CBS Sports: Breaking Down the Big Ten Schedules

[NUinID]

You can dismiss them but Fresno has a track record of beating BCS teams, and flying there for a late night kick off just makes things harder. Interesting sidenote I did not know, Fresno State beat 2001 Colorado who destroyed us, along with Wisconsin and Oregon State that same season.

2001 was a long time ago, just like 1995 is, but a lot of people have a hard time letting it go.

Anyway, Fresno St. is a solid team, they are not as good as UCLA was 2 years ago when we played out in LA. You knew UCLA had talent, Skippy Nuhiesal just couldn't get them to play well.

Again they are a sold mid major team that will have a really good year every now and then. That good year was last year. Wasn't 2001 Carr # 1 senior year?

 

[Abdullah the Butcher]

I wasn't saying because they beat 3 good teams in 2001 that the 2014 version will be good, I just thought it was an interesting sidenote when browsing their history. Just by recent history Polo I can't just assume these games will be in hand, 2010 South Dakota State, 2011 Fresno State, 2013 Wyoming and 2013 South Dakota State 1st Half. Judging by our non con the last few years I think we will struggle in at least one non power 5 game, the most likely candidate being on the road at Fresno State, it could be Florida Atlantic I suppose but the possibility of that is tons lower.

 

[True2tRA]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

 

[NUpolo8]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

This team is talented enough to do well against this schedule, yes. If it doesn't, i feel it's coaching related.

In a nutshell.

 

[Mavric]

I guess where I am at on this is, would Bama, Florida State, Oregon, Ohio State fans be concerned over Fresno State? Yes they would respect them, but would they consider it seriously as a possible loss. That is where the difference is with Nebraska. We are no longer confident in our team. We hope, we drink the koolaid, but would we bet the house on the outcome of the game. Years past this game would not even be considered a game. Because of the last 6 years and maybe before, we say things like parity, college football has changed and other clique comments.

Could Fresno State beat Nebraska, sure as hell. But should they beat Nebraska, under any circumstance is the question. That is the difference between today and the old days I guess. Lack of confidence, unsure what team will show up. One focused and ready, or one that thinks they have already won the game. Hard for any of us to say, if anything is consistent our inconsistency of play leads the way.

You mean the Ohio State that nearly lost to Toledo, struggled with Indiana and lost to Purdue a couple years ago. And the Florida State team that lost to NC State two years ago. Yeah, those teams never struggle with teams they are expected to bet and beat handily.

 

[NUinID]

I guess where I am at on this is, would Bama, Florida State, Oregon, Ohio State fans be concerned over Fresno State? Yes they would respect them, but would they consider it seriously as a possible loss. That is where the difference is with Nebraska. We are no longer confident in our team. We hope, we drink the koolaid, but would we bet the house on the outcome of the game. Years past this game would not even be considered a game. Because of the last 6 years and maybe before, we say things like parity, college football has changed and other clique comments.

Could Fresno State beat Nebraska, sure as hell. But should they beat Nebraska, under any circumstance is the question. That is the difference between today and the old days I guess. Lack of confidence, unsure what team will show up. One focused and ready, or one that thinks they have already won the game. Hard for any of us to say, if anything is consistent our inconsistency of play leads the way.

You mean the Ohio State that nearly lost to Toledo, struggled with Indiana and lost to Purdue a couple years ago. And the Florida State team that lost to NC State two years ago. Yeah, those teams never struggle with teams they are expected to bet and beat handily.

No way, only NU looks bad against teams they should easily beat.

 

[NUpolo8]

The counter where a few teams who have had much farther success than Nebraska, and single instances of struggles similar to Nebraska are shown, all the while ignoring that they in fact are single instances by the other teams and at this point a pattern with Nebraska is pretty hysterical.

 

[Mavric]

Just from last year:

#25 Oregon State loses to Eastern Washington

#11 Michigan barely holds off Akron

#21 Notre Dame needs 21 fourth quarter points to beat Purdue

#1 Alabama is only ahead of Colorado State 17-6 in the fourth quarter

#15 Michigan needs 10 fourth quarter points to win at Connecticut

#10 Texas A&M is only ahead of winless-in-conference and 3-9 overall Arkansas 37-33 in the fourth quarter

#11 Oklahoma State loses to 3-9 West Virginia

#12 UCLA struggles with 2-7 in conference Utah

#4 Ohio State needs a defensive TD on the final play of the game to put away winless-in-conference Northwestern

#6 Georgia needs a last second TD to force OT against 2-6 in conference Tennessee

#11 Oklahoma barely holds off 2-7 in conference TCU

#13 South Carolina struggles with winless in conference Kentucky

#5 Stanford loses to 2-7 in conference Utah

#3 Clemson needs 14 fourth quarter points to beat 4-4 in conference Boston College

#20 Texas Tech struggles with 2-7 in conference Iowa State

#6 LSU loses to 3-5 in conference Ole Miss

#11 South Carolina loses to 2-6 in conference Tennessee

#16 Texas Tech needs 14 fourth quarter points to beat 3-9 West Virginia

#7 Miami only leads 4-8 Wake Forest by four with one minute to play

#9 Clemson only leads 7-6 Maryland by three in the middle of the third quarter

#25 Notre Dame needs a late TD to get past Navy

#21 and Fiesta Bowl champion UCF barely holds of 8-5 Houston

#22 Arizona State needs 13 fourth quarter points to edge 2-7 in conference Utah

#23 Notre Dame loses to 7-6 Pitt

#1 Alabama only leads 3-5 in conference Mississippi State 10-7 midway through the third quarter

#10 South Carolina trails 4-8 Florida midway through the fourth quarter

#17 and Fiesta Bowl champion UCF trails 2-10 Temple with just over one minute to play

#5 Oregon is pummeled by unranked Arizona State

#17 LSU needs 10 unanswered fourth quarter points to get past winless-in-conference Arkansas

#19 and Fiesta Bowl champion UCF needs a late TD to get past 2-10 South Florida

#3 undefeated Ohio State has to defend a two point conversion attempt in the last minute to beat Michigan

#9 Baylor barely beats 4-8 TCU

#15 Wisconsin loses at home to 7-5 Penn State

#16 and Fiesta Bowl champion UCF barely beats 5-7 SMU

But definitely saying Nebraska might not have eight "gimmies" on the schedule is definitely "lowering our standards" as opposed to having a realistic view of the current state of college football. Because we'd be the only team that just doesn't blow out everyone we're supposed to.

