Venting About The Bowl Selection

[HANC]

I am not sure exactly why anyone is "complaining", other than the NAME of the match up. I actually think Arizona will give NU the most "trouble" of any of the other PAC 10 teams.

 

1. Arizona's style of offense is the most 'dangerous' for our defense to face. Everything that has been said about their quick passing game is spot on. They will go shot-gun with 1-2 step drop and release. Haag will be normally beat a handful of times. I expect them to try 4-6 yd routes all day, with draws as our rush widens. THIS IS THE TEAM THAT HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF BEATING NU !!!!

 

2. We match up better against Stanford. I will take our front four and Dillard vs any running game the PAC 10 could throw at us (other than Oregon....which wasn't an option). Especially with Andrew Luck out, they will be somewhat limited and a little 1 deminsional.

 

3. USC isn't that good. They would have had trouble moving the ball against our defense. They are exactly what their record is...6th in the PAC 10. No better, No worse

 

4. California-Oregon St....... Did you watch their bowl games...enough said.

 

 

*** I was disappointed in the match up, only because of "name-value" and the fact that I thought this IS the team that really doesn't play to our "strengths". Look for Suh to knock down more passes than actually knocking down Folles. Their style just doesn't allow any type of rush. Their WR are good and one slip on a quick slant = 6 pts..... With our offense, 17 points is enough to beat us.

 

People are wondering if NU will be ready....Guaranteed Arizona will be ready...they are excited as a program. Picked as low as 8th and finished 2nd. Heck, just show the team half of the posts on this board... talk about motivation. NO, they are not as good as some of the team NU has played with (namely Texas). But as much as some don't want to buy it, I bet Texas wasn't nearly as prepared as Arizona will be. Texas thought they would "walk" through NU to the NC. They didn't respect NU and it showed.

[Pedro Guerrero]

Didn't we finish 9-4?

[missouri_husker24]

Didn't we finish 9-4?

 

Yes last time a checked. Why would a 9-4 team "deserve" to play a team better than 8-4? Sure Arizona isn't a big name, but it's a fair matchup non-the-less.

[Billyball]

I will be happy if we simply win our bowl game against a worthy opponent in Arizona. We got beat by Iowa State for gosh sakes. Saying we played UT close is for losers. The scoreboard is all that matters. You win or you lose. Though our D played lights out; we lost. All the p**&ing and moaning about shoulda woulda couldas doesn't change the fact we lost 3 games. Winning our bowl will set us up for a good spring and hopefully a better record next year.

 

You don't get respect until you earn it by winning, especially winning on the road against good competition over a season with no "we oughta's" ala Alabama and even Texas. We have not done anything close to that for years.

 

We go undefeated and are kept out of a NCG, then we would have a gripe. Beat Arizona!!

[AngryHusker88]

I am not sure exactly why anyone is "complaining", other than the NAME of the match up. I actually think Arizona will give NU the most "trouble" of any of the other PAC 10 teams.

 

1. Arizona's style of offense is the most 'dangerous' for our defense to face. Everything that has been said about their quick passing game is spot on. They will go shot-gun with 1-2 step drop and release. Haag will be normally beat a handful of times. I expect them to try 4-6 yd routes all day, with draws as our rush widens. THIS IS THE TEAM THAT HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF BEATING NU !!!!

 

2. We match up better against Stanford. I will take our front four and Dillard vs any running game the PAC 10 could throw at us (other than Oregon....which wasn't an option). Especially with Andrew Luck out, they will be somewhat limited and a little 1 deminsional.

 

3. USC isn't that good. They would have had trouble moving the ball against our defense. They are exactly what their record is...6th in the PAC 10. No better, No worse

 

4. California-Oregon St....... Did you watch their bowl games...enough said.

 

 

*** I was disappointed in the match up, only because of "name-value" and the fact that I thought this IS the team that really doesn't play to our "strengths". Look for Suh to knock down more passes than actually knocking down Folles. Their style just doesn't allow any type of rush. Their WR are good and one slip on a quick slant = 6 pts..... With our offense, 17 points is enough to beat us.

 

People are wondering if NU will be ready....Guaranteed Arizona will be ready...they are excited as a program. Picked as low as 8th and finished 2nd. Heck, just show the team half of the posts on this board... talk about motivation. NO, they are not as good as some of the team NU has played with (namely Texas). But as much as some don't want to buy it, I bet Texas wasn't nearly as prepared as Arizona will be. Texas thought they would "walk" through NU to the NC. They didn't respect NU and it showed.

 

Okay, I will admit I did not know Stanford's starting QB was injured. I guess that would take some of the luster out of a Nebraska vs Stanford matchup. I still feel Stanford is the hottest team in the Pac 10, Gerhart is a beast (would love to see him match up against Suh).

 

Once again, the purpose of this thread wasnt to call Arizona a crappy team or to antagonize any Arizona fans that might be on this board. I hope Arizona plays their best football against us & I hope its a great game

[Igetbored216]

I was definitely disappointed to see our opponent as Arizona during the bowl selections. Was hoping for a bigger name team or one that had some sort of intrigue. I understand what the OP is saying.

[Landlord]

Arizona had a better season than we did...you guys are just sad.

[NUpolo8]

I seem to remember a 7-9 loss to Iowa State.

 

We aren't all that and a cup of tea either.

