The Uniqueness of Our Circumstances Continue

[HuskerinSunDiego]

It doesn't seem to be a secret that Nebraska has had a lot of....unusual or just unique circumstances surrounding our program or our media coverage over the last decade or so. There was the second put back on the clock against Texas, the Taylor Martinez flame out, the move to the Big Ten that was unprecedented when it was announced, The Big XII's gracious sendoff, Bo's sideline tirades, the completely unexpected curveball against Wisconsin in the CCG, that 'reporter' that attacked Bo because he didn't allow a former military member to call a play that he supposedly promised, Team Jack, etc. etc.

Not saying we are special or anything like that, but there have just been weird and uncommon occurrences going on. And yet it continues:

Has any other team ever only played in 3 bowls over the course of 6 bowl games?

Gator Bowl twice in 2008 and 2013

Holiday Bowl twice in 2009 and 2010

Capital One Bowl twice in 2011 and 2012

Taking it one step further, has any other team ever had to have rematches not even a year old in two of those games (Washington and Georgia)? A lot of people keep talking about fan apathy and acceptance of mediocrity... well with circumstances like this, it makes it really hard to continue with passionate optimism.

Great post!

 

[BigRedBuster]

I'll admit that I'm not just jumping out of my seat with excitement about our bowl. However, that has more to do with the condition our team is in right now than where the bowl is and who we play.

In fact, I'm actually excited to play Georgia again. Last year was a competitive game into the 4th quarter. I'm anxious for a rematch.

If we can get a few players health that have missed some time or haven't played at 100%, my excitement will increase.

 

[Hunter94]

With regards to expectations, there is no secret that people currently aren't frustrated that we lose; the frustration seems to stem from how and who we lose [to]. There isn't a problem with high expectations, there isn't a problem with wanting to be on the national stage (which means BCS games, not *the* BCS game). A national title isn't about your team; it's about luck. No team nowadays is good enough to win every game the way the Huskers of old did. To win them all a team has to get a little bit of luck along the way.

So the good teams are the teams that make the BCS games. There are 10 in all, and I don't think it's too farfetched to expect Nebraska to be in there every once in a while. For me, had we appeared in a BCS game (aka the Rose Bowl last year), a lot of the tension on Pelini now wouldn't exist. People would be willing to accept the injuries and accept the young defense and be okay with a down season. It would be a step in the "rebuilding process." Same thing goes for our last year in the Big XII and the transition to the Big Ten. Had we not lost a 17 point lead to Oklahoma and won the Big XII and played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2010, a lot of people who are on the fence or even for firing Bo would've accepted 2011 a little better.

Here's how I see it:

In 2009 we were :01 and a 50+ yard field goal away from beating #3 Texas and going to the Fiesta Bowl. Didn't happen.

In 2010 we were a holding a 17 point lead away from beating Oklahoma and going to the Fiesta Bowl again. Didn't happen.

In 2012, we were a win against a 5 loss (albeit better than 5 loss) Wisconsin team away from going to the Rose Bowl. Didn't happen.

Those 3 games are Pelini's worst enemies. Had we won those, I think people would feel a lot better about him. The mantra, "it's not that we lose, it's how we lose" wouldn't matter, because we'd be in a BCS game and be nationally relevant.

So I'm curious. Our toughest games next year will be against Miami, @ Michigan State, and @ Wisconsin. All games which are probably going to be the underdogs. If we go 0-3 though those, but only lose by a combined 13 points (say by, 3, 3, and 7); given that those teams will be as good as they are projected to be, would that be okay? Or would that not be good enough?

you mean define improvement? losing 3 tough games by a little or winning 2 out of the 3 toughest games next year?

 

[Landlord]

I'll admit that I'm not just jumping out of my seat with excitement about our bowl. However, that has more to do with the condition our team is in right now than where the bowl is and who we play.

In fact, I'm actually excited to play Georgia again. Last year was a competitive game into the 4th quarter. I'm anxious for a rematch.

If we can get a few players health that have missed some time or haven't played at 100%, my excitement will increase.

It's a rematch without the best elements of a rematch. Both teams are devastated by injuries including at the most important position.

I would be excited about a rematch if both teams were good and were even halfway recognizable as the same teams of last year.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I'll admit that I'm not just jumping out of my seat with excitement about our bowl. However, that has more to do with the condition our team is in right now than where the bowl is and who we play.

In fact, I'm actually excited to play Georgia again. Last year was a competitive game into the 4th quarter. I'm anxious for a rematch.

If we can get a few players health that have missed some time or haven't played at 100%, my excitement will increase.

It's a rematch without the best elements of a rematch. Both teams are devastated by injuries including at the most important position.

