Nebraska and Duke, the only left of its kind.

[Scratchtown]

I was told this back during the season, but the only 2 BCS conference teams that have yet to beat a top 19 team since 2001 is Nebraska, and Duke. Why? Why is Nebraska alone in a category of football with DUKE! I heard this and almost went nuts. Its almost shameful, our beloved huskers need to get off that schnide

[knapplc]

Why arbitrarily pick 2001 as the date to go back to? What's so special about eight years? This is one of those made up stats that people get all worked up over, but it means nothing. It changes nothing about what happened during the end of the Solich era and throughout the Callahan era.

 

Anyone shocked by this hasn't been watching what's been going on here the past several years. Where ya been?

[skersfan]

We have not beaten a top 15 program on the road since 1997. I guess it gives credence to what the media thinks of us. Looking at it you can understand their questions and their comments. This program has fallen a long long ways since TO left. All is not on the head of BC by any means.

 

And as much as most hate to hear it it will most likely continue through this year. But one difference is we should be playing top programs closer than some in the past. Top 15 teams this year should be VaTech if they give Alabama a good game or win. Then Oklahoma. Not likely wins in any scenario.

 

Kansas and Texas Tech could be ranked, but doubtul they will be in the top 15.

 

It is important. It screams we are not what some think we are. Currently second tier program.

 

That is why some have always said lets give Bo the time he needs and the support. This is not an overnight fix, it took a long time to get where we are. But with Bo and Coach Osborne leading us, we will get back, not this year, maybe not next year, but soon.

[knapplc]

It screams we are not what some think we are. Currently second tier program.

The people who think we're anything higher than a second-tier program right now are in a tiny minority. I can't remember anyone saying we're anything other than a team hoping to be ranked in the top 25, somewhere. That's our aspiration right now, and it's pretty legit.

[skersfan]

We have people talking BCS and Conference championships on this board. Magical year, look at our schedule it is so easy. While fans from Sun Belt teams think they have a legitimate chance. That is the reality we have at present.

 

Top 25 is not a second tier program, out of the top 25 is second tier.

 

That being said our season of change revolves around those two games. Winning the North will have little importance if no one in the North is ranked and we lose to two ranked teams. Kansas and Texas Tech having good seasons will help us if we win those games. Beating Kansas at home has not been something we do recently, and Texas Tech seems to have our number.

 

I think we will have a good season and could pull off the victory at VaTech, if so that makes Kansas and Texas Tech look a little more possible. VaTech being ranked is a key for our recent history being changed.

 

A very important game.

[JTrain]

If this stat is true (regardless of how arbitrary 2001 is) that's pretty sad. That said, the drought will be over soon, with Va Tech, OU and the Big 12 title game (if we get there) all being definite opportunities to end it, while Texas Tech, Kansas and the bowl game are also possibilities. I think we'll get it done this year.

[shyndy]

if only we had managed to squeak that one out against texas tech last year

 

i wonder how much of this is coast bias though. teams in the east that beat nobody but are "undefeated" get all sorts of premature hype, like vanderbilt last year, and when south florida was ranked as high as SECOND in the country. but when kansas was undefeated after beating a bunch of creampuffs, no one cared to rank them at all.

[Cy the Cyclone]

What's this "road win" of which you speak???

[SkullandBones]

I'm going to go out on a limb Cy and say the Cycones win - on the road - at Kent State. Book it.

[HuskerJen]

We have not beaten a top 15 program on the road since 1997. I guess it gives credence to what the media thinks of us. Looking at it you can understand their questions and their comments. This program has fallen a long long ways since TO left. All is not on the head of BC by any means.

 

And as much as most hate to hear it it will most likely continue through this year. But one difference is we should be playing top programs closer than some in the past. Top 15 teams this year should be VaTech if they give Alabama a good game or win. Then Oklahoma. Not likely wins in any scenario.

 

Kansas and Texas Tech could be ranked, but doubtul they will be in the top 15.

 

It is important. It screams we are not what some think we are. Currently second tier program.

 

That is why some have always said lets give Bo the time he needs and the support. This is not an overnight fix, it took a long time to get where we are. But with Bo and Coach Osborne leading us, we will get back, not this year, maybe not next year, but soon.

 

I appreciate your opinion here but let's look at this situation from a "glass is half full" mentality...

