Win and it legitimizes Mike Riley as the HC and puts Nebraska squarely in the playoff race. A loss isn't the end of the world, but my fear is all the closet Bolievers come back and say "I TOLD YOU SO BLAH BLAH BLAH" and this place becomes a bigger dumpsterfire then it usually is.
And then I'll just laugh at them. If Bo was still the HC I wouldn't be surprised at all by a blowout loss. If Riley loses this game, itll be close and competitive. Not a 40 point blowout that bo made famous.
While I agree...this is one thing that I feel absolutely needs to leave the minds of the Husker fans.
"Close loss" is for the "little engine that could" programs...Not for Nebraska.
Back to the impact of this game. A win here really pretty much gives Nebraska the West Division Title.
Please explain who is saying they are going to be happy with a close loss or a close loss is great or wonderful.
Sure, well first...I did not say that people would be happy with a close loss or that a close loss is great or wonderful. I said that we need to stop thinking that a close loss is something NU should strive for but since you asked here are some posts that I would toss into the old "I would be okay with a close loss" category.
I would be happy with a close, competitive game. Final score somewhere close to the spread.
I want Nebraska to kick their asses and win. But I'll be satisfied if we prepare well this week and play hard Saturday. I'd really like to see our O-line have a great game giving TA time and TN/DO lanes.
Preferably win but either way just make the game a competitive one. Just like Wisconsin's games with Michigan and Ohio St. were. If we do that it will do a lot for the confidence of the fan base and the national media that we are close to being "back". If that perception happens then we will win a lot of recruiting battles with this staff which in turn could mean a lot more successful seasons ahead.
As painful as it would be, just keep this thing close.
Just let it be a 4 quarter game. F you Bo Pelini and what you have done to my confidence levels
So, clearly there are people (Husker fans) that if NU gets beat on a last second field goal will "okay" with it and so on.
Now, I see what you are getting at, I really do. I get it, trust me, I do.
You yourself said something like "If we lose, I won't be happy. But, at least if I get my wish here, it will be respectable."
Your wish, you said, was to keep it respectable.
That is the "Little Engine That Could" stuff. This is NU...They have out-recruited Wisconsin for the last 10 years...Our head coach was the freaking mentor to their coach, we have a 4 year starter at QB, they have a freaking freshman statue at QB. They just lost their all-world LB and their All-world NT.
This is Nebraska...Not WMU, trying to make a name for themselves.
f#*k being okay with a close loss. Win the freaking game. They can do it. Period.