The Streak continues

JTrain

JTrain

All-Conference
In Tom Osborne's final season, also our last national championship season, we beat #2 Washington 27-14. Since then, here is every road game we've played against top 20 AP teams:

1. 10.10.98 - #18 Texas A&M, L 21-28

2. 11.14.98 - #2 Kansas St., L 30-40

3. 10.23.99 - # 18 Texas, L 20-24

4. 10.28.00 - #3 Oklahoma, L 14-31

5. 11.11.00 - #16 Kansas St., L 28-29

6. 11.23.01 - #14 Colorado, L 36-62

7. 09.28.02 - #19 Iowa St., L 14-36

8. 11.16.02 - #11 Kansas St., L 13-49

9. 11.01.03 - #16 Texas, L 7-31

10. 11.13.04 - #2 Oklahoma, L 3-30

11. 09.16.06 - #4 USC, L 10-28

12. 10.06.07 - #17 Missouri, L 6-41

13. 10.27.07 - #17 Texas, L 25-28

14. 11.03.07 - #8 Kansas, L 39-76

15. 10.11.08 - #7 Texas Tech, L 31-37 (OT)

16. 11.01.08 - #4 Oklahoma, L 28-62

17. 09.19.09 - #13 Virginia Tech, L 15-16

Missouri is #26 in the AP, so they won't be in the top 20 in two weeks. The only remaining team this season is Kansas, currently #20. They'll need to win at least all but one of their schedule between now and then (which means a win against either Texas Tech or Oklahoma) to still be in the top 20 when we come to Lawrence. Otherwise we're looking at maybe Washington or Okie St. next year.

 
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I love how everyone is fixated on this "no victories against top 20 teams on the road since" thing.

We have been more bad than good for about a decade now. That's all you need to know.

 
knapplc said:
I love how everyone is fixated on this "no victories against top 20 teams on the road since" thing.

We have been more bad than good for about a decade now. That's all you need to know.
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There are a lot of programs that have been more bad than good in the past decade and have still beaten a top 20 team on the road. Nebraska and Duke are the only programs that haven't. That's why it's worth mentioning, as opposed to just saying, "we've stunk since Osborne left, enough said."

 
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My guess is that if you took out that 5 year period in the mid 90's it would look pretty much the same. We had problems with ranked teams anytime we played them.

I would be curious to see how Coach Osborne ranked in his years against top quality opponents on the road.

My guess is not a lot better.

 
skersfan said:
My guess is that if you took out that 5 year period in the mid 90's it would look pretty much the same. We had problems with ranked teams anytime we played them.

I would be curious to see how Coach Osborne ranked in his years against top quality opponents on the road.

My guess is not a lot better.
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It's actually quite a bit better. I won't run through all the numbers right now, but he was probably near 50% in top 20 road games from when he was hired through 92. If you count his entire career (include 93-97) it's probably even above 50%, which is quite impressive. Since then, it's... well... 0%. Some notable wins for Osborne in the 80s for instance, include:

W 21-7 @ #11 Penn St.

W 41-7 @ #19 Auburn

W 42-3 @ #8 UCLA

W 35-0 @ #12 Oklahoma St.

etc.

 
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I can remember us losing a lot of games in the 70's and seemed anytime it was really important we lost to Oklahoma.

This has been a very bad 12 year run no question. That is why I always try to curb the sunshine pumpers on certain victories.

But I was guility this time as I actaully thought we had a chance. I did not think we would totally shut down their offense like we did.

But in honesty I think this will do us some good. It will make the players trust in the coaches and I think it will change some of our ideas about certain situations. At least foof for thought.

 
I really don't think you can sugar coat it.

Heck we've lost 5/5 at home against top 20 since 01 (notre dame). We will not be a national contender until we break this streak.

 
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TheKiD said:
I really don't think you can sugar coat it.

Heck we've lost 5/5 at home against top 20 since 01 (notre dame). We will not be a national contender until we break this streak.
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Yes, it's hard to be a National contender when you have a losing streak against top 25 teams. ;) :woo

 
People can use statistics to say whatever they want. If Nebraska had beaten VA Tech yesterday, then people would have moved on to, "Well Nebraska hasn't beaten a Top 10 team on the road since ______" It's all how people want to view Nebraska. Remember when we were fixated on 7 straight bowl losses back in the 80's-90's? Before that it was "Nebraska losing x number games in a row to Oklahoma."

We'll win some games. Maybe Missouri can look really good next week and catapult themselves into the Top 20. Or not :)

 
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