6 is a little high for me

[HuskerBill85]

When does the coaches poll come out?

[irafreak]

Hey Saturn, not trying to be a jerk (serious question) who are the 6 you think might beat us if your worst case scenario plays out?

 

I count 4: Washington, Texas, Missouri, Texas A&M

 

I'd be surprised if okstate beat us with their offense (the strength of that team) being rebuilt

-KU has no qb or defense

-ISU needed 8 turnovers to beat us and there's no way our offense gets any worse this year

-Colorado will either play to win one for their coach on his way out or have quit on him entirely (so this could be one but it's in Lincoln so it's hard to pick this)

-KSU i guess that's probably the other one (actually this game is going to be a tough one)

-WKU, Idaho, SDSU the only one being possible is Idaho but that's a stretch

 

I guess I have a hard time seeing us drop 6 games...we would really have to bomb out and have nothing fall our way

[SaturnDrew]

Hey Saturn, not trying to be a jerk (serious question) who are the 6 you think might beat us if your worst case scenario plays out?

 

I count 4: Washington, Texas, Missouri, Texas A&M

 

I'd be surprised if okstate beat us with their offense (the strength of that team) being rebuilt

-KU has no qb or defense

-ISU needed 8 turnovers to beat us and there's no way our offense gets any worse this year

-Colorado will either play to win one for their coach on his way out or have quit on him entirely (so this could be one but it's in Lincoln so it's hard to pick this)

-KSU i guess that's probably the other one (actually this game is going to be a tough one)

-WKU, Idaho, SDSU the only one being possible is Idaho but that's a stretch

 

I guess I have a hard time seeing us drop 6 games...we would really have to bomb out and have nothing fall our way

 

Okay you jerk, (j/k) :-) here are the six games that I thought looked dangerous: Washington, Kansas State, Texas, Texas A&M, Missouri, and Oklahoma State. Look at our history against Big 12 South teams on the road lately. Hell, look at our history against Big 12 South teams in general. And even if we win 1 one those 6, Colorado has never been an easy victory for Nebraska. I don't think that we will lose 6 games. You are totally correct, we would have to really bomb. Much like we did in 2007 when people had pretty high expectation of Nebraska--see where I'm going with this? And as great as last year was, we were a Suh and few other good players away from losing games to Missouri, Baylor, Oklahoma, and the Kansas teams.

 

Like I said, I think if all three things I mentioned earlier fail to develop, we could be looking at a 6-6 season. I don't think that will happen from what I'm hearing, but again, and I hate to compare us to 2007 because we are a totally different team, but it is a possibility. With Bo as our coach, I don't think we're headed for this kind of season. However, there are way to many question marks for me to give Nebraska any confident win-loss total at this point.

 

By the way, I don't think Idaho is going to be as big a push over as many Husker fans think. They have the potential to make this a close game. They are a very dangerous non-BCS team, and we all saw them in a high scoring dog fight against Bowling Green last season. Again, not saying we lose, but I think it's closer than what the experts think. (To steal a line from Lee Corso.)

[schuhbdoo]

A lot of polls have us in the top 5 ahead of Texas. I think that NU fans needs to start thinking of where Bo has this program in 2 to 3 short years. So at the end of last season Bo had this team ready to play with anyone. That anyone is Texas, Alabama, Florida etc.

 

This leads me to my next question. Do you think Alabama or Texas would potentially lose to all those teams you just mentioned and have a 5 or 6 loss season? I don't and NU fans should start to think of top 5 and top 5 schools don't lose 5 and 6 games on the schedule we have this year.

 

Most of the teams on that short 6 list had multiple losses of more than 5 games, only UT is exempt from that list. Only Texas brings in a D that can compete with NU. Mizzou brings back a lot of players from a defense that didn't perform that well.

 

I don't see more than 2 losses max and a chance to run the table and go undefeated is just as likely as losing 2 games.

[RockyMountainOySker]

IMO, I would love Nebraska to be rated around 11. I hate the top 5 rankings as I feel like we don't deserve to be there until we prove it. If we start at 11....there is no doubt that we will gradually crawl our way up the rankings as we win and others lose. The other reason is the fact that the big 12 has a championship game still. A win would jump us past teams like Boise State, and if we are underrated at this time, I doubt we'll have to jump many schools.

 

Earn it.

[SaturnDrew]

A lot of polls have us in the top 5 ahead of Texas. I think that NU fans needs to start thinking of where Bo has this program in 2 to 3 short years. So at the end of last season Bo had this team ready to play with anyone. That anyone is Texas, Alabama, Florida etc.

 

This leads me to my next question. Do you think Alabama or Texas would potentially lose to all those teams you just mentioned and have a 5 or 6 loss season? I don't and NU fans should start to think of top 5 and top 5 schools don't lose 5 and 6 games on the schedule we have this year.

