What feels worse: Texas Jinx or Wisc Jinx

[TGHusker]

Many of us have been following Husker football for decades.  During our 40 year run of greatness we've had to deal with Sooner Magic, the occasional cockroach  that was Colorado and the stint of bowl losses that caused us to realize we need speed and not just beef (which ultimately led to the greatest 6 year run in college football history).

 

In 1996 we began to see a more persistent problem: Texas. Whether it was the flu (96 CCG), pure luck, bad calls (officials - add one more second) or beating ourselves (fumble crossing the end zone 99 game - prevented us playing and most likely winning the NC, The Terrance Nunn fumble that led to texas winning fg as time expired in i think 2006??, Jamal Lord throwing an explainable pass into the endzone(intercepted) when all we need was a field goal).   For some reason Texas had our # even when we were the better team.   It was like they were in our heads - which became Jinx like.

 

Now we have Wisc.  This is a different situation.  They are obviously a superior program and outside of one win, have had our # since we joined the B1G 10.  This may not be a Jinx like what Texas seemed to be.  Yet, we seem to have fallen prey to our former self - Wisc beats us by being the old Nebraska. 

 

What feels worse -  Losing in all kinds of unexpected ways to the team that distroyed the Big 8 and Big 12 or loosing to a Wisc team that still isn't in the Bama, Clemson, OSU type conversation but consistently dominates NU?

 

My take:  It feels worse to consistently loose to Wisc. It points out how far we have fallen as a program.  With those 21 points scored on approx 22 running plays  out of 25 plays - Wisc rubbed it into our face - this is what you were, we got it now - smash-mouth is our identity not NU's.    Texas (as was Sooner Magic) was like an acute pain.  You twist your ankle and it will hurt for a while but you know overall, you are ok and will be better. 

Wisc is like chronic pain -  like fibromyalgia (my wife has this and I can relate) - constant pain, sometimes bad, sometimes not as bad but always there. It is a reminder that something is deeply wrong throughout the body and there is no quick cure .  The NU football program and I dare say men's sports in general are in a chronic situation.

We need a great AD and univ leadership to turn this around. But it won't be a quick fix(Scott Frost notwithstanding).   Note: next week OSU will most likely remind us again that at best we are a middle of the road program and at worse if this year plays out - lower division quality.  Wisc's constant chronic pain & almost yearly beat downs has made this too evident.

 

[HuskerJax]

I say Texas, because I had hope and expectations back then.  Also we were in the hunt for conference titles, they always got in our way.  Now, we are a bottom feeder in the Big Ten, we are no longer in the hunt for titles.  A win over Wisconsin now is considered an "upset" because we are not in their league, we are mentioned with Illinois, Rutgers, and Indiana.  I've also become so numb to losing now that I barely notice, I used to get pissed.  Now, its a regular occurrence.  The whole thing makes me sad to think about.  I live in Michigan, so I see how we are viewed outside the state.  We are an afterthought, a game that is marked by most other teams as a win.  We are not mentioned as a powerhouse, or a premiere program in the Big Ten,  we get (and deserve) no respect.  Sorry, got off on a tangent....

[neepster]

2 minutes ago, HuskerJax said:

I say Texas, because I had hope and expectations back then.  Also we were in the hunt for conference titles, they always got in our way.  Now, we are a bottom feeder in the Big Ten, we are no longer in the hunt for titles.  A win over Wisconsin now is considered an "upset" because we are not in their league, we are mentioned with Illinois, Rutgers, and Indiana.  I've also become so numb to losing now that I barely notice, I used to get pissed.  Now, its a regular occurrence.  The whole thing makes me sad to think about.  I live in Michigan, so I see how we are viewed outside the state.  We are an afterthought, a game that is marked by most other teams as a win.  We are not mentioned as a powerhouse, or a premiere program in the Big Ten,  we get (and deserve) no respect.  Sorry, got off on a tangent....

 

Agree with this.  The Texas losses were mostly shock losses... couldn't believe they occurred.  As bad as we are now and as far as we have strayed from our roots, Wisconsin beating us with our own strategy is annoying but completely understandable.  What's NOT understandable is the consistently stupid decisions the UNL administration has made around the football team in the last 20 years...

[Undone]

Definitely Texas, because we were fewer years removed from the days of real success. Also because they were in the other conference division, so some of those losses came in conference title games.

We did of course get blown out by Wisconsin in a B1G title game before the conference realignment/division realignment, though.

But yeah, my answer is definitely Texas.

[TGHusker]

HuskerJax - that is a very good first statement and reason for choosing Texas.  It is very true - we were in the hunt back then.  Kind of like Sooner Magic days - when the winner would be in the hunt for the NC.  

