Running the table

[NATSman]

This is a response to the numerous posts suggesting that we might go 11-1, or win the ACC, or beat Georgia soundly, or get into a BCS game, or any or all of the above. If you hate long posts, stop reading now. I'm really sorry if this annoys anyone or makes anyone mad, but if I never address anything else in any post (and I may not), I wanted to address this:

We began the season with a new coaching staff, an entirely new system on both sides of the ball, key players gone, and relying on a lot of young guys. This is a team that was expected by many professional college football analysts to win between 3 and 5 games and expected by nobody to compete for the ACC title or win the in-state rivalry. To all that, add the injury problems.

While we have overcome these factors fairly well so far, these same factors are still with us. And the fact is that after the G-W game we will play six teams that could all beat us and that could be favored to beat us, and rightfully so.

All this talk about winning out and going to the BCS is exciting, but concerns me a little. I am not trying to be critical of people who aspire to win out. I have even talked myself, at times, into thinking it's a reasonable possibility. But when you get back down to Earth and think about it, even 8 wins would be an absolutely amazing accomplishment.

It would greatly sadden and discourage me if it this team was viewed as another disappointment if we won "only" 7 or 8 games.

I for one am damn proud of this team and I intend to stay that way.

To Hell with Georgia.

 

[TechGator1066]

At this point with the way we're playing I honestly can't see us going any worse than 9-3. Losing to UGA and UNC is the most likely scenario.

 

[Pantone4515]

At this point with the way we're playing I honestly can't see us going any worse than 9-3. Losing to UGA and UNC is the most likely scenario.

I think we can win 9-11 games, too, but he's right. Miami, Clemson, and FSU could all beat us as well. I don't mean it's likely that they all will, but each could. The ACC's not the creampuff everyone thought it was after week 1.

 

[Allen Koholic]

The ACC's not the creampuff everyone thought it was after week 1.

Yea, but neither are we. This team has made me expect them to win out. Granted, I care only about the game after Thanksgiving, but we're good enough to beat everyone on our schedule. This running the table stuff, this is Paul Johnson's fault. I don't ever see him allowing a team we're better then beat us.

That said, we still haven't really faced the meat of our schedule, and I really hope I'm not building up the house of cards for expectation like last season.

 

[Geori]

Duke, MSU and BC easily could have beaten us but there is something different about this team. We should have beaten Virginia Tech by 2 TDs and I think the team that shows up to play Clemson, with a healthy Nesbitt and Shaw, could and would do that at this point in the season. We knew the team would get better as the season progressed, but with it only halfway installed the future looks very bright. Let's not have Chan Gailey expectations for a salvaged season and be satisfied with a Humanitarian bowl bid.

 

[GT65_UGA89]

I posted on that thread that I felt we could win out and go 11-1. For me I was just having a little fun on the message board. I do think that the potential is there to win every remaining game, but I also know that GT could lose to five teams remaining on the schedule.

I normally do not look ahead as I really do like to take things one game at a time. Show me improvement from week-to-week, win some ball games, don't give games away, and as a fan sometimes just suck it up when your team loses due to being outmanned or outplayed. Admittedly, this last one is hard to deal with sometimes.

Overall I could/probably would be happy with 8-9 wins this season --perhaps dependent opon who those wins are against.

 

[GTwreck]

I am already happy with this season. The team is playing together. The defense is playing great, especially with the youth and injuries at LB. The DB's appear to cover receivers better.
We are still "learning" the offense, but making great progress. Heck, we can even win with our freshman 2nd team QB. We have a lot of room for progress - O line, special teams, kicking game......

The main thing that makes me happy, is that I see COACHING going on.

I think we win at least 8; but before the season I did not know what to expect (maybe 6, hopefully 7) . But I am already pleased with the coach, his staff and the team. I have even quit second guessing the coach - he knows what he is doing.

 

[stinger78]

With both our top 2 QB's now banged up, our chances just took a dive. However, I fully expect us to beat GW, CU and UVA heading into November. There are too many factors regarding those games to predict right now. They are all winnable, but in all probability, splitting November would be good. That would leave us at 9-3 for the season, and probably 6-2 in the ACC.

Not a bad start at all.

