A few comments on the game

[Excel]

1. I didn't see this coming at all. I predicted an NU come from behind win by between 3-10 points. That seemed to keep with the pattern both teams had set.

 

2. The teams' records were deceptive and too much weight was placed in them. Yes Wisconsin was 7-5 and yes they backed into the CCG but none of those five losses were total routs. Four were by three points and one was by seven in overtime. I think this frustration played a big role in motivating the Badgers.

 

3. Bo Pelini cannot get his team "up" for big games...at least that's my humble opinion as an outside observer. I'm sure there are a few exceptions which I can't recall so what "big" game has he come out and dominated? This is not to say that Bielema is any better but he's been able to pull off a few signatures the past few years. Piggybacking off of this point is the issue of NU's defense which of all things I would think Bo could handle. This doesn't seem to be the case.

 

4. I've been pleasantly surprised with the way Huskerboarders have taken this loss. There hasn't been a whole lot of the mudslinging, whining and complaining that I halfway anticipated. Props for that.

 

Anyway please don't take this as gloating. I'm happy we won but it isn't nearly as satisfying as last year. I had a fear that we would win along with Georgia Tech and Kent State further frustrating the BCS. It didn't completely happen but this whole bowl season has just further illustrated the problems with the system. A 8-5 team should not attend a Rose Bowl. It does not feel right even if we won the conference. I will do no bragging about this one, even if we win...which I do want us to.

 

To end the long rant; My respect goes to you all for being gracious in defeat and you also have my congratulations on making it to the CCG in your second year. Now let us put this horrible abomination of a College Football Season behind us and move forward to a stronger, fully bowl eligible and scandal free Big Ten and a College Football Playoff.

 

On Wisconsin!

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Bucky, how long has BB been your head coach?

[Landlord]

Oh man, not another.......oh, it's just Bucky.

 

In response to some points...

 

3. Bo can get his team up for big games, just not for the biggest games. We got up just fine for Missouri and Okie State in 2010, for Michigan State in 2011, for must-wins against Wisconsin and Michigan this year. We are capable of doing it. It's just the highest, all-or-nothing stage that screws us. I don't know why. It's eerie.

 

4. Don't be too surprised. The mods have been doing serious work....I guarantee dozens of threads have been erased from public view, and who knows how many posts.

[Excel]

Bucky, how long has BB been your head coach?

 

It'll be seven full seasons with the Rose Bowl. He was handpicked by Alvarez to take over in '06.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

And in those first few years, how many "big" games did you guys win? I'm curious, as I have no clue about the Badger's history.

[Excel]

I guess it depends on your definition of "big" game but I'd say:

 

2006: Beat SEC West Champion Arkansas and shut down Darren McFadden.

2007: Beat #13 Michigan at home pretty soundly.

2008: None. Awful Season.

2009: Not a great Season. Beat a resurgent Miami in bowl.

2010: My favorite BB win: Beat #1 Ohio State at home, at night, for Gameday by +2 scores and beat #12 Iowa on the road after that.

2011: Routed #8 Nebraska at home, at night for Gameday. Beat Michigan State in the CCG.

2012: Beat Nebraska in CCG.

 

So really I see three or four big games BB has pulled off. Some of those above are questionable. He's probably dropped just as many but I don't count TCU or Oregon as lack of preparation for a big game. We competed in those and just lost. It happens.

[zoogs]

Bo Pelini cannot get his team "up" for big games

 

I dunno. I think our team is just on and off. Our team can't get "up" for a lot of games. Even the small ones, case in point: SDSU, Iowa State. We just have this come out flat tendency.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Another question. When did you start noticing that Wisconsin was getting up for the big games? Was it when BB had all of his players or was it before, or perhaps a year or so afterwards?

[skersfan]

Wisconsin was winning when he took over, they have been for the last 10-15 years it seems. Alvarez built the program on the principles of Nebraska, or the story goes.

