Looking at next years football schedule....

[gravedigger]

We seem to have 5 winnable games to start with A&M being the toughest, then three against the monsters Bama, LSU and Auburn. The last 4 being the games that will determine how successful we think our season has been.

I'm going to reserve judgement (good or bad) until we play A&M. Auburn, Missouri, Kentucky will reveal more about whether Joe can get this on track. Prior to that it's just huffing and puffing.



SEP 5 (SAT) TBA
VS
NEW MEXICO
STARKVILLE


SEP 12 (SAT) TBA
AT
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
RALEIGH, NC


SEP 19 (SAT) TBA
SEC
VS
ARKANSAS
STARKVILLE


SEP 26 (SAT) TBA
VS
TULANE
STARKVILLE


OCT 3 (SAT) TBA
SEC
VS
TEXAS A&M
STARKVILLE


OCT 17 (SAT) TBA
SEC
AT
ALABAMA
TUSCALOOSA, AL


OCT 24 (SAT) TBA
SEC
AT
LSU
BATON ROUGE, LA


OCT 31 (SAT) TBA
SEC
VS
AUBURN
STARKVILLE


NOV 7 (SAT) TBA
SEC
VS
MISSOURI
STARKVILLE


NOV 14 (SAT) TBA
SEC
AT
KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON, KY


NOV 21 (SAT) TBA
VS
ALABAMA A&M
STARKVILLE


NOV 26 (THU) TBA
SEC
AT
OLE MISS
OXFORD, MS

[ShotgunDawg]

Isn't it cheating on predictions to reserve judgement until those game?

I'll make a prediction after the bowl game.

[gravedigger]

Isn't it cheating on predictions to reserve judgement until those game?

I'll make a prediction after the bowl game.

I stopped making win loss predictions a couple of years ago. I have a floor and a ceiling, but mainly the team's posture is what I focus on. I saw a lot of bad this year. I also saw a lot of good.

[Doggie_Style]

Take a hard look at those last 8 games....we could easily go 0-8 if some serious changes are not made

[DownwardDawg]

Take a hard look at those last 8 games....we could easily go 0-8 if some serious changes are not made

Not possible. No way we lose to Alabama A&M. But 1-7 in that stretch is very possible.

[Doggie_Style]

Not possible. No way we lose to Alabama A&M. But 1-7 in that stretch is very possible.

yup sorry.....I just saw the Alabama part.....1-7

[gravedigger]

Take a hard look at those last 8 games....we could easily go 0-8 if some serious changes are not made

You have a point. 2-6 in the last 8 games would almost assuredly cause a change even if we won 4 out of the 1st 5.

It appears it will not be a hard decision to make next year come the Egg Bowl. Either way.

Unless we win 7 and lose to Ole Miss. That might cause some folks to get into their corners.

[Coach34]

NC State is returning 17 or 18 starters next year. You will have your answer after game 2.

[R2Dawg]

Boy lot of swing games next year. Here is what I see happening.

1. We win most of the 50/50 games and win 7-8 and Joe keeps his job but not much else changes. We are stuck in 500 level football for a few more years until it is obvious Joe can't get it done and is fired after losing Eggbowl.

2. We lose the 50/50 games and only win 3 games next year hence Joe is fired end of year and we start over.

I guess there is option 3 which is Joe changes/adapts and rights the ship. I just don't see it. Croom 2.0 right now and he has done nothing but validate it with his actions.

[ShotgunDawg]

NC State is returning 17 or 18 starters next year. You will have your answer after game 2.

Will be a GREAT early season measuring stick.

NC State went 4-8 this season & 1-7 in a bad ACC. Additionally they have a talent profile of 36th in the country.

On paper, this SHOULD be about like out trip to K-State in 2018, but with Joe, anything can happen.

On paper, Joe should not lose this game. If he does, it'll show that thing is truly going nowhere & he will be fired a few week later.

Huge game for Joe

[TrapGame]

NC State is returning 17 or 18 starters next year. You will have your answer after game 2.

This what I've said all along. Nobody better be surprised when NC State trucks us.

[HailStateSZN19]

New Mexico- W
NC State- W (they were garbage this year even though it's on the road I think we get the win; if we pull a UT debacle again this could send the season into the dumps early)
Arkansas- W (putrid once again)
Tulane- W (this game will make me nervous if they still have Fritz & Will Hall; we will have waayyy more talent but would be nervous about them out-coaching us)
A&M- L (think they bring back enough talent to beat us; this is a swing game for me though & will probably be stupid enough to talk myself into us winning it once August rolls around)
Bama- L (no explanation needed)
LSU-L (see Bama)
Auburn-L (they lose a good bit but bring back enough talent to handle us even in Starkville I think)
Mizzou-W (another swing game; they break in a new QB and HC so Joe better win this game)
Kentucky-L (no faith to go on the road and win a game where we don't have just a more significant amount of talent compared to who we're playing)
Alabama A&M-W
OM-W (unpredictable but I just can't pick OM to win this game; being on the road makes me nervous especially this game + see Kentucky's explanation)

Final record prediction: 7-5 & has to be the floor. Ceiling I think, if Joe improves in several areas and makes staff changes such as OC/ST/S&C, can be 8-4 maybe 9-3 (would heavily depend on if Kylin/Willie return). Anything less than 7-5 & Joe has to go. 6-6 can't cut it next year. There's got to be some improvement shown.

ETA: If things continue going in the direction they went this year though, 4-8 is also entirely possible. Agree with C34 & Shotgun, the NC State game on the road will be the test to see how the rest of the season shakes out & could be the game that decides Joe's fate.

[ShotgunDawg]

This what I've said all along. Nobody better be surprised when NC State trucks us.

On paper they should not.

4-8 this season & 1-7 in the ACC with a talent profile of 36th.

This SHOULD be K-State in 2018. If it's not, Joe will only be a few games away from being canned.

This should not be a toss up game. Not if we are improving

[smootness]

I predict we start 4-0, then go 0-4, then win 2 of the final 4 and go 6-6 again. And I predict Joe keeps his job again, only further delaying the inevitable.

[TrapGame]

On paper they should not.

4-8 this season & 1-7 in the ACC with a talent profile of 36th.

This SHOULD be K-State in 2018. If it's not, Joe will only be a few games away from being canned.

This should not be a toss up game. Not if we are improving

On paper Joe's an offensive genius.

We should win this game but I'm not counting it as win until I see it.

[DownwardDawg]

I predict we start 4-0, then go 0-4, then win 2 of the final 4 and go 6-6 again. And I predict Joe keeps his job again, only further delaying the inevitable.

Pretty safe bet.

[RiverCityDawg]

I predict we start 4-0, then go 0-4, then win 2 of the final 4 and go 6-6 again. And I predict Joe keeps his job again, only further delaying the inevitable.

I could buy that, except if one of those two losses at the end is against ole miss he will be fired.

[confucius say]

Needs to go 7-5 to maintain 7-5 average as a coach. I wonder how he will be viewed if he averages 7-5, considering Dans average record was 7.1-4.9.

[TrapGame]

I predict we start 4-0, then go 0-4, then win 2 of the final 4 and go 6-6 again. And I predict Joe keeps his job again, only further delaying the inevitable.

Well hell Smoot it seems as long as he defeats those dastardly rebels of northern miss he coach as long as he wants.

[PGHBulldogBG]

5 wins: New Mexico, Tulane, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama A&M