2026 Title Hopes

[antcan95]

Anyone else feel next year is the last year of a 4 year stretch where we had our best shots to win a title in 20 years? By 23 and 24 we had coaching continuity, elite skill players, an elite defense, an experienced QB, NFL players all over, and very forgiving schedules. We also had a head start on NIL.
This year we were 1 bad game away from being in the playoffs and peaking at the right time. Next year is Arch's last year, we will have NFL draft picks in Goosby and Baker, draft picks in Wingo and Mosley, experience at key spots on the defense, plus we will play a bunch of teams with new coaches. I feel like if we don't get it done next year, we will be a perennial top 10 team rather than a top 4 team. 

Also, who knows what happens with Sark when Arch declares for the NFL in a year. 

[SB21]

Are you sure next year is Arch’s last year?  It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a 4yr guy…. He doesn’t need to run off to NFL money. 

[FaxMachine]

4 minutes ago, SB21 said:

Are you sure next year is Arch’s last year?  It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a 4yr guy…. He doesn’t need to run off to NFL money. 

Yes next year is his last year. We are going all in on portal to make a run for that year. 

[Alex Butler]

I don’t think we’re limited to a 4 year run I think this was like 2001-2004 where we had elite players and development but couldn’t quite get to the BCS thanks to poopy 💩 stoops (and INTs against Colorado 

[Roysterr]

Dia Bell will be very good after Arch is finished playing

[Junior]

Correction: we missed the playoffs because the committee objectively did a lousy job and also prioritized number of losses over full body of work. Many teams in the playoffs had a couple games they underperformed, lost or didn’t play up to their expected standard. 

[Rocky P]

2 hours ago, SB21 said:

Are you sure next year is Arch’s last year?  It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a 4yr guy…. He doesn’t need to run off to NFL money. 

Next year would be his 4th year

[Hesity]

11 minutes ago, Junior said:

Correction: we missed the playoffs because the committee objectively did a lousy job and also prioritized number of losses over full body of work. Many teams in the playoffs had a couple games they underperformed, lost or didn’t play up to their expected standard. 

I agree we had a strong case with the quality of wins against top 15 teams…but we also looked really bad at times. As a 9-3 squad, the committee couldn’t overlook us looking discombobulated in the non-con games, squeaking by the two worst teams in the SEC, getting handled by Georgia…we were a play away in the two OT games of having a 7-5 record. I wish we were in cos I think we were starting to figure things out as a team, but it is what it is. 

[antcan95]

7 minutes ago, Hesity said:

I agree we had a strong case with the quality of wins against top 15 teams…but we also looked really bad at times. As a 9-3 squad, the committee couldn’t overlook us looking discombobulated in the non-con games, squeaking by the two worst teams in the SEC, getting handled by Georgia…we were a play away in the two OT games of having a 7-5 record. I wish we were in cos I think we were starting to figure things out as a team, but it is what it is. 

I think what we showed against A&M was that we could beat anybody in the field. It really sucks the committee thought so little of us because of the Florida game, obviously we were not the same team…. Arched progressed, we shuffled up the OL, WRs got healthy.

[Hesity]

11 minutes ago, antcan95 said:

I think what we showed against A&M was that we could beat anybody in the field. It really sucks the committee thought so little of us because of the Florida game, obviously we were not the same team…. Arched progressed, we shuffled up the OL, WRs got healthy.

It’s a flawed system for sure