Is Nebraska on the Outside Looking In?
9 comments so far
October 30, 2009 by
ESPN puts out weekly college bowl projections. Guess where they have the Huskers? Bruce Feldman has Nebraska sitting home over the holidays with Texas A&M, Colorado and Baylor. Mark Schlabach thinks Nebraska is Independence Bowl bound (and Missouri ends up missing a bowl game). It's understandable that Nebraska might not be the favorite in any of the games after Baylor, but does that mean you automatically chalk up an 0-4 finish to the regular season? Apparently Feldman thinks so.
Most NU fans were hopeful that the days of five-win seasons were behind us. But evidently, not everyone shares that view. In order to avoid that fate the Huskers must beat Baylor in Waco and then win either at home over Oklahoma or Kansas State, or on the road against Colorado or Kansas. That's no certainty after the events of the last two weeks.
Still, it's a punch in the gut to see someone's professional opinion that your team won't win six games. Especially when that seems to indicate your team will lose at least four of its next five games. Schlabach's prediction isn't all that much more encouraging. The last four teams that made the Independence Bowl from the Big 12 all had won just six games to qualify for the game. That would mean a 2-3 finish to the year. What's worse is the last two Big 12 teams to head to the Independence Bowl each lost the game to finish their seasons with losing records.
The good news is that these guys are hardly prophets. Two weeks ago they had Nebraska in the Cotton or Holiday bowls. Last week it was the Alamo or Sun. In fact, if you scroll through week by week, you'll see they've almost never had Nebraska in the same bowl against the same opponent one week to the next. So not only do these guys not have the final word on where Nebraska goes, even if they did it would surely change.
In any case, it's another reminder that the past two weeks don't make you optimistic about where this team is headed. Hopefully, this saturday will bring a new perspective.
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tom Oct 30 09
Bo Pelini's Huskers had that slide in the early part of the season last year and all it did was wake up a sleeping giant to win 6 out of 7. Let's hope the same starts here and we can get 4 or 5 out of 5 (I'll gladly take 6 out of the next 7, though).
Dustin Oct 30 09
Maybe I'm to much of an optimist, but I still have a feeling Nebraska is going to beat OU and win the North. If that happens, Texas doesn't look all that scary.
Matt Oct 30 09
Dustin, you're not alone. I still maintain the Big XII North and Big XII Championship are still within our grasp--we just need to get the young offense back on track.
Putting in Green and WRs that are chomping at the bit to play, giving Helu rest and grooming a backup, and using our superior offensive assets better (read: more Tight End action), and we're back where we need to be.
That's why this weekend is so huge--I dare say, we lose at Waco, we lose out this season. We win at Waco, and we win out the season.
nu-isu-fan Oct 30 09
Predictions, schmredictions. That's what I always say. I'm hoping the offense shakes off the stink this week. Let's win this one. Then talk about the next one.
I think they'll do it (the offense, that is). In my opinion, this is where they are:
MU - Play calling stunk. Lee had no chance throwing to the sidelines in those conditions.
TTU - The line stunk. Play calling was better.
ISU - Play calling was good. The line was good (maybe great). I think our skill players were just trying too hard.
I see them fixing something each week. I think this week, the O comes out strong. The stink is gone. Then we move forward.
That's my schmrediction.
Orthodox Oct 30 09
"The good news is that these guys are hardly prophets. Two weeks ago they had Nebraska in the Cotton or Holiday bowls. Last week it was the Alamo or Sun. In fact, if you scroll through week by week, you'll see they've almost never had Nebraska in the same bowl against the same opponent one week to the next. So not only do these guys not have the final word on where Nebraska goes, even if they did it would surely change."
Then why do we care?
Bowl predictions aren't worth anything till late November. We are only seven games in and as you discussed winning only one game for the rest of the year is still a possibility, or as the commenters suggest, winning out is still a possibility. If we just look at the results of all the Big XII games do we really have any idea of how good ANYONE in the North is? Freaking K-State and Iowa State are leading the division for crying out loud.
Personally I'm not quite ready to write off the season just yet. I think that in the next four games we will come out with at least one loss, but no more than two. Colorado I'm hesitant for a prediction because CU always seems to pull something out against the Huskers, but even in my worst case scenario the Huskers get six wins which, like you mentioned, is likely good enough for the Independence Bowl.
Although I must add the caveat, after seven games I have no idea how good the Cornhuskers actually are. This year we have seen them play good enough to hang with top ten teams, and we have seen them play poorly enough to finish with a losing record. I think the next couple of weeks will show us what Bo and the players are made of. Optimistically a big comeback after this slide will set the tone for the next few years of the Pelini era.
PSW Oct 30 09
Dustin & Matt
add my name to the list that thinks we could go on a tear from here on out but I'm also wary of where this teams psyche is right now. We incompetently lost to ISU at home last week for the first time in 32 years. Ugh! This is very critical point in the season. We either right the ship now or we start to figure out how to bail water. Let's get a critical win this week with the offense playing some sound football and then we can see where we stand.
kw Oct 30 09
I'll admit my confidence is shaken, but I still think we'll make a bowl. I'll be disappointed with a 6-6 season, but I have to admit it's not out of the question. Frankly, I'll be disappointed with anything less than 8 wins, but that looks to be a steep hill to climb from our current vantage point. Bottome line is, no one knows. The Big 12 this year has been nothing but wierd game after wierd game. Makes it extremely hard to judge how good anyone is. We can still win the Big 12 North, so lets just go out there and do it! GO BIG RED!!!
Dan Oct 31 09
I think this team and its performance is a reflection of its depth. They have none. With players like Castille, Burkhead, and Witt gone, the Huskers just don't have the depth this year. With this crop of young players though, we have to feel good about the next four years.
Dan Oct 31 09
I think this team and its performance is a reflection of its depth. They have none. With players like Castille, Burkhead, and Witt gone, the Huskers just don't have the depth this year. With this crop of young players though, we have to feel good about the next four years.