IF this defense can make an improvement like Ole Miss' did......

[V_O_L_S]

then I think 9-3/10-2 is a legit possibilty. Stay with me here......the offense will once again be top 10 in the nation. We are going to score points in bunches. I went back & watched last season & we are a handful of 3rd down stops away from being 9-3. We had Pitt & Ole Miss in a ton of 3rd & long situations but we just couldn't make the stops needed. Look at Ole Miss in 2020, Kiffin's 1st year. They found their QB in Corrall. They had a big time offense (3rd nationally, 39.2PPG) but their defense was atrocious (126th nationally, 38.2PPG). In year 2 they went 10-2, what changed? They brought their QB, 2nd leading WR, & leading RB back. Still had one of the best offense in CFB, but the defense made just enough improvement to finish off games for them. Here is what their defense did YoY

2020:

Total Yardage: 126th
Rushing: 101st
Passing: 125th
Scoring: 117th
Sacks: 76th
TFL: 77th
Opponent 3rd Down Conversions: 106th

2021:

Total Yardage: 97th
Rushing: 104th
Passing: 68th
Scoring: 51st
Sacks: 15th
TFL: 53rd
Opponent 3rd Down Conversions: 64th