ETSU 2015 Football Schedule Projections.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Now that ETSU has replaced the College of Faith with Kentucky Wesleyan, I have decided to redo my projections for this season ranking them from strongest (1) to weakest (11).

Sep. 3 Kennesaw State (7) - WIN - Bucs kickoff new era with win against fellow D1 newbie.
Sep. 10 Maryville College (9) - WIN - Bucs start off 2-0 for first time in it's been awhile
Sep. 17 @ Charleston Southern (2) - LOSS - This is STILL not your father's Charleston Southern football team.
Sep. 26 Emory & Henry (8) - WIN - Bucs win first Homecoming game since 2003.
Oct. 3 St. Francis (4) - TOSSUP - Bucs welcome first non-newbie D1 program to Johnson City since 2003.
Oct. 17 @ Mercer (3) - LOSS - Bucs get taste of their future football conference mate.
Oct. 24 @ Montana State (1) - LOSS - Bucs go out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Oct. 31 Warner (10) - WIN - Bucs get back into the win column
Nov. 7 @ Robert Morris (6) - WIN - Bucs win first road game against D1 program since 2003
Nov. 14 @ Gardner Webb (5) - TOSSUP - Bucs try to make a run against the Bulldogs.
Nov. 21 Kentucky Wesleyan (11) - WIN - Bucs finish off the season with a beatdown.

I really believe that the Bucs' season will be a success if they get to six wins this season which is doable (eight wins is the ceiling). At least it would be a good start in what I believe will be a competitive SoCon program in a few years.

[Libertine]

ETSU is going to be good soon and stay that way for a while. Torbush is a defensive genius and even if he should retire -- again -- in the next couple years, CSU's Jamey Chadwell, an ETSU alum, would likely be the next guy in line.

[bonarae]

I agree, six to eight wins is a good projection given the softness of the schedule.

[ETSUfan1]

I think a win over KSU is pretty important. Some folks are pretty skeptical about the program coming back, and losing in front a packed house will not go over well. We need to keep the momentum as long as possible.

[lionsrking2]

I think a win over KSU is pretty important. Some folks are pretty skeptical about the program coming back, and losing in front a packed house will not go over well. We need to keep the momentum as long as possible.

Wish you guys well! I spent the early part of my childhood in Kingsport and have lots of family still in the area. I remember going to a couple of games at the Mini Dome the first year it opened in '77. My memory is a little cloudy but I recall a win over App State and wanting to say ETSU's QB was Hutsell??

Also pulling for Carl Torbush, who was an assistant coach here under Billy Brewer in the late 70's, and was actually our head baseball coach at one point.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I don't think you get by Robert Morris but it looks pretty good if things go right for you guys. Just cool that you are back on the field.xthumbsupx

[Smitty]

I think a win over KSU is pretty important. Some folks are pretty skeptical about the program coming back, and losing in front a packed house will not go over well. We need to keep the momentum as long as possible.

Do you think there will be issues when you start scheduling SoCon teams?

[OL FU]

I would think Gardner Webb will be a loss. Robert Morris probably too.'

Either Way, Welcome back.

[blackbeard]

A start-up beating some NAIA teams is one thing, knocking off established FCS programs is another. St Francis will bring a high powered offense led by one of the top RBs in the FCS and a dozen or more returning starters from last year. They went 5-6 last year with non-conference losses at Fordham, at JMU and at Youngstown St - a very tough non-conference schedule. Calling this game a tossup is wishful thinking.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

ETSU is going to be good soon and stay that way for a while. Torbush is a defensive genius and even if he should retire -- again -- in the next couple years, CSU's Jamey Chadwell, an ETSU alum, would likely be the next guy in line.

I remember nominating Chadwell as Torbush's successor when Charleston Southern shocked the world in Boone two seasons back.

[Toby]

Now that ETSU has replaced the College of Faith with Kentucky Wesleyan, I have decided to redo my projections for this season ranking them from strongest (1) to weakest (11).


Glad to see that ETSU replaced the College of Faith. Smart decision. Would have been smarter never to have scheduled them though.

[Toby]

Oh and welcome to the SoCon. I'm looking forward to coming to ETSU in 2016.

[walliver]

KSU is a toss-up - how do you compare two startup teams?
Gardner-Webb is a definite loss.
In a startup year, any game against a D-1 scholarship team is a probable loss.
Mercer's success was against PFL and sub-D1 teams.
Why isn't Reinhardt on the schedule?

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

I don't think you get by Robert Morris but it looks pretty good if things go right for you guys. Just cool that you are back on the field.xthumbsupx

Robert Morris has the worst record of all the D1s on ETSU's schedule so I figure if there is any D1 program not named Kennesaw St that will most likely lose to ETSU, it's them.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Glad to see that ETSU replaced the College of Faith. Smart decision. Would have been smarter never to have scheduled them though.

My thoughts exactly. My reaction to when they scheduled these guys were "what were you thinking?"

[FUBeAR]

Mercer's success was against PFL and sub-D1 teams.
Why isn't Reinhardt on the schedule?

Reinhardt moved to the Sunbelt

[ursus arctos horribilis]

A start-up beating some NAIA teams is one thing, knocking off established FCS programs is another. St Francis will bring a high powered offense led by one of the top RBs in the FCS and a dozen or more returning starters from last year. They went 5-6 last year with non-conference losses at Fordham, at JMU and at Youngstown St - a very tough non-conference schedule. Calling this game a tossup is wishful thinking.

Ah geez, I don't know how I overlooked that one. That one is more of a "no way" than RMU is even. Even if they are very talented young men they will not hang with St.Francis I wouldn't think.

[BearDownMU]

Welcome to the SoCon boys. Look forward to seeing you down in Macon in October.

[catamount man]

Maryville's former head coach left them in the middle of the night to join the ETSU staff. I think the Fightin' Scots will be UP for that game, D3 or not. Do not underestimate the smaller schools. I once saw a 20 something scholarship team from Tennessee named Tusculum drive over to Cullowhee and beat my CATS 54-30, leading 27-0 at one point in that game. Just saying, be careful ETSU. GO CATS!

[OL FU]

Ah geez, I don't know how I overlooked that one. That one is more of a "no way" than RMU is even. Even if they are very talented young men they will not hang with St.Francis I wouldn't think.

Yep I am right there with you. overlooked it too.