OWH: Review of Five B1G Years

[Mavric]

Best wins:

1. 2011 Michigan State, 24-3: The Huskers played arguably their best defensive game of the Big Ten era, shutting down a MSU team with a NFL quarterback (Kirk Cousins), running back (LeVeon Bell) and wide receiver (Keshawn Martin). It was a real whippin.

2. 2012 Michigan, 23-9: The win that essentially wrapped up the Big Ten Legends title that season. The Wolverines lost quarterback Denard Robinson in the second quarter, and the Huskers pulled away in the second half.

3. 2011 Penn State, 17-14: This was an odd experience, since the game took place the week that the Jerry Sandusky scandal exploded in Penn State's face, Joe Paterno was fired, and students rioted on campus. There was real question as to whether the game would be played. But it was and Nebraska prevailed after a pregame prayer that showed a much-needed warm moment during a cold, painful week. Pelini's best moment, perhaps, came in the postgame press conference, when he said all the right things about the week.

4. 2011 Ohio State, 34-27: The largest home comeback in school history, played out in the rain with Rex Burkhead leading the way. It should have been a triumphant moment for Husker coach Bo Pelini, who beat his alma mater, but he instead turned into an opportunity to mine negativity in ways that would haunt him for the rest of his NU career.

5. 2013 Michigan, 17-13: Not a vintage Michigan team, but the Wolverines did have a long home winning streak snapped by a dramatic final drive from the Huskers' Tommy Armstrong. Great playmaking from No. 4, capped off with a nifty option run from Ameer Abdullah.

Worst Losses

1. 2012 Big Ten title game, Wisconsin 70-31: Nothing particularly comes close - not even the 2014 Wisconsin game - because this loss remains, even now, a little inexplicable. Before that night, Nebraska had been ranked — get this — every week but two in the Big Ten era, and was 12-4. Including that loss, the Huskers are 13-12 since. Nebraska's defense gave out, Martinez ran out of magic, and Pelini never really recovered. I've noted this before: The tone of my emails on Pelini and the program changed that night and the following morning. They changed to, in essence, what in the fresh hell was that?

2. 2015 Illinois, 14-13: A pointless loss, a loss Nebraska didn't need to have and shouldn't have had, a failed gameplan and a botched play and more or less the real defining moment of a really disappointing opening season for Mike Riley. The weather was like Scotland and Nebraska's out there throwing the ball around.

3. 2014 Wisconsin, 59-24: The Badgers lived rent free in Husker minds that snowy afternoon. Nebraska's defense finally gave out, but the offense wasn't any better for the final three quarters or so. Afterward, most of the NU players — Jake Cotton was a notable, admirable exception — put up their hoods and sulked back to the team buses.

4. 2015 Purdue, 55-45: This loss had some reasons attached to it — a backup quarterback starting his first game, a crowd so disinterested and sparse I nearly fell asleep - but it's regarded as a low point in Nebraska history. For me it wasn't — Purdue was competitive in a few games last season — but I get it, and Nebraska did fall behind 42-16. Athletic director Shawn Eichorst's expression in the press box that day was pained.

5. 2011 Michigan, 45-17: A meltdown at every level — offense, defense, special teams — and I thought Nebraska just plum got outcoached. Yes, NU lost 48-17 to Wisconsin that year, but was a great team. Michigan was not.

OWH

 

[junior4949]

Hmmm, how was last year's win against Michigan State not in the top 5? Considering out season last year and Michigan State making the playoffs, I'd say it was our best win in the B1G.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

Indeed, it has to among the top 5 if not the best.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Hmmm, how was last year's win against Michigan State not in the top 5? Considering out season last year and Michigan State making the playoffs, I'd say it was our best win in the B1G.

While it was a nice win and important for Riley, it didn't make a huge impact on how NU's season went. No matter how you look at last season, it was a bad season, even with the Michigan State win.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Hmmm, how was last year's win against Michigan State not in the top 5? Considering out season last year and Michigan State making the playoffs, I'd say it was our best win in the B1G.

While it was a nice win and important for Riley, it didn't make a huge impact on how NU's season went. No matter how you look at last season, it was a bad season, even with the Michigan State win.

