Is this the biggest game of the Pelini era?

[HuskerCarter]

Yea, I don't believe in calling a game "the biggest game of someone's career" until the game and every other game is played. You have to reflect back on his entire career, and that can only happen when its over.

[Army_Allen]

I was thinking this earlier today, and here's my rationale:

 

 

I think this could be considered Bo's biggest game for a few reasons. It's true that this doesn't directly affect our championship hopes, so the tangible stakes could make it bigger, but this is a very specific type of big game for us.

 

Since arriving in Lincoln, Bo's teams have struggled in two ways more than any others - staying consistently motivated against lesser opponents, and getting up for big games on the brightest stage.

 

The last three years have exposed a lot of leaks that I think Bo has done an admirable job of recognizing and growing from - I don't think for a second this program is in the same place it was entering 2011. But we continued to see some of the same trends. This season, however, has the pieces in place, including the irony of Bo's two biggest obstacles in consecutive weeks. The team came out amped but under control to handle Miami, then came out with consistent motivation against inferior Illinois, and now is poised for the biggest game of the year against the best team on the schedule and the hardest regular season game we've had in several years.

 

If they are up to the task and come out with a victory, it will be Bo's biggest game without question because it will be his greatest triumph. If they don't, then who knows.

Define several years. That Wisconsin team that gameday was in Madison for was probably the nastiest team I've seen in a while. Wilson made us look like we should have made McNeese St. look. That team was two hail mary's from a National Championship game.

 

Aside from that though, this game willbe seen one of 3 ways by seasons end, the 1st step into a consistent Husker team who will play every team close win or lose, a lone bright spot followed by letdowns leading to the norm for a Pelini led team, or a blowout loss followed by a few more losses to Minny, Rutgers, and Wisconsin where by seasons end the Bo hate is just as potent as it is every year at seasons end. Pick your poison. I think(see:hope) that we win this game and reach the CCG with one loss to one of the aforementioned teams (It's a Bo team, don't expect a dud game to not happen, an 11 win season, AND no blowout losses all in one year guys) followed by Bo's first championship game victory and a bowl game against an SEC team where we win and go into next year in the top 10 preseason where we're all smart enough to not fall for.

 

 

[get huskin!]

It IS. For now... The CCG, playoff's and national championship game later will be big too, but this one is right up there. Baaaaaacooooon...

[teachercd]

It is in regards to playing a top 10 team...but MSU does nothing for me at all as far as a "big game" feel...I am not sure why, maybe because it seems like Nebraska almost always beats them. I would be more surprised if Nebraska gets beat than if they win. If they win, you have to imagine they will start off 9-0. If they lose...who knows!

[deedsker]

For whatever reason, Miami felt bigger and that was OOC game. It was easy to be psyched for that game.

[BigRedBuster]

This game doesn't top a game we could have won a championship.

 

However, we are 5-0 and every goal set by the team is still attainable. That means every time we win a game this year, the next one becomes that much bigger.

 

This is a huge game for national attention to Nebraska. However, I agree with some that in certain circles, this will be looked at, "see, there isn't any good teams in the Big" instead of "wow, Nebraska is the top dog in the Big and are pretty dang good".

 

If we win, I see us getting up to maybe 12-13. I would absolutely be shocked if we we any higher than that.

 

The Miami game felt bigger simply because of the history between the teams and the first time that pathetic excuse of a football program soiled our field.

[Bob Dole Jr]

I think an undefeated Nebraska against Wisconsin with no conference losses would be a bigger game this season. Wisconsin only plays Maryland and Rutgers from the east division. That matchup would likely decide the west division winner.

 

But I guess there's always a chance Wisconsin (or us) drop one or two to someone in the west.

[The King]

No, not even close to the Big 12 championship game against Texas and Colt McCoy. We coulda finished top 10, in a BCS game, and screwed Texas out of a natty game.

[Redux]

No, not even close to the Big 12 championship game against Texas and Colt McCoy. We coulda finished top 10, in a BCS game, and screwed Texas out of a natty game.

But we didnt. A win this Saturday trumps a loss to Texas any day.

[sd'sker]

This is a huge game for national attention to Nebraska. However, I agree with some that in certain circles, this will be looked at, "see, there isn't any good teams in the Big" instead of "wow, Nebraska is the top dog in the Big and are pretty dang good".

i think msu has some legitimate national respect. after they lost to oregon, many were quick to defend them and contend it was a closer loss than it appeared and msu looked good. and we are still neb., that carries something if we just give a little. i think it would go a long way to change our national perception. but i am still trying to manage my expectations.

[The King]

 

No, not even close to the Big 12 championship game against Texas and Colt McCoy. We coulda finished top 10, in a BCS game, and screwed Texas out of a natty game.

But we didnt. A win this Saturday trumps a loss to Texas any day.

That doesn't change the fact that it was the biggest game Bo has coached to date. The important ce of that game, despite the outcome, was much more significant than this game. Its not even debateable. This game won't determine the conference champion. This game really is just a great conference matchup that has little impact on our season goals. Its not the end all be all that the CCG was/is.

 

Maybe I understood the question differently than you, but going into the 2009 championship game...that was much, much bigger than this game. Knowing what we know now, that we lost, yeah winning this game would be the better outcome, but not the more important game...

 

I honestly don't even see how this is debateable.

[Count 'Bility]

The program still has not recovered and gotten over the hurdle created by that catastrophic failure on Oct 6, 2010. Everything was there for the taking. Texas is down, we can step on their throat and rip their heart out as we stroll off to the Big Ten with our finger in the air and the final Big 12 CCG trophy cradled in our other arm, and we crapped our pants. A win that day like it shoulda been coulda been a huge catapult, instead, i think is just set things back quite a ways. In some ways, that day may have been more damaging than the Callahan era if you figure in all the momentum the program had that day before kickoff.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

It's a turning point game for this program. Are we ready to turn the corner and start competing for championships again or are we still a average team? I don't know if it's the biggest game of his tenure, but it's probably Top 5 easily.

[Count 'Bility]

My other thought is, if we win this week, the Northwestern game in two weeks could be the biggest of the Bo era. There will be lots of praising and putting this team on a pedestal after a win in East Lansing. Will the team be able to handle that hype? An idle week couldntve come at a better time with a trip to that trick Evanston looming. If we go out there and fall on our face after a big win *again*, then what we do saturday night will not matter whatsoever.

[The Dude]

I was thinking this earlier today, and here's my rationale:

 

 

I think this could be considered Bo's biggest game for a few reasons. It's true that this doesn't directly affect our championship hopes, so the tangible stakes could make it bigger, but this is a very specific type of big game for us.

 

Since arriving in Lincoln, Bo's teams have struggled in two ways more than any others - staying consistently motivated against lesser opponents, and getting up for big games on the brightest stage.

 

The last three years have exposed a lot of leaks that I think Bo has done an admirable job of recognizing and growing from - I don't think for a second this program is in the same place it was entering 2011. But we continued to see some of the same trends. This season, however, has the pieces in place, including the irony of Bo's two biggest obstacles in consecutive weeks. The team came out amped but under control to handle Miami, then came out with consistent motivation against inferior Illinois, and now is poised for the biggest game of the year against the best team on the schedule and the hardest regular season game we've had in several years.

 

If they are up to the task and come out with a victory, it will be Bo's biggest game without question because it will be his greatest triumph. If they don't, then who knows.

Well said, pretty much sums it up for me.