Honest Expectations - Vote and comment with your explanation.

[Sensi]

In light of the numbers, the experience, the coaching staff, the schedule, and whatever else you want to use, what is the reasonable number of wins to expect this year and why?

[AWK]

I honestly believe that 8 wins is the measuring stick.  Anything above that would be a great season, anything below, would be shitty smelly stinky.

[Ogre]

I have us at 7-5 as a best-case scenario right now.  I think we will come out of the gate looking good, but playing 11 straight games without a bye week will take a large toll on our starters, and I don't think we have the quality depth we need to make a run.  Here is my game-by-game take:

Louisiana Tech - W
Mississippi State - W
West Virginia - L
Ball State - W
Tennessee - W
Arkansas - L
Kentucky - W
LSU - L
Mississippi - W
Furman - W
Georgia - L
Alabama - L

[AUChizad]

I'm hoping for any improvement over last year, which is why I said 6 wins.

Our schedule is tougher than last year's for the most part with all the big road games (except for WVU & uat & maybe Ole Miss?) being away.

However, I think the fact that we have basically the same team, plus the team unity we lacked last year. A QB with the vote of confidence from the team, let alone physically "fixed". We're being counted out, and the underdog role has always served us well. New coaching staff's freshness and overall more fired-up attitude.

I'm hoping for six wins and a bowl win...so I guess I should have said 7. Anything beyond that is gravy.

Edit: Looking at the schedule as Brad pointed out... I voted 6, but really should have said 8. Especially with the bowl win. I see all of those he had marked as W's as coming through, and maybe even one or two he had as L's coming through as well...

[AUTailgatingRules]

La Tech----win
MSU---win
WV---50/50
Ball State--win
UT---50/50
Ark---50/50
UK----win
LSU---35/65
Ole Miss---40/60
Furman---win
UGA---50/50
Bama---40/60 should be less but playing at home should help

Therefore we should have 5 easy wins, 4 games with an even shot of winning, and 3 that we will be a definative underdog.  Win the 5 easy ones, take half of the even match ups, and steal an upset = 8 wins.

Could be worse but just as easily be much better if we stay healthy and get some good breaks.  It has been a couple of years since we have gotten our share of good breaks, maybe this will be the year.

[AWK]

I have us at 7-5 as a best-case scenario right now.  I think we will come out of the gate looking good, but playing 11 straight games without a bye week will take a large toll on our starters, and I don't think we have the quality depth we need to make a run.  Here is my game-by-game take:

Louisiana Tech - W
Mississippi State - W
West Virginia - L
Ball State - W
Tennessee - W
Arkansas - L
Kentucky - W
LSU - L
Mississippi - W
Furman - W
Georgia - L
Alabama - L

You have us losing to Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and WVU, but beating Ole Miss?  Georgia lost their entire offense, plus we owe them a few.  The only hot thing at Tennessee is Lane Kiffen's wife, and WVU lost Pat White...  

[Saniflush]

7....

cause I said.

bitch.

[Buzz Killington]

Barring a season ending injury to an OL or LB starter, the only three games I can honestly say I believe will be losses are at Red Stick, in Athens and probably on the day after Thanksgiving.
I also think consecutive weeks in Knoxville and Fayetteville will take their toll. 

Here's how I believe they will get to 8-4 and a Music City Bowl appearance:
vs. La Tech - W
vs. MSU - W
vs. WVU - W
vs. Ball St. - W
@  Tennessee - W
@  Arkansas - L
vs. Kentucky - W
@  LSU - L
vs. Mississippi - W
vs. Furman - W
@  Georgia - L
vs. Alabama - L

[Ogre]

You have us losing to Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and WVU, but beating Ole Miss?  Georgia lost their entire offense, plus we owe them a few.  The only hot thing at Tennessee is Lane Kiffen's wife, and WVU lost Pat White...  

I'll take this in bullet-point format:

 - I think UGA will have it together by season's end.  Mark Richt is a good coach.
 - I have us beating Tennessee, you illiterate mommy part.
 - Arkansas will be much-improved over their 2008 team.  I see them as a sleeper in the West.
 - WVU lost Pat White, but they still have Noel Devine. 
 - You forget that Houston Nutt is Ole Miss' coach.  He has never been able to perform well when his teams are picked high.  Plus, I've got sideline passes to that game, so I want to see a victory.

