I mean this is always a fun one. Bonus points if you’re brave enough for score projections. I’ll start for Tennessee.
- UVA: W
- Austin Peay: W
- Florida: W*
- UTSA: W
- SCAR: W
- TAMU: W*
- Alabama: L*
- Kentucky: W
- UConn: W
- Mizz: W
- UGA: L
- Vandy: W
Florida, Texas A&M, and Alabama are my swing games. Florida looks like a favorable match up for us as it stands, but having grown up through the early 2000’s I just know that uf has some of that swamp magic. ATM is just a massive question mark for everyone from every perspective right now, certainly glad they play Alabama the week before they play us. Unfortunately we play Alabama in ttown the next week. Speaking of if there are any other vols reading this please help me flood Danny White’s inbox with requests to return TSIO to a color clash game by wearing orange in Tuscaloosa this year. If that game looks good, or if we even pull out a win, we can start talking about the UGA game. Until then let’s take this one game at a time. Overall I’ve got us going 10-2 with 8-4 being the absolute worst case for us to still have a ‘decent’ season. Also shout out to the scar game, I bet that one’s going to be a barn burner.
Kansas. Our over under is around 6 but we were a top 20 offense last year and we returned everyone but our left tackle. I really do believe that we will be a top 5 offense in the nation this year. We have the big 12 preseason player of the year and 5 1st all-conference players.
Our defense will still be bad against the run, and people doubt our pass rush but look for Jerome Robinson to have a big year and our D-Line transfers to do just enough to make our salty secondary hard to pass on.
I’m predicting 8-4
W - MO State
W - Illinois
W - @Nevada
W - BYU
L - @Texas
W - UCF
L - @OSU
L- OU
W - @ISU
W - TTU
W- KSU
L- @UC
Honestly the games I have trouble picking are the OU game and then the finally 3 games. I think those 4 games we go 2-2 but we could beat any of those teams at home but we could also lose to UC on the road despite the fact I think they will have a down year.
I’m excited and will be even if we just get the 6th win. I’m ready for another bowl
I was having so much fun alongside y’all last year. Hopefully we both continue to trend up
I’m honestly pretty happy TCU dodged y’all this year. Couple of newbies, ISU, and WVU should make my Frogs look better than they are.
You think the Jayhawks pull it out at DKR? That’s certainly bold.
As much as I want to see more Kansas beat Texas memes, I don’t think so. I formatted my post a bit weird and put the result in front of the game
I disagree on the Kansas beat Texas memes. Can we not?
As an Arkansas fan I hated playing Kansas in the Liberty Bowl last year. “This game is in the bag…wait what is happening?”. That QB is salty. Bonkers game. This year’s Sweet 16 match up was a classic too!
I’ll play…for Iowa:
- Utah St - W
- Iowa st - L
- W Mich - W
- PSU - L
- MSU - W
- Purdue - L
- Wisconsin - L
- Minnesota - L
- Northwestern - W
- Rutgers - W
- Illinois - W
- Nebraska - L
My new boss is a hawkeye. Any good conversation pieces other o bad d good?
Ah, that’s easy! “Fire Brian Ferentz, Amiright?!” should get you on his good side.
In seriousness though, we have new tools on offense and an easy schedule this year, but we have the same offensive line and terrible OC. It’s kind of a tossup to see how this team does. I actually am a little optimistic that the offense will be not abysmal based purely on skill position talent. I’m a little worried our defense will not carry the team as much without our MLB Jack Campbell next year, but our DC (Phil Parker) is fantastic and always seems to put forward an awesome group.
The way Iowa has survived on suffocating defense with absolutely zero offense has been fun to watch from the outside!
I’m ready for them to move past this phase… “fun to watch” is only true when used in this case, as a turn of phrase. Actually watching this team, week after week last year was the definition of masochism.
Oh I’m sure it’s absolute torture as a fan. I understand it is a lot to pay with a guy in Ferentz that has been there 25 years, but there comes a time when you have to move on.
Lose to ISU, UW, Minn, and Nebraska? Subscribe.
Yeah, I feel like our luck for some of these trophy games might be out. Historically, even on years with no offense, we have performed adequately against Minnesota and Nebraska, and we capitalize on down years for Wisconsin. ISU is always a coin flip.
I won’t be happy if this comes true, so maybe I’m putting it on paper to inure myself to what might be if the OL doesn’t shape up and the new offensive pieces aren’t enough.
I understand. I (ISU fan) always assume we will lose to Iowa so it doesn’t hurt so bad when it happens.
