I don't think you can go into a season with NC expectations. So much has to happen in a season to even get there. I think if we have an offense and the D does actually improves like the pelini's think it will its not outside the realm of possibility to get to the game assuming we win the big 12, but that'd be icing on the cake. Cant have any more ISU games though.
Mentally I don't think the team is there yet. The defense was this season or close, but nobody feared anyone on our offense. We didn't punish anyone on that side of the ball save for Arizona and the sunbelt. It's gonna take some mean (but disciplined) line play and play makers that will punish defenses for 4 quarters to with a chip on their shoulder to get back to the point where you can go into a season with MNC game expectations.
However winning the big 12 is my "expectation" but by expectation I mean that's what I am hopeful for, not counting on by any means. That and a decent offense to match the defensive effort. Hopefully they can ride the bowl momentum and the changes I hear that are going in right now to a much better performance next season.
Win or lose though, its so much more fun to watch Nebraska then it was 2-6 years ago... So as long as that continues to be the case I'm content.
Now can we just fast-forward to summer and only 2 months of warm fun to go before the season?