real'97champs
Five-Star Recruit
Now that fall practice is well under way, here is my realistic prediction of the season.... Give me some feedback.
Week One Nebraska 45 - Western Michigan 17
Why Nebraska will win: Two streaks survived the Callahan Era: The sellout streak, and the home
opener streak. The crowd will be too much for the Bronco's to handle. The first game of the Pelini
era will get out of hand early and the second stringers will get valuable experience.
X-Factor: Crowd Noise
Week Two Nebraska 42 – San Jose State 24
Why Nebraska will win: San Jose St. has been outscored 351-108 by teams from BCS conferences in the
last five years. This game will have similar results to the game in 2000.
X-Factor: Focus and Preperation.
Week Three Nebraska 27 – New Mexico State 13
Why Nebraska will win: Pelini will pressure Holbrook from every angle and force him to throw
interceptions. Lucky and Helu will wear down the Aggie defense and slowly pull away. This game
will be closer than many think.
X-Factor: The Offensive Line
Week Four Virginia Tech 17 - Nebraska 9
Why Virginia Tech will win: Defense and Special Teams. Frank Beamer will outcoach BO however this
game won't have the same chain reaction as the loss to USC last year. The fans will enjoy a good competitive game but the Huskers will come up just short.
X-Factor: Special Teams
Week Five Missouri 45 – Nebraska - 34
Why Missouri will win: The Tigers have a better, more experienced team than Nebraska but the
Game will be closer than most expect. However Missouri's offense outduels Nebraska's and the
Tigers win in Linocln for the first time since 1978.
X-Factor: Jeremy Maclin
Week Six Nebraska 31 - Texas Tech 17
Why Nebraska will win: Under Leach Texas Tech hit a ceiling. A one dementional offense will be
too easy for Bo to stop and Shawn Watson's offense will have a field day with the TTech Defense.
Nebraska will be a mediocre 3-2 heading into this game however will still be by far the toughest
team tech will have faced up to that point.
X-Factor: Turnovers
Week Seven Nebraska 20 - Iowa State 17
Why Nebraska will win: Nebraska takes this game purely on being better than Iowa St. The Cyclones
are on the rise but they just won't have the talent to square up with a Nebraska team fresh
off one of the toughest three game stretches in college football, however ISU stays in it until
the end because it's in Ames.
X-Factor: First game on a Grass Field.
Week Eight Nebraska 55 – Baylor 20
Why Nebraska will win: IT'S BAYLOR... Not to mention they have a new coaching staff who brings
a way different system to Baylor similar to New Mexico St. and Texas Tech's but will not have the
right players in place.
X-Factor: The Backup quarterback.
Week Nine Oklahoma 42 – Nebraska 10
Why Oklahoma will win: Top to bottom Oklahoma is better than Nebraska. Coaching is
better, quarterback is better, recievers are better, O-line is better, The entire Defense
is better. Horrible Mismatch for the Huskers.
X-Factor: Coaching
Week Ten Nebraska 38 – Kansas 28
Why Nebraska will win: Kansas 1968 record 9-2 1969 record 1-9; 1981 record 8-4
1982 record 2-7-2; 1995 record 10-2 1996 record 4-7. Three of the four best seasons
in the last 40 years for Kansas, the other 2007... not to mention the jayhawks
haven't won in Lincoln since 1968.
X-Factor: Memorial Stadium
Week Eleven Nebraska 24 – Kansas State 6
Why Nebraska will win: If Pelini adjusts his coaching style to be more like Cosgrove's Nebraska
will win this game handily. Call me crazy but Ron Prince takes advantage of overaggressive defenses with his use of trick plays. If the Huskers use a lot of Man-to-Man defenses instead of swarming to the
ball this one could get ugly.
X-Factor: follow assignments.
Week Twelve Colorado 21 - Nebraska 20
Why Colorado will win: Coming into the game Nebraska will be 8-3 and 5-2 in conference while
Colorado will be 5-6 and 4-4 in conference. The game will mean more to the Buffaloes who will be fighting for a bowl betth will salvage their season with a win over the huskers sneaking them into the Independence Bowl
X-Factor: Desire
Alamo Bowl: Nebraska 35 Michigan St. 14
Why Nebraska will win: At 8-4 Pelini will go back to the Alamo Bowl and again it will be against a much
better Michigan St. team. However a much improved run defense shuts down javon ringer, thus shutting
down the MSU offense. Joe Ganz picks apart a mediocre Big 10 defense en route to victory. The victory
puts Nebraska at 4-0 this decade in the Alamo Bowl and 0-3 in all other bowls.
