Why?
I mean, I know some predictions in this thread are just homerific, sunshine pumping, having-fun-wishful-thinking, but does anyone really think we'll only lose to LSU and Alabama?
Fact is, it's a prediction thread. I get my ass jumped here all the time for being "too serious" about football. So, if I put my serious hat on, which y'all hate, I can make this prediction: I don't have a fucking clue, and neither do you or anybody else if they're making a "serious prediction" based on what they think they "know". I don't see any way a team that returns a good number of starters on both sides of the ball does worse than they did last year. That said, a key component of any team is an unknown at Auburn this year. I have high hopes for Frazier, but I just don't know. The offense will be totally different (or it's supposed to be...Loeffler has the diverse background to make it just like it was pretty much), and what he'll be asked to do is anybody's guess. I suspect he'll be asked to manage the game, not make mistakes, that we'll lean on the run game, run clock, play defense and field position. I look for a FB and a lot of TEs to be used in a ground and pound type game. Game flow will go back to more Tubs like strategy. The people that like to do so will complain about that too. But then again, they may find Frazier can help most if he's part of the run game. I don't know. If Frazier is a flop, then look out, it could be very ugly.
I expect the defense to look better, and be better, but the LB corp is a glaring weakness when it comes to depth. The DT position last year was weak. Will they improve? Obviously the overall defensive strategy can't get any worse than under Roof. BVG has a proven track record. Does he have the players to make it work? I know some folks, with an opinion I value, that think we lack overall talent on defense. Could be that they mean they were just young and not physically ready last year, and maybe they've grown up some. Whitaker and Blackson for example were not the big run stoppers they're supposed to be. Will another off season and new scheme change that?
Injuries can change an entire season. Complete unknown.
Bottom line is I don't think Ark. is going to be all that, and I think that we were capable of beating Clemson last year, but for a horrific Defense. We have the advantage of them having no clue what we're going to look like scheme wise on either side of the ball, and they're without Watkins, so I think we win that one. In my mind the only games you can't put a W by are Bammer, LSU, Ark, aTm, and UGA. As stated, I think we beat Ark, aTm could be decent, but they have a new QB so I say that's a win. UGA will choke at some point, and I say we get them.
It's nothing more than a stab at a guess no matter what you predict.
That's why.