Haldway point of the season: 3-3
Keep in mind this comes from a guy who became a fanatic during the Callahan era so I've learned to expect disappointment. My prediction:
We go ahead and lose to Ohio State in ugly fashion. A week from right now, it is announced that Mike Riley is being let go after posting an 18-15 record in two and a half years at Nebraska. He thanks Huskwr Nation and apologizes for his lackluster on field results. Interim AD Rimmington announces Bob Diavo as Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season. After a much needed Bye, Diaco leads us to 3 straight wins over Purdue, Minny and Northwestern. We drop a close game to PSU, and then beat Iowa to finish 7-5. We are awarded a bowl against Missouri or UCLA etc. and pull off a win to finish the season a disappointing 8-5 overall. But.....Diaco "impresses" the higher ups enough that, drum roll, he is announced as permanent Head Coach moving forward! He keeps most the staff, Langsdorf takes a different gig and the recruiting class finishes just outsided the top 25.
2018 prediction
After our initial pissing and moaning of not going after Frost wears off, we start sipping thr kool aid like jack asses. We say things like "the schedule us tough, burmt Riley left the cupboard full". Diaco gets ome of the scrub head coaches recently fired to coach the offense. At the spring game, Gebbia tears it up and the Defense looks scary. We start chugging kool aid like things are about to change, like we haven't been down this road before. We go 8-4 with losses at Michigan and at Ohio State, but somehow beat Wisconsin on the road. People are ecstatic, we are coming back! 8 wins after last season is amazing! Meanwhile, Scott Frost takes the UCLA job or something similar.
2019 prediction
We go 6-6...the wheels fall off. Diaco is exposed as not a good head coach. People are livid we didn't get Scott Frost when we had the chance.
2020
We lose to Purdue week 1. Diaco is fired and replaced by whatever new OC he hired yet again this offseason that got fired from whatever job he had before. We go 7-5 over a soft schedule and name this guy head coach because it's just easier at this point.
2021 and forward
We go 6-6 to 8-4 and still have yet to sniff a conference title. We are Minnesota.