they might be looking at 7-5?

Look at their schedule. I see 8-4 at worst, and they likely will exceed that.

WVU is their only serious non-conf challenge, and that's at home.

Throw in UNC and the hoos from the Coastal, and despite the tough games vs. Clem and FSU (home for NCSU), they don't have it so bad this year.

Sure, their DL will be young and their secondary last year was suspect, but Finley will win them a few games.

Their schedule alone should keep them clear of a 7-5 setback, to say nothing of the future recruits Doeren is lining up.

State fans' biggest problem in the past was TOB coudn't recruit and UNC was getting better classes than them under Butch/Fedora. Those days are gone. That alone will give Doeren a mulligan if even they slip as far as 7-5, which is unlikely to happen.

More likely than not, State will be 6-0 or 5-1 going into their Clemson match-up for a nationally televised game again.