The real question isn't about lowering expectations, it's about whether the program is improving each year to become more competitive? Getting 6-7 wins in year 2 of P4 is realistic. Utah sat at 5 wins in years 2 and 3 of the PAC 12 before making a leap.
If you go back in time and put any of the teams in Lavell's era and/or Bronco's era against 10 P4 teams, what would their records be adjusted to. We already know neither had a great record against P4 teams especially on the road,