carcross

I think when it is said and done, the 4-team playoff will be more disliked than the previous BCS. Under the previous BCS, the unwritten rules were pretty straight forward to make the MNC game. You had basically had to go undefeated and be from a power conference, and normally you were in. I know there was a year or two where we had 3 undefeated teams, but otherwise it was be an undefeated team, and if there were not two undefeated teams then the 1-loss team from the SEC went. Right or wrong, unwritten or not, those were the rules and they were mostly straight forward. With 4 teams, I think politics will be taken to a much higher level. Sure, there will be an undefeated team or two that are locks, and right or wrong the SEC champ is probably a lock. This leaves 1 to 2 spots left for several 1 loss teams, and likely no easy way to pick one over the other, which will lead to a lot more controversy. The east division winner will more than likely be a 1-loss MSU or OSU team. The west division champ could be a 1-loss Nebraska team. There is a decent chance the winner of the B1G CCG will only have one loss, and regardless if it is MSU, OSU, or NEB, I still don't think they make the playoff. Here is why: 1) the SEC champ is a lock. 2) Given the ACC is weaker than the B1G, and given FSU's schedule, they are probably a lock. 3) Unless the PAC implodes, a 1-loss PAC champ would likely get selected over a 1-loss B1G given the OOC games. 4) This leaves 1 spot left for: Notre Dame, who has a fairly easy schedule, the SEC #2 team who will be sensationalized by SECSPN, a potential 1-loss B1G champ, and potential 1-loss BigXII champ. (Not saying I agree with it, but I put those last four in order of how I think they would be selected). Be it Nebraska, MSU, or OSU, I don't think winning out will be enough for a playoff berth.... and the 4-team playoff hatred begins.

Should the Huskers make it to Indy, I will be cheering your team on as well. Classy fans and classy program. I really mean that. However since MSU's path to Indy includes the need to win out and for a Nebraska loss, we can't put on any Husker red just yet. It should be interesting from here on out, but we do have a lot of respect for you and the quality of your team. See you next year in East Lansing,

Nebraska has a nice team, and played really well yesterday. Please don't take my comment above as a complaint from an MSU fan, I just said that as something to consider going forward when projecting how our teams may fare in future games. Simply put, we (MSU) had a tough October but the benefit of that (for us) is an easier November schedule. No complaints here. This is B1G football, you have to toughen up and just win. We didn't execute yesterday, and your team did. With that being said, I completely echo the posts above that the Nebraska team that played yesterday (and going forward) is definitely not the same team that played in Madison earlier this year. Road games are tough, night road games are even tougher. You have a really nice team, and (rightfully so) are in the drivers seat for the division crown. Frankly, I have to give a lot of credit to your players and coaches for doing the things that led to your 21-pt victory. The defense was incredible in shutting down almost all of our passing game, making our offense almost non-existent all day. That in turn led to our defense being on the field a lot, and getting worn down. The two big drives you had on offense to start the second half gobbled up a lot of time, and really put the game out of reach. All well done by Nebraska. The halftime adjustments you made were well thought out, and again, the better team on the field won yesterday, no question about it. I think after this week we have learned that there are several good teams in the conference (Neb, Wis, OSU, MSU), several not so good teams (Purdue, Indiana, NW, Minn), teams where the jury is still out (PSU, Mich, Iowa, Illini), and overall no great teams in the B1G this year. What that simply means is there are several teams who could end up winning their division, and either of those division winners could beat the other in Indy. Good luck from here on out, and I wish the best to a good Husker team backed by great group of fans.

As it pains me to admit it, the SEC is basically head and shoulders above everyone else right now in football talent. Why that is the case is a different discussion altogether, but when you look at the B1G's bowl games (aside from the BCS games), here is what you have: Citrus Bowl: Best non-BCS B1G @ Best non-BCS SEC (in SEC country). Outback Bowl: Next-best non-BCS B1G @ Next-best non-BCS SEC (in SEC country). Gator Bowl: Next-best non-BCS B1G @ Next-best non-BCS SEC (in SEC country). See the trend? None of the other conferences play the SEC in bowl games (outside the BCS) until you get down to the SEC schools that are like 7-5 or 6-6. So the egg all goes on the face of the B1G, because they are the only conference that gets repeatedly "exposed" by the SEC. I will also add on that in a one game scenario where the team has had a month to rest in preparation for the bowl, speed will more often beat strength, which favors the SEC speed game. However over the course of a B1G season, the B1G strength will bruise up and break a speed team, which is why none of the B1G schools has been able to implement a successful football program based on speed. Basically over the course of 8 B1G conference games, the speed would get too banged up to be effective by the end of the season. As an example of this, look at Michigan/Denard Robinson over the last few seasons in their games before the middle of October, and after. Food for thought...

