Which Remaining Games Can UConn Win?

[LoyalFanCT]

Even though UConn was ranked 117 among FBS teams in the preseason by SB Nation, UConn may be able to win five or six of its remaining games in 2018.
All 130 teams ranked by Bill Connelly, from Alabama to UTEP

Here are the teams UConn could beat:

Likely:
URI not FBS
UMass preseason ranked 94
East Carolina preseason ranked 128
Tulsa preseason ranked 101
Cincinnati preseason ranked 103

Possible
SMU preseason ranked 74
Syracuse preseason ranked 66

What does everyone else think?

 

[SubbaBub]

If they were a team that executed well but lacked talent they could win all of those games. Alas, they don't execute and lack talent.

3-4 wins if they stop turning it over.

 

[UConnNick]

Even though UConn was ranked 117 among FBS teams in the preseason by SB Nation, UConn may be able to win five or six of its remaining games in 2018.
All 130 teams ranked by Bill Connelly, from Alabama to UTEP

Here are the teams UConn could beat:

Likely:
URI not FBS
UMass preseason ranked 94
East Carolina preseason ranked 128
Tulsa preseason ranked 101

Cincinnati preseason ranked 103

Possible
SMU preseason ranked 74
Syracuse preseason ranked 66

What does everyone else think?

The first three games listed represent the best chance of grabbing at least a couple of W's. Forget about beating Syracuse on the road. Our history vs. Cincy is abysmal, home or away, so I don't expect a W there, even at home. Tulsa's a coin flip but it's a long road trip and tough one to get. SMU is somewhat interesting in early Nov. A combination of bad weather and some intrigue involving the return of our former OC Lashlee could provide a decent shot at a W on our home turf.

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

after what I saw last night, 3-4 wins will be a successful season. They're young and are going to make mistakes. Going up against a national power, in UCF for your opener was a receipe for disaster, next week travel to Boise to play on the blue turf, should be another disaster. Face it, this is what to expect. Getting blown out by the good teams, in and out of conference, holding your own, maybe steal a win or two if you get the breaks, winning against who you're supposed to beat. It is what it is, there's no sense in complaining about it. This is the 2018 edition of UC football.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

How anyone can deem URI "likely" let alone UMass, ECU, Tulsa and Cincinnati is beyond me.

 

[Purple Stein]

How anyone can deem URI "likely" let alone UMass, ECU, Tulsa and Cincinnati is beyond me.

URI won at #15 Delaware last night despite being a 20 point dog.

We should beat URI. But I suspect it’s going to be uglier than most think.

 

[BugsyCT]

@ Boise - nope
URI - should get the W. Should.
@ Syracuse - not likely
Cincy - maybe. We almost had 'em last year.
@ Memphis - no way
@ USF - used to be a rivalry, now they own us. Nope.
UMASS - slight nod to us, we'll see how we are by then
@ Tulsa - doubtful, but we might be able to score points to hang
SMU - we owe those mofos. It'll be tough but it's winnable.
@ East Carolina - tough place to play, but where isn't for us? Will have to see how good/bad ECU is.
Temple - winnable

So some winnable games if the offense does its part but unless the coaches find a way to fix the gaping holes on D, we're gonna give up 30-50 pts every game again.

 

[RSTuthill]

URI and ECU are the only likely wins and just barely at that. All other opponents will be favored.

I have an issue with listings in the Likely column. A game isn't a Likely win unless UConn is favored. UConn will only be favored in two at most.

 

[UConnNick]

@ Boise - nope
URI - should get the W. Should.
@ Syracuse - not likely
Cincy - maybe. We almost had 'em last year.
@ Memphis - no way
@ USF - used to be a rivalry, now they own us. Nope.
UMASS - slight nod to us, we'll see how we are by then
@ Tulsa - doubtful, but we might be able to score points to hang
SMU - we owe those mofos. It'll be tough but it's winnable.
@ East Carolina - tough place to play, but where isn't for us? Will have to see how good/bad ECU is.
Temple - winnable

So some winnable games if the offense does its part but unless the coaches find a way to fix the gaping holes on D, we're gonna give up 30-50 pts every game again.

