Does Nebraska have a legitimate chance to play in the National Championship game this year?

[Pedro Guerrero]

And what gives you the idea that we will. Just curious.

Because the Big 10 really isn’t that good of a conference?

 

I'll refrain from commenting too long on the idiocy of this point,

 

I'll refrain from commenting too long on the idiocy of taking my comment seriously.

[Malth]

I can't even believe this thread exists

[LNCBorn]

I am not even sure that if we run the table that it is a forgone conclusion that we will play in the NC game. The B1G conference is not that highly touted even with us joining. If 2 or 3 teams from the SEC, Big XII, Pac 10, etc run the table then I doubt we would get the nod. Would we have gotten it over Oregon and Auburn last year if we went undefeated? Did TCU have a chance last year? Of course they did. They just needed one more team to lose to make it.

[Husker66]

I can't even believe this thread exists

 

I am going with Malth on this.

 

I have watched 4 decades of Nebraska football-70's till now. in the past 10 years or so, we have played no where to the level that a lot of those older Husker teams played at . Last year certainly was not it because of the offense. Until we play very well on both sides of the ball and Consistently earn a spot in the Top 10, we are nowhere close.

 

I love the Huskers, but I am also realistic. I think I will see more NC's in my lifertime, but we are a ways off.atleast 2-3 years if everything clicks perfectly-coaching, recruiting, team unity, etc. ..and we will likely lose some and have real heart brake before winning another one. whole lotta learnin needs to be done by this coaching staff.

JMHO

[bshirt]

I can't even believe this thread exists

 

I am going with Malth on this.

 

I have watched 4 decades of Nebraska football-70's till now. in the past 10 years or so, we have played no where to the level that a lot of those older Husker teams played at . Last year certainly was not it because of the offense. Until we play very well on both sides of the ball and Consistently earn a spot in the Top 10, we are nowhere close.

 

I love the Huskers, but I am also realistic. I think I will see more NC's in my lifertime, but we are a ways off.atleast 2-3 years if everything clicks perfectly-coaching, recruiting, team unity, etc. ..and we will likely lose some and have real heart brake before winning another one. whole lotta learnin needs to be done by this coaching staff.

JMHO

 

Well, I'm in the same age group as you (a little older, watched since late 60s) and as I see it Bo's blackshirts are better than 95% of the blackshirt squads were in the 70s, 80's & early 90s. Not even close, imo. The mid-late 90's blackshirts being the exception (say 93 through 99), of course.

 

Alex is the best FG NU has ever had.

 

The Grand Canyon difference is the offense. We just got rid of our OC, qb & wrs coaches and I look for BIG improvement on that side of the ball in the next year and especially in two years. If we can get that or at least put a reasonably average offense on the field we're back in the NC hunt. With a good (not great) offense we can play even up with anybody.

 

Even better, it seems like Bo & staff improve on recruiting every year. I think we're close to being really back.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

We definately have a shot to make the game, but we realistically probably won't make it there. Way too much inconsistency occured last year for me to say, "yes we'll be there!"

[Coqui]

I don't see where the Big Ten is so much harder than the Big Twelve. The confernece will be harder as a whole than the North division, but I feel like our speed is greater than all but ohio state. I think speed trumps strength in most cases, like in the 08 (?) MNC game with florida out running ohio state all over the field. Look at michigan st vs alabama this year, its not fair to compare them to sec teams, but I don't seem as concerned as previous posters.

You mean 06.

 

What about Florida's speed against Michigan in 2007?

What about Oregon's speed against Ohio State in 2010?

 

What about Michigan vs. the Big 10 the entire 2010 season?

[Coqui]

And what gives you the idea that we will. Just curious.

Because the Big 10 really isn’t that good of a conference?

 

I'll refrain from commenting too long on the idiocy of this point,

 

I'll refrain from commenting too long on the idiocy of taking my comment seriously.

I've heard this on this board too often to not think you guys don't actually believe it.

[Husker66]

I can't even believe this thread exists

 

I am going with Malth on this.

 

I have watched 4 decades of Nebraska football-70's till now. in the past 10 years or so, we have played no where to the level that a lot of those older Husker teams played at . Last year certainly was not it because of the offense. Until we play very well on both sides of the ball and Consistently earn a spot in the Top 10, we are nowhere close.

 

I love the Huskers, but I am also realistic. I think I will see more NC's in my lifertime, but we are a ways off.atleast 2-3 years if everything clicks perfectly-coaching, recruiting, team unity, etc. ..and we will likely lose some and have real heart brake before winning another one. whole lotta learnin needs to be done by this coaching staff.

JMHO

 

Well, I'm in the same age group as you (a little older, watched since late 60s) and as I see it Bo's blackshirts are better than 95% of the blackshirt squads were in the 70s, 80's & early 90s. Not even close, imo. The mid-late 90's blackshirts being the exception (say 93 through 99), of course.

 

Alex is the best FG NU has ever had.

 

The Grand Canyon difference is the offense. We just got rid of our OC, qb & wrs coaches and I look for BIG improvement on that side of the ball in the next year and especially in two years. If we can get that or at least put a reasonably average offense on the field we're back in the NC hunt. With a good (not great) offense we can play even up with anybody.