 

1. Nebraska had good talent under the former coach, they just didn't play hard most times and when they would fall behind they would give up. Ergo, it appeared that Nebraska really didn't have any "talent" because in the big games we always lost and nobody really ever stood out with any great individual performances...Maurice Purify may be the closest possibility.

 

Bo showed us in '08 that there really was some very good talent on the roster. I mean could you imagine how good our defense would be right now if they were entering the 4th or 5th year in Bo's defense?

 

2. Nebraska was soooo close to winning 10 games last year.

 

Victories over both Techs would've been huge. Unfortunately, The Huskers fell short...such is life.

 

While I won't go out on a limb and say that Nebraska will go undefeated or win a championship: conference or national, I will say that the Huskers are closer, much closer, to being able to do that than you might think.

 

Could '09 be another 9-4, or Heaven forbid, worse season? Sure. But it could also be a 10+ win and championship season.

 

The game against Oklahoma is really the only one where I say there's probably a less than 10% chance Nebraska wins. All the other teams on the schedule, even Va Tech, have comparable physical talent and the Huskers can win every single one of them.

 

I'm the type of kool-aid drinking, sunshine pumping, rose-colored glasses wearing, bleeds Husker red type of moron who believes, especially since Bo was hired, that Nebraska now has a shot to win every game they play.

[HuskerInLostWages]

I'm the type of kool-aid drinking, sunshine pumping, rose-colored glasses wearing, bleeds Husker red type of moron who believes, especially since Bo was hired, that Nebraska now has a shot to win every game they play.

 

 

PREACH ON SISTA!!!!

[skersfan]

This record has been the responsiblity of three coaches. Solich, BC and Pelini.

 

BC the most glaring for sure. But I have not seen this play with talent game you speak of. Was anyone other than Crabtree drafted from Tech.

 

Without a doubt we should have beaten VaTech, on the road new QB. It did not happen.

 

Predicting we are around the corner is just wishful thinking by a very good fan. We won what we were supposed to under Bo, nothing more nothing less, except Clemson, which is what I base all my hope on. No other game really means anything last year as far as the future is concerned. Texas Tech was having a bad day some would say and others would say we were having a great day. Someplace in the middle is my guess. Would I want to play that game over and pay a thousdand dollars a point in the final point difference. NO.

 

I give Bo credit for the attitude turn around, but my guess anyone that walked in the door that was hired by TO would have seen the same results. Change inspires a chance to move up in your job field, extra effort normally given to keep your job.

 

We have a horrible record since Coach Osborne left. Texas has owned us, Texas Tech, SC to name some.

I am still not sold on this abundance of talent some see. I think we have adequate talent to win what we are supposed to. I seriously doubt we have the talent of VaTech, nowhere near the talent of Oklahoma, but from there on down we are pretty close. I think every game we play this year will have an element of doubt going in. I see no landslide victories, but I do see a team that appears to be able to give its all. If they play like last year we will be in the hunt for the North division. But being the North champion does not mean we will break our losing streak.

 

I have very seldom felt we would win every game. This is a funny game and very strange things happen to you and against you with the odd little ball.

 

As long as we play like we did last year other than some of the really stupid pentalties, I will be happy. I see us losing two games, VaTech and Oklahoma. If that happens we will continue to see our losing record continue through this year. VaTech may be our only chance to stop it, and that means they beat or barely lose to Bama. I do not think Kansas or Texas Tech will be rated when we play them.

 

If we come out the north champion, lose to VaTech and Oklahoma during the regular season where do you think we will be ranked. Sun Belt co champions will be some of the comments I am sure. Our schedule is going to hurt us this year if we do not beat VaTech or Oklahoma, Big Time.

[HuskerGBR]

We have not beaten a top 15 program on the road since 1997. I guess it gives credence to what the media thinks of us. Looking at it you can understand their questions and their comments. This program has fallen a long long ways since TO left. All is not on the head of BC by any means.

 

And as much as most hate to hear it it will most likely continue through this year. But one difference is we should be playing top programs closer than some in the past. Top 15 teams this year should be VaTech if they give Alabama a good game or win. Then Oklahoma. Not likely wins in any scenario.

 

Kansas and Texas Tech could be ranked, but doubtul they will be in the top 15.

 

It is important. It screams we are not what some think we are. Currently second tier program.

 

That is why some have always said lets give Bo the time he needs and the support. This is not an overnight fix, it took a long time to get where we are. But with Bo and Coach Osborne leading us, we will get back, not this year, maybe not next year, but soon.