 

[midatlantech]

We are mighty thin at quite a few positions right now. We need to focus on one game at a time. And I hope we win out too, but on paper (QB alone is a big question mark now) we could go 1-4 the second half. I think with our defense this could be a big year, but I am constantly reminding myself how far we have come and have yet to go with a very young and thin team. 8-4 or 9-3 and I hope I'm dead wrong.

 

[beej67]

As many mention, our problem is depth, and injuries. What our team looks like by the end of the season will really be a crap shoot, honestly.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

Well if you look at where we are we have beat one Lower Division team JSU, a pretty good BC team and 2 traditional cellar dwellers in Duke and MSU. We should beat GW to give us 2 Lower Division Team wins.

We lost a game we could have won to a pretty good VT team. So, based on the results to date, I don't think we have clearly demonstrated that we are a force to be reckoned with.

The balance of our games are against teams much like VT, fairly sound but not world beaters so we have a shot to win them all but we have an equal shot to lose them all. I do think our coaching gives us an advantage that we did not have in the past. It might be realistic to think we could hold serve at home with victories over, Virginia, FSU and Miami. We might also expect to have a more difficult time on the road. Clemson is beatable but that game is always a war, especially up there. North Carolina seems to be getting better and again it is a place we have had limited success winning in the past and of course Georgia has our number psychologically and to win there will take CPJ really doing a mind meld with our guys. It could happen but the odds are somewhat long.

If you look at it objectively, the odds are we will split our last 6 games and end up at 8 and 4. This would probably send us to the new bowl that the Naval Academy is guaranteed to be in if they win enough games. I have forgotten the name of it. I'm sure the draw of having PJ return home to face his old school would be a big draw for that event. We will most likely win that game and end up 9 and 4 and ranked in the top 30.

That would be a successful season and position us for better things in 2009.

That is my best guess at the moment. I do believe we have the potential to run the table, win the ACC and win a BCS bowl. It would take a lot of luck with avoiding injuries, bad calls and just bad breaks. A perfect storm, if you will. If it can be done, I do believe Paul Johnson is the guy that can maximize the odds of it getting done. He is the best thing to happen to Tech football since Bobby Dodd.

Go Jackets!

 

[midatlantech]

Well if you look at where we are we have beat one Lower Division team JSU, a pretty good BC team and 2 traditional cellar dwellers in Duke and MSU. We should beat GW to give us 2 Lower Division Team wins.

We lost a game we could have won to a pretty good VT team. So, based on the results to date, I don't think we have clearly demonstrated that we are a force to be reckoned with.

The balance of our games are against teams much like VT, fairly sound but not world beaters so we have a shot to win them all but we have an equal shot to lose them all. I do think our coaching gives us an advantage that we did not have in the past. It might be realistic to think we could hold serve at home with victories over, Virginia, FSU and Miami. We might also expect to have a more difficult time on the road. Clemson is beatable but that game is always a war, especially up there. North Carolina seems to be getting better and again it is a place we have had limited success winning in the past and of course Georgia has our number psychologically and to win there will take CPJ really doing a mind meld with our guys. It could happen but the odds are somewhat long.

If you look at it objectively, the odds are we will split our last 6 games and end up at 8 and 4. This would probably send us to the new bowl that the Naval Academy is guaranteed to be in if they win enough games. I have forgotten the name of it. I'm sure the draw of having PJ return home to face his old school would be a big draw for that event. We will most likely win that game and end up 9 and 4 and ranked in the top 30.

That would be a successful season and position us for better things in 2009.

That is my best guess at the moment. I do believe we have the potential to run the table, win the ACC and win a BCS bowl. It would take a lot of luck with avoiding injuries, bad calls and just bad breaks. A perfect storm, if you will. If it can be done, I do believe Paul Johnson is the guy that can maximize the odds of it getting done. He is the best thing to happen to Tech football since Bobby Dodd.

Go Jackets!

8-4 will not take us to DC. We'd almost assuredly go to either Nashville or Orlando. Charlotte is for either Wake,UNC or Clemson this year. That leaves Wake, FSU, VPI, UNC, Clemson and Tech to fight over the Top Five Bowls.

My guess is VPI/FSU at the ACCCG and BCS and Peach Bowl. Tech or UNC for the Gator Bowl. If Tech loses out then we go to Orlando or Nashville. Clemson goes to the other and Wake to Charlotte. Wake may get ahead of Clemson if they beat them.