I would be excited about a rematch if both teams were good and were even halfway recognizable as the same teams of last year.

So, knowing the condition our team is in, how does playing someone else who is supposedly healthier at a different location make it more exciting?

Fact is, we are beat up. We can't change it and it's just crappy luck. It affected our season and it diminishes the excitement for the bowl game.

I'm excited for next year when we get to reset everything and start over again.

 

[mel4red]

It doesn't seem to be a secret that Nebraska has had a lot of....unusual or just unique circumstances surrounding our program or our media coverage over the last decade or so. There was the second put back on the clock against Texas, the Taylor Martinez flame out, the move to the Big Ten that was unprecedented when it was announced, The Big XII's gracious sendoff, Bo's sideline tirades, the completely unexpected curveball against Wisconsin in the CCG, that 'reporter' that attacked Bo because he didn't allow a former military member to call a play that he supposedly promised, Team Jack, etc. etc.

Not saying we are special or anything like that, but there have just been weird and uncommon occurrences going on. And yet it continues:

Has any other team ever only played in 3 bowls over the course of 6 bowl games?

Gator Bowl twice in 2008 and 2013

Holiday Bowl twice in 2009 and 2010

Capital One Bowl twice in 2011 and 2012

Taking it one step further, has any other team ever had to have rematches not even a year old in two of those games (Washington and Georgia)? A lot of people keep talking about fan apathy and acceptance of mediocrity... well with circumstances like this, it makes it really hard to continue with passionate optimism.

As others have stated, we did play in a long string of Orange/Sugar bowls a few years back.

As for unique circumstances, to quote another thread in another blog sight ............... "Auburn has a 1st year coach and a brand new quarterback.....and they are playing for the NC. How did they do that?"

All this consternation disappears by winning, and not losing, football games. Even the occasional loss gets appreciated, i.e., Orange bowl versus Miami 1984.

We must get past the "mediocrity" of this program and get back to being relevant and win games.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

With regards to expectations, there is no secret that people currently aren't frustrated that we lose; the frustration seems to stem from how and who we lose [to]. There isn't a problem with high expectations, there isn't a problem with wanting to be on the national stage (which means BCS games, not *the* BCS game). A national title isn't about your team; it's about luck. No team nowadays is good enough to win every game the way the Huskers of old did. To win them all a team has to get a little bit of luck along the way.

So the good teams are the teams that make the BCS games. There are 10 in all, and I don't think it's too farfetched to expect Nebraska to be in there every once in a while. For me, had we appeared in a BCS game (aka the Rose Bowl last year), a lot of the tension on Pelini now wouldn't exist. People would be willing to accept the injuries and accept the young defense and be okay with a down season. It would be a step in the "rebuilding process." Same thing goes for our last year in the Big XII and the transition to the Big Ten. Had we not lost a 17 point lead to Oklahoma and won the Big XII and played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2010, a lot of people who are on the fence or even for firing Bo would've accepted 2011 a little better.

Here's how I see it:

In 2009 we were :01 and a 50+ yard field goal away from beating #3 Texas and going to the Fiesta Bowl. Didn't happen.

In 2010 we were a holding a 17 point lead away from beating Oklahoma and going to the Fiesta Bowl again. Didn't happen.

In 2012, we were a win against a 5 loss (albeit better than 5 loss) Wisconsin team away from going to the Rose Bowl. Didn't happen.

Those 3 games are Pelini's worst enemies. Had we won those, I think people would feel a lot better about him. The mantra, "it's not that we lose, it's how we lose" wouldn't matter, because we'd be in a BCS game and be nationally relevant.

So I'm curious. Our toughest games next year will be against Miami, @ Michigan State, and @ Wisconsin. All games which are probably going to be the underdogs. If we go 0-3 though those, but only lose by a combined 13 points (say by, 3, 3, and 7); given that those teams will be as good as they are projected to be, would that be okay? Or would that not be good enough?

you mean define improvement? losing 3 tough games by a little or winning 2 out of the 3 toughest games next year?

If we lost those 3 games by a small margin (like I said, 3, 3, and 7), would we be satisfied with "just another 9-3 season"?

 

[kchusker_chris]

If we lost those 3 games by a small margin (like I said, 3, 3, and 7), would we be satisfied with "just another 9-3 season"?

This is tough. I'm going to lean towards no, because it'll mean that for 4 years, we've lost to almost every decent (ranked) team we've played. It'll further solidify the fact that we've peaked under Pelini. Especially if there are a boatload of turnovers mingled into those 3. Clean football where we just get beat by a better team...maybe, but it's a stretch.

