but finished strong. His two best recievers were NFL draft picks. Last year Sam Howell at unc dropped off because his top 2 receivers went in draft.

Remember - I don't bet $$ on my pick- it's my favorite case that is possible.

Sam may have dropped off because he was running for his life most of the season. He seldom had a clean pocket...kind of like Sims. I went back and watched our games with Pitt, Miami, and Virginia Tech. In all three losses, a common thread was that Sims had much less time to scan the field than his counterparts on the other side. I am hopeful that offensive line play will be improved but don't really think it will be.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

FWIW (Preseason polls notoriously inaccurate!!!)

USA Today Coaches' Poll

3 Buttsniffers
4 Clemson
16 Miami
17 Pitt
24 Ole Miss

Avg. Ranking 12.8

UCF (55 votes), UNC (34 Votes) were among the next 10 teams receiving votes.

Trying to be optimistic but just don't see this going well for GT. Hoping to at least see a team that plays smart, scratches, claws, fights-to-the-death.

Just curious. Is UGA's schedule perceived to be more challenging than ours or easier? Never mind. I just checked. The Mutts schedule is easier and its not even close. Ridiculous.