With a leaky defense, a new qb, our best bb disqualified before the first game, Lynch hobbled early, etc, we were two plays from being 6-0 heading into Clemson (and I still think we probably take UCF early - so did they). I think a team that starts 6-0 doesn't lose both UVA and Duke leaving us 8-3. I don't think even a new defense can play worse than we did the last half of the season (or the last half of the UT game for that matter).
Bold prediction, we come out of the Clemson game with momentum. Either a last second win or a toe-to-toe slugging match we lose in the 4th. VT on the road decides the Coastal, and we are 3-1 against them in the last 4 years (and a brain fart penalty in an awful year away from 4-0). We beat uga when we have late season momentum. The Miami outcome probably decides the uga game. Beat Miami and UVA at home, then uga starts talking about the off season recruiting ratings.
The bad thing is that this year is just like most. Stay healthy, win the turnover battle, catch a couple of teams when they are struggling, and it's not unreasonable we win 10. Get some bad breaks early, everybody starts thinking about last year, we win 6 and get pummeled in athens. There will be a moment before VT (like in the 2014 game against GSU or last year against Miami) when the entire season hangs in the balance on one play, one stop, or one drive. Being an experienced team, we should make that play. My heart says we win 10, my gut says we win 9 in the regular season. Ask me in November about the post season.