 

[True2tRA]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

This team is talented enough to do well against this schedule, yes. If it doesn't, i feel it's coaching related.

In a nutshell.

Not judging you, just trying to grasp where you're coming from.

Like Mavric says above, and I've said before as well, we have to come to terms with where we "are" as a program, not where we want to be. Not saying to forget about where we want to be, but the reality of the situation right now in Nebraska football is that we could very well struggle against any one of these opponents for the most part. I say that only because we have demonstrated that in recent history. I'll be right along with you, I think it's sad that a program like Nebraska struggles with a team like Wyoming. Still, a part of me realizes these so called "patsies" or "cupcakes" are evolving into competitive teams. Maybe not every year, but these dogs are having their day more and more often all the time.

 

[Mavric]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

This team is talented enough to do well against this schedule, yes. If it doesn't, i feel it's coaching related.

In a nutshell.

Not judging you, just trying to grasp where you're coming from.

Like Mavric says above, and I've said before as well, we have to come to terms with where we "are" as a program, not where we want to be. Not saying to forget about where we want to be, but the reality of the situation right now in Nebraska football is that we could very well struggle against any one of these opponents for the most part. I say that only because we have demonstrated that in recent history. I'll be right along with you, I think it's sad that a program like Nebraska struggles with a team like Wyoming. Still, a part of me realizes these so called "patsies" or "cupcakes" are evolving into competitive teams. Maybe not every year, but these dogs are having their day more and more often all the time.

Get out of here with your middle ground. Only dogmatic extremes are allowed in here.

 

[TheSker]

If we lose to them, it is going to be a very long season, and the last in the Pelini era would be my guess.

#unfoundedspeculation

 

[NUpolo8]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

This team is talented enough to do well against this schedule, yes. If it doesn't, i feel it's coaching related.

In a nutshell.

Not judging you, just trying to grasp where you're coming from.

Like Mavric says above, and I've said before as well, we have to come to terms with where we "are" as a program, not where we want to be. Not saying to forget about where we want to be, but the reality of the situation right now in Nebraska football is that we could very well struggle against any one of these opponents for the most part. I say that only because we have demonstrated that in recent history. I'll be right along with you, I think it's sad that a program like Nebraska struggles with a team like Wyoming. Still, a part of me realizes these so called "patsies" or "cupcakes" are evolving into competitive teams. Maybe not every year, but these dogs are having their day more and more often all the time.

You absolutely do not have to come to grasps with where they are as a program. If you truly don't like it, accepting it and continuing your same level of commitment is in fact the worst way to bring about change.

But hey if we want to be the Cubs of college football, where the party is the thing.......

 

[True2tRA]

Polo what I can't figure out about you is as much as you doubt this coaching staffs ability to coach, you expect us to walk through every team on this "cakewalk" schedule? Thoughts?

This team is talented enough to do well against this schedule, yes. If it doesn't, i feel it's coaching related. In a nutshell.

Not judging you, just trying to grasp where you're coming from. Like Mavric says above, and I've said before as well, we have to come to terms with where we "are" as a program, not where we want to be. Not saying to forget about where we want to be, but the reality of the situation right now in Nebraska football is that we could very well struggle against any one of these opponents for the most part. I say that only because we have demonstrated that in recent history. I'll be right along with you, I think it's sad that a program like Nebraska struggles with a team like Wyoming. Still, a part of me realizes these so called "patsies" or "cupcakes" are evolving into competitive teams. Maybe not every year, but these dogs are having their day more and more often all the time.

You absolutely do not have to come to grasps with where they are as a program. If you truly don't like it, accepting it and continuing your same level of commitment is in fact the worst way to bring about change. But hey if we want to be the Cubs of college football, where the party is the thing.......

If I had more control over the outcome, say as a coach or player on this team, I'd lose some serious sleep thinking about being mediocre. If this team or coaching staff is accepting 9-4 as good enough for themselves, well then that's unfortunate. There may even be some things we've seen that point to that being the mentality around here lately. That, I'm not okay with. I would think they would hold themselves to a higher standard. If not, that is truly more their own flawed character. I guess that's the part of me evolving away from caring that much about it. I used to though, so I know where you're at.

 

[True2tRA]

Hah. Who am I kidding. If we lose four games again this year, I'm gonna be pissed. I'm gonna yell at the tv, and I'll probably say some pretty mean things about Bo Pelini. Then I'll drink some beers, get hammered enough to forget about it for the night, and by the next Saturday I'll be good and ready to do it all again.

 

[skersfan]

I named four programs. How many of those programs would be worried, about the late kick off, flight there or anything else. That is how things have changed. That was my point.

True any team can beat any team, as I also stated, but it seems some are already looking for excuses should it happen. The thought of that just seems out of character for a fan of this program. Now those that have only been around since the Clownahan days, I understand.

I just do not remember feeling the way a lot do about our team, until recently. That was my point.