We will win or division, the only real competition in our division is Michigan State. Iowa is losing everybody, Michigan will be breaking in a new coaching staff, Minnesota stinks, Northwestern is a decent team that will surprisem some people but IMO we are better.
Not if we continue to play like the last 4 games we won't. We aren't in the North divison anymore. As long as Watson still calling plays i can't be optimitic. Our new division is much more balanced than we have faced before.
This is the mantality that we need to purge from Nebraska fans' minds. You mean to tell me that the Big Ten is THAT much better than us? Not a chance.
We did not have a single give me game last year either and we won ten games and lost four by a total of 20 points. There is not a single team in the Big Ten next year that is better than us. We win our division because we are the best returning team in that division.
This is the mentality of husker fans who think we will waltz right into the Big Ten and start owning them. I'm not saying we won't win the division just caution against over optimism. We almost lost to Iowa St, they aren't good at all. So we will with no hesitation beat Ohio St, Penn St, and Wisconsin? can you pass the weed so i can smoke what you are smoking?
First of all, those 4 games we lost, we might have only lost by 20 points, but in those four games, outside of the Big XII title game, did we look remotely competitive??
If we lost 3 games in conference next year, I would not be suprised. Two of those losses will probably be to Ohio St/Wisc/Mich St, and that wouldn't shock me. The third loss will be one of those that just baffles all of us.
I'll respond to the both of you here:
Husker_99 - Sure, we almost lost to ISU with our non-starting QB who was playing with a concussion. Let's do a rundown of our Schedule:
Iowa - LOST to a school that employs Kevin Cosgrove. I am very sorry, but that is much worse than ALMOST losing to ISU
Michigan State - beat one team that had more than 7 regular season wins
Wisconsin - They lose a lot. An OC, a good RB, a QB that managed their offense very well.
Ohio State - This will be Pryor's first game back. Anyone who has played knows that your first game in the season isn't always the greatest.
Minnesota - You claim that we are "no longer in the Big 12 North so we don't have any easy games" but yet fail to realize this team is on the schedule.
Northwestern = Kansas MAYBE K-State where you have to play the game, but they will never be closer than arm's length.
Penn State - has not been relevant since Jo Pa turned 70. If you break down their roster as well, they were very senior dominated as well so they can't even use the youth excuse.
Michigan- breaking in a new coaching staff, could be improved, but we will see.
You can't tell me that if you put 2010's schedule down next to this one and say that is was that much inferior. You can't. If you think logically about it I bet that we have more people on this board that are of the same opinion. So I am not smoking anything. The Big Ten was not better than the Big Twelve in 2010.