 

[clyde40]

It doesn't seem to be a secret that Nebraska has had a lot of....unusual or just unique circumstances surrounding our program or our media coverage over the last decade or so. There was the second put back on the clock against Texas, the Taylor Martinez flame out, the move to the Big Ten that was unprecedented when it was announced, The Big XII's gracious sendoff, Bo's sideline tirades, the completely unexpected curveball against Wisconsin in the CCG, that 'reporter' that attacked Bo because he didn't allow a former military member to call a play that he supposedly promised, Team Jack, etc. etc.

Not saying we are special or anything like that, but there have just been weird and uncommon occurrences going on. And yet it continues:

Has any other team ever only played in 3 bowls over the course of 6 bowl games?

Gator Bowl twice in 2008 and 2013

Holiday Bowl twice in 2009 and 2010

Capital One Bowl twice in 2011 and 2012

Taking it one step further, has any other team ever had to have rematches not even a year old in two of those games (Washington and Georgia)? A lot of people keep talking about fan apathy and acceptance of mediocrity... well with circumstances like this, it makes it really hard to continue with passionate optimism.

As others have stated, we did play in a long string of Orange/Sugar bowls a few years back.

As for unique circumstances, to quote another thread in another blog sight ............... "Auburn has a 1st year coach and a brand new quarterback.....and they are playing for the NC. How did they do that?"

All this consternation disappears by winning, and not losing, football games. Even the occasional loss gets appreciated, i.e., Orange bowl versus Miami 1984.

We must get past the "mediocrity" of this program and get back to being relevant and win games.

The thing people forget is that Malzahn was the OC at Auburn from 2008-2011. These players were recruited to run his offense and he knew the program very well since he was only away one year. This shouldn't discredit what he has done, it's still incredible, but it's not like he just popped up out of nowhere.

 

[JTrain]

It doesn't seem to be a secret that Nebraska has had a lot of....unusual or just unique circumstances surrounding our program or our media coverage over the last decade or so. There was the second put back on the clock against Texas, the Taylor Martinez flame out, the move to the Big Ten that was unprecedented when it was announced, The Big XII's gracious sendoff, Bo's sideline tirades, the completely unexpected curveball against Wisconsin in the CCG, that 'reporter' that attacked Bo because he didn't allow a former military member to call a play that he supposedly promised, Team Jack, etc. etc.

Not saying we are special or anything like that, but there have just been weird and uncommon occurrences going on. And yet it continues:

Has any other team ever only played in 3 bowls over the course of 6 bowl games?

Gator Bowl twice in 2008 and 2013

Holiday Bowl twice in 2009 and 2010

Capital One Bowl twice in 2011 and 2012

Taking it one step further, has any other team ever had to have rematches not even a year old in two of those games (Washington and Georgia)? A lot of people keep talking about fan apathy and acceptance of mediocrity... well with circumstances like this, it makes it really hard to continue with passionate optimism.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

It doesn't seem to be a secret that Nebraska has had a lot of....unusual or just unique circumstances surrounding our program or our media coverage over the last decade or so. There was the second put back on the clock against Texas, the Taylor Martinez flame out, the move to the Big Ten that was unprecedented when it was announced, The Big XII's gracious sendoff, Bo's sideline tirades, the completely unexpected curveball against Wisconsin in the CCG, that 'reporter' that attacked Bo because he didn't allow a former military member to call a play that he supposedly promised, Team Jack, etc. etc.

Not saying we are special or anything like that, but there have just been weird and uncommon occurrences going on. And yet it continues:

Has any other team ever only played in 3 bowls over the course of 6 bowl games?

Gator Bowl twice in 2008 and 2013

Holiday Bowl twice in 2009 and 2010

Capital One Bowl twice in 2011 and 2012

Taking it one step further, has any other team ever had to have rematches not even a year old in two of those games (Washington and Georgia)? A lot of people keep talking about fan apathy and acceptance of mediocrity... well with circumstances like this, it makes it really hard to continue with passionate optimism.

As others have stated, we did play in a long string of Orange/Sugar bowls a few years back.

As for unique circumstances, to quote another thread in another blog sight ............... "Auburn has a 1st year coach and a brand new quarterback.....and they are playing for the NC. How did they do that?"

All this consternation disappears by winning, and not losing, football games. Even the occasional loss gets appreciated, i.e., Orange bowl versus Miami 1984.

We must get past the "mediocrity" of this program and get back to being relevant and win games.

The thing people forget is that Malzahn was the OC at Auburn from 2008-2011. These players were recruited to run his offense and he knew the program very well since he was only away one year. This shouldn't discredit what he has done, it's still incredible, but it's not like he just popped up out of nowhere.

