3 Months Away

[GV Dad]

Just about 3 months away until the season opener. Interested to hear what everyone's expectations of the 2018 season are? If we can fill some holes on the OL, I like our chances to put up a lot of points. The DL looked great at the Spring game, that should help the LB and DB core.

I'll say 9-2 with an upset of Illinois (Just because it's on my Birthday!). After that, I think we get a bye and a Home game; then at least 2 playoff wins.

[leatherneckcountry]

I've said it before and I will say it again in the 9 years that I've been following WIU athletics I've never gone into a season thinking we could be 3-8 or 8-3 I'll put us somewhere in the middle with 6-5.

[GV Dad]

6-5 would be a good over/under. I really think replacing the O Line is the key.

[sealhall74]

6-5 would be a good over/under. I really think replacing the O Line is the key.

O-Line is always the key. They cant score if they aint got the ball. Last year we were a wishfull successfull run-first team. Never materialized. Fingers crossed this year is different.

[LocalYokelFan]

I'll go 4-7. Wins vs. MSU, SIU, ISU(b), and one of the Montanas. O-lined struggled vs. the upper tier teams last year and will have some growing pains this year. The wildcard is McGuire -- he's the real deal. A team with a superior QB always has a shot, and there won't be many match-ups where he won't be the better QB. But too much staff and player turnover beyond that for me to be too optimistic.

[GV Dad]

Sometimes you get addition by subtraction. Hoping this is the case with this staff. Was hoping they would dump the 3-4 though.

Totally agree about McGuire, he is the real deal. And with Acklin gone, it will force the offense to spread the ball around more.

Your 4-7 I hope is too low, as I'm sure you do as well. But, in the MVFC and with the Non Con sched we have, we are a couple key injuries and bad breaks from that being the end result.

[ST_Lawson]

So...last year I predicted 5-3 in the conference and 7-4 overall: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1418
We ended up 5-3 in the conference and 8-3 overall (regular season)...a little better than I thought.

I plan on doing my full preseason predictions like I did last year, but here's my quick first-impression predictions...
We go 2-1 OOC, probably losing to Illinois, although possible we beat Illinois and have a let-down against Montana the next week. If we play as well as we did last year, we could win all three, but I think 2-1 is more likely.
vs YSU - we win a close one
@ ILSU - we lose a close one (I think they'll be very much improved this year over last year)
vs NDSU - we lose (might be within 20 if we're lucky...NDSU is going to have probably the best defensive player in the country this year with Jabril Cox)
@ MSU - we win
vs UNI - we win...very close one...maybe OT
@ SIU - we lose a close one (I feel like they're going to step up a bit this year also)
@ USD - we win (they have some solid players, but aren't the same without Streveler)
vs INSU - we win bigly

Like I predicted for last year, 5-3 in conference, 7-4 overall. I know it seems like I'm just punting this, but this is based on what I hear from other fans reporting back about their returning talent and compared with who we'll have back. I'd love to finish better than my prediction though.

[GV Dad]

I've been a Kansas Jayhawk season ticket holder for 15 years. I've seen my share of upsets from FCS teams. I'm ready to be on the other side of one of those!