Home Sweet Home

 

(Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

Well, that trip to Minnesota wasn’t much fun.  I’ll tell you how not much fun it was, as Husker fans headed to the exits after the score was 21-6 with a lot of time left, my brother-in-law stopped drinking.  That right there is enough to stop this Husker fan in his tracks!

Now we get to find out if this road trip was an aberration or if it was the precursor for the rest of the season.  Nebraska had done a great job on its road trip to Maryland, and while it wasn’t always pretty, they came out smelling like a rose.  They turned around and played a game that was much more like the fertilizer spread on the rose.  Just when you think Nebraska is turning it all around, it came to a screeching halt.

The week didn’t get off to a good start with the Penn State firing of their head coach, and then when Matt Rhule addressed the media the Monday after, but didn’t say, “yeah, I’m staying at Nebraska” it was probably a bad omen.  

And I don’t think the team necessarily was worried about Coach Rhule leaving for Penn State, but in the back of your mind you had to kind of thing that it was probably a bit of a distraction, not just for Coach Rhule, but the program in general.

The other thing to keep in mind, college football teams lose, on the road, and it isn’t all that rare.  Outside of Ohio State, Oregon and now Indiana, teams are going to lose 2, 3 or 4 games a season, that’s just the way it goes.  And until you have a proven plan, or proven players that can rise above it all, Husker fans might as well plan on losing a few games each season.  That’s the reality of college football when you aren’t a big dog.

I’m not saying the coaches and players shouldn’t have been more prepared for last week.  They do need to realize that Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin live in a world where Nebraska is the bigger fish, regardless of their records, and beating Nebraska is akin to their Super Bowl half the time.  Kansas State and Colorado were the same in the Big Twelve.  There are just teams, considered inferior over a certain amount of time that really want to beat Nebraska’s rear end from here to eternity and Nebraska can’t just show up and beat them.  

That’s the next step for this Coach Rhule team.  Northwestern this week, is much like the three Big Ten teams mentioned above, a win over the Huskers fuels their season.  This gets them closer to bowl eligibility and means that they will finish most likely in the top ten of the conference.  Nebraska has the same goals to play for.  They need to act like it, don’t overlook Northwestern and reset their season course to get to a great bowl game.  Northwestern certainly is going to play like it is their Super Bowl.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 29, Minnesota 24. The actual score was Minnesota 24, Nebraska 6.  I got the Minnesota score right, but I didn’t count on the Nebraska offense playing in the twilight zone.  Nebraska’s inability to get passes out on offense ruined any chance the Huskers had of winning.  There were multiple plays in the first half that Nebraska didn’t capitalize on to score touchdowns that would have changed the strategy in the game, and it really bit the Huskers.  If Nebraska goes up 14-0, or even 10-3, that game has an entirely different tone.  Nebraska needs to figure out how to get over the hump against Minnesota.  It’s a current black mark on the program.

Quick Notes:

Luke Lindenmeyer…Not much to write about on the offensive side of the ball, but Lindenmeyer continues to be a safety blanket for Dylan Raiola in the passing game.  Lindenmeyer shows up every week and makes a play that the Huskers need to either stay in a game or put the game away.  The Junior walk-on from Papillion has been a revelation for the Huskers and is an exciting piece each week that teams need to account for. 

Keona Davis....Davis played what is likely his best game of the season against the Gophers.  His stats may not show it, but he made tackles when needed and was the anchor on a maligned defensive line.  He was part of one sack and while it doesn’t always show in the stats, he made many key plays to help other Blackshirts make tackles.

Archie Wilson...…The freshman Australian punter continues to shine on special teams for Nebraska.  He averaged 44.6 yards per punt last week and pinned Minnesota at the three-yard line in the third quarter, which is all you can ask for from your punter.  He hasn’t been perfect this season, but he has delivered more often than not.  Wilson is a bright light for a special teams unit that is currently ranked 2nd overall in the country.  That is a slingshot leap from a Husker team that was in the 100s the prior season.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 19, Northwestern 17

An early game, against a team that will want to run the ball and leave Memorial Stadium with a victory, doesn’t leave much margin for error.  Nebraska will need to scratch, claw and fight to get every point this weekend.  Northwestern isn’t loaded with stars, but they will make you beat them in a physical rock fight.  Nebraska needs to remain patient, run the football and force turnovers.  I have a feeling it’s going to come down to a last-minute field goal and this time Kyle Cunannan delivers for Big Red!  It’s going to take a big early effort from the crowd to keep Nebraska up when things may look tough, so GBR!!!