Realistic expectations for this year

[MSUcat44]

Hello everyone! This off season has felt brutally long for me. I am stressing about missing out on the championship last year. I don’t know what’s everyone’s opinions are on who the starting qb will be. Yes I know they can’t live up to Tommy but it’s not a dire situation is it?
But what are the realistic expectations this year? The first 2 games are brutal of course. How far can we get to the playoffs? Is a championship game still reasonable?

[catatac]

Hello everyone! This off season has felt brutally long for me. I am stressing about missing out on the championship last year. I don’t know what’s everyone’s opinions are on who the starting qb will be. Yes I know they can’t live up to Tommy but it’s not a dire situation is it?
But what are the realistic expectations this year? The first 2 games are brutal of course. How far can we get to the playoffs? Is a championship game still reasonable?

I think it's reasonable to expect that the Cats will probably lose to Oregon. Then onto SDSU for Gold Rush. SDSU has a damn good program going there so I think this game is going to be an epic brawl. I don't know which team will be favored heading into that game but I think it would be silly to bet against the CATS at home, with a fired up God Rush night game crowd nonetheless. So if the Cats win that one they should be favored in every remaining game on the schedule, until Cat-Griz, and might be favored in that one as well. Just depends on how the rest of the season shakes out.

All that said, with all the returning talent across this roster, and super importantly excellent talent and depth on both lines... I'm saying the Cats head into Cat-Griz at 9-2 with that game being super important in terms of playoff seeding, as usual.

As to your last question, I don't think making it to the Semis or back to the championship is unreasonable. I'm also on record saying NDSU wins it all again this season. Pretty safe bet there.

[BelligerentBobcat]

Top 2 in conference, at least quarterfinals depending on the draw.

[WalkOn79]

Hello everyone! This off season has felt brutally long for me. I am stressing about missing out on the championship last year. I don’t know what’s everyone’s opinions are on who the starting qb will be. Yes I know they can’t live up to Tommy but it’s not a dire situation is it?
But what are the realistic expectations this year? The first 2 games are brutal of course. How far can we get to the playoffs? Is a championship game still reasonable?

I think it's reasonable to expect that the Cats will probably lose to Oregon. Then onto SDSU for Gold Rush. SDSU has a damn good program going there so I think this game is going to be an epic brawl. I don't know which team will be favored heading into that game but I think it would be silly to bet against the CATS at home, with a fired up God Rush night game crowd nonetheless. So if the Cats win that one they should be favored in every remaining game on the schedule, until Cat-Griz, and might be favored in that one as well. Just depends on how the rest of the season shakes out.

All that said, with all the returning talent across this roster, and super importantly excellent talent and depth on both lines... I'm saying the Cats head into Cat-Griz at 9-2 with that game being super important in terms of playoff seeding, as usual.

As to your last question, I don't think making it to the Semis or back to the championship is unreasonable. I'm also on record saying NDSU wins it all again this season. Pretty safe bet there.

I agree with all of this. Best OL and DL returning in the conference and best RB room. That's a good place to start if you want to run it back.

[MSU01]

I don't see any reason to not set getting back to Frisc...er, Nashville as a reasonable expectation. Nothing's guaranteed and the SDSU game could prove to be highly pivotal when it comes to playoff seeding time, but other than NDSU what FCS team clearly has a better shot to get there than the Bobcats?

I'd give Justin Lamson the edge to start at QB at least initially.

[jgrilley406]

It’ll be like last year and most years at that. Winner of the brawl will get home field through out loser has to go through Fargo.

[CodyCat]

NDSU will win it all without breaking a sweat. After that it’s pretty open. Every contender will start a new QB this year.

I think MSU’s toss up games are:
SDSU
At NAU
Davis
gris

Guaranteed loss at Oregon.

8-4 should be worst case.
11-1 is probably best case.

[coloradocat]

The new song played for teams going to the championship will be Dixieland Delight.

[canyoncat]

I am going to say at worst 10 - 2 at best 11 - 1. Really like our DL and LB's. I think the defense is going to play well. O-Line is very good and the best RB room in the conference. I also think the WR's will be better than expected. TE's are very good. Look for Hunter Providence to emerge as a top TE in the conference. He reminds me of the transfer from Miami a few years back (can't remember his name). We have the best QB HC coach in the conference. I have no doubt who ever Vigen picks will play well.

Will lose to Oregon and so far Vigen has not proven he can win in Missoula or anytime against NDSU. Maybe this is the year.