X-Factor: Nebraska in San Antonio.
Week One Nebraska 45 - Western Michigan 17
Why Nebraska will win: Two streaks survived the Callahan Era: The sellout streak, and the home
opener streak. The crowd will be too much for the Bronco's to handle. The first game of the Pelini
era will get out of hand early and the second stringers will get valuable experience.
X-Factor: Crowd Noise
Week Two Nebraska 42 – San Jose State 24
Why Nebraska will win: San Jose St. has been outscored 351-108 by teams from BCS conferences in the
last five years. This game will have similar results to the game in 2000.
X-Factor: Focus and Preperation.
Week Three Nebraska 27 – New Mexico State 13
Why Nebraska will win: Pelini will pressure Holbrook from every angle and force him to throw
interceptions. Lucky and Helu will wear down the Aggie defense and slowly pull away. This game
will be closer than many think.
X-Factor: The Offensive Line
Week Four Virginia Tech 17 - Nebraska 9
Why Virginia Tech will win: Defense and Special Teams. Frank Beamer will outcoach BO however this
game won't have the same chain reaction as the loss to USC last year. The fans will enjoy a good competitive game but the Huskers will come up just short.
X-Factor: Special Teams
Week Five Missouri 45 – Nebraska - 34
Why Missouri will win: The Tigers have a better, more experienced team than Nebraska but the
Game will be closer than most expect. However Missouri's offense outduels Nebraska's and the
Tigers win in Linocln for the first time since 1978.
X-Factor: Jeremy Maclin
Week Six Nebraska 31 - Texas Tech 17
Why Nebraska will win: Under Leach Texas Tech hit a ceiling. A one dementional offense will be
too easy for Bo to stop and Shawn Watson's offense will have a field day with the TTech Defense.
Nebraska will be a mediocre 3-2 heading into this game however will still be by far the toughest
team tech will have faced up to that point.
X-Factor: Turnovers
Week Seven Nebraska 20 - Iowa State 17
Why Nebraska will win: Nebraska takes this game purely on being better than Iowa St. The Cyclones
are on the rise but they just won't have the talent to square up with a Nebraska team fresh
off one of the toughest three game stretches in college football, however ISU stays in it until
the end because it's in Ames.
X-Factor: First game on a Grass Field.
Week Eight Nebraska 55 – Baylor 20
Why Nebraska will win: IT'S BAYLOR... Not to mention they have a new coaching staff who brings
a way different system to Baylor similar to New Mexico St. and Texas Tech's but will not have the
right players in place.
X-Factor: The Backup quarterback.
Week Nine Oklahoma 42 – Nebraska 10
Why Oklahoma will win: Top to bottom Oklahoma is better than Nebraska. Coaching is
better, quarterback is better, recievers are better, O-line is better, The entire Defense
is better. Horrible Mismatch for the Huskers.
X-Factor: Coaching
Week Ten Nebraska 38 – Kansas 28
Why Nebraska will win: Kansas 1968 record 9-2 1969 record 1-9; 1981 record 8-4
1982 record 2-7-2; 1995 record 10-2 1996 record 4-7. Three of the four best seasons
in the last 40 years for Kansas, the other 2007... not to mention the jayhawks
haven't won in Lincoln since 1968.
X-Factor: Memorial Stadium
Week Eleven Nebraska 24 – Kansas State 6
Why Nebraska will win: If Pelini adjusts his coaching style to be more like Cosgrove's Nebraska
will win this game handily. Call me crazy but Ron Prince takes advantage of overaggressive defenses with his use of trick plays. If the Huskers use a lot of Man-to-Man defenses instead of swarming to the
ball this one could get ugly.
X-Factor: follow assignments.
Week Twelve Colorado 21 - Nebraska 20
Why Colorado will win: Coming into the game Nebraska will be 8-3 and 5-2 in conference while
Colorado will be 5-6 and 4-4 in conference. The game will mean more to the Buffaloes who will be fighting for a bowl betth will salvage their season with a win over the huskers sneaking them into the Independence Bowl
X-Factor: Desire
Alamo Bowl: Nebraska 35 Michigan St. 14
Why Nebraska will win: At 8-4 Pelini will go back to the Alamo Bowl and again it will be against a much
better Michigan St. team. However a much improved run defense shuts down javon ringer, thus shutting
down the MSU offense. Joe Ganz picks apart a mediocre Big 10 defense en route to victory. The victory
puts Nebraska at 4-0 this decade in the Alamo Bowl and 0-3 in all other bowls.
X-Factor: Nebraska in San Antonio.