But as good seasons become great seasons, then trend toward something even better than that, expectations evolve.
Because of what Drinkwitz and his 10-win team have accomplished, it would be a shocking snub if the Tigers, No. 9 in the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings, were not selected as one of the seven Power Five programs not playing for a national championship that still get to represent their universities in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
The Tigers don’t have an appearance in their conference championship game to help add one last line to their resume, which may not be a bad thing, but it is certainly in the black-and-gold faithful’s nature to expect the worst from any committee — whether it’s the BCS, the College Football Playoff or the NCAA — until proven wrong, officially.