 

Great post Bucky, this is a sad night for Husker fans no question, but the sun will be there in the morning and the healing will start. Having your heart ripped out like that takes the fun out of the game

 

I had thought it could get ugly as I saw the games you lost and how you lost them and the games we won and how we won them. Congratulations to the Badger fans, not so much for your coach. I know it is our job to stop them, but he could have called off the dogs a lot earlier I think and gained some respect from Nebraska fan.

 

But it maybe he has a QB with little experience. The saddest thing for me is Rex, he deserved to go out better than that.

 

We have problems and have had for a long time. Hopefully we will get it squared away soon. I have no real answers for where we are or what to do. Just a really dark time for Nebraska tonight.

[Excel]

Wisconsin was winning when he took over, they have been for the last 10-15 years it seems. Alvarez built the program on the principles of Nebraska, or the story goes.

 

Great post Bucky, this is a sad night for Husker fans no question, but the sun will be there in the morning and the healing will start. Having your heart ripped out like that takes the fun out of the game

 

I had thought it could get ugly as I saw the games you lost and how you lost them and the games we won and how we won them. Congratulations to the Badger fans, not so much for your coach. I know it is our job to stop them, but he could have called off the dogs a lot earlier I think and gained some respect from Nebraska fan.

 

But it maybe he has a QB with little experience. The saddest thing for me is Rex, he deserved to go out better than that.

 

We have problems and have had for a long time. Hopefully we will get it squared away soon. I have no real answers for where we are or what to do. Just a really dark time for Nebraska tonight.

 

Interesting thoughts here...

 

Alvarez went 118-73 winning 61.7% of his games.

BB has gone 68-24 winning 73.9% of his games but like you said, BB took over from Alvarez and was left in a much better place while Alvarez took over virtually nothing and had to build it up.

 

They both have made it to three Rose Bowls each but Alvarez won his and so far Bielema has not. Did Barry build Wisconsin like Nebraska? Maybe. He certainly likes to say it for feel good interviews during UW-NU weeks but many teams like to run the ball and all teams play defense. These factors are not unique to NU. Just because Alvarez has connections to Lincoln doesn't mean we owe Nebraska anything, at least no more so than we owe Hayden Fry and Iowa for giving us both Barry and Bret.

 

As far as "calling the dogs off"...we played our third string QB for four quarters. Gordon, our third stringer was our leading RB yardage wise. I have a hard time with that argument when NU was favored to win and we've had the kinds of losses we've had this year. Play to win and to keep winning. If the other team doesn't like it then they should stop it.

[Hooked on Huskers]

Right off the bat, at least half of the seats was empty. Bad news. Kinda like deluxe practice.

[skersfan]

No Bucky not saying anything negative. No excuses by any means.

 

I think most of your starters played most of the game, and I would have liked to see them set. But as I stated it is our job to stop them.

 

This defeat will be a major blow for this program, maybe the worst. I doubt there is going to be glowing support for Bo and his staff. This was not a lucky win, a mistake in game plan, this was a mauling like Nebraska has never seen before. This will be remembered for ever by most fans, and the anger will not be with the Badgers trust me.

 

Again great game and you have every reason to be proud.

[Hooked on Huskers]

I'm convinced barbiturate and potent drug secretly injected onto Gatorade buckets . Completely make sense . The culprit(s) are ................

[Excel]

I'm convinced barbiturate and potent drug secretly injected onto Gatorade buckets . Completely make sense . The culprit(s) are ................

 

Maybe they had both teams drink a six pack before kick-off like I suggested. But really, Chicago and Delany must have been pulling for the Huskers pretty hard. This doesn't look good for the conference but at least now we know the games aren't rigged.

[Hooked on Huskers]

I'm convinced barbiturate and potent drug secretly injected onto Gatorade buckets . Completely make sense . The culprit(s) are ................

 

Maybe they had both teams drink a six pack before kick-off like I suggested. But really, Chicago and Delany must have been pulling for the Huskers pretty hard. This doesn't look good for the conference but at least now we know the games aren't rigged.

blame on Dan Beebe