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Iowa state. Despite losing a bunch of offensive starters due to gambling, I think we’ll do better this year than last. It’s entirely dependent on how our OL is this year. They’re experienced, and hoping our new OL coach can turn that into some into some push.
UNI - W
Iowa - L
@Ohio - W
OSU - L
@ OU - L
TCU - W
@Cinci - W
@BU - L
KU - W
@BYU - L
UT - L
KSU - W
I’d be super happy with 6-6. It’d give us a lot of forward momentum and lay a nice groundwork for the talented underclassmen we have.
I mean if y’all don’t go bowling maybe we start talking about taking down the bridge
Or is the answer more bridges?
I’m doubling down
First, thank you for helping me find victims for my
identity theft schemeflair script.Second, finally asking us to throw down and start some arguments. I like it.
Florida (7-5), and this is probably a bit homerish.
- @ Utah - W. I think we might out-croot them in a sloppy opener where lack of depth won’t kill us yet.
- McNeese - W.
- Tennessee - L. Closer than UTK would like, though.
- Charlotte - W.
- @ UK - W. Time to stop the bleeding.
- Vanderbilt - W. If I can’t afford a Vandy win, darlin’, then I can’t afford to dream.
- @ SCAR - L. Rattler with hype has historically meant bad Rattler, but maybe he;'s really matured. This will be tough one.
- WLOCP - L. Probably NOT closer than UGA would like.
- Arky - W. I think Pittman’s got a ceiling.
- @ LSU - L. C’est la vie, ma cherie.
- FSU - W, because fuck 'em, that’s why.
TCU (9-3). A lot is dependent on Chandler Morris not shattering into a million pieces and the skill position pipeline continuing to hum, but I think they’ll be better while doing worse.
- CU - W. Buffs look good for a quarter and a half, but Frogs figure some things out and put them away.
- Nicholls - W.
- @ Houston - W. They don’t have the talent yet, and Dana is past it.
- SMU - W. It’ll be way tighter than it should be though. Skillet is an underrated rivalry.
- WVU - W. Morgantown is tough. Good thing this one is in Fort Worth.
- @ISU - W. I don’t see 1-8 in B12 play like last year, but they’ve got some shit to figure out in Ames.
- BYU - W. No magic underpants will save you.
- @ KSU - L. The balloon pops.
- @ TTU - L. Tech made a sneaky good hire and they will have something to prove at home.
- UT - W. I have doubts about Ewers and Sarkisian, and TCU just seems to have their number. Nice rebound game.
- Baylor - W. Playoffs out of the picture, and CCG will be a tough ask. The Revivalry will be the Frogs’ motivation game.
- @ OU - L. Last year was a mess, but Venables is a good coach, they recruit well, and TCU decidedly does NOT have their number.
Lol, I was also trying to fill out my
phishing schemeflair script. I’m gonna hold my breath till the final whistle for sure, even if it’s more lopsided than we both seem to believe. I think UK, SCAR and Arky are the season defining games for y’all (partially because I think Utah dominates the conditioning battle at altitude, sloppy for sure though) so I’ll certainly be cheering for them in those matchups. Maybe not Kentucky, we’ll have to watch the polls. I will openly wish your horny frogs luck though.
I don’t like predicting individual wins and losses, but here are my predictions for South Carolina.
Likely wins:
- Furman
- Jacksonville State
- Vanderbilt
Lean wins
- UNC
- Mississippi State
- Missouri
- Florida
- Kentucky
Lean losses
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
Likely losses
- UGA
- clemson
I am not looking forward to that Tennessee game. If the Twitter Vols are any indication, they want to beat us so bad. Even if we win, I don’t think it will be fun to watch
Don’t take it too personally, most of my orange breatheren certainly do.
Michigan
Equal probability of 10-2, 11-1, 12-0
We’re returning 81% of the “production” from 2022, and the transfers keep the o-line strong.
Barring injuries, this team should have a reasonable shot at winning it all. Schedule is fairly mild.
Most concerning game (other than OSU): at Penn State on Nov 11th
“Trap” game: at Nebraska on Sept 30th
Michigan and OSU are sitting pretty with the new format next year. Losing to osu or an on psu (while not ideal) shouldn’t kick you from the top 6 non con champs. What would suck would be losing to osu 3 weeks in a row with the new format.
I’ll bite. Arkansas Razorback fan here. It’s been a tough stretch of 10 years or so being a hog fan. Hoping for good things this year.
