Cincinnati: What Did We Learn?

huskerfan74 said:
The only visible improvement is our special teams which was expected given we had no special teams coach last two years. Our offense is no different than last year. Our defense is visibly worst than last two years. If we end the season 8-5, I call that major progress. I bet cincy doesn’t make a bowl this year. Matt has no more excuses.
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how did that bet go for you? lol.
 
There were several people (media types) who said Cincinnati was a quality win when it happened. I had mentioned it and got crushed at the time. It seems too many people are doom and gloom.
 
Crusader Husker said:
There were several people (media types) who said Cincinnati was a quality win when it happened. I had mentioned it and got crushed at the time. It seems too many people are doom and gloom.
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To many people proclaim an easy schedule or a hard schedule or a tough team or a weak team way before the season plays out based on past performances. Truth is, teams change. Yes, chances are OSU is going to be tough game and Purdue is going to be a weak team. But, there are one hell of a lot of teams that rise up and have a really good team or go the other way every year.
 
To be fair, as a fanbase we have spent the last 15 years justifying early wins or close losses with "maybe that team is good this year!" And this is the first time I can recall where that was the case. 2023 Colorado went 4-8, 2021 Illinois went 5-7, 2018-19 Colorado went 5-7, etc. Technically 2018 Troy was pretty good (10-3), but that doesn't make me feel better about it.

So people were too quick to dismiss the Cincy win, but I think they can be forgiven for when the last time I remember the early season challenge being a legitimately good and better than expected team was maybe 2012 UCLA? 1999 Southern Miss? '96 Arizona State is the classic example of what felt like a terrible loss that actually was ok in hindsight. Teams also grow or fade over the season so sometimes a loss to a team that ends up with a bad record isn't as bad as it looks after the season. But trying to convince myself 2022 NW and Georgia Southern could be on the upswing broke something in me, and it absolutely makes it hard to believe teams like Cincy and even to a lesser degree NW are actually good when we beat them.
 
I think we have sucked for so long that we should treat every win as a win, quality or not. We complained about not winning the one-score games; we are now winning some of them.

I think we did not show up for Minney at all. I am hoping that is the anomaly this season. We can go 4-0 in November. We won't. Winning is hard in the B1G, just like the SEC. We are a young team.
 
Crusader Husker said:
I think we have sucked for so long that we should treat every win as a win, quality or not. We complained about not winning the one-score games; we are now winning some of them.

I think we did not show up for Minney at all. I am hoping that is the anomaly this season. We can go 4-0 in November. We won't. Winning is hard in the B1G, just like the SEC. We are a young team.
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When this year is in our rearview mirror, I hope we look back in thankfullness of the Minnesota game for reminding us how fragile each game is and how we must bring our A effort every week. Because they sure are a crap team.
 
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