 

Even better, it seems like Bo & staff improve on recruiting every year. I think we're close to being really back.

 

I agree with you on the D and Our O is a canyon away...and we also will need to learn how to win big games. if the D stays static, the O improves dramatically and we start winning big games...we are in the hunt.being good and then making the hurdle to believing you should win and executing are 2 movements. I think thats a few years away if we really gel...unless we just happened to find the Bo Pelini of offenses in Beck. then maybe sooner.

 

this year...not impossible but we have a tremendous amount of growth to go through to get there.

 

I pray I am wrong..Ill be the first to admit it.

[zoogs]

Our shot was last year. That said, we are only one year removed. We are facing a conference that is probably not ready to face us. If a few things swing our way, we could surprise. Much is unknown at this point. Going to be a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball.

[huskerscott]

Our shot was last year. That said, we are only one year removed. We are facing a conference that is probably not ready to face us. If a few things swing our way, we could surprise. Much is unknown at this point. Going to be a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball.

Agree with ya that 2010 was our best chance to atleast get to a NCG or have a conference championship and we freakin BLEW IT. We had the schedule and we had a defense that conference season was gonna be dominate as the year before. We had starting QB coming back, yes he was banged up from the year before, but he HAD experience. Instead, we had an explosive but injury/mistake/inexperience prone Athlete that could play QB. Its pretty sad that Rex Burkhead can run the zone read better than the starting QB. All our offense was asked to do was score 21-24 points a game and our defense/special teams could take care of the rest. Our coaches screwed up 2010 for us. Luckily, part of the problem has been addressed and taken care of, hopefully it was the only problem.

 

 

For 2011, Im gonna say the samething. Offense scores 21-24 points a game, defense will be really good by mid season. Then we have chance. But, I dont see that happening since the last 2 years had been huge dissapointment. Considering how close we were, yet it seems so far away.

 

8-4 in 2011, until the offense starts scoring we better get used it.

 

Funny how the basketball season is turning out much like the football season has. So close, yet so far.

[Pedro Guerrero]

I've heard this on this board too often to not think you guys don't actually believe it.

 

That is why I included it in my reasons. (They arent really my reasons they are just things that have been mentioned on the board as to why we will be good next year)

 

Also I grew up watching the Big 10 as well as the Big 8, have been to numerous Big 10 games so I probably dont share the same sentiment as the folks on here that say the Big 10 isnt that good. They are in for a surprise if they still think that way.

[NUance]

We definately have a shot to make the game, but we realistically probably won't make it there. Way too much inconsistency occured last year for me to say, "yes we'll be there!"

Yeah, this is right. There are probably 20 teams that have a legitimate shot to make it to the National Championship game. And we are one of them. But I wouldn't bet the farm on it. Well, maybe if I got really good odds I would.

[junior4949]

Our shot was last year. That said, we are only one year removed. We are facing a conference that is probably not ready to face us. If a few things swing our way, we could surprise. Much is unknown at this point. Going to be a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball.

Agree with ya that 2010 was our best chance to atleast get to a NCG or have a conference championship and we freakin BLEW IT. We had the schedule and we had a defense that conference season was gonna be dominate as the year before. We had starting QB coming back, yes he was banged up from the year before, but he HAD experience. Instead, we had an explosive but injury/mistake/inexperience prone Athlete that could play QB. Its pretty sad that Rex Burkhead can run the zone read better than the starting QB. All our offense was asked to do was score 21-24 points a game and our defense/special teams could take care of the rest. Our coaches screwed up 2010 for us. Luckily, part of the problem has been addressed and taken care of, hopefully it was the only problem.

 

 

For 2011, Im gonna say the samething. Offense scores 21-24 points a game, defense will be really good by mid season. Then we have chance. But, I dont see that happening since the last 2 years had been huge dissapointment. Considering how close we were, yet it seems so far away.

 

8-4 in 2011, until the offense starts scoring we better get used it.

 

Funny how the basketball season is turning out much like the football season has. So close, yet so far.

 

I remember heading into the 95' NC game against Florida's fun'n gun all the hype about how great of an offense it was. We shut it down. I'd be inclined to think Florida's fun'n gun would be looked upon as good if not better than Okie States offense last year. Okie State owned our defense especially in the first half. Our offense won that game rather than the defense. The defense also gave up 24 first downs and 360 yards offense to lowly Iowa State. Our rush defense finished the year ranking #63. We gave up nearly 150 yards rushing per game. This was definitely a problem. As we head into the run oriented Big 10, our rush defense had better pick up the pace or it will be a long season.

[skersfan]

Bo's defense is good, but it has problems at times. The B1G will test depth and that is where I am concerned. And I think they are more than ready for us. They have planned and worked to play Nebraska for the last year by the time we line up and play them. We are not an unknown for them. They may be big and a little slower than what we have seen, but the second and third team will be darned near as good as the first. Lasting 8-9 games against that mentality will be the real test.

 

We will get everyone's best shot all year long. The respect and the picnic is over. It will be on from the opening whistle is my guess.

 

This will be a very tough year to win the Conference, which we have not done in our own for a long long time. Close is not good enough and not winning the conference spells not winning or being in the MNCG. But it is going to be fun no matter the turn out. I can hardly wait.