**Official 2017 Season Prediction**

With the depth chart released this morning and kickoff only 3 days away, it’s officially season prediction time. We’ll get into this in more detail on our first ever podcast (*eye emoji* released tomorrow morning), but I am feeling very optimistic about this year’s squad for two reasons: first, we finally have some experience across the board, and the chickens are coming home to roost (including QB, while Wade has had little time he’s been in the system for 4 years and knows what it takes to run an ACC offense). Second, because I’m a sadist and like to have my hopes shattered into a million pieces every year in early October, only to rebuild them and come back stronger the following August. People forget that I talked myself into an outside shot at the CFP a week before the 2015 season. I think I just accidentally switched the number of wins and losses in my head.

Either way, it’s a new year, and I love what’s in front of us. While statically we have one of the hardest schedules in the country, I like the way it breaks for us and think it definitely sets up a nice opportunity. I look at it as 3 different groups of games:

The Must Wins – NIU, CMU, Wake, UVa, Uconn. Based on what we’ve seen over the past few years these are certainly not “locks” by any stretch of the imagination, but unequivocally need all 5 for a truly successful year to even be a possibility.

The Toss-Ups – Notre Dame, NC State, Syracuse. Yes Notre Dame is in this group. Let’s face it, they are the single most overrated team in CFB every year (NC State is the only other one even close), Daz played them tremendously close when they were top 5 and we were the worst team in the country, and they’ll be coming off an emotionally draining Georgia game for an early kickoff on the Heights. We have not beaten them since we were seniors in High School, but I think this is our best chance to break through since the Monteezy fumble on the 2 yard line. We seem to always have NC State’s number, and they are also highly overrated, and Syracuse is a team we should beat every year but seem to have a damn hard time with.

The Uphill Battles – Clemson, VaTech, Louisville, Florida State. Put simply these will not be easy games to win. Clemson and FSU speak for themselves (though FSU on a red bandana night means anything can happen), and both Va Tech and Louisville torched us last year and are not much worse this year. While I certainly think we’ve gotten much better, there was a pretty huge performance disparity that will be tough to overcome one year later. If we can somehow grab 1 or 2 of these though, we can start talking about Daz’s statue.

So without further ado, here is my official game by game breakdown.

Week 1 – @UNI – WIN. Vegas has us at an INSULTING 3 point favorite right now, but this shouldn’t be close. They couldn’t beat us when they were MAC champs and we had John Fadule under center, and they’ve gotten considerably worse since then. Think we cruise by a few touchdowns.

Week 2 – Wake – WIN. If we can beat teams when we were as bad as we were last year (and don’t let our end of season run fool you, we stunk), I can’t possibly predict a loss.

Week 3 – Notre Dame – WIN. For all of the reasons I mentioned earlier. This has been a long-time coming, could be the end for Brian Kelly.

Week 4 - @Clemson – Loss. Think we play them pretty well, but we’re just not there yet.

Week 5 – CMU – WIN. Easy money.

Week 6 – VT – WIN. I know this will be a major uphill battle, but I just have to imagine our defense will not possibly get torched like last year with how our DB’s have looked in camp. Plus with our revamped O-line (buncha dudes), RB’s and hopefully QB play, I think this turns into a massive, season changing upset win.

Week 7 – @Louisville – Loss. Back down to earth after a huge win the week before. No answer for Lamar.

Week 8 - @UVA – WIN. Get back to our winning ways against a perennial ACC bottomfeeder (counterpoint, this is our official road trip game of the year, and other than Umass I’ve never seen BC win on the road in person. Just an FYI).

Week 9 –FSU – WIN. What the hell. Red Bandana, cold October Friday Night, the boys are riding a 6-2 record with tons of confidence and a packed house? Biggest win in the Addazio era, feels good to storm the field again.

Week 10 – Bye. Love our chances this week against a winless opponent. And comes at a good time for us to collect ourselves after the huge win 7 days before and prep for the back stretch.

Week 11 – NC State – WIN. Over-rated.

Week 12 – Uconn (Fenway) – WIN. Not close, just like last year. Fenway Franks on deck.

Week 13 - @Cuse – WIN. This one scares me, but if we come in as hot as I think we will be I don’t see the Dome stopping us.

There you have it. 10-2. Optimistic? You bet your ass. Crazy? Potentially. Will it happen? Only time will tell. What I do know is that there is no fun in predicting something like a 6 win schedule. Go back to your daytime television naps, ole’ boring ass gramma. And as if you need one more reason, “The Road to 10-2” sounds much better than 9-3, 8-4, 7-5, etc. Yes 11-1/12-0 are cooler but baby steps. Don’t let me down, Eags.