Huskers back in the top ten (AP & Coaches) after 5-0 start

C N Red said:
knapplc said:
I can't help but think this will stir up even greater gnashing of teeth if/when the Huskers lose to unranked Indiana.

I imagine our doom-and-gloomers are already prepping their hot takes on not being able to maintain a top-ten ranking.
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There's honestly no reason we shouldn't beat IU. They are coming off playing tOSU and just playing them you are going to be beat up some. Also, they were definitely preparing for tOSU in order to try and beat them, so they weren't worried about scheming for us yet. Combining this with our bye week and getting players healthy and being able to scheme for 2 weeks for IU I think we will win by 14+.
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We'll be without Westerkamp, Ozibgo & Carter, three huge pieces of our offense. Tommy is hurt, Moore is hurt and Reilly is hurt. They're likely all playing, but even a bye week doesn't fix all their ills.

I agree Indiana should be banged up after playing OSU, but I doubt they're as banged up as we are.

I agree also that we should beat Indiana. But I won't be surprised by a loss at all.

 
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knapplc said:
I can't help but think this will stir up even greater gnashing of teeth if/when the Huskers lose to unranked Indiana.

I imagine our doom-and-gloomers are already prepping their hot takes on not being able to maintain a top-ten ranking.
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Nebraska loses to Indiana: "See. We're not a top ten team"

Nebraska beats Indiana: "Too close. We're not a top ten team"

......

Nebraska not ranked in top ten:"We're not a top ten team. Fire err'body"

Nebraska ranked in top ten: "We're not a top ten team. Fire err'body"

........is basically what it amounts too.

 
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised by a loss to Indiana. They played the Buckeyes pretty tough, and they beat Sparty. They're a legit team and the Huskers, fully healthy, are closer to Top 20 quality than Top 5 quality until they prove otherwise.

Not that I don't think hope for a win and for proving otherwise. But almost every game this year has come down to a few crucial moments. Indiana seems like it might be the best team we've played yet, oddly enough.

Four Big Ten teams in the Top 10 this week in both polls. Go B1G!

 
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The gnashing of teeth if we lose to Indiana will come moreso from the premature perceptions that we've made it, that we're back, that we have transformed into a bona fide top 10 program all of the sudden, and the lack of ability by many to have tempered expectations and reactions to things not going the way they envisioned.

I think we're better than Indiana, but I can't say I'd be surprised if we lose this weekend. People can accuse me of being doom and gloom, but I don't think that's true. I try to call it like I see it and I don't think this team is as good as many do, at least I don't think they've shown that on the field yet. If we lose, doesn't really bother me any. I still get to watch football and enjoy myself.

 
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zoogs said:
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised by a loss to Indiana. They played the Buckeyes pretty tough, and they beat Sparty. They're a legit team and the Huskers, fully healthy, are closer to Top 20 quality than Top 5 quality until they prove otherwise.

Not that I don't think hope for a win and for proving otherwise. But almost every game this year has come down to a few crucial moments. Indiana seems like it might be the best team we've played yet, oddly enough.

Four Big Ten teams in the Top 10 this week in both polls. Go B1G!
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Is beating Michigan State an accomplishment this season? It's no different than us beating Oregon, which most of you say is a low-level win now. BYU dismantled Michigan State this past weekend.

 
knapplc said:
C N Red said:
knapplc said:
I can't help but think this will stir up even greater gnashing of teeth if/when the Huskers lose to unranked Indiana.

I imagine our doom-and-gloomers are already prepping their hot takes on not being able to maintain a top-ten ranking.
Click to expand...
There's honestly no reason we shouldn't beat IU. They are coming off playing tOSU and just playing them you are going to be beat up some. Also, they were definitely preparing for tOSU in order to try and beat them, so they weren't worried about scheming for us yet. Combining this with our bye week and getting players healthy and being able to scheme for 2 weeks for IU I think we will win by 14+.
Click to expand...
We'll be without Westerkamp, Ozibgo & Carter, three huge pieces of our offense. Tommy is hurt, Moore is hurt and Reilly is hurt. They're likely all playing, but even a bye week doesn't fix all their ills.

I agree Indiana should be banged up after playing OSU, but I doubt they're as banged up as we are.

I agree also that we should beat Indiana. But I won't be surprised by a loss at all.
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According to this site and comparing to their pre-season depth chart:

Starting RG questionable

Starting DE questionable

Starting WR out indefinitely

Starting OT out indefinitely

Backup TE out indefinitely

 
Oh. I didn't realize they dropped another one. I don't know, though -- is Sparty as dismal as Oregon? And I'm not confident we can hold Ohio State to a 38-17 result, as Indiana did.

All I'm saying is, Indiana has a lot of good things going for it now. They're probably a lot closer to being on par with a program like Nebraska (especially one that might be missing Carter, in particular; he's really key to the offense) than the rankings make it look.

Northwestern and Illinois were tests that the Huskers had to muscle through. This will at least be no different. Hope they're up for the challenge.

 
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We reached pretty high rankings several times over the past decade or so, but we always go crashing back down to Earth at the first opportunity to prove our ranking (except maybe in 2009/2010). I won't feel like we really belong in the top-10 team until we start beating other top-10 teams.

BTW, we're #9 in the Coaches Poll.

 
zoogs said:
Oh. I didn't realize they dropped another one. I don't know, though -- is Sparty as dismal as Oregon? And I'm not confident we can hold Ohio State to a 38-17 result, as Indiana did.

All I'm saying is, Indiana has a lot of good things going for it now. They're probably a lot closer to being on par with a program like Nebraska (especially one that might be missing Carter, in particular; he's really key to the offense) than the rankings make it look.

Northwestern and Illinois were tests that the Huskers had to muscle through. This will at least be no different. Hope they're up for the challenge.
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What did you think the MSU score would be last year? Not many people gave NU a chance to keep it close, let alone win. How about the Iowa and UCLA games? After two decades of lowering expectations, Husker fans are damaged goods.

Indiana has improved. Indiana is a good team. Nebraska is better.

 
Mavric said:
MattyIce said:
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
MattyIce said:
Is beating Michigan State an accomplishment this season? It's no different than us beating Oregon
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So you think Indiana is as good as us or...?
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No, but to put this GOD status on Indiana because they beat MSU and ONLY lost to tOSU by 3 TD's is ridiculous.
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Thankfully no one is doing that.
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Beating MSU isn't exactly a huge accomplishment as it was for the past couple years. tOSU also looked out of sorts during the game. Credit whoever you want for that but dare I say, tOSU has flaws.

 
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