A few things to note from a (MSU) visitor's perspective: 1. Not trying to take anything away from your win today or how you played (you have a very nice team who played very well), but the Spartan team you beat today is not the same team that played earlier in October. As was brought up, playing @OSU, then a big rivalry game against UM, and then another big game against Wisconsin... you can only "get up" so many weeks in a row. Again I say that not to diminish your victory today, but as a warning to not use today's 21 point margin of victory today as a measuring stick to guess how you may fare against other conference foes. 2. I see you rolling against NW next week. It is in Lincoln, and your defense will really neutralize their passing game. Once NW's passing game gets shut down, NW falls apart and you win easily. 3. The following week @ Penn State really decides the division title. Key considerations I see for that game are: A - Does coming off (what should be) 3-consecutive wins by large margins of victory over inflate players heads? B - Penn State is an average B1G team. They are good enough that they could beat you at home, but probably not in Lincoln. C - What effect does playing on the road for the first time since Wisconsin have on your team (and no, the glorified scrimmage at Minnesota doesn't count as a real road game). If you take care of business, you should win. But Penn State is a tough place to play. 4. You will win in Ann Arbor. Michigan is still a soft team, and the Huskers will take advantage of it. Good luck the rest of the way, it should be interesting how things shake out. In any event, we are glad to have you in the conference and nice game today. You have a great college football atmosphere in Lincoln!

Another Spartan Fan who tips my cap to Nebraska and the way your defense played today. You have a nice team and great fans. Great gameday experience all the way around. Look forward to future trips to Lincoln in the coming years, and best of luck from here on out. Go Green!

I think the answer is quite possibly. I do think the B1G will get 2 BCS teams, I just don't know if it would be the loser of the CCG. Basically, you have 10 spots, with 6 going to the conference champions, one to SEC#2, and one to Boise. That leaves 2 left: If Stanford somehow makes the mNC game, the Rose will select another PAC school. If Stanford doesn't, only one PAC school will go because they don't travel that well and there is no big name LA school having a great year (USC, UCLA). They definitely won't take 2 Big East schools, and probably not want 2 ACC schools either. The exception to this is if a Clemson were to go undefeated and then lose in their CCG. This leaves room for one B1G school and one Big XII school. So yes, I see a second B1G school going...

The whole MSU = dirty is something that has been propagated by the media and biiter UM fans because they haven't beat MSU in 4 years and want something to hang their hat on. Was Gholson's actions out of line? Definitely. Did he deserve the one game suspension? Of course. Does this kind of stuff happen in college football? All the time. If you watched the post game presser of the UM players and coaches, they did not seem to think anything beyond the ordinary actually happened in the MSU/UM game. The only reason it keeps getting brought up is because reporters want a story, and writing that MSU has a better team then UM won't generate buzz for their story.

Welcome to the B1G, and please get used to the Michigan Media lovefest. It is similar to how ESPN loves to talk up the Yankees and Red Sox. Truth be told, you already beat OSU, which is as good of a win as Michigan may get all year. There is no reason for them to be ahead of you, and i share your disgust.

Spartan fan here coming in peace, and as much as it pains me to say it, I still think you guys will be playing in the B1G championship game. Here is why: You have a nice team, and overall are probably slightly better than my MSU team. I think it is close enough between us, and that if our game were to be played in East Lansing we'd win. But since the game is in Lincoln this year, I'll tip my cap and say I think you have to be the favorites in that one. That being said, I am confident you will beat UM in Ann Arbor regardless. They are soft and history has shown that their offense breaks down when they play a hard hitting, good defensive team like us or like you. So I really see our game on the 29th being the decider for who will represent our division this year. Regarding our game with Wisconsin, it really does not come into play in deciding the division unless you were to drop another game somewhere. That being said, Wisconsin is very different team on the road then at home. You will see this full well when you host them in Lincoln next year. If you go back and look at their road record, it is not the most stellar, so I do think MSU has a better chance than what most of the so called experts are giving us in that one. However big wins over schools like South Dakota do make Wisconsin look pretty good. Anyway if you do beat us, I will definitely be pulling for you over Wisconsin in the championship. You are a classier bunch, and a classier program and I am excited that you are in the B1G. Looking forward to seeing the Big Red on the 29th, and good luck!

The problem really is the weather. Why would a prized recruit come to a B10 school when the first half of your season is all away games. As an avid baseball fan myself, I wish it could be different, but the warm weather is just not here in March. Plain and simple. Weather wise, there is a reason MLB doesn't start to around April 1st. This is also the reason why ice hockey is the number 3 college sport for much of the B10.

Spartan fan wishing you the best against Wake. The B1G needs all the help we can get in the challenge. Normally the schedule slants in the ACC's favor, and they have been the better conference overall over the past decade. Hoping the Huskers can help change that.

Before you get too excited... Miles (from Google Maps): Lincoln to Dallas: 640 Miles Lincoln to Indy: 641 Miles Austin to Dallas: 199 Miles Columbus to Indy: 176 Miles Just saying....