Michigan State opens as a 1 pt fav. currently up to 1.5.

[kchusker_chris]

Hmm... The fact that most of us think we should win this game is enough to make me feel uncomfortable about it.

Same here. I'd prefer if we go back to seeing the 5?-2? loss expectations that were being spewed around last week.

I haven't had a chance to post yet.... These are the types of teams we beat, and beat consistently. With that said - it's likely we lose...because all logic says otherwise and this team defies logic week in and week out.

 

#111 in turnover margin.

dead last in fumbles lost

#102 in penalties

 

In a game where we need to manage the clock, win time of possession and control the momentum - we play erratically and end up with something like UCLA - where their offense grinds out long drives leaving our defense gassed. They have the ball 10 minutes more than us, and that proves to be the difference. We have a huge number of 3 and outs. Offense puts a still struggling defense in poor positions. MSU 27, NU 17. Late MSU score on a short field from a Martinez turnover puts it out of reach. Defense is again blamed, when offensively we never gave the defense a chance.

[kchusker_chris]

I think maybe he just got caught up in the moment when he said it, but it does put his team in a position where they have to cash the check his mouth wrote. Whether it was intentional or not, I'm not sure.

i didn't take it like that at all. He said "we have to win out" - didn't say "we're going to win out". It was plainly obvious to the entire world that we were going to have to win out to get to the championship game with the way the standings were shaping up. They'll still likely follow down that road. He was just stating the obvious.

[huzkerbob]

 

My biggest concern is us. We tend to do poorly after big wins, and when the Blackshirts are first awarded. This is the first year Bo came out and publicly stated a goal like "we need to win out".

 

This is one of the reasons I'm not going to start packing my bags for Indy just yet. It seems that after a big win, we come out flat or trip on our newly-inflated ego as a team.

 

But, as stated, this is the first time where Bo made a stated, public goal. Perhaps Bo is using the public to hold his team accountable (to a small degree)?

I think maybe he just got caught up in the moment when he said it, but it does put his team in a position where they have to cash the check his mouth wrote. Whether it was intentional or not, I'm not sure.

 

Caught up in the moment or just telling the truth? Because they did and still do need to win out to win the conference. So why would that cause a stir in the team? I'm sure these players already deal with plenty of outside pressure just being a D1 football at a school like NU, so I doubt a little truth from Bo to the media will faze them.

[Fuzzy]

Bell is a good back, but was overrated after his Boise State performance.

 

Our o-line has been ravaged with injuries all year and we have new groupings every week. Needless to say run-blocking has been a challenge. If you watch Bell closely, you might even be more impressed with him as the yards he does get, he has to get almost entirely on his own, absorbing contact in the backfield and plowing ahead for extra yardage.

 

That said, regardless of the reasons, you can either run or you can't. Right now, we can't, and it's an issue for sure.

 

Bell is dangerous when he is on the outside. Add that with a previous history that Huskers have trouble tackling in space, the odds are not good if Bell gets the ball to the outside and we rely on solo tackling him.

[BigRedBuster]

 

My biggest concern is us. We tend to do poorly after big wins, and when the Blackshirts are first awarded. This is the first year Bo came out and publicly stated a goal like "we need to win out".

 

This is one of the reasons I'm not going to start packing my bags for Indy just yet. It seems that after a big win, we come out flat or trip on our newly-inflated ego as a team.

 

But, as stated, this is the first time where Bo made a stated, public goal. Perhaps Bo is using the public to hold his team accountable (to a small degree)?

I think maybe he just got caught up in the moment when he said it, but it does put his team in a position where they have to cash the check his mouth wrote. Whether it was intentional or not, I'm not sure.

 

Caught up in the moment or just telling the truth? Because they did and still do need to win out to win the conference. So why would that cause a stir in the team? I'm sure these players already deal with plenty of outside pressure just being a D1 football at a school like NU, so I doubt a little truth from Bo to the media will faze them.

 

 

You guys really read too much into things people say. What else was he going to say? At the time, we had lost a conference game. The best chance we had of getting into the CCG was to win out. A coaches job is to make his team concentrate on winning every game. That is their goal no matter what.

 

Why is what he said good bad or indifferent to the fans?

[junior4949]

On paper the matchup suits us. Strength versus strength (Our O vs. Their D) and I like our perceived weakness a LOT better than theirs right now (Our D vs. their O).

 

Tie breaker-- Special Teams, definitely goes to us.

 

If we could just go back to playing focuses and with that "us against the world" mentality on the road like we did that first year under Pelini (yes, oddly as it seems, it used to be a strength) and eliminate mistakes, we'd beat this team with an arm tied behind our back.

 

Is Michigan State's special teams really that bad? Do they typically have 15 yards punts almost every game? Do they make a habit of fielding kicks in the endzone only to bring them out to the 12? Honestly, I don't know. I haven't watched Michigan State play much.

[OrderKindOfAlmostRestored]

On paper the matchup suits us. Strength versus strength (Our O vs. Their D) and I like our perceived weakness a LOT better than theirs right now (Our D vs. their O).