 

Most of the teams on that short 6 list had multiple losses of more than 5 games, only UT is exempt from that list. Only Texas brings in a D that can compete with NU. Mizzou brings back a lot of players from a defense that didn't perform that well.

 

I don't see more than 2 losses max and a chance to run the table and go undefeated is just as likely as losing 2 games.

 

A lot of polls had Mississippi last year in the Top 5. They ended up losing 4 games. It's where you end up at the end of the season. This will be my final comparison to 2007, but weren't we as high as #14 in one point in the season? We aren't a top 5 school until we actually finish the season in the top 5. Right now we are a top 15 school, and 5-6 losses is a possibility. We did gain some ground, but there is no way we are a Texas or Alabama caliber team yet. Yes, we did take Texas down to the final second, but that doesn't necessarily mean we can produce an entire season with the success they had. And to answer your question, no program in this era of football is immune from 5-6 losses given some bad breaks and serious breakdowns.

Also, many of Nebraska close calls last year were against teams that had 5 + losses. Heck, we lost to a team that had 6 losses last year. I'm glad you are very optimistic about the season, and hopefully after seeing the Washington game I will share that enthusiasm, but I think you're basing a lot of this season on "best-case scenario" which is rare, but could happen.

[huKSer]

They are a very dangerous non-BCS team, and we all saw them in a high scoring dog fight against Bowling Green last season. Again, not saying we lose, but I think it's closer than what the experts think. (To steal a line from Lee Corso.)

Huh?

 

Edit: I thought BG vs NU in a high scoring game a la he-who-is-not-to-be-named

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I'm all for starting as high as possible. If they live up to the hype that will be fewer hurdles to pass in order to advance in the polls. If they don't play as well then they'll drop in the polls any how.

[schuhbdoo]

A lot of polls have us in the top 5 ahead of Texas. I think that NU fans needs to start thinking of where Bo has this program in 2 to 3 short years. So at the end of last season Bo had this team ready to play with anyone. That anyone is Texas, Alabama, Florida etc.

 

This leads me to my next question. Do you think Alabama or Texas would potentially lose to all those teams you just mentioned and have a 5 or 6 loss season? I don't and NU fans should start to think of top 5 and top 5 schools don't lose 5 and 6 games on the schedule we have this year.

 

Most of the teams on that short 6 list had multiple losses of more than 5 games, only UT is exempt from that list. Only Texas brings in a D that can compete with NU. Mizzou brings back a lot of players from a defense that didn't perform that well.

 

I don't see more than 2 losses max and a chance to run the table and go undefeated is just as likely as losing 2 games.

 

A lot of polls had Mississippi last year in the Top 5. They ended up losing 4 games. It's where you end up at the end of the season. This will be my final comparison to 2007, but weren't we as high as #14 in one point in the season? We aren't a top 5 school until we actually finish the season in the top 5. Right now we are a top 15 school, and 5-6 losses is a possibility. We did gain some ground, but there is no way we are a Texas or Alabama caliber team yet. Yes, we did take Texas down to the final second, but that doesn't necessarily mean we can produce an entire season with the success they had. And to answer your question, no program in this era of football is immune from 5-6 losses given some bad breaks and serious breakdowns.

Also, many of Nebraska close calls last year were against teams that had 5 + losses. Heck, we lost to a team that had 6 losses last year. I'm glad you are very optimistic about the season, and hopefully after seeing the Washington game I will share that enthusiasm, but I think you're basing a lot of this season on "best-case scenario" which is rare, but could happen.

The last time I checked Bo Pelini was the coach here and not Houston Nutz. Pretty much says it all. His defense won the scoring title last season after inheriting the 117th best defense from 2007. 4 starters return on a O-Line that has J. Hardwick coming in to take a starting spot and they will be much improved. If you look at the D this team will have, I think he competes for another scoring title, and look at the schedule, we look good. Bo is on record saying that it take 3 years to smell what he is cooking, or buy into the system he has on defense. In simple terms, this is the 3rd year. When the coach says he expects to be 5 times better than last year, he has finger on the pulse of this team and knows what he has. Go back to the O-line, you control the lines and you control the game.

