HuskerfaninOkieland
Heisman Trophy Winner
CFN.com
GAME OF THE WEEK
Nebraska (4-0) at Kansas State (4-0) Oct. 7, 7:30, ESPN
Here’s The Deal … There was a time when the Nebraska – Kansas State showdown was the biggest game in college football, not just the Big 12. While this doesn’t have a ton of significance on a national scale, it might be the best game of the Big 12 North season. As mediocre as Nebraska has been over the last few seasons, it has owned Kansas State over the last five games with double-digit wins in the last four. But everything can change with a Wildcat upset in what would be the program’s biggest regular season win since the 1998 Eric Crouch facemask-ripping 40-30 classic. 4-0 for the first time since 2003, Kansas State is back among the living with a good win over UCLA on the résumé and a 1-0 Big 12 mark after beating Iowa State a few weeks back, and with winnable road games against Kansas and Baylor ahead, beating Nebraska could mean a big-time run before hosting Oklahoma State. This might not be the monster KSU team during the high point under Bill Snyder, but the program is relevant again.
Nebraska is hovering around the national title chase, but it hasn’t submitted its application yet to be an official part of the discussion. Just outside of the loop, that will change over the next three weeks with wins over Kansas State, Texas, and Oklahoma State to set up a showdown with Missouri, but first, getting out of Manhattan with a dominant win would be nice. It’s not enough to just win right now; the Huskers have to look great doing it. Beating up on Idaho, making Jake Locker look silly in a breather over Washington, and going through the motions to get by WKU and Idaho State isn’t going to cut it. It’s time to start making some big statements, and beating Kansas State in convincing fashion on the road would be a start.
Why Nebraska Might Win: The Kansas State run defense is porous. Nebraska runs the ball well. Thanks for playing. While the Huskers might have sputtered a bit against South Dakota State, the ground game is still fourth in the nation thanks to the 383 yards and six scores hung on Washington and 360 put on Idaho. The Wildcat defensive front was expected to be an issue coming into the season, and it is without enough of a push into the backfield and not enough production against anyone’s ground game giving up 166 yards or more in every game and 252 against UCF. It’ll be a shocker if Kansas State hits the 100-yard mark in passing against a Nebraska secondary that’s giving up 126 yards per game and turned Jake Locker from the No. 1 overall pick into a quivering bowl of goo. Give the Nebraska defense one thing to focus on, and it’ll take it away.
Why Kansas State Might Win: It’s not like Nebraska is lighting up the sky with passes, either. For all the good things QB Taylor Martinez has done, he’s still a rookie and he’s still not a special passer. While he has connected on enough big plays to take advantage of teams selling out to stop the run, he’s not going to win the game through the air. KSU leads the nation in pass efficiency defense, while on the other side, the Nebraska defense has been fine, but it’s not the killer it was last year when it comes to stopping the run and getting into the backfield. Even with the Huskers putting 19 men in the box, Kansas State should be able to run a bit.
What To Watch Out For: Daniel Thomas, now it’s time to show why some believe you’re a first round NFL talent. The senior was one of the few backs who produced against last year’s Husker defense with 99 yards on 19 carries, and he has been fantastic so far this year with 628 yards and six touchdowns in the first four games. UCF was able to get the job done, keeping him out of the end zone for the first time all season, but Kansas State can’t win without at least 150 yards and two scores from its star. Needing to stop him is surprising new playmaker Lavonte Davis, a JUCO transfer who made every stop against South Dakota State with 19 tackles. He needs to have more than a few meetings with Thomas.
