ESPN: Is Nebraska back?

[commando]

Being back would be sustained success over a period of time, and that period of time is not one season.

Even if we pull an Iowa this year and get to 12-0, I wouldn't say we are back. Iowa likely won't do that again in a long time.

against this years schedule.....12-0 could very well be considered "back"

 

[Herbie87]

Being back would be sustained success over a period of time, and that period of time is not one season.

Even if we pull an Iowa this year and get to 12-0, I wouldn't say we are back. Iowa likely won't do that again in a long time.

against this years schedule.....12-0 could very well be considered "back"

I guess then my question would be what do you consider "back." Nebraska used to live in the top 10. What if we go 12-2 this year and 7-6 next year? Is that back? When I analyze this I try to think about 15 years from now when we look back. If we have sustained success over that period of time (being in the national conversation) then we are back. If we had one break out year followed by 5-6 years of mediocrity, I would say we were not. I don't think that would happen given our recruiting momentum, but what if it did?

How many times in the last 15 years did we say "Nebraska is back?"

Restore the order

Win over Arizona

Win over Miami

Were we ever back? I would say no, because now we have the perspective of time. We won't have that perspective after one season.

 

[NUance]

Back? Well, we're not all the way back. We just beat a #22 team. By a field goal. At home. I think it's safe to say that we all have higher aspirations than that.

But even though we're not all the way "back" at least we're headed in the right direction. GBR!

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Right now Alabama and Ohio State are on a roll.

Although Alabama had 6, 7 and 9 loss seasons just a decade ago.

The rest of the best in college football is chock full of 12-2 years followed by 7-6 seasons.

If our definition of being "back" is the 40 year run from 1962 - 2001, I think we're setting ourselves up for sadness.

I don't think a crappy transitional year here and there means that much as long as there's some glory sprinkled in. Folks soured on Pelini (football wise) because the 9 wins didn't feel like progress.

But wow did we freak out when Frank Solich went 7-7.

 

[junior4949]

Heck, we don't even know if that #22 team we just beat is even all that good. We showed flashes of being a dominant team last Saturday, but we looked extremely vulnerable at other times. It's a process. We are playing better and seem headed in the right direction.

 

[junior4949]

Viewpoint of an Ohio State fan within the comments section

Is Nebraska back? Well, you'd have to define "back". Are they back to 1960's thru 90's Nebraska? Not even close (nor will they ever be). Are they back to Frank Solich-esque Nebraska? Maybe... but who really cares? Will Nebraska be able to compete with Ohio State, the standard by which the rest of the conference is judged? No. They can't recruit with OSU and they can't compete on the field with OSU. If being in the chase for the B1G West title every season makes you happy as a Nebraska fan, then good for you because that's about as "back" as this football team will ever be. I'm not hating, either. I've always admired and respected the Nebraska program. It was a program I actually enjoyed following, peripherally at least. I was happy when they joined the B1G... but Nebraska simply cannot compete in the living rooms with the Ohio States, Notre Dames, Oklahomas or *ishigans. It's a different college football world and Nebraska just doesn't fit in like it once did for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its location.

My Thoughts?

Yeah, we're not back. Can't compare winning 3 games (or even going undefeated this season) as being back. Iowa went undefeated last year in the regular season... They still are most irrelevant.

We're not back. After a decade of 90% participation in the CCG and 4-5 dates added to memorial stadium under Conference champions and a one or two national titles, then we are back.

But we're winning. So that's nice (Y)

I find the bolded part a bit comical. First of all, Ohio State is just one heart murmur away from what is now Florida football. Second, I read an article the other day from a Sooner beat writer who asked how OU with their three and four star recruits were expected to compete with Ohio State and their four and five star recruits. Considering Notre Dame is 1-2, yeah it will be difficult to achieve their success.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

Right now Alabama and Ohio State are on a roll.

Although Alabama had 6, 7 and 9 loss seasons just a decade ago.

^^^ this.

The comments from the Ohio State fan above are just as delusional as he is claiming Nebraska fans to be. Is Nebraska's recruiting and on-field results able to compete with Ohio State and Alabama right now? Of course not. Will both of those programs, and the others he mentioned - Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma - always be unbeatable? The chances are low. Will Nebraska Never win a B1G Championship? The chances are low, IMHO.

Dealing in absolutes is generally a bad idea.

 

[dtbugeater]

Agree with those saying to tap the breaks.

Even if we win a B1G championship we are not back. Lots of teams win their conferences.

We would need to be in that game most times over the course of multiple years to be "back".

What we have right now is a nice start to a promising season.

 

[Landlord]

Right now Alabama and Ohio State are on a roll.

Although Alabama had 6, 7 and 9 loss seasons just a decade ago.

^^^ this.

The comments from the Ohio State fan above are just as delusional as he is claiming Nebraska fans to be. Is Nebraska's recruiting and on-field results able to compete with Ohio State and Alabama right now? Of course not. Will both of those programs, and the others he mentioned - Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma - always be unbeatable? The chances are low. Will Nebraska Never win a B1G Championship? The chances are low, IMHO.

