We're Playing USC in the Holiday.

[Drive1010]

 

Playing USC in San Diego...This is why I hate bowl games.

There won't be more than 3,000 USC fans there...that might even be pushing it.

 

 

Uh...no.

 

That's the easiest road trip...and San Diego is a popular road trip regardless at USC. I think USC fans show up...b/c of name brand opponent. If USC had been playing Fresno State...then yes, not much attendance. USC fans get the bigotry that is really ignorant sometimes.

 

It could have been worse, the Sun Bowl.

 

Great excuse for Nebraska fans to go to Cali - San Diego is great.

[Drive1010]

This is a twofer possibility here. Avenge the losses to USC and smack down Sarkisian one more time. I like the matchup, need to send this class out with some dignity and a bowl win. GBR

Might be one of the best bowl games.

 

USC is better than their record...allowed three onside kicks and a hail mary to give them two extra losses.

 

USC could easily be 11-2.

[chamrocck]

Sakisian has a 1-2 record as a head coach in bowl games. His only win was as Washington's coach when they beat us in the 2010 Holiday Bowl. Ugh. That was a terrible game for us and I was there. You could tell in the pre-game Washington wanted it and their players were really high energy. I recall our players screwing off trying to kick and throw balls over the field goal. We were flat and should not have lost that game as we beat them earlier that year soundly.

 

Not sure what to expect with our team. USC I think will be up. Sark has much to prove still. They beat some ranked teams this year but UCLA beat them good and the hail mary loss to ASU was ugly.

 

This could be ugly if we are not into it. Ameer will need a big game. OL has to hold up. Defense will need one of its better games.

[presidentjlh]

 

 

Playing USC in San Diego...This is why I hate bowl games.

There won't be more than 3,000 USC fans there...that might even be pushing it.

 

 

Uh...no.

 

That's the easiest road trip...and San Diego is a popular road trip regardless at USC. I think USC fans show up...b/c of name brand opponent. If USC had been playing Fresno State...then yes, not much attendance. USC fans get the bigotry that is really ignorant sometimes.

 

It could have been worse, the Sun Bowl.

 

Great excuse for Nebraska fans to go to Cali - San Diego is great.

 

I dunno, disappointing season for USC, we'll well outnumber them.

[HuskerInLA23]

Hey guys, I'm new to the board. My dad went to nebraska with the rest of my extended family, I've been a huge fan all my life and have read the board for a while. Love it. There's some awesome people and opinions on here, I decided to add my two cents to this thread! I am a junior at USC now and I went to all the home games this year, like a lot of you said I think it will be a great game. Like some said, we were a Hail Mary and a play way in the asu and Utah games. Got handled by ucla ad laid an egg at BC where we still only lost by 6 but it was abysmal.

I think Kessler is one of the most underrated QBs in the game, he's a stud, although he does have an incredible recieving corps. But he's patient and rarely commits turnovers. I can see him and agholar, farmer, and juju giving us some trouble. Juju is a freak. And buck Allen is a terrific back. Like us, they have a ton of talent but don't seem to always put it together and shoot themselves in the foot. BC ran all over us so I'm sure ameer will have a day, especially with our depth at RB with Imani and newby and the Trojans lack of depth. But then again, Leonard and pollard and Hayes can ball. I feel like they're kinda in the same boat as us, if the team shows up that murdered notre dame it could be a long game for the huskers but if the team at BC shows up we could put up numbers. I think Cody will play really well though, he always does.

Anyways, regardless it will be fun to see such stories programs play again even if it's not in a huge bowl. I'm excited. As always I'll be chanting go big red!! Keep up on the boards it's a lot of fun to read.

[Elf]

 

 

John papuchis calling the defense is scary. Maybe the AD could just hold a raffle for play calling

 

I'm honestly really interested to see how Papuchis does without out the wrath of Bo hanging over his head. I think he'll be more willing to switch and mix things up. It's pretty much a job audition if he wants to get a decent job somewhere else next year.

 

I actually thing this is a good question. If Pap proves that hes a competent coach when he doesnt have bo hanging over his moves or controlling him like a puppet. Would you consider him staying at some level. I always have liked his enthusiam on the sidelines.

 

No. It's not up to anyone other than Riley to decide who the assistants are going to be and I'd rather not pull a Tom Osborne and tell the incoming coach who some of his assistants are going to be.

[JTrain]

I'm inclined to think Pap calling the defense will be a good thing. Not because he's a great play-caller, but because Bo was so stubborn and rigid in his approach that the guys were thinking too hard, scared to fail and not attacking. Pap has nothing to lose and will let them attack and have fun. We might get burned a couple times but we might see some talent and play-making come out of the woodwork too.

 

[Drive1010]

Steve Sarkisian’s only bowl victory as a head coach was the 2010 Holiday Bowl, a 19-7 victory over Nebraska.

[Drive1010]

Steve Sarkisian on playing Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl:

 

“We are excited to go play in the Holiday Bowl and be the first USC team to do so. We get to play close to home and our fans will show up in force. They’ll get to see a pair of Top 25 teams with storied football heritages. Having been to the Holiday Bowl when I was at Washington, I know this bowl experience will be a good one for our players and fans.

 

“We are hungry and determined to finish our season off well. We hope to use the momentum we have coming off our win over Notre Dame. But we’ll face a real challenge against a very good Nebraska team. Although they have made a coaching change, teams in transition like that usually band together and play well, as we saw last year here at USC and at Washington.

[JTrain]

Steve Sarkisian on playing Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl:

 

“Having been to the Holiday Bowl when I was at Washington, I know this bowl experience will be a good one for our players and fans."

 

[Danimal]

interesting to see if the huskers make a real effort.

 

 

Back in '03 the players and staff alike were trying to get Bo the HC job. This time around it will be a pissy team playing for a pissy lame-duck staff. That's usually a recipe for disaster. Maybe it will help that Riley is already here. Staff could be looking at it as an audition to keep a job here and players will have a chance to make a good first impression on the coach.

 

 

This kinda sucks because before the regime change I was looking forward to the bowl. We played well in our last one, we got a little momentum back in the Iowa game, and we have the chance to get healthy. I thought we have a good shot at 10-wins. Now we probably see an underwhelming performance typical of teams during a regime change.

 

Hopefully we get a nice surprise. Love going into the offseason on a positive note.

[r06ue1]

I hope we win but after watching what USC did to Notre Dame I don't like our chances that much.

[walksalone]

[Hunter94]

I'm inclined to think Pap calling the defense will be a good thing. Not because he's a great play-caller, but because Bo was so stubborn and rigid in his approach that the guys were thinking too hard, scared to fail and not attacking. Pap has nothing to lose and will let them attack and have fun. We might get burned a couple times but we might see some talent and play-making come out of the woodwork too.

 

i hope that is the case, but Paps didn't show much in his DC spot.......i don't see him or Beck putting their heart into this game for the kids...it would be hard to do knowing you are headed out the door to nowhere.?

[Bigred_inSD]

I hope we win but after watching what USC did to Notre Dame I don't like our chances that much.

Meh notre dame. They were very average this year. Once they lost national championship ambitions they packed up shop.