This week, we'll be recording the preseason predictions of the editorial staff here at BOTC. In the effort of being completely transparent (as is the theme of the university right now), we wanted to get these out as soon as fall camp starts before, presumably, players on our team and other teams are lost for the season for one reason or another. That way, we can always go back and say, "Uh yeah, I had no idea the third string gunner was going to get injured. Otherwise, my prediction would have been WAY different."
We end our week with TB's assessment.
- Projected Overall Record: 6-6
- Projected Conference Record: 3-5
- Best Chance for an Upset: Missouri
- Best Chance to be Upset: Texas A&M
- Team MVP: Brandon Harold
- Offensive MVP: Brandon Banks
- Defensive MVP: Brandon Harold
- Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Daniel Thomas
- Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Jeffrey Fitzgerald
Analysis:
I'm really splitting the difference on the overall record above. As Pan and I have discussed, the season hinges on a couple games, and could be a resounding success or a crushing failure based on the outcomes. First, we have the UCLA game. If we go out to Pasadena and bring home a win, it could turn into an interesting season, as we will almost certainly be undefeated as the calendar turns to October in that case. If we lose that game, we're just another 3-1 team in the non-conference.
A little later in the season, the Colorado game in Manhattan looms large in setting the tone for the season's stretch run. Under the best-case scenario, we could come into that game 6-1, with the sole loss coming in the game in Lubbock. Opinion on Colorado varies this season, but I'm still clinging to the opinion that they could compete in the North this year. If they do, this game could keep us in the hunt for the North title as November nears, and with it a difficult stretch run looms.
In lieu of breaking down each game, I'll just group them:
Likely Losses: @ Texas Tech, Oklahoma, @ Nebraska
Tossups: UCLA, Texas A&M, Colorado, KU, Missouri
Likely Wins: UMass, Louisiana, Tennessee Tech, Iowa State
On the individual team honors, I went conservative by choosing Banks on offense and Harold on defense. It's tempting to pick Daniel Thomas, but I can't do that until I actually see him play in purple. It was tempting to pick Joshua Moore on defense, but I went with Harold for no real reason other than I think he could have a helluva season in the trenches.