I remember when we came into the Big 10 and there was a feeling that NU was going to show the Big 10 how football was played. We had just come off of back to back Big 12 CC games (losing both) and thought we'd be elite.  Our Bo arrogance and confidence knew no end.  We get schooled by Wisc in our first conference game.  It was a sign of things to come.  We should have known that our O was built totally around the feet of TM and Suh was no longer our nose tackle. We didn't have the overall balance and depth to be elite.  

 

Neepster - agreed. How does the admin allow the "Hope Diamond" of the Nebraska franchise to become so tarnished?  Football was NU's big window for the world to see the university in a positive way.

[Kiyoat Husker]

Wisconsin mainly because it just frigging happened... again.

[Jeremy]

36 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

Many of us have been following Husker football for decades.  During our 40 year run of greatness we've had to deal with Sooner Magic, the occasional cockroach  that was Colorado and the stint of bowl losses that caused us to realize we need speed and not just beef (which ultimately led to the greatest 6 year run in college football history).

 

In 1996 we began to see a more persistent problem: Texas. Whether it was the flu (96 CCG), pure luck, bad calls (officials - add one more second) or beating ourselves (fumble crossing the end zone 99 game - prevented us playing and most likely winning the NC, The Hardy fumble that led to texas winning fg as time expired in i think 2006??, Jamal Lord throwing an explainable pass into the endzone(intercepted) when all we need was a field goal).   For some reason Texas had our # even when we were the better team.   It was like they were in our heads - which became Jinx like.

 

Now we have Wisc.  This is a different situation.  They are obviously a superior program and outside of one win, have had our # since we joined the B1G 10.  This may not be a Jinx like what Texas seemed to be.  Yet, we seem to have fallen prey to our former self - Wisc beats us by being the old Nebraska. 

 

What feels worse -  Losing in all kinds of unexpected ways to the team that distroyed the Big 8 and Big 12 or loosing to a Wisc team that still isn't in the Bama, Clemson, OSU type conversation but consistently dominates NU?

 

My take:  It feels worse to consistently loose to Wisc. It points out how far we have fallen as a program.  With those 21 points scored on approx 22 running plays  out of 25 plays - Wisc rubbed it into our face - this is what you were, we got it now - smash-mouth is our identity not NU's.    Texas (as was Sooner Magic) was like an acute pain.  You twist your ankle and it will hurt for a while but you know overall, you are ok and will be better. 

Wisc is like chronic pain -  like fibromyalgia (my wife has this and I can relate) - constant pain, sometimes bad, sometimes not as bad but always there. It is a reminder that something is deeply wrong throughout the body and there is no quick cure .  The NU football program and I dare say men's sports in general are in a chronic situation.

We need a great AD and univ leadership to turn this around. But it won't be a quick fix(Scott Frost notwithstanding).   Note: next week OSU will most likely remind us again that at best we are a middle of the road program and at worse if this year plays out - lower division quality.  Wisc's constant chronic pain & almost yearly beat downs has made this too evident.

 

Sorry to split hairs, but it was Terrance Nunn with the fateful fumble in '06...

[TGHusker]

^^^ Thanks for pointing it out - I couldn't remember for sure.    Regardless, I remember yelling at the TV when it occurred.    I 'll correct it.

[VectorVictor]

Texas--we had better talent for each of those matchups, but we tripped on our own d*** half the time (the other half was due to incompetent/corrupt officials--see '09, '99).

 

With Wisky, we've honestly been out-coached for each and every loss, and Wisky earned the win. Texas failed to earn some of those wins on the field. 

[Apathy]

Where's the option of "both"?

[NebraskaHarry]

There is no jinx. Nebraska can't beat these teams because they don't know how and that's because of coaching.

 

We need to hire Frost.

[Landlord]

I hate Texas way, way, way more than I hate Wisconsin. There's something much more difficult about processing a heartbreaker where you had victory in your hands than there is just getting dominated and knowing it.

[TGHusker]

Landlord.  I would agree on this- I despise texas but I respect Wisc.  

It is difficult to process a heart breaker but at least you can say "There is always next year." Knowing that you are competitive.  In losing to Wisc like we have, we have taken away

the hope of 'next year' until something drastic occurs - like a change to a coach who can get us back to being competitive.   Again going back to my pain analogy - a sprained angle hurts like hell to begin wt. Those losses to the Sooners and texas hurt just like that. But we knew the odds were good that we'd get them the next time.  Chronic pain removes a lot of hope that things will get better.  It is more like gangrening in the ankle - time for drastic measures and cut  off the ankle to save the leg.

[grandpasknee]

I'm going to have to say neither and suggest that Sooner Magic had a much more devastating effect on my psyche than either of the other two mentioned.

[lo country]

Wisky. They flat out beat and embarrass us on national tv. Beating us in the same style we used to beat teams....UT was always flukey wins. Basic mistakes that we couldnt control to a degree.  Whisky, just flat out beat us into submission several times...Like we were playing our old selves...