 

I appreciate your opinion here but let's look at this situation from a "glass is half full" mentality...

 

1. Nebraska had good talent under the former coach, they just didn't play hard most times and when they would fall behind they would give up. Ergo, it appeared that Nebraska really didn't have any "talent" because in the big games we always lost and nobody really ever stood out with any great individual performances...Maurice Purify may be the closest possibility.

 

Bo showed us in '08 that there really was some very good talent on the roster. I mean could you imagine how good our defense would be right now if they were entering the 4th or 5th year in Bo's defense?

 

2. Nebraska was soooo close to winning 10 games last year.

 

Victories over both Techs would've been huge. Unfortunately, The Huskers fell short...such is life.

 

While I won't go out on a limb and say that Nebraska will go undefeated or win a championship: conference or national, I will say that the Huskers are closer, much closer, to being able to do that than you might think.

 

Could '09 be another 9-4, or Heaven forbid, worse season? Sure. But it could also be a 10+ win and championship season.

 

The game against Oklahoma is really the only one where I say there's probably a less than 10% chance Nebraska wins. All the other teams on the schedule, even Va Tech, have comparable physical talent and the Huskers can win every single one of them.

 

I'm the type of kool-aid drinking, sunshine pumping, rose-colored glasses wearing, bleeds Husker red type of moron who believes, especially since Bo was hired, that Nebraska now has a shot to win every game they play.

 

That's how I feel Jen...well said. I know what Skersfan is saying about giving Bo time. If we have a bad season, are Husker fans going to turn on Bo? I think that is the caution he is trying to evoke to Husker fans. Our minds are pretty fragile right now and a little prudence will go a long ways. However where Skersfan sees Husker fans turning on each other and coaches...I see Husker fans being o.k. with a loss as long as our boys fight tooth and nail for all 4 quarters. It's the way the team fights that will determine the way we feel about the team not so much the wins or losses although the wins are nice too. So who cares that we haven't beaten a top 15 team lately. You can see that we have the coaches to develop talent which in my opinion was our main problem. That will directly translate into beating a top 15 team, but more importantly it will turn us into a top 15 team.

 

Pelini did a few things last year that has everyone really optimistic.

1. He took practically the same team that went 5-7 the year before and got them to play hard. Not only play hard, but took them to another level as far as their development goes. They weren't great, but they hands down got better.

2. He redshirted 50 players and quite a few of those guys could have played last year. Depth, depth, depth...HUGE in the long run.

3. He has shown he knows how to move guys to different positions to maximize the teams effectiveness.

4. He has shown he can change gameplans at halftime to counter teams.

5. No player is favored with Pelini. He is creating competition at all positions and isn't afraid to remove a starter if he can't get the job done.

 

Lots of reasons to be optimistic that we can beat a top 15 team very soon. Of course there are a lot more positives I can list, but I have already gabbed long enough.

[skersfan]

I see the same things that both of you do.

 

I see us improving and moving forward, but this has been going on a long time. It is not just the BC years that are back there.

 

I do not think Coach Solich ever beat a top 15 team on the road.

 

BC never did.

 

That is obviously a lot tougher to do than most of us think. I have no reason why, but we have failed to get it done with three coaches so far. Expecting it to change with the teams we have to play is great. If it happens fantastic, if it doesn't it is not the end of the world.

 

Time grasshoppers!. Give the Bo Time.

[NUpolo8]

We have not beaten a top 15 program on the road since 1997. I guess it gives credence to what the media thinks of us. Looking at it you can understand their questions and their comments. This program has fallen a long long ways since TO left. All is not on the head of BC by any means.

 

And as much as most hate to hear it it will most likely continue through this year. But one difference is we should be playing top programs closer than some in the past. Top 15 teams this year should be VaTech if they give Alabama a good game or win. Then Oklahoma. Not likely wins in any scenario.

 

Kansas and Texas Tech could be ranked, but doubtul they will be in the top 15.

 

It is important. It screams we are not what some think we are. Currently second tier program.

 

That is why some have always said lets give Bo the time he needs and the support. This is not an overnight fix, it took a long time to get where we are. But with Bo and Coach Osborne leading us, we will get back, not this year, maybe not next year, but soon.

 

I guess the 99 wins against Texas in the CCG and Tennesee in the Bowl game in 99/00 do not count. Bit of a reach I admit. And still a long time ago.