I am. I had us winning 6-8 games. I am ready to say 8-10 regular season win.
We have already matched last year's win total. Something a lot of people didn't think we'd do by this point. Our defense looks miles ahead of last season and the offense looks to finally be getting back to form as well.
Through 4 games we are 3-1 and could easily be 4-0. We are averaging 27.5 ppg and allowing 21 ppg. We have outscored our opponents to 110 to 84. Our average margin
Here is how the rest of the schedule looks after week 6 of the 2017 season.
@Charlotte - Charlotte is 0-5 (0-1) through five games. They have been outscored 172 to 74 averaging 14.8 ppg while allowing 34.4 ppg. Their five losses have come to EMU 7-24, KState 7-55, NC A&T 31-35, Georgia St 0-28, and FIU 29-30.
ODU - Old Dominion is 2-2 (0-0) through four games. They have been outscored 71 to 115 averaging 17.75 ppg and allowing 28.75 ppg. Their wins have come against Albany 31-17 and UMASS 17-7 and their losses have come to UNC 23-53 and VT 0-38.
@MTSU - Middle Tennessee is 2-3 (0-1) though five games. They have been outscored 83 to 136 averaging 16.60 ppg and allowing 27.20. Their wins have come against Syracuse 30-23 and Bowling Green 24-13 while their losses have come against Vanderbilt 6-28, Minnesota 3-34, and FAU 20-38. As we all know they have lost their QB for an indeterminable amount of time.
FIU - The Panthers are 3-1 (2-0) through four games. They have been outscored 77 to 107 averaging 19.25 ppg while allowing 26.75 ppg. Their wins have come against Alcorn St. 17-10, Rice 13-7, and Charlotte 30-29 while their lone losses have come against UCF 17-61. FIU had a game against Indiana, but that game was cancelled.
@FAU - The Fighting Kiffen's are 2-3 (1-0) through five games. They have outscored their opponents 147 to 127 while averaging 29.4 ppg and allowing 25.4 ppg. These numbers are skewed a bit because of their lopsided win against BC. Their wins have come against Bethune-Cookman 45-0 and MTSU 38-20 while their losses have come against NAVY 19-42, Wisconsin 14-31, and Buffalo 31-34
WKU - The Hilltoppers are 2-2 (0-1) through four. They have been outscored 81-93 while averaging 20-25 ppg and 23.25 ppg. Their wins have come against EKU 31-17 and Ball State 33-21 while their losses have come to Illinois 7-20 and LaTech 22-23.
@UTSA - The Roadrunners are off to a 3-0 start. They have outscored their opponents 112-41 while averaging 37.33 ppg and allowing 13.67 ppg. Their wins have come against Baylor 17-10, Southern 51-17, and Texas St 44-14.
S. Miss - The Golden Eagles are 2-2 (0-1) through four. They have outscored their opponents 11 to 84 while averaging 29.50 ppg and allowing 21.00 pp. Their wins have come against Southern 45-0 and ULM 28-17 while their losses have come against UK 17-24 and North Texas 28-43.
So in looking at season and thus far this is how I think we finish up.
@Charlotte - W I really don't see us losing this. We may go into a lull as we do against bad teams on the road, but we should beat them.
ODU - W They have played only two teams with a pulse and in those games they did not look very good. Plus I believe this is our homecoming game. Historically it is not a good day for opponents.
@MTSU - W Will they have Stockstill back at QB by then and if they do just how effective is he going to be. I think this is the season we stop the trend of home team wins in this series.
FIU - W While their record is good, their wins have come against teams with a collective record of 3-11. The one good team they played they got annihilated. Plus we get them at home.
@FAU - W They are always a thorn in our side. Especially at their place. They have looked good at times this season and absolute atrocious at others. It looks like they can score although most of their points were loaded up on Bethune-Cookman and very down MTSU.
WKU - W I truly believe that this is the year we exact our revenge. As I have longed believed WKU was a product of Brohm's aggression and play calling. Their resume is far from impressive and even further from the reputation they have built since beating us back in 2014.
@UTSA - Toss up. I don't like calling losses. I really don't know how this one will go. UTSA has looked good to this point however they haven't played any good teams. Baylor is worse than pre RGIII Baylor, Southern is a 1-2 FCS team and Texas State is 1-4. My concern is by time they get to us they have started to build on these wins from a confidence standpoint and are able to manufacture a respectable to good season. We also have to travel to San Antonio and our Texas record is down there is less than stellar. If we lose I think this is the game we lose.
S. Miss W - This is one of the game I always look forward to. Their two wins have come against Southern (Are the the CUSA whipping post?) and 2-2 ULM. We'll have to keep an eye on them to see how their season plays out for sure, but I feel that getting them at home on senior night (yea I know about last year with WKU) should bode well in our favor. It should be a good game though. They play Rice and Charlotte coming into our game so they should be on a two game streak looking to finish strong.
So what say you? I don't see how anyone at this point can stick with the prediction of missing a bowl and most have to agree the 8 win mark is more than attainable at this time. I really do think we have a strong chance of playing for the Conference USA Championship at season's end. This makes that UTSA game even more important because losing to them could cause us to be making a return trip to San Antonio.