[wesfau2]

I'll take this in bullet-point format:

 - I think UGA will have it together by season's end.  Mark Richt is a good coach.

I agree.

- I have us beating Tennessee, you illiterate mommy part.

I agree that he is an illiterate mommy part.

- Arkansas will be much-improved over their 2008 team.  I see them as a sleeper in the West.

I agree.

- WVU lost Pat White, but they still have Noel Devine.  

We'll take 'em.  White made that team work.  Devine is but a tiny man.  One tiny man.

- You forget that Houston Nutt is Ole Miss' coach.  He has never been able to perform well when his teams are picked high.  Plus, I've got sideline passes to that game, so I want to see a victory.

This will be a glorious fail.  Nutt is a clown.

[Snaggletiger]

Went with 7 simply because our home schedule is not favorable.  I think a bowl is not only possible, it's a must.  Don't forget that the majority of the players that were predicted last year to win the SEC are still here.  The difference is having actual direction and being on the same page.  More wins are possible but LSU, UGA, UT & Arky on the road is a tough order.

[Townhallsavoy]

It's all about injuries. 

We have 21 starters plus one mysterious quarterback that can compete with any team in the SEC.  Florida is the only team in the SEC that I think is a lock to beat us 1's vs. 1's.  Our biggest issue is depth.  If we get hurt in a few key areas, we're done.  Think 6-6 or 7-5 at the best. 

If we can stay healthy and get the job done on defense, then:

Louisiana Tech - W
Mississippi State - W
West Virginia - W
Ball State - W
Tennessee - W
Arkansas - W
Kentucky - W
LSU - L
Mississippi - W
Furman - W
Georgia - L
Alabama - L

9-3 is our best case scenario. 

Realistically, we'll probably slip @Tennessee or @Arkansas. 

I guess I'll pick 7-5 just to stay humble. 

[Birmingham]

Louisiana Tech - W 28-7
Mississippi State - W 3-2
West Virginia - L 10-21
Ball State - W 17-10
Tennessee - L 3-17
--injuries start becoming a factor by this point--
Arkansas - L 10-17
Kentucky - W 24-14
LSU - L 14-17
Mississippi - L 10-28
Furman - W 17-7
Georgia - L 14-28
Alabama - L 7-28

[Sensi]

It's not the first string that concerns me. Well, QB and WR are always concerns. It's the second string which is super thin on numbers and experience that concerns me. Our defense is getting handled in scrimmage because there is no quality depth there. Plain and simple. That takes time to build.

Anything more than 5 or 6 wins this year is hoping for too much too soon.

[The Prowler]

Yeah, 8 or more wins this year....write it down.  Championship.

[Birmingham]

Yeah, 8 or more wins this year....write it down.  Championship.

If you win 8 games are you gonna have one of these?

[Kaos]

Anything more than 5 or 6 wins this year is hoping for too much too soon.

That's not survivable long-term for Chizik. 

Last year, Auburn was picked to win the West.  Most haven't forgotten that. 

Some, like me, rightly point out that with a kick against Vandy, one stop against LSU, one stop against Ole Miss and one completion against Georgia and you're looking at a 9-4, 10-3 team brimming with confidence (and staff continuity) coming into 2009. 

On the other hand, Auburn was also one stop at MSU and a timely fumble against Tennessee from eating a 3-9 turd sandwich.

Luck will play a part in it.  Alabama was 11-0 in the regular season because it avoided injuries and the injuries it had came at opportune times.  Georgia was not so lucky. 

A couple of injuries at the wrong times and Auburn will have some major problems.  That's not Chizik's fault.

It is his fault that the next road game he wins as head coach will be his first.  I don't see a single road win on the schedule for him and that's going to be a major problem.

[Sensi]

I don't see a single road win on the schedule for him and that's going to be a major problem.

The only one with some feasibility is Tennessee, but that is tenuous at best.

[Buzz Killington]

The only one with some feasibility is Tennessee, but that is tenuous at best.

If Auburn loses in Knocksville, I will buy a pitchfork and torch from rws.

[AUTiger1]

I said 7.  Just my gut feeling.  If we can stay healthy on the OL and at LB I see no reason we can't win 7 IMO.