I think we roll the rest of the schedule..

[bolshoifish]

I put as much faith in that Michigan ranking as i do Texas's ranking last week. I think they are due for a hiccup against MSU. Their coaching is much improved though.. the changes at halftime really changed the course of that game NW.

 

I was forced to listen to it on Sat. night since it appears that the entire state of Michigan will not broadcast anything OSU related.

[Guy Chamberlin]

The defense had five wake up calls to start the season, and still looked unable to stop the 106th ranked offense this week.

 

I don't see how any game is a gimme.

 

Well, except this Saturday.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

If Miller doesn't get hurt, do we win or lose that game?

 

Not trying to be a downer, but I believe I know the answer.

 

I'm pretty sure we never find out. I'm also pretty sure that Miller is the one that turned the ball over giving us the original spark. Good thing we won the game and we don't have to worry about what if.

[bolshoifish]

I think it goes to overtime if Miller stays on the field. After that, I have no idea.

 

It was amazing how much the OSU changed their game plan the minute Miller left. It seemed like they had a good run blocking line, why not continue to use it (at the very least to drain the clock and get your backup qb some feel for the game)

[VectorVictor]

The defense had five wake up calls to start the season, and still looked unable to stop the 106th ranked offense this week.

 

I don't see how any game is a gimme.

 

Well, except this Saturday.

 

In all fairness, the offensive gameplan that tOSU came out with seemed focused on their strengths and competent--something that tOSU fans said was lacking in prior weeks.

 

Not saying that beating tOSU's offensive was a major skin, but it did help establish a true leader on that defense in David, and helped Jean-Baptiste get a starting spot and a possibly good compliment to Fonz in the secondary.

 

Now, our offense bullied a Top-25 defense (read: better than Wisky) in the second half when it mattered. If we could learn to do that for four quarters, then *all* games, including the rematch with Wisky (or match w/Illinois) will be winnable.

[GBRsal]

no freaking way northwestern is leaving Lincoln with a W

[husker rob]

If the NU defense does not learn how to contain a mobile QB, then Mechicken will be a tough one to win

[ladyhawke]

I think we need to take every game seriously, including Minnesota. The Minn. kids don't have anything to prove. Those kind can be dangerous.

[JJ Husker]

If the sieve of a defense we have shown the first 6 weeks does not drastically improve the only given on the remaining schedule is Minny. I won't call you a fool but possibly a misguided kool-aid drinker. I hope you're right and I have to eat my words.

[Treand3]

I really feel the only way NW beats us is they out score us in a shootout. I feel their D is lacking, also feel the Peso personnel matches very well with their spread O. Feel our guys can out physical them on both sides of the ball, IMO.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Taylor to calm down? He looked pretty calm during that second half. And even in the first.

[Lil' Red]

Not to be a downer but I don't think our defense is good enough to win out the rest of our schedule. A realistic goal for me would to only lose two more games.

[bshirt]

Taylor to calm down? He looked pretty calm during that second half. And even in the first.

 

Heck, I thought he looked poised all game long.

[NUance]

10/22 #Minnesota Minneapolis

10/29 #Michigan St. Lincoln

11/05 #Northwestern Lincoln

11/12 #Penn State State College

11/19 #Michigan Ann Arbor

11/25 #Iowa Lincoln

 

Win the rest of our games? Now THAT would be impressive. But I seriously doubt it. We have too many problems on defense. Minn is a sure win. And I think we can handle NW and Iowa at home. But I wouldn't be surprised to drop at least one of the three remaining games: Michigan State, Mich or Penn State.

Sure, we *could* go 6/6 on the rest of our sched. But I think we'll be doing well to win 5/6. I wouldn't be too surprised to go 4/6.

[robsker]

I have been extremely disappointed by the defense, but I think we are extremely undervalued right now. The espn BIG blog has us at 5th.. that is laughable. Who has Michigan and Michigan St beat? (The Michigan win over ND is an oddity of nature, so I am discounting it). As far as Illinois is concerned, if you think getting Pinkeled is bad.. then you really don't want to be Zook'led. Maybe his new assistants have changed things, but historically.. Zook will lose (badly).

 

The only team that has any offense on the rest of the schedule is Michigan (just view the Iowa vs. Penn St. game). The rest of the schedule has our strength (offense) pitted against the other teams strength (defense) and our weakness (defense) pitted against their weakness (offense). In the end, I think our defense is better than their offenses (again, short of Michigan).

 

I think the hardest games on our schedule are over.. Michigan is a house of cards.. people around here don't have the stomach for Marteniz.. Robinson is much more prone to mistakes. He just throws the ball up and hopes it is caught by his teammates (even more so than Mart.)

 

I'm really not much of a kool-aid drinker.. if we were still in the B12 I would have a different opinion. There is only one team to fear in the B1G, and we already played them.

 

Having NU as 5th in the conference is not laughable --- we were, generally, more often about 4th or 5th in the Big 12 each season upon the completion of the regular season. Not that that factors in here except to say that recently (last decade or so) NU has been a #4/#5 type major conference team. To this season, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan undoubtedly are above us --- legitimately so... no cogent argument can be posited against that. To have Michigan Stae above is is not unreasonable.

 

You ask who Michigan and Michigan State have beated? Well... who has NU beaten?

 

4th in conference right now is a legit and defensible ranking for NU. 5th in conference is also a legit and defensible ranking for NU as well.

 

Again, I would posit that NU has been a #4 or #5 in the conference type team for a decade --- why is surprising that NU is again at that level?

 

We play Michigan State and Michigan in the not-too-distant future --- I think you will see then that they will be formidable foes for NU.

 

This is not the 1970's, the 1980's or the 1990's anymore --- the days where it was unthinkable to be mid/upper mid-conference level are long past for NU. Since 2000, mid/upper mid-conference level has been the norm for NU. Why the surprise?