I’m going with an optimistic 9-3
W - West Carolina W - Kent State W - BYU L - @ LSU W - Texas A&M (Jimbo gets fired and Petrino takes the reins) W - @ Ole Miss L - @ Bama W - Miss State (they can’t put it together with the loss of Leech. RIP) L - @ Florida W - Auburn W - FIU W - Mizzou
I recognize that 9-3 looks really optimistic but if they put it together, it can be a special team. If you haven’t watched our QB KJ Jefferson, look up his highlights. National media is sleeping on him. Idk what his future in the NFL might be but he is a special college player. Same goes for our RB1 Raheem “Rocket” Sanders. He likely would have rushed for 1600 yards last year if he didn’t get injured late in the year. Our guys backing him up are legit too. Dominique Johnson, who is coming back from a second knee injury, averaged for over 6 yards a carry as a freshman a few years ago. If modern medicine and athletic trainers get him back to 100% (big if, I know), our stable of running backs rivals most in the SEC. The big questions are receiving (lost all but 170 yards from last year), O-line, and defense. We brought in a really nice transfer class to address those questions, so it remains to be seen if we found any answers. All that being said, it is Arkansas so 7-5 is more realistic in all likelihood. A guy can dream. Go hogs.
The fallout from that southwest classic gonna rock the whole nation
Yes! It’s generally a crazy freaking game which Arkansas finds a way to give away. At least that’s a hog fan’s perspective.
Weird thing about Arkansas is they only really have a few TRUE home games every year. The Southwest Classic played in Dallas is cool, but never an actual home game and they play one game every year in Little Rock instead of Fayetteville. I don’t know of another program that does anything like it. There have been some cool games in Little Rock in the past, but that dream just needs to die. The stadium is garbage and it’s a home game that the home team has to travel three to four hours for.
Look at the stretch from LSU to Florida. @ LSU, “home” against A&M, @ Ole Miss, @ Bama, actual home game against Miss St, and @ Florida. I think the bye is in there too, giving them ONE true home game in almost two months. It’s crap.
9-3 for Arkansas felt a little aggressive until I saw that schedule. I think that is very possible.
Also, I can still hear the announcer at Razorback Stadium calling Rocket’s name as he ran it down our throats
It is a much more favorable schedule than the absolute gauntlet we faced the last couple years. The stretch with only one true home game will really define their ceiling.
Rocket is pretty good! I’m ready to see Rattler put it all together. If he doesn’t try to do too much, he can be great.
Okay, going here for the Horns (Hook 'Em). I think we win all but Bama, but get absolutely bitch-slapped in Tuscaloosa, falling by 20+. I hate it, but at least we won’t get a Blake Gideon moment à la 2008.
Enjoy your last year before coming into the big leagues fellow orange UT
Next year will be a fun one, won’t it? On a somewhat relevant note, where are some spots to check out in Knoxville as a visiting fan? Your stadium’s one that’s high on my list to go visit for a Texas game.
Can’t recommend Stock and Barrel enough, right on market square. The best burgers I’ve ever had I think and one of the widest whiskey selections I’ve seen in person as well. That’ll situate you well for Knoxville based adventures. World’s fair park (sunsphere) is worth looking at our your window as your drive by at least. Mast general store is kinda like the indie Buccee’s that you’ve probably never heard of. But I think the best thing Knoxville really has to offer is it’s relative proximity to the Smoky mountains do not miss some of those hikes if hikes are your thing.
I used to do Scout camp outside Boone, NC. I love the Smokies. I actually applied to UTK for undergrad and law school, and one of my buddies from Florida did go to law school there. Awesome campus, and the hills will get your calves in good shape. Shame that they ran out of pigment before the orange could be the proper shade, though.
I really need to get out to the Smoky Mountains! Thanks for the recs! If you’re ever looking for this type of info for Austin and wanna see a game at DKR, let me know. I’d be more than happy to help!
By the way I’m not gonna lie, I think you guys are gonna do some serious damage this season. I’ll go on a limb and say I think somehow, someway, you’ll knock off Bama in Tuscaloosa.
I would be so happy if we beat alabama at alabama. Like storm their field happy
Let’s hope we both pull that off!
The Tennessee campus is neat too. They have an awesome garden and a cool Natural History & Culture museum. Lots of good food and drink all over the place. Me and my wife enjoyed the heck out of Knoxville. Cades Cove is a fantastic scenic loop you can drive in the Smoky Mountains as well. Gatlinburg is nearby and is a worth a day trip if you have time. Their aquarium is great.
I’ll definitely make time for that. Sounds awesome!
