ESPN: Is Nebraska back?

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
Is Nebraska back? Confident Huskers ready to prove it in Big Ten play
The signs of a return are just about everywhere.

Nebraska is back in the polls. It just knocked off a ranked team to edge back into the national conversation once more. After a perfect run through the nonconference schedule engineered by a veteran quarterback and massive improvement in the turnover battle, the program has also marked itself as perhaps the new early favorite in the Big Ten’s West Division.

So, are the Huskers back? All the hints suggest they’re on the way, but the real work might just be getting started as they hit the road for a chance to prove it in league play at Northwestern.

http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/136733/is-nebraska-back-confident-huskers-ready-to-prove-it-in-big-ten-play
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We are back if we keep the turnovers down. I suspect we would have finished each of the previous seasons in the top 20, with a few in the top 10 if we finished with a positive TO margin every year. It is amazing how good our records have been given how bad we have been in the TO margin.

 
As I and several others have said, back means in conference championships and playoffs. I agree with KC Sker about the upswing comment...it is good to be mentioned again in the national spot light, but saying we are back needs to slow down. Knocking off some of the BIG's best will help!

 
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Way too early.

Fun fact: we were 5-0 in 2014 with a crowd-pleasing beat down of Miami at Memorial Stadium.

But I don't mind the speculation from ESPN and others. We want to be in the conversation. The pressure of expectations will come sooner or later.

Hope is good. Results are better.

One game at a time.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Way too early.

Fun fact: we were 5-0 in 2014 with a crowd-pleasing beat down of Miami at Memorial Stadium.

But I don't mind the speculation from ESPN and others. We want to be in the conversation. The pressure of expectations will come sooner or later.

Hope is good. Results are better.

One game at a time.
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Totally understand your point and agree to some extent, but Miami was unranked that year with a true freshman QB's first road game in a big time atmosphere.

This year we have already beat a ranked opponent and have a very good chance to be 6-0 when we go to Indiana (which I thought before the season could be a trap game, but looks to be a little softer than I had expected).

We're certainly haven't done enough to prove "we're back," but we have a very good chance to have our best start to the season since 2001. That's the reason to be encouraged.

 
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In 2010 we were back, climbing to #5 in the nation at 5-0 before falling to Texas. Then we climbed back up to #9, 9-1 record, before losing to A&M, then Oklahoma, then Washington.

In 2011 we were back, considered the new bullies of the B1G, ranked #8 before getting curb stomped by Wisconsin. We beat some good teams and got back up to #9, before losing to Northwestern, then Michigan, then South Carolina.

In 2012 we were 10-2 and ranked #14 with a presumed upcoming win over 3rd place leaders division Wisconsin in the championship game. We got beat by 40 points, then lost to Georgia.

In 2014 we were 8-1 with just a close loss to #7 Michigan State, we were ranked 11th going into Wisconsin. We got beat by 35 points, then lost 3 of our final 4.

It takes a lot more than the first 3 games of a season to even start asking questions like this.

 
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
In 2010 we were back, climbing to #5 in the nation at 5-0 before falling to Texas. Then we climbed back up to #9, 9-1 record, before losing to A&M, then Oklahoma, then Washington.

In 2011 we were back, considered the new bullies of the B1G, ranked #8 before getting curb stomped by Wisconsin. We beat some good teams and got back up to #9, before losing to Northwestern, then Michigan, then South Carolina.

In 2012 we were 10-2 and ranked #14 with a presumed upcoming win over 3rd place leaders division Wisconsin in the championship game. We got beat by 40 points, then lost to Georgia.

In 2014 we were 8-1 with just a close loss to #7 Michigan State, we were ranked 11th going into Wisconsin. We got beat by 35 points, then lost 3 of our final 4.

It takes a lot more than the first 3 games of a season to even start asking questions like this.
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+1 (only because the computer won't let my add a million zeros behind it)

If 'Nebrasaka's back!", then Pelini resurrected this program about 5 different times and got canned for it. I'm excited about this season, it's fun to be optimistic, and I'm glad we have the chance to have a discussion like this. But, like Landlord pointed out, this isn't really anything new either.

 
funhusker said:
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
In 2010 we were back, climbing to #5 in the nation at 5-0 before falling to Texas. Then we climbed back up to #9, 9-1 record, before losing to A&M, then Oklahoma, then Washington.

In 2011 we were back, considered the new bullies of the B1G, ranked #8 before getting curb stomped by Wisconsin. We beat some good teams and got back up to #9, before losing to Northwestern, then Michigan, then South Carolina.

In 2012 we were 10-2 and ranked #14 with a presumed upcoming win over 3rd place leaders division Wisconsin in the championship game. We got beat by 40 points, then lost to Georgia.

In 2014 we were 8-1 with just a close loss to #7 Michigan State, we were ranked 11th going into Wisconsin. We got beat by 35 points, then lost 3 of our final 4.

It takes a lot more than the first 3 games of a season to even start asking questions like this.
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+1 (only because the computer won't let my add a million zeros behind it)

If 'Nebrasaka's back!", then Pelini resurrected this program about 5 different times and got canned for it. I'm excited about this season, it's fun to be optimistic, and I'm glad we have the chance to have a discussion like this. But, like Landlord pointed out, this isn't really anything new either.
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Soooo ... we are not back... I will have to cancel my special order "We're Back" Nebraska T-shirts and matching tube socks. Can't do the same about my forehead tattoo though...

 
I'd say its fair to declare us as having returned to form when we have won a big ten championship or two. Until that time, no we are not back. But we are on our way back up, possibly.

 
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Viewpoint of an Ohio State fan within the comments section

Is Nebraska back? Well, you'd have to define "back". Are they back to 1960's thru 90's Nebraska? Not even close (nor will they ever be). Are they back to Frank Solich-esque Nebraska? Maybe... but who really cares? Will Nebraska be able to compete with Ohio State, the standard by which the rest of the conference is judged? No. They can't recruit with OSU and they can't compete on the field with OSU. If being in the chase for the B1G West title every season makes you happy as a Nebraska fan, then good for you because that's about as "back" as this football team will ever be. I'm not hating, either. I've always admired and respected the Nebraska program. It was a program I actually enjoyed following, peripherally at least. I was happy when they joined the B1G... but Nebraska simply cannot compete in the living rooms with the Ohio States, Notre Dames, Oklahomas or *ishigans. It's a different college football world and Nebraska just doesn't fit in like it once did for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its location.
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My Thoughts?

Yeah, we're not back. Can't compare winning 3 games (or even going undefeated this season) as being back. Iowa went undefeated last year in the regular season... They still are most irrelevant.

We're not back. After a decade of 90% participation in the CCG and 4-5 dates added to memorial stadium under Conference champions and a one or two national titles, then we are back.

But we're winning. So that's nice (Y)

 
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Being back would be sustained success over a period of time, and that period of time is not one season.

Even if we pull an Iowa this year and get to 12-0, I wouldn't say we are back. Iowa likely won't do that again in a long time.

 
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