Dealing in absolutes is generally a bad idea.

If we win one B1G championship and Ohio State is beatable once, does that somehow make us 'back'?

 

[admo]

Back? Well, we're not all the way back. We just beat a #22 team. By a field goal. At home. I think it's safe to say that we all have higher aspirations than that.

But even though we're not all the way "back" at least we're headed in the right direction. GBR!

Did someone say, Back?

Back, Back?

Back, Back, Back? Back, Back, Back, Back, Back?

I'll tell you who's back..... Thhhe-RRRR-AAAAAIIII-Durrrrrzzzz

 

[commando]

Being back would be sustained success over a period of time, and that period of time is not one season.

Even if we pull an Iowa this year and get to 12-0, I wouldn't say we are back. Iowa likely won't do that again in a long time.

against this years schedule.....12-0 could very well be considered "back"

I guess then my question would be what do you consider "back." Nebraska used to live in the top 10. What if we go 12-2 this year and 7-6 next year? Is that back? When I analyze this I try to think about 15 years from now when we look back. If we have sustained success over that period of time (being in the national conversation) then we are back. If we had one break out year followed by 5-6 years of mediocrity, I would say we were not. I don't think that would happen given our recruiting momentum, but what if it did?

How many times in the last 15 years did we say "Nebraska is back?"

Restore the order

Win over Arizona

Win over Miami

Were we ever back? I would say no, because now we have the perspective of time. We won't have that perspective after one season.

and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. no one can ever be back if we play enough what ifs.

 

[Mierin]

Viewpoint of an Ohio State fan within the comments section

Is Nebraska back? Well, you'd have to define "back". Are they back to 1960's thru 90's Nebraska? Not even close (nor will they ever be). Are they back to Frank Solich-esque Nebraska? Maybe... but who really cares? Will Nebraska be able to compete with Ohio State, the standard by which the rest of the conference is judged? No. They can't recruit with OSU and they can't compete on the field with OSU. If being in the chase for the B1G West title every season makes you happy as a Nebraska fan, then good for you because that's about as "back" as this football team will ever be. I'm not hating, either. I've always admired and respected the Nebraska program. It was a program I actually enjoyed following, peripherally at least. I was happy when they joined the B1G... but Nebraska simply cannot compete in the living rooms with the Ohio States, Notre Dames, Oklahomas or *ishigans. It's a different college football world and Nebraska just doesn't fit in like it once did for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its location.

My Thoughts?

Yeah, we're not back. Can't compare winning 3 games (or even going undefeated this season) as being back. Iowa went undefeated last year in the regular season... They still are most irrelevant.

We're not back. After a decade of 90% participation in the CCG and 4-5 dates added to memorial stadium under Conference champions and a one or two national titles, then we are back.

But we're winning. So that's nice (Y)

I find the bolded part a bit comical. First of all, Ohio State is just one heart murmur away from what is now Florida football. Second, I read an article the other day from a Sooner beat writer who asked how OU with their three and four star recruits were expected to compete with Ohio State and their four and five star recruits. Considering Notre Dame is 1-2, yeah it will be difficult to achieve their success.

Ya. He picked some weird teams as examples.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

Right now Alabama and Ohio State are on a roll.

Although Alabama had 6, 7 and 9 loss seasons just a decade ago.

^^^ this.

The comments from the Ohio State fan above are just as delusional as he is claiming Nebraska fans to be. Is Nebraska's recruiting and on-field results able to compete with Ohio State and Alabama right now? Of course not. Will both of those programs, and the others he mentioned - Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma - always be unbeatable? The chances are low. Will Nebraska Never win a B1G Championship? The chances are low, IMHO.

Dealing in absolutes is generally a bad idea.

If we win one B1G championship and Ohio State is beatable once, does that somehow make us 'back'?

No, but it makes the Buckeye fans who say Nebraska can never compete with OSU wrong. I think that being "back" for Nebraska is competing for titles on a somewhat consistent basis. That takes time. But I'll gladly take the one title and one victory in the meantime.

 

[Landlord]

No, but it makes the Buckeye fans who say Nebraska can never compete with OSU wrong. I think that being "back" for Nebraska is competing for titles on a somewhat consistent basis. That takes time. But I'll gladly take the one title and one victory in the meantime.

Sure, but I read the Buckeye fan's comments as talking about prolonged success, not as an impossibility to ever happen in a single season ever again.

Ohio State is the one blue blood that has never really had a down era. They've been incredibly fortunate, but outside of 2011 they've barely ever been a sub-top 15 team. That used to be us, but now we're on a 16 year down stretch. There's not a ton of evidence that we'll ever consistently be a top-15 program regularly competing for titles again.

 

[Mierin]

Ohio State has superior recruiting but it's netted them 1 undefeated national championship season in my lifetime. I wouldn't trade our achievements for theirs. I also don't care what someone from their stuck up fanbase says. We aren't back, whatever that means, but I don't care about their opinion.