Happy Husker Holiday
What team was that? I should say, what offensive team was that? Nebraska ran all over Arizona with an easy 33-0 win in the Holiday Bowl. Did Mike Leech get a one game contract and wear a Shawn Watson mask as our Offensive Coordinator? Whatever it was, I liked it.
It was a good season for Nebraska, we had a couple opportunities to be much better than our record indicates. But if you asked a Husker fan before this season would they take B12 North champs and 10 wins, I’d think you’d get a resounding yes from most everybody. Yes Nebraska was damn close to being in a BCS game (:01) a last second loss to Virginia Tech and a poorly played Iowa State game away from actually being in the national title discussion. And here’s a shocker, expectations will be very high next year. I know...who would have thunk it at Nebraska.
The schedule sets up PERFECTLY for Nebraska next year. The non-conference is as weak as ever. Western Kentucky, Idaho and South Dakota St. all at home with a trip to Washington. Washington is a tricky team to figure out. They were 5-7 this year but had quality wins over USC and California and several close losses (by 8 vs. LSU, by 7 to Notre Dame in OT, by 7 to Arizona State and by 1 to Oregon State) And they have an above average QB (Jake Locker) who was going to be a high draft pick in this years NFL draft had he decided to leave early. The conference schedule sets up nicely for Nebraska too. As far as the North is concerned both key games are at home (Mizzou and Kansas). Mizzou will be improved this year with Gabbert and Kansas could be good with Turner now at the helm, but Nebraska is the clear cut favorite next year. As for the South opponents, Texas comes to town and very little motivation will be needed to win that game. Plus, how far do the Longhorns fall off without McCoy at the helm? Texas is ripe for the picking. Road games against OSU and aTm aren’t easy but should be winnable. OU isn’t on the schedule but could be a B12CG opponent and they’re losing a lot and Landry Jones isn’t half the QB that Sam Bradford is.
At first glance there are a lot of W’s on this schedule for Nebraska next year. I don’t think a 10-2/11-1 regular season is out of the question next year. A birth in the B12CG is almost a necessity and it could be a very winnable game. A BCS bowl birth (automatic or at-large) is a distinct possibility as well.
As I said, expectations are high but if everything goes right, Bo Pelini in year 3 could back up his postgame Holiday Bowl comment of “Nebraska is back and here to stay” with a year that could put Nebraska back in the national title discussion.
The Comments
Steve says RE: Happy Husker Holiday January 2, 2010 at 10:43am
I like the fact that when the national media says “Whoa! Look at Nebraska” it’s a good thing! Too many years of “don’t look at the train wreck.”