A Question of Focus

[knapplc]

Nebraska joining the Big Ten will feel like coming home again to many fans - more than any other conference, the Big Ten resembles Nebraska's old stomping ground in the Big 8. However, there is one major difference between Nebraska's culture and that of much of the Big Ten - namely, our post-season focus.

This time every year, Nebraska fans assess our chances of making another run for a national title. To us, it seems like winning the conference/conference championship game is just a step on the journey to the ultimate goal: playing for the championship. Our goals can be ranked like this:

1. National Championship

2. Conference Championship

3. Nine Wins (minimum)

From what I'm learning of the various Big Ten schools (and I haven't talked to fans of all of them yet), their goals seem to look more like this:

1. Rose Bowl

2. National Championship

3. Beat their rival

I have yet to discuss this with Penn State fans, but so far this seems to be the major focus of Michigan, Ohio State, Wiscy, Iowa, etc. This seems backward to me - who cares about the bowl game? The bowl game is a means to an end, and that end is winning the title. Absent that, you want to win your conference. Absent that, you want to win as many games as possible (nine being a traditional Nebraska benchmark).

Do you see yourself adopting the Big Ten's traditional focus on the Rose Bowl? Will you still want the title first? Do you think the addition of a large fan base like Nebraska's, where the traditional focus every season was national titles, will change the focus of other Big Ten schools?

 

[GSG]

I need another MNC ring.

I can get roses across the street at the flower shop.

 

[Enhance]

The national championship should be the focus every year without question.

For the one person who voted for the Rose Bowl bid, what's your opinion on the matter?

 

[HuskerHacker]

Thankfully the poll allows one to change their vote, not sure how I clicked the rose bowl choice. <scratching bald head>

I think most (probably all) husker fans will agree that winning a National Championship far out ways winning the Rose Bowl but one can argue that winning the Rose Bowl is bigger. It is the oldest and most traditional bowl of all. I also tend to think the above poll is more in the "old" (before the BCS) traditional thought. Once the BCS and more recently, the inclusion of the Rose Bowl, was created, all the none Championship games have suffered. I truly believe most B1G fans see the National Championship as a much bigger game but with less tradition and therefore less boasting through promotion.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I don't think the Rose Bowl is their ultimate goal at all, even though that might be a "perception". Pre-BCS that was the highest level a Big10 team could achieve. Ultimately making/winning the Rose Bowl was the most you could do...everything else was discretionary. (since the MNC was a vote, not a game). That's not the case now, but the fan base still holds the RB in high regard because for 100 years or so it was the top.

If the Rose Bowl was the ultimate goal of the Big10...would a 12-0 Ohio State team that holds the tie-breaker over every other Big10 team purposely lose to a 7-5 Michigan the last game of the season because the BCS championship happens to be in Glendale and they really want to go to the Rose Bowl? I don't think so.

 

[GSG]

I guess I could expand a little:

Every bowl game that's not the National Championship game is just a game with a pay-out attached. I don't care how much tradition it has, it's just another bowl game. The MNC game allows you to be the kings of college football.

Having said that, if the MNC is not in the picture (due to a loss or whatev), then you obviously do want to go to the more prestigious bowl games. But the MNC should be goal #1 every year. If it's not, then what are you playing for?

 

[knapplc]

I don't think the Rose Bowl is their ultimate goal at all, even though that might be a "perception". Pre-BCS that was the highest level a Big10 team could achieve. Ultimately making/winning the Rose Bowl was the most you could do...everything else was discretionary. (since the MNC was a vote, not a game). That's not the case now, but the fan base still holds the RB in high regard because for 100 years or so it was the top.

If the Rose Bowl was the ultimate goal of the Big10...would a 12-0 Ohio State team that holds the tie-breaker over every other Big10 team purposely lose to a 7-5 Michigan the last game of the season because the BCS championship happens to be in Glendale and they really want to go to the Rose Bowl? I don't think so.

You should ask them. I got that list from Big 10 fans on BuckeyePlanet not two months ago.

 

[VA Husker Fan]

From what I'm learning of the various Big Ten schools (and I haven't talked to fans of all of them yet), their goals seem to look more like this:

1. Rose Bowl

2. National Championship

3. Beat their rival

I hear stuff like this, but when I put the question directly to them, they admit that the championship is more important. What I gather is that they would rather have the Rose back as the Big 10 vs Pac 10 champ rather than having the BCS. They want a different system, but within this system the championship is it.