 

They finished second in the Pac 10. Period.

 

They are damned good team who will give us all we want.

 

Most are just happy to be going to a bowl game, now we are getting picky.

 

 

Bill Plachske is that you? The one sentence paragraphs give you away. By the way, count me among the ones where "just a bowl game"will never be enough.

[newenglandhusker]

By the way, count me among the ones where "just a bowl game"will never be enough.

Me, too. I think the majority of the fanbase holds the Huskers to higher expectations. I know Bo does.

[HANC]

I completely understand what you guys are saying..... Until NU gets back into the top 5 on a national basis, I don't believe many people in "Husker Nation" will be satisfied....but I do think that there has to be a time frame when people should be happy (satisfied) with progress or with the program working towards the top 5.

 

I think that what NUPolo was getting at, was that after the Iowa State-TT games....starring OU in the face, not many people on this board (those willing to be truthful), probably expected NU to be in the Holiday Bowl. Many were just hoping for 2 more wins to be "bowl eligible". There were threads on the board wondering where those 2 wins were going to come from.

 

With this frame of mind, I am happy that NU is going to San Diego instead of El Pasa, Shreveport, or Houston. I think that is what some are getting at here.

 

Look at where we were at that point in the season, and it's tough to justify being disappointed where we are, regardless of what "standard" you hold the program too. I'm assuming we ALL hold the program to nearly the same standard.......NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

[Overland Park Husker]

The bowls are all about money. In 98, Arizona and Nebraska posted the all time attendence record for the game and Holiday Bowl officials are hoping for the same this year. I personally wouldn't mind avenging that 98 loss to the Wildcats.

 

Also, IIRC, the Holiday Bowl did not have to choose the #2 Pac-10 and #3 Big XII teams for the bowl games. They just figured this would get them the most $$$.

[skersfan]

After the Callahan days, getting to a bowl, any bowl is a step up. Do all of us want more, of course, but you play who is in front of you.

 

Thinking we are better than Arizona is normal, but is it reality? What if we lose? Calling them inferior will not look to good then.

 

We played them in 98, and the same talk, lets hope not the same results.

 

This is one of the better match ups this year if you are defensive guy, Arizona is a very well rounded in offense and defense, better than Nebraska statisticlly.

 

The Holiday bowl is a great bowl game. It is sold out, and did it early.

 

Lets remember that a lot of our wins are over Sun Belt competition, Arizona played the 16th toughest schedule in the country. Their record warrants a better team than us if you do it by the numbers.

 

Name, tradition, history does not mean squat. What you do on the field is all that is important.

 

Respect your opponent.

[NUpolo8]

After the Callahan days, getting to a bowl, any bowl is a step up. Do all of us want more, of course, but you play who is in front of you.

 

Thinking we are better than Arizona is normal, but is it reality? What if we lose? Calling them inferior will not look to good then.

 

We played them in 98, and the same talk, lets hope not the same results.

 

This is one of the better match ups this year if you are defensive guy, Arizona is a very well rounded in offense and defense, better than Nebraska statisticlly.

 

The Holiday bowl is a great bowl game. It is sold out, and did it early.

 

Lets remember that a lot of our wins are over Sun Belt competition, Arizona played the 16th toughest schedule in the country. Their record warrants a better team than us if you do it by the numbers.

 

Name, tradition, history does not mean squat. What you do on the field is all that is important.

 

Respect your opponent.

 

Its not like the Callahan years were a 45 year era. They were a 5 year low point in a program that, hopefully, is the lone exception. Admittedly, the program was starting to slip the instant Charlie McBride and the rest of Osborne's recruits walked, but there was a 10 win season in there also. Getting back to competing for the conference every year, and winning it is where this program was and its where it needs to get back. This school's entire athletic life is based of its football team reaping the profits of upper tier bowls.

 

Further, you can also count me as one who hates this offense and is not complacent. Believe me, I have a pretty good feeling I know where this team would be with a serviceable offense. Hell, I hated Jammall Lord with a passion but if he was here right now, this damn team would be in the Fiesta Bowl or better. The <complacency> some are feeling around here is this. I, and maybe others prefer a all world defense and an ok average than the opposite. Like Osborne said in 07, "When you score 50 points, you should win" We weren't and that is still too horrible for words.

 

I respect Arizona, but I fully expect a 17-0 shutout.

[roundegotrip]

I can't believe some of the people discounting Arizona so easily. The PAC 10 was a meat grinder this year. Don't just assume that we're going to do to them what we did to Texas.

 

Nebraska vs. Arizona is a great match up on paper. Who gives a crap about the name value of our opponent or the bowl. I want to watch a good football game.

[huKSer]

The bowls are all about money. In 98, Arizona and Nebraska posted the all time attendence record for the game and Holiday Bowl officials are hoping for the same this year. I personally wouldn't mind avenging that 98 loss to the Wildcats.

 

Also, IIRC, the Holiday Bowl did not have to choose the #2 Pac-10 and #3 Big XII teams for the bowl games. They just figured this would get them the most $$$.

They had to take one of the 5(?) teams tied for #2 in Pac-10. I don't know if they have a tie breaker or I think they had a choice and took Arizona over Stanford.

 

They had 3rd pick of a Big 12 team. Could have taken ISU if they wanted, just not Texas or Oklahoma State, who were already taken. (Just ask Missouri about bowl selections)