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NU vs. KU

np_husker

By np_husker,
in Husker Football

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np_husker

Posted
Posted

Nebraska an underdog vs. Kansas? Wow

Michael Rosenberg / FOXSports.com

 

I don't know which receiver to start on your fantasy team. It took me six rounds of blackjack to understand that "doubling down" is an actual strategical move (I figured it was how you cope with losing.) You would be a fool to let me invest 401 of your hard-earned pennies, let alone your 401(k).

 

And yet, here I am, writing a column about wagering. There will be no advice here. I'm just a sports hack trying to reattach my jaw after seeing the following betting line this week: Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

Let this sink in, people.

 

Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

Does this mean anything to you? Do you understand everything that had to happen for us to get to this point?

 

Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

This is the equivalent of Ohio State (+19) at Minnesota. Or Florida (+19) at Vanderbilt. It makes Navy (+3) at Notre Dame seem perfectly normal.

 

Until 2005, Nebraska had beaten Kansas 35 straight times. The Jayhawks were calling the Washington Generals for advice. Nebraska and Kansas had an understanding: Nebraska kicked Kansas's butt in football and Kansas returned the favor in basketball. It was sort of an "I'll hit on your girlfriend and you ogle my wife" arrangement — not ideal for either party, but everybody learned to live with it.

 

Then two things happened. The first was in 2002: Kansas hired Mark Mangino as its head coach. This move was lauded in Lawrence and at the National Institute of Fat Jokes. Yes, Mangino looks like he sweats gravy. Yes, he looks like he ate everything off the Wendy's menu and also Wendy. Blah, blah, blah.

 

Laugh all you want. The man can obviously coach.

 

Mangino worked for Jim Tressel at Youngstown State, Bill Snyder at Kansas State and Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. Those are three pretty good lines on the resume. Now Mangino is creating his own legacy. He built his program steadily, and now his team is 8-0.

 

In the meantime, Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson fired Frank Solich and said he would not let the mighty Cornhuskers drift into mediocrity. Pederson apparently wanted the Huskers to speed past mediocrity and end up in a ditch with Gerry Faust.

 

Pederson hired Bill Callahan, who has done such a remarkably bad job that he really should have some sort of award named after him. Two years ago Callahan ended that 35-game winning streak in spectacular fashion — losing 40-15 and getting outgained 428-138.

 

Callahan has about as much chance of coaching Nebraska next year as I do. Bill Callahan's popularity in Nebraska could not slip any lower if he came out against farming. The man is toast. And yet, before he leaves, he must coach through the indignity he hath wrought, namely:

 

Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

You want to know the amazing part of this line? It strikes me as accurate. Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller is out for the year. The Cornhuskers have every reason to mail it in for the rest of the season — they ought to replace the famous "N" on their helmets with a stamp. And Kansas has an explosive offense.

 

This is like waking up one day, discovering that the United States has been annexed by Mexico, and figuring it is perfectly normal to eat tacos on Thanksgiving.

 

Here is the latest problem for Callahan: His team is a 19-point underdog because it deserves to be a 19-point underdog, but even if the Huskers play hard and lose by, say, a touchdown, it will seem like a terrible upset.

 

That is because no matter how many times you see it, you can't really get used to ... Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

If you're from Lincoln, how do you explain this to your kids?

 

Nebraska (+19) at Kansas.

 

Wow.

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raw1 Preferred Walk-On

raw1

Posted
Posted

Yeah, that kind of sucks to read.

The Huskers are going to come out and look like they have owned Kansas for 36 years. I am telling you we are going to be scratching our heads wondering how this team lost so many games this year. I just have a feeling and am not talking with my heart. I really think the Huskers have the best athletes and somehow the players will realize it and play like it.

 

I am feeling this.

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SOCALHUSKER Scout Team

SOCALHUSKER

Posted
Posted

Yeah, that kind of sucks to read.

The Huskers are going to come out and look like they have owned Kansas for 36 years. I am telling you we are going to be scratching our heads wondering how this team lost so many games this year. I just have a feeling and am not talking with my heart. I really think the Huskers have the best athletes and somehow the players will realize it and play like it.

 

I am feeling this.

 

I'm with you man!!! GBR!!!!

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