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I didn't see a thread on this, so since it is opening day, I will go first. Here are my predictions for the 2011 season.

@ Idaho - W (38-33) (1-0)
vs. Morgan State - W (51-10) (2-0)
vs. Wyoming - W (35-18) (3-0)
@ Miami - W (24-20) (1-0, 4-0)
@ West Virginia - L (13-35) (1-0, 4-1)
@ W. Michigan - W (33-28) (2-0, 5-1)
vs. Toledo - W (42-20) (3-0, 6-1)
vs. Temple - W (21-14) (4-0, 7-1)
@ Kent State - W (34-31) (5-0, 8-1)
vs. N. Illinois - L (21-35) (5-1, 8-2)
vs. Ohio - W (44-42) (6-1, 9-2)
@ Buffalo - W (28-25) (7-1, 10-2)

MAC Championship
vs. N. Illinois - W (34-32) (8-1, 11-2)

and a Bowl Game Win for a (8-1, 12-2) season

I am an unapologetic optimist, and I do believe this team has the talent to make this happen. I think this is going to be a Urban Meyer (2001) type year, where everyone isn't expecting much and this team takes the entire conference by surprise. What are your thoughts?

You know, its funny, I got so caught up in things and starting the pick the MAC thread that I forgot to post my season predictions. It'll be hard to follow up the huge burst of optimism up top, but here goes:

@ Idaho - W (1-0) - I still see this game as a win, barely, mostly due to our history of showing up large in week 1. This is an uncertain pick to be sure as this is a measuring stick game against a solid opponent on the road, but I think we pass.

Morgan State - W (2-0) - A win here, and it should be a blowout. If its not, most of the rest of this prediction is moot. Next.

Wyoming - W (3-0) - I really didn't have to think too much about this one either, Wyoming isn't that good, its a home game, and the last time we faced the cowboys it was utter destruction. I'm a bit queasy predicting a 3-0 start especially since this is Family Weekend and we NEVER, EVER win on Family Weekend, but this is the year I think the jinx is broken.

@ Miami - L (3-1, 0-1) - Bad time for the 1st L as it comes in the MAC opener, but I really think Miami is going to be tough this year. We've had some recent success in Oxford but we lose this one.

@ West Virginia - L (3-2) - I'm not really sold that WVU is all that, but they'll do well enough to beat us in Morgantown. This could end up being a repeat of the Pitt 2008 game though if we really play well.

@ Western Michigan - W (4-2, 1-1) - This is another one of those measuring stick games that will likely determine if the season goes north or south. I think BG had mailed it in by the time of last year's beatdown, they'll play much better in this one and since I expect WMU to take a step back this year, I like the Falcons to come out of Kalamazoo with a W.

Toledo - L (4-3, 1-2) - DLP has been a really tough place for Toledo to win recently, they haven't won a game in regulation time there since 1999, but I think with their strong team this year they get the monkey off their backs. With the death of the family weekend jinx I will inevitably start talking about the new homecoming jinx, as this would make 4 L's in a row on homecoming.

Temple - W (5-3, 2-2) - Temple isn't going to be very good at all this year, I think BG wins this one big.

@ Kent State - W (6-3, 3-2) - Kent State is one of those teams I can never figure out. When they're supposed to be good, they suck. When they're supposed to suck, they're decent. This year many are predicting them to contend, so between that and the fact that BG hasn't lost in Kent since 1953, I'm going with the Falcons to win this one.

Northern Illinois - L (6-4, 3-3) - Northern Illinois comes into the season as the MAC favorite, and I think this game will really determine whether or not we are a contender for the MAC Championship. Our record in midweek night games at homes is awful. The heart says BG but the brain says NIU, ultimately the brain wins. Huskies win this one.

Ohio - L (6-5, 3-4) - This will be an unhappy night, probably after a bananas, back and forth contest just like most Ohio-BG contests at the Doyt. We'll be decrying the missed chance to go to Detroit for sure, but rational fans will look at our record compared to a year ago and be happy with it.

@ Buffalo - W (7-5, 4-4) - With a bowl bid on the line, BG comes out and demolishes Buffalo, who will have probably mailed it in on their sorry season by this point. BG completes a strong turnaround from a sorry 2010 and finishes 7-5 overall, 4-4 in the MAC, with a bowl game against a middle-upper tier team from CUSA, WAC, or MWC most likely in the offing.