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With the Nebraska football team’s Sept. 5 season opener still more than 100 days away, making predictions on the Cornhuskers’ final 2009 record seems foolhardy at best.

 

As everyone familiar with college football knows, there can be many developments in the months between the end of spring practice and the start of fall camp in August — good and bad. On the negative side, there can be serious injuries and those dreaded incidents that sometimes result in suspensions or even dismissals from the program. In the plus column, summer workouts can start the path to stardom for previously unknown players.

 

That said, almost half the fun of the sport for many of us is scanning the preseason predictions and speculation that has made college football preview magazines popular summer reading. Prompted by our good friends at Huskers Illustrated, who are soliciting predictions — a.k.a. guesses — from the state’s media types for their summer magazine, here’s how we see Nebraska’s 2009 season (for now):

 

& Florida Atlantic (Sept. 5): Nebraska opens its season with a victory over the Owls, exacting a small — make that very small — measure of revenge against coach Howard Schnellenberger. Yes, the man who spoiled the Huskers’ national championship bid in 1983 is back on the sidelines, leading Florida Atlantic to the Sun Belt Conference title in 2007 and a 7-6 record last year, capped by a victory over Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl. WIN (1-0).

 

& Arkansas St. (Sept. 12): The Huskers should open the season 2-0 at home, but might not want to get caught peeking ahead to Virginia Tech. Arkansas State is expected to contend for the Sun Belt title and returns three-time 1,000-yard rusher Reggie Arnold as well as defensive lineman Alex Carrington, who was the 2008 Sun Belt defensive player of the year. WIN (2-0).

 

& At Virginia Tech (Sept. 19): With Virginia Tech returning 17 starters from a squad that beat Nebraska last year in Lincoln and went on to win the Orange Bowl, this looks like a loss for the Huskers. Making a road debut in Blacksburg, Va., seems like a very tall order for whoever NU’s starting quarterback may be. LOSS (2-1).

 

& Louisiana-Lafayette (Sept. 26): Nebraska completes its Sun Belt tour with a victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns have athletes, but must replace starting quarterback Michael Desormeaux and inexperienced signal-callers traditionally don’t fare well in Memorial Stadium. WIN (3-1).

 

& At Missouri (Oct. 8): The Thursday-night ESPN contest looms as an important swing game in Nebraska’s season. The Tigers, who lost both coordinators and are the only team in the Big 12 to return fewer starters than the Huskers, might be vulnerable even in Columbia this year. WIN (4-1).

 

& Texas Tech (Oct. 17): After last year’s heart-breaking overtime loss at Lubbock, there should be plenty of motivation for the Huskers. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the Red Raiders graduated three-year starting quarterback Graham Harrell and lost star receiver Michael Crabtree to the NFL Draft. WIN (5-1).

 

& Iowa State (Oct. 24): The Cyclones will likely still be trying to find their way with a new staff under first-year head coach Paul Rhoads. Iowa State will join the long list of teams to adopt the spread offense, but don’t appear ready to win in Lincoln yet. WIN (6-1).

 

& At Baylor (Oct. 31): With Oklahoma coming to town the following week, the road trip to Waco, Texas, looks extremely dangerous. The improved Bears return a conference-best 20 starters, but the one who will matter most is sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin. LOSS (6-2).

 

& Oklahoma (Nov. 7): Had Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford decided to leave early for the NFL Draft, Nebraska might have had a chance at payback for last year’s beat-down in Norman. Unfortunately for coach Bo Pelini and his defensive coaching staff, Bradford is returns. LOSS (6-3).

 

& At Kansas (Nov. 14): The crystal ball is a little foggy, but it appears this could be the game that ultimately decided the Big 12’s North Division. Playing at home and having an experienced quarterback like Todd Reesing gives the Jayhawks the edge. LOSS (6-4).

 

& Kansas St. (Nov. 21): By the time coach Bill Snyder returns to Lincoln in his second tour of duty with the Wildcats, the shine could already be off KSU’s interesting coaching hire. Then again, if there’s anyone who knows how to make Kansas State a winner again, it’s Snyder. WIN (7-4).

 

& At Colorado (Nov. 27): Like earlier games at Missouri and at home against Texas Tech, the road trip to Boulder looms as key swing game. Picking the Huskers to win all three of those toss-up contests with a first-year quarterback at the helm might be considered overly optimistic outside of Husker Nation. WIN (8-4).

 

Should these projections somehow pan out, that likely leaves Nebraska out of the Big 12 championship game, but still headed to a bowl game for a second consecutive season under Pelini. After giving the Huskers the benefit of the doubt in several regular-season contests, we’re compelled to project a bowl-game loss, leaving NU with a final record of 8-5.

 

While that prediction won’t thrill most Husker fans, it might look pretty good when one considers Nebraska will be breaking in a new quarterback and returns 12 starters — the second-fewest in the Big 12, ranking only ahead of Missouri’s 10. If Pelini and Co. can somehow find a way to squeeze out another nine-win season, it says here that his offseason pay raise would be well-deserved.

 

Terry Douglass is sports editor for The Independent.

[husker B-rent]

i just do not see us losing to either baylor or KU. if we do lose to one of them then im sure it will be KU but that just aint gonna happen!