I think it is almost impossible for us to win out and VPI to lose two ACC games. But if we got to 10-2 and beat UGA then I think we'd be BCS bound (Sugar Bowl).

 

[WracerX]

I can't see any way that FSU makes the ACCCG. They have a good, but erractic defense and a below average offense. They won't be better over the course of a season than Wake or BC. They probably won't be better than either Clemson or Maryland. They will finish 4th or 5th in their division.

VT is a better team than Miami and FSU. They are slightly better than UNC. We are roughly as good as VT. They were lucky to get us early and at home. Playing down here could have been the difference in that game.

We are 2-1 in conference. We should be favored in all of our remaining home games. We will will be slight underdogs on the road.

My vague guess at the bowl situation.

BCS - VT
Peach - UNC
Gator - Maryland
Orlando - GT
Charlotte - Wake
Nashville - Clemson
DC - FSU

 

[beej67]

BCS - VT
Peach - UNC

I don't think that can happen. Loser of the ACCCG almost invariably goes to the Peach, according to the current setup.

 

[WracerX]

I don't think that can happen. Loser of the ACCCG almost invariably goes to the Peach, according to the current setup.

Did the Gator and Peach switch places? I thought the Peach picked first. If they do, they'll take UNC. If not, then Maryland who I think will lose the ACCCG.

 

[BHP12345]

Chick-fil-a ponied up more money in payout so now they get the first pick and Gator gets second.

 

[stinger78]

Well if you look at where we are we have beat one Lower Division team JSU, a pretty good BC team and 2 traditional cellar dwellers in Duke and MSU. We should beat GW to give us 2 Lower Division Team wins.

True.

We lost a game we could have won to a pretty good VT team. So, based on the results to date, I don't think we have clearly demonstrated that we are a force to be reckoned with.

I think the source of hope we derive from those games is two-fold: First, from the way we've beaten those cellar dwellers relative to the way other good teams have played them. Second, the weekly improvement we've shown in the process.

The balance of our games are against teams much like VT, fairly sound but not world beaters so we have a shot to win them all but we have an equal shot to lose them all. I do think our coaching gives us an advantage that we did not have in the past. It might be realistic to think we could hold serve at home with victories over, Virginia, FSU and Miami. We might also expect to have a more difficult time on the road. Clemson is beatable but that game is always a war, especially up there. North Carolina seems to be getting better and again it is a place we have had limited success winning in the past and of course Georgia has our number psychologically and to win there will take CPJ really doing a mind meld with our guys. It could happen but the odds are somewhat long.

This is all true, but bear in mind that we are getting better, too, offensively and defensively. There is a significant probability that by November we will be playing well above the level of those teams - with the probable exception of UGAG. There is also the possibility we won't, so there is a lot of uncertainty.

If you look at it objectively, the odds are we will split our last 6 games and end up at 8 and 4. This would probably send us to the new bowl that the Naval Academy is guaranteed to be in if they win enough games. I have forgotten the name of it. I'm sure the draw of having PJ return home to face his old school would be a big draw for that event. We will most likely win that game and end up 9 and 4 and ranked in the top 30.

We are 4-1 presently. GW is almost certainly a win, and that makes us 5-1. Much will ride on how CU responds in the next 2 weeks. If they lose to WFU, they may be out of it for the year. If not, they may recoup some fire and be a serious test. They are capable, just maybe not in it with their head right now.
A noon game in DV is not near as difficult as a night game there. We should be able to win that game, in all honesty. Good chance we're 6-1 heading into UVA a home for homecoming. We should beat UVA. Better than even chance we finish October at 7-1.

Now apply your 50/50 rule in November, which I think would be accurate, and we are looking at probably 8-9 wins and, if we beat UNC, a runner-up to VT in the Coastal.

I think 9-3 gets us the Gator. I think 8-4 gets us either the MCB in Nashville, or the CSB in O'town. Both acceptable bowls for this transition year.

 

[stinger78]

I don't think that can happen. Loser of the ACCCG almost invariably goes to the Peach, according to the current setup.

ACCCG is in Tampa this year. The loser of the ACCCG can go there if the Peach chooses another team.

 

[nedleeds]

Enjoying this year however we will not be going 11-1. Lay off the cough syrup, and enjoy the season.

 

[beej67]

We're way too shallow to go undefeated. If all our guys stay healthy the whole season we have a prayer, but I don't see that happening.