OK, Go. Since you insist. Here are my preliminary impressions, subject to change at the end of fall practice.
Everything is based upon improved quarterback play, the result of internal competition. And upon a restored defense.
4-0 OOC
Remember that Samford quarterback who threw on nearly every down in the 2016 playoff game. Last season as a senior, he won the Walter Payton award and set the all-time FCS passing records. Yet with that weapon, Samford finished only 6-5 in a weak conference.
Duquesne beat Towson from the CAA decisively in the playoffs last year, but then SDSU exterminated them in the next round.
3-1 in MVFC home games
SDSU lost their elite quarterback. NDSU lost their elite quarterback, lots of other seniors, and their coach.
We should win one of those games
If the defense is restored, we should beat Western Illinois and Illinois State.
2-2 best case; 1-3 worse case in MVFC road games
We can't beat UNI in that stupid gym.
We should lose no more than one to the combination of Southern Illinois, South Dakota, and Indiana State.
Dropping a third road game will cost us a spot in the playoffs
So I am going with 9-3. We will probably get one inexplicable loss and finish 8-4.