This season Texas Tech has more hype around it than any I can remember. Even the pundits are struggling to consider Tech a true darkhorse, because with the exception of idiot AP voters everyone sees what we see. I believe I have written this article before, but the more hyped I get the more I think about expectations. Reasonable, and otherwise.

This football team is good. Hell, they are really good. Dare I even say on paper they are great Offensively every position looks to be as good or better than last year. Especially in the receiving room and along the offensive line. Defensively, losing Tyreek Wilson was a blow and there are some questions at linebacker. But the secondary is deep and very talented, and the DL found a potential star on the edge with Linton, and the terrible twosome will own the point of attack.

Coached by an aggressive and now experienced staff, predictions have been all over the board. But what are the actual expectations for this team. How good should we really expect them to be?

First, I will say that the absolute floor of acceptability with this group is six wins. Making a bowl game should be the bare minimum accomplished every year in West Texas, not the goal. Especially with a group this good on the field.

Now, with that minimum out of the way expectations are high. And they should be. As fans we should not temper expectations, but we should look at what is a bit more reasonable. For Texas Tech this year a reasonable expectation is 8 wins. The schedule is favorable, they have the depth and talent, and the coaching is there. 8 wins and then a win in the bowl game is a job well done.

But can this team do more? I think so, and that is why I am setting my super homer expectation at 10 wins. I will be a little disappointed if they can’t do it. Is that fair? Almost certainly not, but it is fun to believe they could do it. And it feels even better to not just believe it blindly, but to believe it because there is actual talent on the field everyone recognizes.

Is this team capable of competing for a playoff spot? YES THEY DAMN SURE ARE. TCU last year pulled it off with a far worse football team than what Tech is rolling out. Can you expect it? Of course not, but do not let anyone sell you that this team has a true ceiling. Stay healthy and the sky is the limit.