Looks like the ACC blog did a best case worst case for us. Seemed pretty similar to the variety of responses we have been seeing in the X wins a season threads
The schedule, too, is rough, with nonconference games against Tennessee, ECU and Notre Dame. Add that all up, and there are enough questions swirling around Blacksburg, Virginia, that a 24th straight bowl appearance isn't exactly guaranteed. But if five wins is a low-end estimate, it's also a particularly pessimistic one.
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Best Case: 9-3
Worst Case: 6-6
The first commenter, Ben Stamper, on that ESPN ACC Blog article correctly points out that VT's defense has not been trending down.
I mean, honestly, I think Best Case is 12-0. That's just me, though.
12 wins and no bowl game is pretty rough.
/duck from other thread
ouch, really? I kinda expected you to say 15-0. I guess this means you must think we'll run the table, but then have to have a post season ban or something. /s
Which team do you think will beat us to win the Coastal, but have their win vacated? UNC seems like a solid bet.
"with a return to 10 wins and a title game appearance well within reach."
Looks to me like they mean 10 regular season wins, since the predicted only a title game "appearance" not a win or loss and there is no mention of a bowl game prediction.
i think this horse is starting to die
Worst case = 5-7
Best case = 12-0
Worst case - 0-12
Best case - National Champions
I want a fantastic season and I want it now. We only have so much time left if they want me to be there to root.
Unless this offense is just unstoppable out of the gate and Jerod Evans is the next Cam Newton, this is what I see as realistic:
Best-case scenario: 9-3, ACCCG appearance, spot in a really good non-NY6 bowl game.
Worst-case scenario: 6-6, limp to bowl eligibility yet again, spot in a lower-tier bowl again; I will honestly be incredibly disappointed if we can't improve marginally on last year.
Anything less, to me, will be cause for great concern going forward.
Best case: 10-4, worst case 7-6.
That's about right. I think our best team is:
A) better than anyone we play in the ACC,
B) 7-10 points worse than ND in South Bend
C) 3 points +\- on UT,
D) 7-10 points worse than Clem/FSU,
E) young enough to be lose a game we shouldn't.
So I could see a season where we lose to ND and ACCCG, lose by a FG to UT and lose a rando.
Best Case: 9-3 with an ACC appearance and a solid bowl somewhere
Worst Case: 5-7 with no improvement on offense and an averagish defense.
Biggest thing for me next season is that the team improves it's level of play. If we go 7-5 with close losses to UNC Tenn ND Miami Pitt (who I think are all around top 25 caliber) I think its a far better season than last year. I think a good goal is to finish top 35 in F/+
I would be shocked if we don't see significant improvement on offense from the start. We were so bad on offense the last couple of years, now we have competent coaches + experience everywhere.
I could see us struggling with QB play or having QB injuries and not seeing offensive results consistently, but even in that worst case example, we would look competent, have excellent skill player talent and call plays with a purpose.
Best case: 10-2, berth in ACCCG. The only way I see this being possible is if we somehow beat UTe and use the momentum to run the table until at least late October. The we lose one of pitt/dook/gt and @ND, before wrapping up with our traditional final win. Unfortunately I think we get waxed by Clemson in the ACCCG, but we'd still play in a great bowl in this scenario.
Worst case: 5-7. Losses against UTe, ECU, @UNC, @pitt, GT, and @ND mean we limp to the finish line once again, only to have the script reversed for the first time in 4380 days. This scenario makes me want to drink bleach.
Best Case: 15-0. Let's be honest, that is the best case. Victories over ND @ ND, ECU, etc would even get us the strength of schedule to get to the playoffs.
Worst Case: 5-7 and the bowl streak ends.
I would be happy with 8-4.
I suspect we'll be half a game away from getting 7.5 wins, with either 7 or 8 wins. Barring catastrophe or miracles, I'm going 6-9 wins as best/worst.
The pessimist in me expects us to barely get to 6 regular season wins and play in a no name bowl, because that's become the norm recently. But really in looking back at the last 3 years, only 5 of our 17(yikes) losses were by more than 7 points. If we can flip half of those one possession losses to wins this year, i'd be cool with getting 8 wins. I'd be even more satisfied if 1 of those 8 is against UT or ND.