I completely 100% disagree.

The team was going deeper and deeper into an abyss until we lost to Purdue. The team had a players only meeting that week and then came out and beat an undefeated, highly ranked MSU team that went to the playoffs. Ever since, we have been playing better and have been improving. That win set up the entire mood going into the bowl game, off season and now into this season.

There is a good chance our team doesn't have the attitude they do and the record they have now if they hadn't won against MSU last year.

The entire program was different before that win compared to what it has been like after that win.

 

[ADS]

That 2012 CCG is still the most painful game I think I've ever watched.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Hmmm, how was last year's win against Michigan State not in the top 5? Considering out season last year and Michigan State making the playoffs, I'd say it was our best win in the B1G.

While it was a nice win and important for Riley, it didn't make a huge impact on how NU's season went. No matter how you look at last season, it was a bad season, even with the Michigan State win.

I completely 100% disagree.

The team was going deeper and deeper into an abyss until we lost to Purdue. The team had a players only meeting that week and then came out and beat an undefeated, highly ranked MSU team that went to the playoffs. Ever since, we have been playing better and have been improving. That win set up the entire mood going into the bowl game, off season and now into this season.

There is a good chance our team doesn't have the attitude they do and the record they have now if they hadn't won against MSU last year.

The entire program was different before that win compared to what it has been like after that win.

The Michigan State win only looked so impressive after all the terrible losses that NU incurred earlier in the season. Yes, it may have helped the players and the coaches turn the corner, but the season still sucked.

 

[cm husker]

I see your point CH, because I agree that MSU wasn't any physically better than NU last year, so it's not like it should be considered a stunning upset.

But, if NU loses that game, and assuming goes on to also lose to Iowa, we end the season at 4-8 with no bowl win against UCLA to bolster the off season (and recruiting).

That would have been disasterous for the program.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I see your point CH, because I agree that MSU wasn't any physically better than NU last year, so it's not like it should be considered a stunning upset.

But, if NU loses that game, and assuming goes on to also lose to Iowa, we end the season at 4-8 with no bowl win against UCLA to bolster the off season (and recruiting).

That would have been disasterous for the program.

Yeah, but NU shouldn't have been in a bowl at 5-7. It only got the bowl win against UCLA due to a technicality in the bowl system.

 

[Undone]

That 2012 CCG is still the most painful game I think I've ever watched.

I think it was for me, also. It was probably even more painful than the 2001 national championship game, because I still had, "Well, at least we won three national championships in the span of the last 7 years."

Wisconsin was only in that game because Ohio State was ineligible. We should have won, no excuses. It was the beginning of the end for Bo.

Reliving those losses...not fun!

 

[DrunkOffPunch]

And MSU was 32-3 from 2013-2015 going into that game.

 

[junior4949]

Hmmm, how was last year's win against Michigan State not in the top 5? Considering out season last year and Michigan State making the playoffs, I'd say it was our best win in the B1G.

While it was a nice win and important for Riley, it didn't make a huge impact on how NU's season went. No matter how you look at last season, it was a bad season, even with the Michigan State win.

Everybody looks at things differently and to each their own. However, the game last year to me had a huge impact on us. Without that victory, we don't go bowling. Without going bowling, our players miss out on a lot of practice heading into the bowl game. It seemed to be a turning point as we've only lost one game since that victory. I think the victory also has helped in recruiting.

I guess there's always another way to look at it. How did any of those victories listed in the top 5 impact our season? It's not like we've won the conference. One could also look at it like this: the number 2 game listed as best wins directly led to the number 1 in worst losses.

We haven't won much since joining the B1G. When we beat the B1G champion in the regular season that goes on to play in the playoffs, I see that as huge.

 

[xlbder]

i think the MSU game was the turning point for Riley. He incorporated a power running game into his offensive attack and made it a real part of the offense, continuing today with Zig as a featured back. At Oregon State he was all about spread offense, misdirection and finesse. The Nebraska identity is smashmouth football and he seems to have merged that identiyy into his offensive philosophy for the betterment of all.