Not that I am following the season with such "goals" or rankings in mind any longer--but overall I'd say that they ALL currently strike me as "WAY off"...NOT just in their having TOTALLY dismissed US but in over many so many others. I have seen most of them PLAY, and as have noted here repeatedly, only a handful have impressed in the slightest--and NONE without reservation at times.
I am watching the replay of the Mizzou game now, so I'm not ABOUT to debate FLORIDA'S deserving positive merits right now (our repeated failures on 3rd and long alone are just impossible to ignore--I mean, WTF??!).
But somehow we are 4-2 having played one of the toughest schedules in the FBS so far.
Granted they haven't looked "impressive" themselves getting here--but neither have most of these so-called "ranked teams" either.
As I say, though, that isn't an issue I am particularly focused on at this point:
This is a season that pretty well DEFINES the term "transitional" for us. The one positive analytical point here that I find any hope in is our being projected into ANY post-sdason Bowl game (in this case something called "The Las Vegas Bowl")...We need all the extended practice time, game experience, and publicity (for recruiting's sake) we can get right now.
So I say, "HELL with the hype!"...Just get and stay healthy, develop as a team and program, and get some WINS--enough to HAVE a "post-season".
Our Coach recognizes our weakness and limitations. He of all folks knows that "GETTING BETTER" is what it's all about for us now. Getting to BE a "complete team". The talent and depth will come later (the sooner the better--but for the moment only nature, rehab and "healing time" can help us there)...for now, it's practice. dedication, hard work, the film room and of course GAME experience that are our allies.
This last game shows it all:
We SHOULD have blown them out--and yet could just as easily have lost, given the crucial breakdowns. There is work to do--and still at least half-a-season to get it DONE.