I hope so! I'm in the same boat. I've had really good report with a professor at University of South Carolina who straight up told me she would recommend me to the grad committee and that the school has more TAships than students... But I feel like it may be false hope. I'm definitely not one to count my eggs before they hatch, though.
I've also had dialog going with a professor at Illinois State who has pretty much insisted that I come visit and got the department to help fund it.
Anyone with experience with this stuff? How much weight does it actually hold?