 

I think you need to listen to Bo Pelini, he is very focused and I doubt he will let this team lose focus in 2010. If he says we are going to be good this year, which 5 times better is pretty good, I believe him. In Dec we can revisit this topic. I stand by my posts here and let's see how this season plays out. I am a NU homer but I try to look at the facts. Case in point, I was pumped a few years ago when B Gabbert signed on. I called a fellow NU and told him that we will play for NC's with him at the helm. Now, I was bummed when he decommitted, but very happy when BC got booted. Just think of what would of happened last year if B Gabbert QB'd this team with that D and his ability. I see only 1 loss on the books potentially, that was the TTU game. This is complete fantasy but if he stayed, not only would he have been the QB last year he would've been playing as a true sophomore and this team has 1 loss and is playing in a BCS bowl or maybe in Pasadena last year. I thought Blaine had the ability to bring us back to play for NC's but in reality it is Bo Pelini that has NU in the position today. NU schedule is pretty easy, sit back and enjoy the ride and let Bo Pelini earn his money. Anything more than 2 losses for this year and I think NU isn't living up to their potential for this year.

[knapplc]

The last time I checked Bo Pelini was the coach

 

This is something you check? How often? Is it a daily check, or weekly?

 

How do you check? Do you call down to the Athletic Offices, or drop by on Tuesday afternoons? Or are you secretly stalking Bo, and you have him under surveillance?

 

 

 

[zoogs]

2008: 9-5

2009: 10-4, CCG loss

 

One thing you have to take into account into preseason rankings is the strength of the program, not just the projected strength of the team this year. That is subject to crazy hype and confidence in the offseason. Fanbases tend to assume improvement in every category with each year. Every player has another year in the system, so they will be better. Yea - maybe.

 

I see a team that's been a 4,5 loss team for two years under this regime, coming off a total collapse the year before, with our last season of less than 4 losses coming in 2003. A team CAN make the jump from this to Top 10, elite level caliber, but that's a projection we are making. In reality, how can we expect anything different than 4 losses? I think three is a fair number to hope for because that would be an improvement. Will that even land us in the Top 10? Keep in mind it is harder to improve the higher your starting point. We're much more likely to plateau or regress than we are to make a leap.

 

 

2005: 8-4

2006: 9-5, CCG Loss

 

I'll tell you what, 2007 was not a Top 15 season by us

 

Granted, we have a different head coach now. And he is building up a strong program by all accounts. But that is a process, and we are very early on in that process.

 

You might be hard pressed to find more than 10 teams with as much hype as we carry into this year, but hype is hype. I would hope we don't use that to bolster our confidence.

[clone]

Couldn't agree more, but maybe 9-12 for me.

 

The Arizona game was a great, well played game, but they sucked. They were really unprepared, undisciplined, and acted like they didn't want to be there. I think alot of our ranking has to do with how be destroyed them and I just don't know if they were a good gauge.

 

I would prefer that we start out much lower(since it doesn't matter much anyway) and focus on each game,getting better in every aspect and gaining the respect of the coaches and writers around the country, rather then start out with this much hype and risk losing our high ranking if we're not ready to be there yet.

 

 

THIS!!! It really took me a while to really figure out why Nebraska is being (over)hyped heading into the 2010 season. Part of it may also have to do with our tremendously weak schedule.

 

 

yup.

 

WEAK schedule, only playing one ranked team will give ya some W's.

[schuhbdoo]

The last time I checked Bo Pelini was the coach

 

This is something you check? How often? Is it a daily check, or weekly?

 

How do you check? Do you call down to the Athletic Offices, or drop by on Tuesday afternoons? Or are you secretly stalking Bo, and you have him under surveillance?

 

 

 

 

I friended him on facebook.

[knapplc]

The last time I checked Bo Pelini was the coach

 

This is something you check? How often? Is it a daily check, or weekly?

 

How do you check? Do you call down to the Athletic Offices, or drop by on Tuesday afternoons? Or are you secretly stalking Bo, and you have him under surveillance?

 

 

 

 

I friended him on facebook.

 

Clever! Hiding in plain sight.

 

I walk over to campus every day or so (when it's not crazy blazing hot), so if you need a guy "on the ground" I can help. I blend in pretty well.

[schuhbdoo]

Hate to say it, but I'd have Boise State #2. They bring back 21 of 22. That is tremendous, considering they were a solid team last year and should only be better. Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma, all these teams have to prove they can fill holes and perform at a quality level. Texas was unimpressive last season and lost their star QB... Oklahoma had serious line and injury issues and lost playmakers... Ohio State has a QB who has performed well in only a handful of games...

 

 

BSU is a team that is ranked high and their toughest game my be their first.(VT) If they run the table then it is hard for NU to catch them. That is why it is best to be ranked high and keep winning. We need teams ahead of us to lose and when you start off at 15, it is much harder to run the table and get to no. 1. If we start 7th or 8th we play some of those teams but we need to hope for VT to beat BSU early and we need to run the table and hope we are one of the last two standing at the top. TCU is another team that is ranked high but doesn't have a tough schedule. Oregon was in the same boat this year until the lost Masoli.