 

Tie breaker-- Special Teams, definitely goes to us.

 

If we could just go back to playing focuses and with that "us against the world" mentality on the road like we did that first year under Pelini (yes, oddly as it seems, it used to be a strength) and eliminate mistakes, we'd beat this team with an arm tied behind our back.

 

Is Michigan State's special teams really that bad? Do they typically have 15 yards punts almost every game? Do they make a habit of fielding kicks in the endzone only to bring them out to the 12? Honestly, I don't know. I haven't watched Michigan State play much.

Agreed. Our special teams is overrated this year because of what they've done the past few years. Nothing too special about them this year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Papuchis was in charge of special teams until he became DC, which is exactly when our advantage in that phase of the game vanished.

[Danny Bateman]

On paper the matchup suits us. Strength versus strength (Our O vs. Their D) and I like our perceived weakness a LOT better than theirs right now (Our D vs. their O).

 

Tie breaker-- Special Teams, definitely goes to us.

 

If we could just go back to playing focuses and with that "us against the world" mentality on the road like we did that first year under Pelini (yes, oddly as it seems, it used to be a strength) and eliminate mistakes, we'd beat this team with an arm tied behind our back.

 

Is Michigan State's special teams really that bad? Do they typically have 15 yards punts almost every game? Do they make a habit of fielding kicks in the endzone only to bring them out to the 12? Honestly, I don't know. I haven't watched Michigan State play much.

Agreed. Our special teams is overrated this year because of what they've done the past few years. Nothing too special about them this year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Papuchis was in charge of special teams until he became DC, which is exactly when our advantage in that phase of the game vanished.

I have to disagree.

 

Maher's found his touch again and was booming em through Saturday. People were saying the one he nailed from 51 would've been good from 65. Dude lost himself for a bit, but it looks like he got his head screwed back on, which is huge when you're playing a very good defense in MSU.

 

Also, last week, the kick coverage improved a lot last week. Didn't give up any huge returns, and our return game was pretty dang good in it's own right. No dropped punts, and I was shocked to see Jamal Turner get good yardage on a kick return by-- and, try to stay with me here, I know this is radical-- running STRAIGHT ahead.

 

I think if we protect the ball on punts and continue the good kickoff/punt coverage, and combine that with having Maher, we outclass them ST's wise.

[Danny Bateman]

Bell is a good back, but was overrated after his Boise State performance.

 

Our o-line has been ravaged with injuries all year and we have new groupings every week. Needless to say run-blocking has been a challenge. If you watch Bell closely, you might even be more impressed with him as the yards he does get, he has to get almost entirely on his own, absorbing contact in the backfield and plowing ahead for extra yardage.

 

That said, regardless of the reasons, you can either run or you can't. Right now, we can't, and it's an issue for sure.

 

Bell is dangerous when he is on the outside. Add that with a previous history that Huskers have trouble tackling in space, the odds are not good if Bell gets the ball to the outside and we rely on solo tackling him.

We bottled up Denard pretty well, didn't we?

 

I don't recall him getting to the edge once. If he did, there was nothing there. We contained him all night, and he's a lot quicker than Bell. We will need to continue the great gang tackling we've been seeing the last few weeks though with a dangerous RB like Bell. Gotta love seeing everyone stacking up the ball carrier! That is a hallmark of the Blackshirts of ole!!

 

[knapplc]

We bottled up Denard pretty well, didn't we?

 

I don't recall him getting to the edge once.

 

Actually, not to be the "devil's advocate," but he did get the edge once.

 

He got hurt on that play, because we turned him back inside at the sideline, but technically, one time, he got the edge.

[Count 'Bility]

Pretty sure we didnt give up a single run over 10 yards, well, all night. Sure Dennard got his 5 and 6, and every now and then Gallon would get a 7 on a end around, but I believe that was the plan. Contain. Fine if they get their 5 and 6. We're gonna stuff their inside game and dare Dennard to go 80 yards in 15 plays withough f'ing it up. Seemed like the plan was working well. Their only two scoring drives under Dennard were penalty driven as well.

[da skers]

Pretty sure we didnt give up a single run over 10 yards, well, all night. Sure Dennard got his 5 and 6, and every now and then Gallon would get a 7 on a end around, but I believe that was the plan. Contain. Fine if they get their 5 and 6. We're gonna stuff their inside game and dare Dennard to go 80 yards in 15 plays withough f'ing it up. Seemed like the plan was working well. Their only two scoring drives under Dennard were penalty driven as well.

This was the biggest reason I was never worried about the game on Saturday even when he was still playing.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

I'm comfortable laying 7 pts! And I will be betting this game!

[Mavric]

What was the spread for the last weekend's game?

Opened us by 1.5. Was at us by 2.5 the day before the game. Didn't see what it closed at.

[clyde40]

This won't be an easy game to win but, I think we can get it done. I predict a slug fest the first half then we pull away after the midpoint of the 3rd quarter. 20 6 Nebraska.