You don't have to guess about Penn St. You still hear them complain about 1994. If winning the Rose was most important, you wouldn't hear so much about them not getting at least a share of the MNC.

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one, so I don't think we can appreciate how important that game can be.

And really, most questions like these are kind of pointless because it's not like one goal prevents you from another, unless you as kchusker says that you tank your final game to go to the Rose instead of the MNC, which we know no one will do nor would any fan want them to do it. Beating your rival is almost mandatory to winning the MNC and certainly helps in winning 9 or however many games your goal is. Losing to your rival puts a coach on the hot seat, but RichRod wouldn't have been axed if he went 12-1 every year losing only to OSU. However, 8-5 beating your rival is probably better than 9-4 or maybe even 10-3 and losing that game every year. But again, it's not like a coach makes a choice to sacrifice a couple of other games to win their rivalry game.

 

[knapplc]

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one

Oklahoma was definitely a rival for over 20 years.

 

[jsneb83]

The last time my top goal was to go the Rose Bowl was in 2001, and we all know how that ended up.

 

[VA Husker Fan]

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one

Oklahoma was definitely a rival for over 20 years.

Not on par with Michigan-Ohio St, or Auburn-Alabama. It was more of a huge game because we were the powers of the Big 8, the only two in most of those years.

 

[knapplc]

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one

Oklahoma was definitely a rival for over 20 years.

Not on par with Michigan-Ohio St, or Auburn-Alabama. It was more of a huge game because we were the powers of the Big 8, the only two in most of those years.

Oklahoma/Nebraska was one of the pre-eminent rivalries of all time in college football. Sure it was based on our strengths, but so is Michigan/OSU and Auburn/Alabama. You don't have a great rivalry with a weak opponent (Colorado, anyone?).

The fact that Oklahoma's administration chose Texas over us does not diminish what that rivalry was. I talked to many Oklahoma fans when they were here in 2009, and to a man they all agreed it was a tragedy our annual game ended.

 

[RedDenver]

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one

Oklahoma was definitely a rival for over 20 years.

Not on par with Michigan-Ohio St, or Auburn-Alabama. It was more of a huge game because we were the powers of the Big 8, the only two in most of those years.

I'm guessing you weren't alive for most of the NU-OU rivalry. It was every bit as big as the two you mentioned, and often bigger, such as 70 and 71.

 

[kchusker_chris]

As far as rivals go, we've never really had a close one

Oklahoma was definitely a rival for over 20 years.

Not on par with Michigan-Ohio St, or Auburn-Alabama. It was more of a huge game because we were the powers of the Big 8, the only two in most of those years.

Oklahoma/Nebraska was one of the pre-eminent rivalries of all time in college football. Sure it was based on our strengths, but so is Michigan/OSU and Auburn/Alabama. You don't have a great rivalry with a weak opponent (Colorado, anyone?).

The fact that Oklahoma's administration chose Texas over us does not diminish what that rivalry was. I talked to many Oklahoma fans when they were here in 2009, and to a man they all agreed it was a tragedy our annual game ended.

It started in the late 20's, didn't really get going until the 60's. It's a single generation's rivalry. Maybe 2 generations. Through the 60's, 70's and 80's I agree...it was certainly a spectacular rivalry. (I, and most under 35 or so) weren't around for much, if any of it. Michigan/Ohio St. has been around since the late 1800's and been relevant every year since however. Gotta be objective on this one - Michigan/tOSU >>>>>> NU/OU

And tell Army/Navy you can't have a great rivalry with a weak opponent.

 

[corncraze]

Forgive me, but isn't this an easy question?! Everyone should have a National Title at the top of their list. This doesn't mean I see us as realistically having a chance at the title this year, I don't think we do, however a NC is more interesting than a conference championship. Realistically, our top goal for this season should be more along the lines of a Big Ten championship, however that's not what we are talking about here. We're talking about which should be the main focus of the program in the long term... The answer is - A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! It's like asking - Do you want $10 or $50? EVERYONE SHOULD SAY $50!