[damnyoutuesday]

I see absolute worst case scenario 8-4

Ceiling is 11-1. I'm 100% assuming Oregon is a loss no matter what

[TomCat88]

11-1, loss to Oregon.
National championship.

The defense is going to be really good. Hout is a great coach. The players love him. The two-deep is very good. Timing is everything and MSU having this defense this year is crucial

MSU isn’t going to move the ball in the same way as it has in the past. But it’s going to be very effective and efficient.

Lots of good leaders. This is very overlooked. Not as well known as Grebe and Mellott but more of them. Dowler, Brott, Eiden 4, Fleischmann, Jones, Davis, Grebe. Fleischmann and Grebe are going to surprise people.

[catatac]

I see absolute worst case scenario 8-4

Ceiling is 11-1. I'm 100% assuming Oregon is a loss no matter what

I agree I can't get myself to hold out any hope that the Cats could upset Oregon... or even make it a close game for that matter. Not sure why I feel that way, As we saw the Griz march into Husky Stadium and take down the FBS power Huskies a few years ago. Oregon lost a ton of players off last year's team. I wonder if the Bison program and all their fans would be predicting a blowout loss at Oregon? Probably not. Again, I am predicting a beat down of the Cats but just saying.

[SparkCat]

I see absolute worst case scenario 8-4

Ceiling is 11-1. I'm 100% assuming Oregon is a loss no matter what

I agree I can't get myself to hold out any hope that the Cats could upset Oregon... or even make it a close game for that matter. Not sure why I feel that way, As we saw the Griz march into Husky Stadium and take down the FBS power Huskies a few years ago. Oregon lost a ton of players off last year's team. I wonder if the Bison program and all their fans would be predicting a blowout loss at Oregon? Probably not. Again, I am predicting a beat down of the Cats but just saying.

Does not help that last year the Vandals, somehow, made it a close game. Ducks won’t be looking last this game, this time around.

[TomCat88]

I see absolute worst case scenario 8-4

Ceiling is 11-1. I'm 100% assuming Oregon is a loss no matter what

I agree I can't get myself to hold out any hope that the Cats could upset Oregon... or even make it a close game for that matter. Not sure why I feel that way, As we saw the Griz march into Husky Stadium and take down the FBS power Huskies a few years ago. Oregon lost a ton of players off last year's team. I wonder if the Bison program and all their fans would be predicting a blowout loss at Oregon? Probably not. Again, I am predicting a beat down of the Cats but just saying.

FBS power? UW was vastly overrated and finished 4-8 that season.

[lutecat]

Times are completely different than when Cum beat the huskies. NiL has made the gap wider. And as pointed out, UW was not good that year.

[gtapp]

At a meeting in Billings Vigen said he felt this years team will be better than last years team. If you look at each position I can see his reasoning. I still think that without Tommy I am not sure how we will have that same edge we had when Tommy was on the field. It should be a fun year!

[FA_Q_M]

Nashville or bust...

Maybe I've had too much koolaid, but i think our Bobcats will field a team this year that will be just as good, if not better, than last year. I'm aware of the elephant in the room, but god damn, look at both of our lines. Championship caliber by my arm chair analysis. Hands down the best team in the conference (by a WIDE margin) and absolutely top 3 in the country. I say again: Nashville or bust.

[MSU01]

It’ll be like last year and most years at that. Winner of the brawl will get home field through out loser has to go through Fargo.

If MSU loses to SDSU and then SDSU ends up 11-1 with a loss to NDSU, then even if they win out and go 10-2 MSU is looking at the #3 seed and a road semifinal. That SDSU game at Gold Rush is absolutely crucial, I think it will prove to have a significant impact on playoff seeding come November.

[BelligerentBobcat]

At a meeting in Billings Vigen said he felt this years team will be better than last years team. If you look at each position I can see his reasoning. I still think that without Tommy I am not sure how we will have that same edge we had when Tommy was on the field. It should be a fun year!

I’ve been saying this!

I think the floor for this team is top 3 in the BSC. I honestly, truly, believe that as good as Tommy was, if one of the QB’s shows that he can be a legitimate passing threat, the offense has the potential to be better than last year. They won’t be as good as Tommy by any means, but they could help the offense be better. The DL is one of the best, if not the best, that I’ve seen here. The depth is incredible. Really the only spots I’m worried about are the DB’s, and that’s more because of experience than talent.

[TomCat88]

At a meeting in Billings Vigen said he felt this years team will be better than last years team. If you look at each position (player and coaching) I can see his reasoning. I still think that without Tommy I am not sure how we will have that same edge we had when Tommy was on the field. It should be a fun year!

FIFY