B1G West

50/50 The talent on this team, Ameer coming back, Sanders back coaching DB's & the front 7 are all positives. Unknowns with the QB position, turnover problems & special teams are the wild cards going into next year. The schedule looks manageable, but we have to clean up that little stuff that has been holding this program back. Talent is not the issue. We have it in spades.

 
knapplc said:
The Iowegians have an absurdly easy schedule next year. We travel to Iowa, to Sparty, to Wisconsin and to Northwestern. That's not a problem if we play up to our potential, but playing up to our potential for 60 minutes every game has been an issue.
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With a stout defense, all things are possible. And I expect our defense to be damn fun to watch next year.

 
I hate the new alignment, and I hate that we don't play Michigan for five years. It really will be the Big 12 North again, so I hope it changes again in two years.

On paper, it should be an easier division. But in reality, I think our players take on this mentality from the fans then get caught sleepwalking a couple times a year. Until the Huskers can go out and smack these teams down every week, it's all just theoretically easier. Let's not forget Iowa and Minnesota are two of the theoretically easier teams in our division.

Next year we'll have several tough road games, so we'll see what happens. The Huskers will need to be taking the schedule very seriously beginning this offseason if they want to play in the Rose Bowl next season. We have the talent. The question is do they have the will?

 
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Wisconsin = Missouri

Iowa = Colorado

Northwestern = KSU

Minnesota & Purdue = ISU

Illinois = KU

Is that the train of thought?

 
Bucky said:
Wisconsin = Missouri

Iowa = Colorado

Northwestern = KSU

Minnesota & Purdue = ISU

Illinois = KU

Is that the train of thought?
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Probably something like that. But Wiscy has had a lot more success over the last 10 years than Missouri probably ever had.

And ... I mean ... NW=KSU is basically a given, right?
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Sparker said:
Well, now there is some down time and I know this has been discussed but since we have an idea of which players will be returning/starting next season, how do you all think we look in the B1G West?

Personally, it reminds me a lot of the B12 North, a weak division that most seasons we will have a "should win" mentality about. Not saying Wisconsin is a cupcake at all, and Minnesota/Iowa/Northwestern have given us fits since joining, but how do you see it going? What percentage do you expect to see the Huskers winning the west?
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Don't agree that its like being in the Big XII north because division is not apples to apples to B1G West. Wisconsin is better than all of the Big 12 North, NW is solid, Iowa won't be a push over and Minny is on the uprise. Not to mention Nebraska has lost to each of one of these teams in the first two years of our involvement in the Conference. We have stayed consistent, and the competition has gotten better hands down won't even argue.

 
JTrain said:
I wasn't big on the move to the Big 12 either. This step is the next unfortunate progression of that.
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TO never wanted it, he totally saw the powershift to the south and us ending-up on the short end of the stick. Though not even he saw that incompetent **** Beebe. If not for Beebe we may have been able to make it work.

 
huskerinacaveman said:
Sparker said:
Well, now there is some down time and I know this has been discussed but since we have an idea of which players will be returning/starting next season, how do you all think we look in the B1G West?

Personally, it reminds me a lot of the B12 North, a weak division that most seasons we will have a "should win" mentality about. Not saying Wisconsin is a cupcake at all, and Minnesota/Iowa/Northwestern have given us fits since joining, but how do you see it going? What percentage do you expect to see the Huskers winning the west?
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Don't agree that its like being in the Big XII north because division is not apples to apples to B1G West. Wisconsin is better than all of the Big 12 North, NW is solid, Iowa won't be a push over and Minny is on the uprise. Not to mention Nebraska has lost to each of one of these teams in the first two years of our involvement in the Conference. We have stayed consistent, and the competition has gotten better hands down won't even argue.
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From my perspective the downside isn't entirely about competition. You're right that Wisconsin is more accomplished than any of the former Big 12 North teams. And overall, the Big Ten West is probably somewhat stronger overall.

The bigger downside is that the Big Ten West will most likely be treated in the media like the Big 12 North, due to the more marquee teams residing in the East, along with better overall competition and much larger populations.

 
There are 2.5 historically great programs in the pre-Nebraska Big 10: Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. A huge (possibly the biggest) selling point to the skeptics was, "Imagine how great the rivalries will be between Nebraska and these three teams!" Well, it's tough to create a rivalry when you're not playing every year. And impossible to create one if you're playing once every five years. Instead of 18 games between Nebraska and these three over the next six years, we get six.

 
It may do us favors for a few years. Wisconsin, will be the bell cow going in. If we can handle the division on a regular basis, our rankings will not be high enough for the play off normally.

Some feel conference championships will carry a lot of weight, possibly, but this group is charged with seeking out the 4 best teams in the country. Not conference champions. Being the conference champion will help, but being in the west and undefeated will not carry the ranking that being undefeated in the east will carry. Winning the conference and being the lower ranked team at the time will hurt us I am afraid. Short term it could help, if we can win and win the conference. Establish ourselves as a power in the Big ten. Right now the conference is behind the SEC, Pac 12, Big 12 and possibly the ACC. 5 conference champions is one too many. That doe snot even consider the outliers that have special seasons. This is going to turn into the pretty pig in the contest at times I think. 4 is just no enough.

We do have a blessing with Tom on the board. I think he will vote his heart, but his voice will carry a tremendous amount over most of the others.

This was not the best thing for Nebraska, we all came here to play the big boys of the conference, and we are losing that in my opinion.

 
At the end of the day, it's not about winning or losing.

It's about the match-ups.

Michigan vs. Nebraska

Nebraska at Penn State

Ohio State vs. Nebraska

Easier?

Perhaps.

Exciting?

Barely.

 
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Win the west and most years you will see Mich St, Mich, or OSU in the conference championship game. And yes, a conference championship win over any one of those school will help secure a spot in the playoffs.

 
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