What's the high water mark for the 2012 squad has to fall into two separate questions, based on what you want the most in this world. Do you want the most success? Or do you want just enough success that will ensure Frank Spaziani will hang up the visor at year's end?
Like last year's opener, we start with a headscratcher: what identity does Miami have and how will they roll in Alumni Stadium? A win by the Eagles would be a great way to get the boulder rolling down the hill - especially with the FCS Maine Black Bears in Chestnut Hill the following week. Two comfortable wins would likely give the offense confidence, and Chase Rettig could roll into Chicago feeling good for Northwestern.
The bye week comes early this year, but after an away game and before Clemson isn't a bad place to have it. Clemson is a lean loss, toss-up game - but since it's Clemson and they have their own verb about this kind of stuff, an Eagles team that's clicking could sneak an upset. Go to Army the week after and ring up the Black Knights and you aren't crazy to look up and see BC at 4-1 or, somehow, 5-0.
That's when things get tough. Road trip to "It's August, They're Top Ten" Florida State, where even though BC has played well since joining the ACC, a tough test will wait. Georgia Tech in Atlanta, coming off a bye week of their own, also pose a formidable task for a BC team coming off a third straight away game. Luckily, BC returns home to face the Maryland team that was one of the four wins the 2011 team had up.
November is weird for the team - travel to Wake, a late out of conference game with Notre Dame, hosting Virginia Tech late in the season (when you know they'll be clicking) and finally Thanksgiving weekend in Raleigh. But if you look back and see that September starts hot and there is potentially a win or two in October available, November is the difference between 6-6 expectations and a surprising 7-5 or even, gulp, 8-4 depending on what Irish team shows up in Chestnut Hill.
The defense gets time to settle in, but the fact of the matter is that these heights are likely only reachable if the offense wins a few games. There is no freak of nature to get in Miami QB heads in the linebacking corps anymore. Chase, whoever is playing RB and what's left of the receivers and tight ends must find a way to click and score.
Is 8-4 really as good as it can get? Even in optimism we're getting dull. Maybe that's the record that fits in the category of success that won't be enough for Spaz and we're really preventing ourselves from letting the rainbows shine through because we want to look to the future.
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