[huskered17]

Looking at this season and the teams we had to play away, I kind of thought to myself that winning 9 or 10 games could be a reach. I hope for the best though, always think we have a chance, no matter who we play.

 

GBR!!!

[redout22]

I dont see Nebraska being 6-4 at some point in the season. I don't think Nebraska will overlook Baylor either.

[rawhide-jr]

I can only see VTech and Oklahoma being losses... we are more than evenly matched, if not better than the rest....

 

As far as Griffin and Baylor are concerned, he has to avoid a pretty good front four to be able to use his skills... Good luck with that O-line, Bro....They're experienced, but they aren't good enough for Suh, Turner, PA, or the rest.... Not to mention a defense that is so-so...

 

And KU... Reesing is returning an O-line with minimal experience and a defense that is even worse....

[lilred]

I can easily see this happening

[Blackshirt316]

I see no chance of us losing to Baylor. Other than two bad moves by Cody Glenn to go inside the DE when he was supposed to go outside which both resulted in long runs by Griffin the Bears did absolutely nothing against us last year. Defensively they aren't good enough to stop us from putting up somewhere between 20-28 points and I don't see them putting up more than 17 - and I count garbage points in their total.

[Hunter94]

somehow this team will achieve 9-4 for the season and they will win their bowl game...2010 they will be dangerous, count on it!

[fro daddy]

it could happen. OR Nebraska could do better, or worse depending on how the QB and WR play shakes out.

 

I only have but 1 question. Why does every writer keep bringing up MU losing both cordinators? Have you seen our defense? Thats like saying Nebraska lost Cosgrove, they are going to struggle without their D cordinator. People were begging him to leave at MU. As far as Christianson, that is yet to be determined. MU game plans as a staff. Yost (current OC) called plays with Christianson. And lets not forget who the OC was for those Don James Washington Huskies teams. The same offensive guy that was the OC for a National Champion. I believe they are blowing the loss of coaches WAY out.

 

Losing 11 starters, 2 AA, a record setting QB, the most accurate kicker in college football history, and a number of leaders including 6 NFL draft picks.....well that is a reason to have questions.

 

Sorry for the Missouri rant.

 

Anyway, is it August yet.

[HuskerTrucker]

We will know more after the VT game, until then, it is really up in the air, unless we come out and lose one of the first two games, then it will be a very long season and there will be people coming out of the woodwork yelling for some coach to be fired.

 

It is too hard to predict what this group of players will do together, as there was some key loses from last season personnel wise. Injuries to key positions could kill us, too, at any point during the season.

 

If we win the first two games, then are at least respectable against VT, we might finish with at least 9 wins this year IMHO with a few bounces of the ball going our way along the way.

[HuskerTrucker]

it could happen. OR Nebraska could do better, or worse depending on how the QB and WR play shakes out.

 

I only have but 1 question. Why does every writer keep bringing up MU losing both cordinators? Have you seen our defense? Thats like saying Nebraska lost Cosgrove, they are going to struggle without their D cordinator. People were begging him to leave at MU. As far as Christianson, that is yet to be determined. MU game plans as a staff. Yost (current OC) called plays with Christianson. And lets not forget who the OC was for those Don James Washington Huskies teams. The same offensive guy that was the OC for a National Champion. I believe they are blowing the loss of coaches WAY out.

 

Losing 11 starters, 2 AA, a record setting QB, the most accurate kicker in college football history, and a number of leaders including 6 NFL draft picks.....well that is a reason to have questions.

 

Sorry for the Missouri rant.

 

Anyway, is it August yet.

Anytime there is a change, I try to look at it as a positive, unless they bring in a person that has shown he don't know what he is doing or can't teach. New ideas are usually a good thing, and they throw the competition off - if you can get your players up to speed. I look for Missouri to be competitive, probably even one of the two top teams in the North. I just hope it is the Huskers on top, with Mizzou in 2nd.

[Touchdown Tommie]

I really think that people are putting a lot of hype for Griffith at BU....I think the Huskers' defense will do a pretty good job of containing him....not completely, but enough to win. The KU game could go either way. I think what happens early in the season will determine who wins this game for either team. It would be great to beat Va Tech, but I just don't see if happening when the game is out there.

[HuskerTrucker]

somehow this team will achieve 9-4 for the season and they will win their bowl game...2010 they will be dangerous, count on it!

I like your optimism, however - we have a lot of unproven players in key positions. But then there will be other teams in the same boat. Somehow I don't view this team as being dangerous in my terms...dangerous would be being picked to win the Big 12 and playing for a NC, and I don't see that happening this year - or next year. Maybe the year after if all the stars line up as we hope. Next season we will be in the same boat we are this year with an unproven QB most likely...so it isn't going to happen overnight.

 

I want us to be in a positon to dominate, when we go someplace to play I want the other team to already have it in their head they are probably going to lose.

[HuskerTrucker]

I really think that people are putting a lot of hype for Griffith at BU....I think the Huskers' defense will do a pretty good job of containing him....not completely, but enough to win. The KU game could go either way. I think what happens early in the season will determine who wins this game for either team. It would be great to beat Va Tech, but I just don't see if happening when the game is out there.

I think when other teams have been one dimensional in the past, the Huskers have been able to stop that player - but then you have to make sure you don't open another avenue for them to win with.

[HuskerJen]

Is this douche really predicting Nebraska will lose to the bad news Baylor Bears?