Here is how I look at it.
1. Most people didnt have us winning the conference this year, in the end we finished about where we were predicted to finish in most peoples predictions, so performing how we were expected is fine. We love outperforming expectations but sometimes that doesnt happen.
2. I also remember years we would have killed for an 8 win season, and in the end we can still finish with 9 wins, which in our history is a very rare thing. So there is nothing to hang our heads about. 9 wins or more has happened less than 5 times in the history of the program.
3. If you really look at the big picture, we were really close to having as many as 11 wins, which is pretty phenomenal. Looking at 3 out of our 4 losses were by 1 score or less. That means 1 less injury, one ball that bounced our way, 1 catch instead of drop, 1 broken tackle, or any other simple thing went our way and those losses could very easily been wins. I remember years when our losses were by many scores not just 1. So even with all that went wrong with injuries etc. we were really close to overcoming them, which would have meant an amazing season.
We all really wanted more this season, we all hoped for more, but in the end this has turned out to be a good season, a season well above average, a season that yes could have went better but also one that could have been much worse. I personally will be just fine with average years having 8-10 wins, down years having 6-7, and great years having 11+ wins. That is something I had only dreamed of not that long ago, a time that just getting bowl eligible was considered great.
1. Most people didnt have us winning the conference this year, in the end we finished about where we were predicted to finish in most peoples predictions, so performing how we were expected is fine. We love outperforming expectations but sometimes that doesnt happen.
2. I also remember years we would have killed for an 8 win season, and in the end we can still finish with 9 wins, which in our history is a very rare thing. So there is nothing to hang our heads about. 9 wins or more has happened less than 5 times in the history of the program.
3. If you really look at the big picture, we were really close to having as many as 11 wins, which is pretty phenomenal. Looking at 3 out of our 4 losses were by 1 score or less. That means 1 less injury, one ball that bounced our way, 1 catch instead of drop, 1 broken tackle, or any other simple thing went our way and those losses could very easily been wins. I remember years when our losses were by many scores not just 1. So even with all that went wrong with injuries etc. we were really close to overcoming them, which would have meant an amazing season.
We all really wanted more this season, we all hoped for more, but in the end this has turned out to be a good season, a season well above average, a season that yes could have went better but also one that could have been much worse. I personally will be just fine with average years having 8-10 wins, down years having 6-7, and great years having 11+ wins. That is something I had only dreamed of not that long ago, a time that just getting bowl eligible was considered great.
