I really enjoy seeing how many wins the betting public thinks a team will win during the course of the season.
Two teams that have a great chance to surprise:
Wake Forest. Their predicted number of wins is 5.5….Granted, the Demon Deacons have suffered 5 consecutive losing seasons and are coming off a pair of 3-9 stinkers.
HOWEVER, consider:
Dave Clawson is in his 3rd year as Wake head man. Usually, teams progress in the 2nd and 3rd year of a coaching reign.
Wake’s defense has been solid in the past two years (their double overtime, 2011 6-3 win over Va Tech remains a weird, unparalleled epic) and rates to be solid again.
As for the offense that was anemic in 2015, the good news is that QB John Wolford (and his 22 previous starts) returns. It is unclear if this also constitutes bad news!
Wake has 3 titans on their schedule: Fla St, Louisville and Clemson. Let’s assume 3 losses: The rest of the schedule looks tissue soft.
Wake can easily be 4-0 at the end of September.
9/3 Tulane The Deacons are a 17 point favorite over a Tulane team revamping their offense with new coach, Willie Fritz, the former Ga Southern head man.
9/10 @ Duke Perfect time to play the Dukies! Last year’s starter, Thomas Sirk, is lost for year. With some key defensive losses and untested Parker Boheme at QB, I expect Wake to win
9/17 Delaware The FCS Blue Hens are picked to finish 8th in the Colonial: Largely due to their anemic 2015 offensive output of 14.9 per game
9/24 @ Indiana The Hoosier have to replace a stud QB, Nate Sudfeld, stellar RB Jordan Howard and All American Left Tackle, Jason Spriggs.
If Wake does get off to a 4-0 start, do they immediately hit a roadblock. ? NOPE! Their next two games are at NC State and home versus Syracuse. The Orange are rebuilding. Name the last quality win by the Wolfpack.
Is it remotely, miraculously possible that Wake Forest goes into their Oct 15 game at Florida State with a gaudy 6-0 record??? GameDay might even show up. 🙂 🙂
As for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, the season projected win total is currently 7.5. So much to like! The coach’s son, Soph QB Brent Stockstill, was Conference USA Freshman of the year. Three of the toughest teams on their schedule all seem like they will not be as formidable in 2016:
Western Kentucky: MTSU gets the Hilltoppers at home not having to deal with graduated superstar QB Brandon Doughty.
La Tech suffered massive graduation losses.
@ Bowling Green on 9/17. Both head coach Dino Babers and all-MAC QB, Matt Johnson, have flown the Falcon coop.
There are also 2 SEC teams on the schedule with good defenses and subpar offenses: Vandy and Mizzou. Vandy will be a dangerous foe but remember that Murfreesboro is only about 30 miles from Nashville so MTSU fans will be in force.
To not exceed 7.5 wins, I believe MTSU will have to lose all 5 of the above games. NOT going to happen!
As an afterthought, I must also mention Houston’s projected win total is either at 9 or 9.5, depending on where you look. Even if one assumes losses to Oklahoma and Louisville (and I do not), where is the 3rd loss coming from? Gosh, with Greg Ward Jr. and a host of other returnees, this projected win total makes it seem as if I dreamed the Cougars’ 38-24 over FSU during bowl season. RickRock
Cactus
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