My Take at the Beginning of the Season

Back in August the forum over at ESPN 1430 had just started and Bulldog football was one of the first topics on the board. A thread was started about where the Dogs would finish the year here was my .02 cents back in the summer: (it was easy to retrieve because no posts on this forum anymore)

I love the Bulldogs and had been a supporter of Pat Hill, but honestly I have my doubts. The 'Dogs should have been outright WAC champs in 2001 and last year, and should have at least tied in 2003 will all the talent they had. Pat Hill has his most talented team now, for the third year in a row. 9-5 in 03 to 9-3 last year, so if the curve proves true, the Dogs should lose only one game and finish 12-1.

Hill's teams have not been consistent for a whole season. The closest they came was the last six games last year. If they can maintain it for the whole season 12-1 is possible. I don't think they can maintain it. I predict a dominating win over Oregon and a strong 6-0 start with a top 12 or higher ranking. But, all will come crashing down at Hawaii, in typical Hill fashion. Hawaii does not have it's best team this year, but by Oct 29 they should have their kinks out and are always tough at home especially against Fresno. Hill has never won on the island even when he has had a better team than the Warriors like in 97, 99, and 01. Much like the loss at Louisiana Tech, Hill will fail to put away the home team and lose a heartbreaker, killing his dream season weeks before Boise State and USC. With BCS dreams gone, I doubt this team will beat a weaker, but always consistent Boise State team or have a prayer against USC. I predict 9-3, two WAC losses, and a Hawaii Bowl berth, a typical underachieving Pat Hill season.

Hopefully, the last six games were not a mirage and Hill has finally figured it out, and I am wrong on my prediction. Because this years team is really loaded. Weakness at DL was a concern, but with Ricky Miller returning this year as a DE that could be an afterthought. SS is suspect with James Sanders gone, but Vince Mays is a stud and Awan Diles does have three years starting experience as a CB. In an ideal world the 'Dogs pound the football and finish in the top 3 nationally in rushing. Pinegar attempts at most 20 passes a game and completes over 70% them with about 20 tds and no more than 5 ints on the season. All this leads to a 9-0 start and fingers crossed Nov 19 in the Coliseum._________________Go Dogs win the WAC! If Pat Hill can not win a WAC title this year, what more does he need..........Dan Hawkins?

I hate being right. I thought maybe if I didn't have such high expectations, Fresno State would finally exceed them. Although, my predictions on the win/losses were not exactly correct, I was right about a typical underachieving season.