07-12-2016, 08:23 PM
I believe that this is what will ultimately be the deciding factor of whether this season is viewed as a step in the right direction or not. Most ECU fans expect a bowl trip but most prognostications are predicting that the team will hover around bowl eligibility.
Looking at the schedule, it will be fairly tough. Other than Western Carolina I wouldn't be surprised at winning or losing to any team. Going at least 2-2 OOC (against WCU, NCSU, VT & SC) seems important given the strength of the conference these days. History suggests that ECU is likely to win against at least one of the P5 clubs. In conference, I think a win is likely over UCF and SMU (both at home). Two slightly tougher games against Navy and UCONN are also both at home but I feel confident that at worst those are split. Then ECU would have to win at least one road game against either Tulsa, Cincy, Temple, or USF to get to 6. I think Tulsa is the most likely win from that tough road slate (although that's not gonna be easy this year) but odds are the team figures out how to win at least one of those 4 games and goes bowling.
The optimist in me wants to think ECU steals 2 of the 3 against NCSU, VT & SC then runs the table in conference at home (UCF, Navy, UCONN, SMU) and also finds a way to win 2 of those tough AAC road games (Tulsa, Cincy, Temple & USF) and finishes 9-3 (6-2 AAC) but my modest non-biased gut feel is that the Pirates win about 7 this year.
Looking at the schedule, it will be fairly tough. Other than Western Carolina I wouldn't be surprised at winning or losing to any team. Going at least 2-2 OOC (against WCU, NCSU, VT & SC) seems important given the strength of the conference these days. History suggests that ECU is likely to win against at least one of the P5 clubs. In conference, I think a win is likely over UCF and SMU (both at home). Two slightly tougher games against Navy and UCONN are also both at home but I feel confident that at worst those are split. Then ECU would have to win at least one road game against either Tulsa, Cincy, Temple, or USF to get to 6. I think Tulsa is the most likely win from that tough road slate (although that's not gonna be easy this year) but odds are the team figures out how to win at least one of those 4 games and goes bowling.
The optimist in me wants to think ECU steals 2 of the 3 against NCSU, VT & SC then runs the table in conference at home (UCF, Navy, UCONN, SMU) and also finds a way to win 2 of those tough AAC road games (Tulsa, Cincy, Temple & USF) and finishes 9-3 (6-2 AAC) but my modest non-biased gut feel is that the Pirates win about 7 this year.