Huskers v Ranked Teams 2021

[seaofred92]

So I did this in 2020 and it was fun to look back on. Creating the 2021 version now. 

 

https://theathletic.com/2313816/2021/01/12/early-top-25-college-football/

 

Stewart Mandel's "Too Early Top 25" came out last month. I've bolded the teams we play in 2021 during the regular season below: 

 

1. Alabama

2. Oklahoma

3. Clemson

4. Georgia

5. Texas A&M

6. Ohio State

7. Iowa State

8. Cincinnati

9. LSU

10. Notre Dame

11. Iowa

12. Oregon 

13. Wisconsin

14. North Carolina

15. Coastal Carolina

16. Indiana

17. Florida

18. Washington

19. Texas

20. Miami

21. Penn State

22. Ole Miss

23. Liberty

24. TCU

25. Arizona State

 

Just Missed: Oklahoma State, USC, BYU, Louisiana, San Jose State, West Virginia

 

Quick thoughts.... The schedule is difficult but not as difficult as I maybe once thought. Playing 4 of the top 13 is less than ideal but unlike last year's schedule where we had 6 top 25 teams on the schedule to begin the year, this year we don't have anyone in the back half of the above group of schools. 

 

So the questions are simple: which game do you think the Huskers have the best chance at winning, which game do you think the Huskers have the least chance of winning, which game do you most want to see the Huskers win, and which games will they actually win? Polls are set to close on the date of our first game 8/28.

[suh_fan93]

Iowa.  

[funhusker]

I picked Iowa as the one I'd like to see the Huskers beat the most since I'd assume the question carries the connotation of losing the other matchups.

 

It would suck to beat OU or OSU and start carrying a swagger only to get beat my Iowa...yuck!

[knapplc]

Iowa is the one I want us to beat most, mostly because we've been so close to doing it for so many years. They're the first step in the rebuilding process (if that ever happens!)

 

Combined score vs. Iowa, last three games:

 

Iowa

NU: 72

IA: 84

DIFF: -12

RES: 0-3

 

Wisconsin

NU: 62

WIS: 116

DIFF: -54

RES: 0-3

 

Ohio State

NU: 55

OSU: 136

DIFF: -81

RES: 0-3

 

Oklahoma

NU: 58

OU: 88

DIFF: -30

RES: 1-2

 

 

 

We're just much closer to Iowa's level than to any of the other three. 

 

Of course I'd love to beat Oklahoma, but with our offense in chaos like it is, there's almost no chance we pull off that miracle. It's not likely we beat Wiscy and super not likely we are even competitive with Ohio State.  

 

But Iowa... we can beat Iowa. 

[Hilltop]

Thanks for doing this.

 

I agree, Iowa is pretty glaring to me as the one I think we can win and one of the one's I really want to see us beat.  Another interesting though, who else will have moved into the top 25 by the time we play them?  Michigan has a good chance of being 3-2, or 4-1 with potential losses to Washington and Wisconsin.  If it's 4-1, they will likely be in the top 25.  Minnesota also looks to be at 3-2 or 4-1 coming into our game with their two tough games being Ohio State and Colorado.  Northwestern could easily be 4-0 going into our game if they can get by Michigan State in week one.  If Michigan State can somehow beat NW and Miami in week 3, they would be a ranked 3-0 team coming into out game.    

 

I think it's likely we end up playing 6-7 ranked teams and maybe 8 if we get another ranked team in a bowl game.  

[Stumpy1]

None of them.  

[BigRedBuster]

20 minutes ago, knapplc said:

Iowa is the one I want us to beat most, mostly because we've been so close to doing it for so many years. They're the first step in the rebuilding process (if that ever happens!)

 

Combined score vs. Iowa, last three games:

 

Iowa

NU: 72

IA: 84

DIFF: -12

RES: 0-3

 

Wisconsin

NU: 62

WIS: 116

DIFF: -54

RES: 0-3

 

Ohio State

NU: 55

OSU: 136

DIFF: -81

RES: 0-3

 

Oklahoma

NU: 58

OU: 88

DIFF: -30

RES: 1-2

 

 

 

We're just much closer to Iowa's level than to any of the other three. 

 

Of course I'd love to beat Oklahoma, but with our offense in chaos like it is, there's almost no chance we pull off that miracle. It's not likely we beat Wiscy and super not likely we are even competitive with Ohio State.  

 

But Iowa... we can beat Iowa. 

I agree.  Iowa is not a world beater of a team.  We can beat them.  We could have beat them any of the last three years, we just haven't got it done.  They have our proverbial number.  I actually also think we can beat Wisconsin even though they are tougher than Iowa.  But....they have had our number also.  

 

I picked OSU as the team I most wanted to beat, because I didn't take the question as.....you can only pick one then you lose to all the others.  So, I thought if we beat OSU, we probably are beating some of the others.

Now, if it's a pick only one question....yes....beat Iowa.

[BigRedBuster]

1 minute ago, Lightfighter214 said:

I know the games with Iowa have been close, but beating them requires us not beating ourselves, has very little to do with plays iowa makes.

 

They play to see if we will beat ourselves, last few years we keep obliging, not sure if that changes.

Yep...that's why they should be the easiest to beat on the list.  It's also why they won't win anything significant.

[Dogs In A Pile]

If they could win one I'd like to see it be OU. At that point they should still be #2 in the nation. It is early in the schedule and could give NU a real boost the rest of the year. Of course, looking back on how they handled the victory over a winless PSU last year, a win over OU could sink them for the rest of the season.  

[TGHusker]

I think Iowa is the easiest and most likely win of all of those.  We've come soooooo very close. 

However, the one I want to beat is  OU -  since I live in Okla and mostly, hopefully will be at the game - depending on covid restrictions, etc.  If not a bunch of us Okla Cornhusker Club members will be cheering loudly at the watch party(

[Guy Chamberlin]

If I didn't know better, I'd say Iowa has officially become our #1 rival.

[TGHusker]

10 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

If I didn't know better, I'd say Iowa has officially become our #1 rival.

[Husker in WI]

19 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

If I didn't know better, I'd say Iowa has officially become our #1 rival.

 

To which their fans would say, we need to actually win some for it to be a rivalry. But yes, they have done their part (last second victories, a kicker mouthing off, random shenanigans like clapping that we blew out of proportion) to inspire some hatred where there had been apathy.

[Guy Chamberlin]

1 hour ago, Husker in WI said:

 

To which their fans would say, we need to actually win some for it to be a rivalry. But yes, they have done their part (last second victories, a kicker mouthing off, random shenanigans like clapping that we blew out of proportion) to inspire some hatred where there had been apathy.

 

I originally thought the conference forced the rivalry on us, but maybe it's real after all. 

 

The football fan in me prefers that Nebraska knock off the highest rated team possible. 

 

And rivalry or no, I think I'd rather get the Wisconsin monkey off my back than the Iowa monkey. 

[Husker in WI]

On 2/12/2021 at 4:52 PM, Guy Chamberlin said:

 

I originally thought the conference forced the rivalry on us, but maybe it's real after all. 

 

The football fan in me prefers that Nebraska knock off the highest rated team possible. 

 

And rivalry or no, I think I'd rather get the Wisconsin monkey off my back than the Iowa monkey. 

 

Wisconsin would be the better win for sure, and I wouldn't mind sticking to Chryst one bit. But I've got to say I feel more rivalry-type dislike of Iowa - that could come with living in Wisconsin though, I dunno. Gotta start beating them both once at least.