Did we dodge a Bullet This Year

[BigRedPowerWagon]

Schedule

I know we dont have a choice. But not faceing texas and maybe oklahoma state when there doing pretty good is a good thing. It lets us build up our team for more experience. Also faceing oklahoma when there doing less then stellar comming off of 2 great years. I think its a good thing, i wouldnt necessarly say we had a cupcake schedule with kansas, oklahoma, va tech, and even mizzu to some extent. But i think its good we dont face those 2 teams this year. I still look at it like this. Were rebuilding. The d might be on track but now the o is slacking. Not having 1 maybe 2 indefinate losses is a good thing. That way next year when we do face them, we are up to caliber. Just a thought.

 

[dstorm]

Schedule

I know we dont have a choice. But not faceing texas and maybe oklahoma state when there doing pretty good is a good thing. It lets us build up our team for more experience. Also faceing oklahoma when there doing less then stellar comming off of 2 great years. I think its a good thing, i wouldnt necessarly say we had a cupcake schedule with kansas, oklahoma, va tech, and even mizzu to some extent. But i think its good we dont face those 2 teams this year. I still look at it like this. Were rebuilding. The d might be on track but now the o is slacking. Not having 1 maybe 2 indefinate losses is a good thing. That way next year when we do face them, we are up to caliber. Just a thought.

I think we'll get that chance for Texas this year December 5th 7:00pm

 

[Paul in WI]

I agree that we've gotten a favorable schedule this year. Because of that favorable scheduling and having already beaten Missouri, it appears that we have a good chance to get in the championship game. Both Texas and Oklahoma are beatable this year--even if B12 South homer Tim Griffin thinks both of them have better defenses than NU. I'm not saying that we are going to do it, but those two programs certainly have looked more pedestrian than stellar thus far.

Think back to Pelini's irritated response when asked about the South's dominance at the beginning of the year. I believe he growled something like "Are they?" as he gave that patented disgusted look of his. He just may have been serious about what he was saying.

 

[husker rob]

saying OU is less than steller this year is a little out there i think.

OU has lost 2 games this year, however each has been by 1 point.

a loss is a loss whether by 1 or by 100, i still think NU better have their "A" game on in order to win

 

[knapplc]

In June this season looked to be tougher schedule-wise than 2008, which was hard. Our SOS through five games is 40th (Sagarin), while our SOS through the end of last season was 38th.

The biggest difference between this year and last was location. In 2008 we got VT, Missouri, Colorado & Kansas at home, with Oklahoma and Tech on the road. This year that's switched, meaning we have four impact games on the road and only two at home, hence the more difficult schedule.

We're halfway through our "tough" road games, and we're looking good. We lost by one point to VT and blew Missouri out, both on their home fields, with the Missouri game featuring some of the most hostile conditions we're likely to face all year.

That leaves Colorado and Kansas as gut-check road games left on our schedule. Kansas will be a struggle, but one we can overcome due to their weak defense. If we contain (not stop - contain) Reesing, Briscoe and Meier, we win that game. Colorado should be a rout, but even if we bumble around like we did last year, it'll be a 7-point win.

Oklahoma is beatable but it will take a perfect game. They're still loaded with talent. Even if they weren't, they'd come up here and pop us in the mouth just because we're Nebraska. If we pop them back and play a perfect game, we can win. Texas Tech is a shell of its 2008 self, but still dangerous. We'll need to play very well tomorrow, but this is a more winnable game than last year.

So, did we dodge a bullet? Not really. I think we're just that much better this year than we were last year, and that's directly attributable to Bo & Staff's teaching and this team's commitment to getting better day by day.

 

[rkhufu7]

Okie State lost to Houston at home, and you face Texas in the Big 12 game, if you both make it, so NU hasn't dodged anyone. The Cowboys ain't the same team w/o Bryant and Hunter.

 

[BigRedPowerWagon]

Okie State lost to Houston at home, and you face Texas in the Big 12 game, if you both make it, so NU hasn't dodged anyone. The Cowboys ain't the same team w/o Bryant and Hunter.

I think you could say oklahoma isnt the team they were for the last 2 years. Definately not putting up points like they used to.

 

[huskerswrkhavoc]

Okie State lost to Houston at home, and you face Texas in the Big 12 game, if you both make it, so NU hasn't dodged anyone. The Cowboys ain't the same team w/o Bryant and Hunter.