LET'S GO HERD! TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!
We have already matched last year's win total. Something a lot of people didn't think we'd do by this point. Our defense looks miles ahead of last season and the offense looks to finally be getting back to form as well.
Through 4 games we are 3-1 and could easily be 4-0. We are averaging 27.5 ppg and allowing 21 ppg. We have outscored our opponents to 110 to 84. Our average margin
Here is how the rest of the schedule looks after week 6 of the 2017 season.
@Charlotte - Charlotte is 0-5 (0-1) through five games. They have been outscored 172 to 74 averaging 14.8 ppg while allowing 34.4 ppg. Their five losses have come to EMU 7-24, KState 7-55, NC A&T 31-35, Georgia St 0-28, and FIU 29-30.
ODU - Old Dominion is 2-2 (0-0) through four games. They have been outscored 71 to 115 averaging 17.75 ppg and allowing 28.75 ppg. Their wins have come against Albany 31-17 and UMASS 17-7 and their losses have come to UNC 23-53 and VT 0-38.
@MTSU - Middle Tennessee is 2-3 (0-1) though five games. They have been outscored 83 to 136 averaging 16.60 ppg and allowing 27.20. Their wins have come against Syracuse 30-23 and Bowling Green 24-13 while their losses have come against Vanderbilt 6-28, Minnesota 3-34, and FAU 20-38. As we all know they have lost their QB for an indeterminable amount of time.
FIU - The Panthers are 3-1 (2-0) through four games. They have been outscored 77 to 107 averaging 19.25 ppg while allowing 26.75 ppg. Their wins have come against Alcorn St. 17-10, Rice 13-7, and Charlotte 30-29 while their lone losses have come against UCF 17-61. FIU had a game against Indiana, but that game was cancelled.
@FAU - The Fighting Kiffen's are 2-3 (1-0) through five games. They have outscored their opponents 147 to 127 while averaging 29.4 ppg and allowing 25.4 ppg. These numbers are skewed a bit because of their lopsided win against BC. Their wins have come against Bethune-Cookman 45-0 and MTSU 38-20 while their losses have come against NAVY 19-42, Wisconsin 14-31, and Buffalo 31-34
WKU - The Hilltoppers are 2-2 (0-1) through four. They have been outscored 81-93 while averaging 20-25 ppg and 23.25 ppg. Their wins have come against EKU 31-17 and Ball State 33-21 while their losses have come to Illinois 7-20 and LaTech 22-23.
@UTSA - The Roadrunners are off to a 3-0 start. They have outscored their opponents 112-41 while averaging 37.33 ppg and allowing 13.67 ppg. Their wins have come against Baylor 17-10, Southern 51-17, and Texas St 44-14.
S. Miss - The Golden Eagles are 2-2 (0-1) through four. They have outscored their opponents 11 to 84 while averaging 29.50 ppg and allowing 21.00 pp. Their wins have come against Southern 45-0 and ULM 28-17 while their losses have come against UK 17-24 and North Texas 28-43.
So in looking at season and thus far this is how I think we finish up.
@Charlotte - W I really don't see us losing this. We may go into a lull as we do against bad teams on the road, but we should beat them.
ODU - W They have played only two teams with a pulse and in those games they did not look very good. Plus I believe this is our homecoming game. Historically it is not a good day for opponents.
@MTSU - W Will they have Stockstill back at QB by then and if they do just how effective is he going to be. I think this is the season we stop the trend of home team wins in this series.
FIU - W While their record is good, their wins have come against teams with a collective record of 3-11. The one good team they played they got annihilated. Plus we get them at home.
@FAU - W They are always a thorn in our side. Especially at their place. They have looked good at times this season and absolute atrocious at others. It looks like they can score although most of their points were loaded up on Bethune-Cookman and very down MTSU.
WKU - W I truly believe that this is the year we exact our revenge. As I have longed believed WKU was a product of Brohm's aggression and play calling. Their resume is far from impressive and even further from the reputation they have built since beating us back in 2014.
@UTSA - Toss up. I don't like calling losses. I really don't know how this one will go. UTSA has looked good to this point however they haven't played any good teams. Baylor is worse than pre RGIII Baylor, Southern is a 1-2 FCS team and Texas State is 1-4. My concern is by time they get to us they have started to build on these wins from a confidence standpoint and are able to manufacture a respectable to good season. We also have to travel to San Antonio and our Texas record is down there is less than stellar. If we lose I think this is the game we lose.
S. Miss W - This is one of the game I always look forward to. Their two wins have come against Southern (Are the the CUSA whipping post?) and 2-2 ULM. We'll have to keep an eye on them to see how their season plays out for sure, but I feel that getting them at home on senior night (yea I know about last year with WKU) should bode well in our favor. It should be a good game though. They play Rice and Charlotte coming into our game so they should be on a two game streak looking to finish strong.
So what say you? I don't see how anyone at this point can stick with the prediction of missing a bowl and most have to agree the 8 win mark is more than attainable at this time. I really do think we have a strong chance of playing for the Conference USA Championship at season's end. This makes that UTSA game even more important because losing to them could cause us to be making a return trip to San Antonio.
LET'S GO HERD! TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!
