Even seeing the schedule and how others are going to be when we play them...it's still a 10+ win season.
Miami(OH), Similar start as it was 2 years ago as well as result. Our offense will stumble but the defense picks it up for us. We win in relatively easy fashion. It's a home game, our opener, and the team is eager to show everyone that 2016 is a forgetful year. W
NC State, if we played them on 9/16, we may even put them on Upset Alert. But we aren't. I think it'll be a close game, considering NC State isn't exactly predicted to be a world beater. Most places I've seen they're going .500 and finishing at the middle of the...wait for it...PACK! We'll keep up with them but offensive mistakes will cost us however, that'll be it.* W
KSU, Much of the same against Miami. Our offense just did not have much firepower in that game 2 years ago. Probably because it was Litton's first real game against a true D-1 defense which KSU was noted to have. It's at home and Litton obviously is experienced. W
Cincy, Well, let's be honest. Cincy just had a real bad string of injuries to end 2016. The Adam Sandler clone at the helm, will their will to win be even there after their first 4 games? They could very well have some injuries from their games against Navy and Michigan (and even miami). I sense a similar scenario with VT, away game, back and forth with Cincy winning in the OT. L
Charlotte, It's at Charlotte. That's really it for them. Yes, Mullen is a decent OC, they put up lots of stats but don't exactly light up the scoreboard. With our "worst team ever" we managed to remain in the game with them...Marshall will also have a solid following for the game because of location, which will make home field somewhat weak for them. W
ODU, This one may be a bit tricky. Sure we've pretty much killed them each time we played until last season. It was 21-17 going into the 4th quarter and the wheels basically fell the hell off. Their starter was mop up work last season. He should be better. This one's at home. Close game. W
MTSU, Even when the team was essentially done for the season, we still pulverized MTSU at home. We don't lose at home, regardless on our memorial game, but it's something to note, considering how bad Marshall was. I doubt this'll be the same team we played, and I hate seeing an L here, but give us the L because we're due a screw up game. L
FIU, They could very well be undefeated playing us. Their schedule is not hard by any means and their HC is going to be something else. However, they are at home and depending how we're playing, could be a tough road game for them...they'd have MSTU before us with a tune up against Tulane, but I don't see them having the depth for us...yet. W
FAU, We'll get to see how Lane Kiffin's been doing with the FL talent he's been given. It's an away game and it'll be a solid offense vs. a solid defense. Our defense with the LB's we're supposed to have, are going to be a force at this point. Am I not sold on Lane Kiffin being a HC? Seriously, he's more unstable than Francium (Science!). I'll give us this one, also because the fact they were another W for us last year...which, as you know, was awful. W
WKU, THE game for us in the regular season as far as I'm concerned. It's a very big game for us, it's on a day that we simply don't lose. As bad as I said we were against MTSU, we still absolutely murdered them...and they barely lost to WKU in 2016. New coach, new schemes, some players apparently are kicked off the team or in trouble or something...however, I think the Marshall players still remaining from the team of 2016 are going to basically Clockwork Orange the new guys regarding them. I think WKU will have some trick plays and some fancy skills, but not enough for us. We win in a 2 TD win. W
UTSA, "Hey Mr. Wilson!!! You did alright in year one!" This team is weird...they're like the Bill Paxton of C-USA...just...kinda there...not flashy or great...but not crappy either. We haven't played them since 2013...Hell, I dunno...W.
USM, Another unique one on the schedule. Entering his 2nd year from a 7-6 season previously, USM is gonna be something else. The West is much easier IMO as well. However, it's a home game for us. Given the fact we, also, played this team tough, trailing 10-7 into the 4th quarter...then the wheels fell off...again. Defense wins this one for us however, and we cap the season with a W.
Title game...Marshall vs. Kim Jung Un's 2nd favorite team (besides wvu). Marshall wins C-USA title as we'd likely have home field.
Look at this schedule and forget 2016. Marshall was not bad in 2015...however, we couldn't put the games we needed to, away. In 2016, our defense held up as best as they could with the offense just pitiful. But one could point to any unit/player on offense and find flaws in their application...same with the coaches and play calling. It was a pretty abysmal year for sure.
I think Litton got a major dose of reality from the team, and with Doc bringing in someone who has just as much potential to start, has put him back into player mode and out of diva mode (I hope).
However, the improved offense, even a little bit, is going to help.
Our schedule with some of the divisional teams towards the middle/end of the season, is going to help since we'll have an idea each week, of how they look against their own conference and have an idea of the logistics of their teams.
But the major key is the defense. It's going to win us the games we're in close. I think some cupcake games on the schedule, the offense is going to have a field day and the defense can coast, but the defense was so worn out in 2016 by the 4th quarter, they just simply couldn't do much else.
You won't see that this year.
That's all from me.
*NC State cheated to beat us in the past. The ACC officials are also homers for the ACC...obviously. I wasn't there for the incidents that happened, but I heard they were pretty bad...like Soviets to beat the USA basketball team and 3 horrible calls bad...so even if they beat us, it may not actually be a "W" for them.
