Hokie Mark
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David Hale's Schedule Analysis
1. ACC vs. SEC rivalries get started early
First 3 weeks:
Louisville vs. Alabama (Orlando, FL)
Miami vs. LSU (Arlington, TX)
Clemson @ Texas A&M
2. No short weeks for FSU, Clemson
Florida State went to Boston College on a Friday last season and was walloped. Clemson went to Syracuse on a Friday and endured one of the year's most stunning upsets. This season? Neither team has to play a non-Saturday affair (aside from FSU's Monday night opener)...
3. The Seminoles won't have it easy ... again
Notre Dame rotates back onto the schedule, and the Seminoles are stuck with the top two teams from the Coastal in their cross-divisional games -- the opener vs. Virginia Tech and an Oct. 6 date at Miami. And in a particularly brutal stretch, FSU will endure road games vs. Louisville, Miami, NC State and Notre Dame all within a six-week span, with a showdown against Clemson and the always tough Wake Forest sandwiched in between. Yikes.
4. Three weeks will determine Clemson's place in the Atlantic
...from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3, when the Tigers host NC State, travel to Florida State and host Louisville, back to back to back.
5. The Tar Heels have to travel
The first two weeks might tell us a lot about North Carolina, as the Heels will go on the road vs. California and East Carolina. Both are winnable games (neither opponent played in a bowl last year), but neither will be a cakewalk...
6. Is this NC State's year?
...the Wolfpack get five of their first six games at home... They'll also get Florida State and Wake Forest in Raleigh... [and they always play Clemson tough, even on the road].
7. Virginia can take another step
nonconference: Richmond, Ohio and Liberty [at home] and a road game at Indiana. The Cavaliers also get the defending division champs, Miami, along with Louisville at home... this is a manageable schedule for Bronco Mendenhall's group to get to seven or eight wins.
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01-18-2018 01:40 PM |
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HRFlossY
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
Interesting indeed...
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01-18-2018 02:28 PM |
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H.U.S.T.L.E.
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
I guess it's possible, but I just don't see Virginia taking another step.
They lost their 3 best players on defense (Blanding, Kiser & Brown), starting QB, 2 of their top 3 WRs, both OTs... that's from their best squad since 2011, and this team finished the regular season 6-6 and got blown out in their bowl game.
Color me skeptical. I've said it before, but Bronco isn't lighting it up in recruiting in a division that's going to get tougher with Miami & VT regaining their form.
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01-18-2018 02:32 PM |
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HRFlossY
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
(01-18-2018 02:32 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote: I guess it's possible, but I just don't see Virginia taking another step.
They lost their 3 best players on defense (Blanding, Kiser & Brown), starting QB, 2 of their top 3 WRs, both OTs... that's from their best squad since 2011, and this team finished the regular season 6-6 and got blown out in their bowl game.
Color me skeptical. I've said it before, but Bronco isn't lighting it up in recruiting in a division that's going to get tougher with Miami & VT regaining their form.
I think it's because the schedule is so bad this year.... they have a lot of crappy games is all.....I think??
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01-18-2018 02:42 PM |
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Hokie Mark
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
(01-18-2018 02:42 PM)HRFlossY Wrote: (01-18-2018 02:32 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote: I guess it's possible, but I just don't see Virginia taking another step.
They lost their 3 best players on defense (Blanding, Kiser & Brown), starting QB, 2 of their top 3 WRs, both OTs... that's from their best squad since 2011, and this team finished the regular season 6-6 and got blown out in their bowl game.
Color me skeptical. I've said it before, but Bronco isn't lighting it up in recruiting in a division that's going to get tougher with Miami & VT regaining their form.
I think it's because the schedule is so bad this year.... they have a lot of crappy games is all.....I think??
Agree... I think all he is saying is that the schedule is easy enough for UVA to win 7 or 8 games. I would put the over/under at 6, but I could see 7.
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01-18-2018 03:02 PM |
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Dr. Isaly von Yinzer
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
Pitt has by far the toughest schedule in the conference. Only six home games – half of which are played before Sept. 15. Pitt also has road games at Notre Dame and “defending national champion” and undefeated, UCF (who returns almost everyone).
Pitt’s home slate features a game with Penn State. That all adds up to a really tough season for the Panthers. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.
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01-20-2018 08:32 AM |
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Hokie Mark
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RE: David Hale's Schedule Analysis
(01-20-2018 08:32 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote: Pitt has by far the toughest schedule in the conference. Only six home games – half of which are played before Sept. 15. Pitt also has road games at Notre Dame and “defending national champion” and undefeated, UCF (who returns almost everyone).
Pitt’s home slate features a game with Penn State. That all adds up to a really tough season for the Panthers. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.
Pitt could be much better and still go 6-6. Crazy ooc schedule.
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01-21-2018 08:22 AM |
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