prediction. Yes, I expect many if not just about everyone to disagree and state their reasons. My reasoning follows.
- The overall experiences from the 2016 season
- The returning, experienced players - across both O and D
- This being the second year of Joe and his exciting, effective O
- You must have witnessed how pumped and excited the players are for 2017
- A strengthened O Line with depth featuring both experience and youth
- The 2017 schedule. We should be 5 and 0 at the end of September. Iowa and IN both will shoot for upsets of course. Iowa will be very stubborn as a D.
- We should go 4 and 0 in November. MS will be up for us but we should prevail. Nebraska is a ? but, again, I believe we prevail.
- That leaves a challenging October with NW, M and OS. NW may be the surprise challenge as Phil has been suggesting. No reason to doubt that. But, once again, I have the faith we win. M will be tough but we have them at home - Whiteout? Really think our guys don't forget last year's beat down while we were already down due to injuries. We will win this tough game IMHO. We also have two weeks to prep for it. Now the game most think we will lose at the shoe: OS. Not me. I remember well SBs romp two years ago which included a ref cancelled TD and about 180 yards without that 28 yard romp. Last year we won on an excellent ST play and head's up return. This year we bring a much more strengthened and experienced team (see above) into Columbus. I really don't think our men will be intimidated by the shoe. The sleeper/surprise element is whatever the new O will bring to bear against us. We are a second-half team. If we fall behind in the 1st half I believe Joe and James adjust and the men play their hearts out realizing that this is a prelude to where they want to be in the final four. I say we win in Columbus.