+1 This is important to consider. I think a lot of times we take a look at x coach is in his first year at y school and he's already doing better than Bo without really considering the situation surrounding the results. And like you said, that shouldn't discredit or diminish Malzahn's accomplishments in his first year at Auburn; what he's done is incredible. Gene Chizik couldn't do anything with roughly the same players, Malzahn comes in and it's a different story. Makes you wonder if Auburn's last national championship was Chizik's doing, or if Malzahn should get even more credit.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

If we lost those 3 games by a small margin (like I said, 3, 3, and 7), would we be satisfied with "just another 9-3 season"?

This is tough. I'm going to lean towards no, because it'll mean that for 4 years, we've lost to almost every decent (ranked) team we've played. It'll further solidify the fact that we've peaked under Pelini. Especially if there are a boatload of turnovers mingled into those 3. Clean football where we just get beat by a better team...maybe, but it's a stretch.

Since you've responded, let me ask you a follow up question:

I stated earlier that I believe our losses to Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are Pelini's worst enemies. Had he won either one of those three, would your answer to the previous question be different? If so, what would it be?

Does time play a role? Say, if he won the Big Ten last year, would we be more forgiving than if he won the Big XII in 2010 or in 2009? Do you get where I'm going with this?

 

[kchusker_chris]

If we lost those 3 games by a small margin (like I said, 3, 3, and 7), would we be satisfied with "just another 9-3 season"?

This is tough. I'm going to lean towards no, because it'll mean that for 4 years, we've lost to almost every decent (ranked) team we've played. It'll further solidify the fact that we've peaked under Pelini. Especially if there are a boatload of turnovers mingled into those 3. Clean football where we just get beat by a better team...maybe, but it's a stretch.

Since you've responded, let me ask you a follow up question:

I stated earlier that I believe our losses to Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are Pelini's worst enemies. Had he won either one of those three, would your answer to the previous question be different? If so, what would it be?

Does time play a role? Say, if he won the Big Ten last year, would we be more forgiving than if he won the Big XII in 2010 or in 2009? Do you get where I'm going with this?

Yes. I view the 2009 game as more or less a win. It was without a doubt the pinnacle of Pelini's career here. He has not had a higher point than that since (I bunch Arizona in there w/ it). That was 4 seasons ago. A lifetime in college football. The 2009 game is what allowed me to write off the 2011 season as a low point (which we've seen eroded from as well). It allowed me to look forward to 2012 with hope the defense would improve, the offense would be better, etc. The 2009 game bought Pelini 4 years in my eyes. Not 5. So if he had won in 2010, he might have gotten another year..I don't know, the trend has been pretty negative since then. l see what you are getting at, but that 2009, or even that 2010 game does not erase the last few years, nor does is turn the trend upward. 2011, 2012 and 2013 are just plain ugly. There really hasn't been a high point (at least anything sustained for more than a week or so) for this program since maybe Michigan State in 2011. It's been a long time.

 

[Flood]

Well, Jacksonville in January is USUALLY nicer weather than Nebraska. Sometimes it can get downright cold up there, being in north Florida, but odds are it will be nice.

I am in Tampa, so I was rooting for the Outback Bowl, even with its smaller payout. Mostly out of selfishness, but also because a rematch with UGA wasn't high on my list of hoped for bowl games.

That said, I am excited to see the team play, even with injuries. Hopefully TA can get meaningful snaps and the young guys will have a chance to grow and learn for next year. We have a great crop of young guys. Like many of the last few years, it feels like we are a minor lightning strike from a major improvement in wins and rankings. I will continue to hope for that, and it can start with the bowl.

If we lose, I see no real downside either. The injuries on both sides of each team are real, and are legit excuses for a loss by either team. This feels more like a spring game, but against a real opponent. We get to see a snapshot of the future, good and bad, without anything of substance being on the line. This is also true for Richt and UGA. I like it.

 

[TGHusker]

If we lost those 3 games by a small margin (like I said, 3, 3, and 7), would we be satisfied with "just another 9-3 season"?

This is tough. I'm going to lean towards no, because it'll mean that for 4 years, we've lost to almost every decent (ranked) team we've played. It'll further solidify the fact that we've peaked under Pelini. Especially if there are a boatload of turnovers mingled into those 3. Clean football where we just get beat by a better team...maybe, but it's a stretch.

agree - the trend is we lose to teams ranked higher than us, we get blown out 2x (so 2 of those 3 would be blow-outs), we lose another game that we clearly should have won on paper. This will continue until Bo makes some changes - Past performance predicts future actions unless a change agent is thrown in the mix. If those 3 games end up in the lost column then the change agent may very be a new coach after next year. It is time for Bo to produce wins and move us up in the rankings.