I think you could say oklahoma isnt the team they were for the last 2 years. Definately not putting up points like they used to.

No Gresham/Bradford... terrible o-line.. def not the same team.

 

[huskerinacaveman]

Look.

Last year we went up against the two of the top teams in the country on the road. if we had played texas and osu, it more then likely is a wash every year.

texas and ou are interchangable in difficulty. you can throw in osu and ttu in the same converstaion as far as caliber.

a&m is probably the dark horse in the whole thing, but we all know that we were sweating baylor with griffing at the helm. so i donlt believe when it comes to which part of the south we play we dodge a bullet. at least anytime lately. all good teams. all have players and the want to beat us.

i've said it before. we are NU and everyone brings their best game when they play us regardless if we are "back" or not

imho

 

[skerfan1705]

saying OU is less than steller this year is a little out there i think.

OU has lost 2 games this year, however each has been by 1 point.

a loss is a loss whether by 1 or by 100, i still think NU better have their "A" game on in order to win

Great = Less than Stellar.

I think OU is having a down year but they are still top ten material.

 

[BigRedPowerWagon]

I was in no way saying that nebraska isnt capable of beating these teams. But on paper, talent level were not in the same boat. I would like to believe 100% that we win every time but its not always the case. Just because we dont measure up talent level i dont think we pack up our tails and head for the hills. I was just saying with us not faceing these tough teams in conference scheduel do we dodge 2 almost certain losses. I have never thought this year that Oklahoma was a definate loss. We have alot of things on our side. Especially if we face then with only 1 loss to there 3. Just food for thought.

 

[huzkerbob]

Look.

Last year we went up against the two of the top teams in the country on the road. if we had played texas and osu, it more then likely is a wash every year.

texas and ou are interchangable in difficulty. you can throw in osu and ttu in the same converstaion as far as caliber.

a&m is probably the dark horse in the whole thing, but we all know that we were sweating baylor with griffing at the helm. so i donlt believe when it comes to which part of the south we play we dodge a bullet. at least anytime lately. all good teams. all have players and the want to beat us.

i've said it before. we are NU and everyone brings their best game when they play us regardless if we are "back" or not

imho

Speak for yourself. The only difference to me is that now without Griffin playing I'm not sure this game will be worth the trek down to Waco, as before I was definitely going to make it down there.

 

[JTrain]

@knapplc: Sagarin's SOS ranking is based on the games played thus far, not the entire schedule, I believe.

Also, I think Oklahoma may end up being pretty close to Texas, especially by the time they play us. So writing off the year as a down one for them probably isn't smart.

Oklahoma St. has looked pretty average this season... not the top 10 caliber team everyone was expecting in the preseason. A fairly bad TAMU team hung with them. So really I don't think our schedule is terribly favorable. The two games that matter the most for the North division, Kansas and Missouri are both away.

 

[BigRedPowerWagon]

Look.

Last year we went up against the two of the top teams in the country on the road. if we had played texas and osu, it more then likely is a wash every year.

texas and ou are interchangable in difficulty. you can throw in osu and ttu in the same converstaion as far as caliber.

a&m is probably the dark horse in the whole thing, but we all know that we were sweating baylor with griffing at the helm. so i donlt believe when it comes to which part of the south we play we dodge a bullet. at least anytime lately. all good teams. all have players and the want to beat us.

i've said it before. we are NU and everyone brings their best game when they play us regardless if we are "back" or not

imho

Speak for yourself. The only difference to me is that now without Griffin playing I'm not sure this game will be worth the trek down to Waco, as before I was definitely going to make it down there.

I went to waco a few years back for a baloon race. We held a night glow in the baylor stadium. I tell ya what, ive been to 2 football stadiums in my life. Iowa States, and Baylors. Baylors is a really nice facility. If thats the bottom of the barrell in texas for football, there not doing to bad. Plus waco is a great town. Forget about that branch dividian compound crap. Really nice authentic mexican food. Fun bars to go to in the evening. Trust me, worth the trip.

 

[General Blackshirt]

OSU probably has a top 10 caliber football team, but I think they've just given up on the year. They were finally getting national recognition and were expected to contend for a title, and they blew it. Lost to Houston, now Dez Bryant is out. They threw in the towel on the season.