What Will Happen: The two teams have the same strengths and the same weaknesses, but Nebraska’s strengths are strong and the weaknesses aren’t as bad. Taylor Martinez will outplay KSU QB Carson Coffman by a ten-mile wide margin, while Thomas will be bottled up and held to under 100 yards.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 27 … Kansas State 13 … Line: Nebraska -11.5
Must See Rating: Britney on Glee -5 … Life As We Know It - 1 … 4
GAME OF THE WEEK
Nebraska (4-0) at Kansas State (4-0) Oct. 7, 7:30, ESPN
Here’s The Deal … There was a time when the Nebraska – Kansas State showdown was the biggest game in college football, not just the Big 12. While this doesn’t have a ton of significance on a national scale, it might be the best game of the Big 12 North season. As mediocre as Nebraska has been over the last few seasons, it has owned Kansas State over the last five games with double-digit wins in the last four. But everything can change with a Wildcat upset in what would be the program’s biggest regular season win since the 1998 Eric Crouch facemask-ripping 40-30 classic. 4-0 for the first time since 2003, Kansas State is back among the living with a good win over UCLA on the résumé and a 1-0 Big 12 mark after beating Iowa State a few weeks back, and with winnable road games against Kansas and Baylor ahead, beating Nebraska could mean a big-time run before hosting Oklahoma State. This might not be the monster KSU team during the high point under Bill Snyder, but the program is relevant again.
Nebraska is hovering around the national title chase, but it hasn’t submitted its application yet to be an official part of the discussion. Just outside of the loop, that will change over the next three weeks with wins over Kansas State, Texas, and Oklahoma State to set up a showdown with Missouri, but first, getting out of Manhattan with a dominant win would be nice. It’s not enough to just win right now; the Huskers have to look great doing it. Beating up on Idaho, making Jake Locker look silly in a breather over Washington, and going through the motions to get by WKU and Idaho State isn’t going to cut it. It’s time to start making some big statements, and beating Kansas State in convincing fashion on the road would be a start.
Why Nebraska Might Win: The Kansas State run defense is porous. Nebraska runs the ball well. Thanks for playing. While the Huskers might have sputtered a bit against South Dakota State, the ground game is still fourth in the nation thanks to the 383 yards and six scores hung on Washington and 360 put on Idaho. The Wildcat defensive front was expected to be an issue coming into the season, and it is without enough of a push into the backfield and not enough production against anyone’s ground game giving up 166 yards or more in every game and 252 against UCF. It’ll be a shocker if Kansas State hits the 100-yard mark in passing against a Nebraska secondary that’s giving up 126 yards per game and turned Jake Locker from the No. 1 overall pick into a quivering bowl of goo. Give the Nebraska defense one thing to focus on, and it’ll take it away.
Why Kansas State Might Win: It’s not like Nebraska is lighting up the sky with passes, either. For all the good things QB Taylor Martinez has done, he’s still a rookie and he’s still not a special passer. While he has connected on enough big plays to take advantage of teams selling out to stop the run, he’s not going to win the game through the air. KSU leads the nation in pass efficiency defense, while on the other side, the Nebraska defense has been fine, but it’s not the killer it was last year when it comes to stopping the run and getting into the backfield. Even with the Huskers putting 19 men in the box, Kansas State should be able to run a bit.
What To Watch Out For: Daniel Thomas, now it’s time to show why some believe you’re a first round NFL talent. The senior was one of the few backs who produced against last year’s Husker defense with 99 yards on 19 carries, and he has been fantastic so far this year with 628 yards and six touchdowns in the first four games. UCF was able to get the job done, keeping him out of the end zone for the first time all season, but Kansas State can’t win without at least 150 yards and two scores from its star. Needing to stop him is surprising new playmaker Lavonte Davis, a JUCO transfer who made every stop against South Dakota State with 19 tackles. He needs to have more than a few meetings with Thomas.
What Will Happen: The two teams have the same strengths and the same weaknesses, but Nebraska’s strengths are strong and the weaknesses aren’t as bad. Taylor Martinez will outplay KSU QB Carson Coffman by a ten-mile wide margin, while Thomas will be bottled up and held to under 100 yards.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 27 … Kansas State 13 … Line: Nebraska -11.5
Must See Rating: Britney on Glee -5 … Life As We Know It - 1 … 4