If we give up an average of 40 ppg, three wins will be very difficult to get, because our offense will have to score 40+ ppg at least three times.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If we give up an average of 40 ppg, three wins will be very difficult to get, because our offense will have to score 40+ ppg at least three times.

I don't think we will give up as much as 40 ppg on the mid-level and lower level opponents. My guess is an average of 28 ppg. That means the offense has to be doing its job in order to win.

 

[Purple Stein]

URI and ECU are the only likely wins and just barely at that. All other opponents will be favored.

I have an issue with listings in the Likely column. A game isn't a Likely win unless UConn is favored. UConn will only be favored in two at most.

Not sure we'll be favored at ECU. We were -4 at home last year and this year it's at ECU. A lot of football between here and there, but I wouldn't be surprised to see us open as dogs.

 

[Ldandy]

I think 3-4 wins is still a possibility, but the defense needs to do something to help the offense out. UConn's O is simply not good enough to trade scores with anybody. They need a stop here and there to be able to hang in games. If they get to 4 wins this season that would be a positive step IMO, and at least point toward competing for bowl eligibility in 2019.

 

[6xChamps]

The thing that I like about the schedule is that the team is getting battle tested early. UCF and Boise are probably the two hardest games on the schedule, and they'll get them out of the way immediately. Rather get demolished by those guys now and learn from it rather than at the end of the year. Think it will help in the long run.

 

[WrenchFan69]

URI pulled off a huge FCS win over Delaware last night. Even that game won't be a gimme with this defense. As the season goes on, the offense will be good enough to give us a chance in a lot of games, but I'd be surprised if we get more than 2 maybe 3 games

 

[Kemba429]

Of what I saw yesterday I’m pretty optimistic believe it or not, I think we can make it to 5-7, 6-6. I know Milton had 5 tds and didnt throw a pick but Pindell played amazing. Over 400 all purpose yards he was evading this UCF defense left and right. Our defense was the exact opposite though, they need a lot of work, and thats probably an understatement. If Pindell can play like this against smaller opponents, he can take over the game and probably win some by himself. Wish he wasnt a senior but im pretty excited to see how the rest of the season plays out.

 

[junglehusky]

The UConn Insider podcast had it right, I think. The quote-unquote winnable games are also winnable for the other guy.

 

[Doggie Style]

Re OP...... very few!!!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Eric Dungey was channeling Johnny Manziel in Kalamazoo tonight. Might be the biggest in college football? Let’s break his legs.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Syracuse isn't a winnable game, but they will be by far the weakest D1 team we have faced up until that point. They are awful defensively and Dungey is woefully inaccurate.

 

[HawkHusky]

Syracuse isn't a winnable game, but they will be by far the weakest D1 team we have faced up until that point. They are awful defensively and Dungey is woefully inaccurate.

Yup. Their 2nd half defense was just as bad as ours.

 

[billybud]

The pass defense should get better with experience.

...fewer busted coverages, less confusion and better coordination.

...the athleticism probably is what it is. Some D backs won't be able to cover the best receivers.

...as long as Pindell stays healthy, the offense may be able to keep games close. I see some wins. Cuse's D looked bad yesterday.

 

[metsfan2323]

Eric Dungey was channeling Johnny Manziel in Kalamazoo tonight. Might be the biggest in college football? Let’s break his legs.

Between last year and 3 of the first 4 games this year we will have faced a killer string of good QB's and high octane offenses. The schedule has been terribly difficult.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Wouldn't be sweet if UConn could upset Syracuse -- our former Big East rival? I think it would be the highlight of the season -- even if a victory for UConn is a long shot.

 

[BugsyCT]

Cuse has a good offense - scored 55 at WMich last night - will be tough for our young pups to slow them down.