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The Comeback Kids: Shades of the Huskers of Old

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:24:12 EDT

It was about what you would expect from two teams trying to prove themselves on a cold and rainy night. There was sloppy play, a multitude of penalties, and the occasional fumble. It was cold, it was wet, and it was wild.

To be honest there is no end to the shock I'm feeling right now. Nebraska did their best to hand this game over to Missouri in the first half. Not capitalizing on turnovers, committing untimely turnovers, and in the end just down right looking awful.

It was exactly how it looked the first three quarters of the Thursday night game for Nebraska. They came out cold and sloppy, just like the field on the wet rainy October night in Columbia. The sloppy start yielded only twelve points for the vaunted Missouri offense.

A Time For Change: Is the Big 12 Ready?

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 0:28:09 EDT

It's a picture Husker fans have waited a long time to see. I'm not talking about the goose egg on the scoreboard, although it was impressive it was also a missed field goal away from becoming another 3 point game for a Sun Belt squad against the Huskers.

Yes I know it did snap a streak of not shutting a team out since the Husker's defeated Troy 56-0 in 2006, ironically another Sun Belt team, and Ironically the last time Nebraska won the North division in the Big 12 (foreshadowing?). But still, that's not the picture I'm referring to here.

(Larry Asante, 74 Interception return for a touchdown)

The picture I am talking about is a second quarter play against UL-Lafayette. With just under six and half minutes to play in the half, the Cornhuskers had already built a twenty-seven to nothing lead on the Ragin Cajuns.

Another Heartbreak

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:08:37 EDT

Husker fans were all to familiar with the scenario that unfolded at the hands of of the Virginia Tech Hokie's. Contrary to popular belief this was a situation the Husker's had been in many times before. A year ago against the same Virginia Tech team the Huskers had a chance to get the ball back and were thwarted by a personal foul call on Ndamukong Suh. Also a year ago an interception in overtime after Texas Tech had missed an extra point forced the Husker's to except a 37-31 defeat. Two years ago the Nebraska Cornhusker's went into Austin Texas and man-handled the mighty Longhorns, until a monumental collapse led to another heart breaking loss (28-25). Even three years ago, Nebraska had the game won against the Longhorns once again a 20-19 lead on third and three and Terrence Nunn coughs the ball up to give the Longhorn's a chance at a win, and they capitalized with a 22-20 win.

Nebraska... A Rise To Dominance?

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:46:12 EDT

How long does Bo Pelini have? No, I don't think he should lose his job, I don't even think his seat is remotely warm right now. The man is sitting comfortable with a 12-4 all time Head Coaching record at Nebraska, but my question isn't about this season, maybe not even next season. But in four or five years if Nebraska is still fighting for relevence. What then?

Pelini has the program headed in the right direction: 9-4 in his first year. And he is in good company with coaches like Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich as the only coaches that started with a 9 win season. So... So far so good right?

I think so, but many others are not convinced. Nebraska still hasn't beaten a ranked team since a 28-27 win on the road at Texas A&M (Remember a last second fade route to Maurice Purify to spring to a 28-27 shocker over the Aggies?) But beating a top fifteen team... that would take some serious research.

Are You Serious? Notre Dame Football...

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:27:07 EDT

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

A look into the dumbest things of the college football season and to start it all off I am going to have to scream at the beast here. Yeah, you got it... Notre Dame. First let me say that this post is not to say Notre Dame football is horrible, but to say that it is not and has not been an Elite program for quite some time now. Here in lies my argument laugh if you must, scoff if you will but i only present facts and for the Irish it doesn't look pretty.

Known as the darling of NCAA football the private school is one of the most storied programs in the history of the NCAA. When is it time to let go of the past though? Yeah they are the third ranked program among wins in NCAA football history only behind Michigan and Texas, but with Rockne gone and Holtz sidelined they have fallen into obscurity and Wies does not look like the man that will pull them out. So can we please stop talking about Irish football?

PAC-10 Preview 2009

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:20:03 EDT

The strangle-hold on the automatic BCS bid for the PAC-10 has almost been exclusively USC territorry. Teams like Arizona St. and Cal have made their attempts but to the victor goes the spoils and right now that victor is continuously the USC Trojans. As much as I would like to say the loss of Mark Sanchez opens the door I just can't. Since the first Decade of the 2000 mellinium USC has owned the PAC-10 title winning at least a share of it in 7 straight years (2002-2008) while they only had obtained two PAC-10 championship in the 90's and four in the 80's. This has been the most successful decade since the 70's for the Trojans when they routed the PAC-10 for 6 championships. Will this be the year the Pete Carroll express is finally knocked off the railways? The answer...no. And it is not because they are unbeatable but because they really don't have much competition for the position.

SEC Conference Preview 2009

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:40:22 EDT

The SEC solidified the fact that it was the dominant conference last season with Florida's dominant win over Oklahoma in the National Title game and they are looking to do more of the same this year. It looks like a great year for the SEC, they won't be as good as they were last year but they will be darn close.

East:

Florida

Georgia

Big 10 Conference 2009 Preview

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:29:53 EDT

The last few years have been intollerable for Big 10 fans. Their teams have been accused of being soft, slow and poorly prepared for Big Games situations. Which is fair to teams like Ohio State who have proven over the last few years that they aren't up to snuff being blasted in two national title games and losing by 3 to Texas. That is three straight losses since they beat Notre Dame 34-20 in 2005. But the tide is hopefully changing for this fast fading conference and it will change on the arms and legs of Terrell Pryor and Daryll Clark.

Ohio St.

Penn St.

Iowa

Big 12 Conference Preview 2009

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:14:18 EDT

The Big 12 has been about as one sided as a conference can get in recent years (except of course the PAC-10). Right now it is looking more like it is the Big 2 plus 10 with Oklahoma and Texas at the forefront. While this trend won't change this year it is something that looks to be short lived on the horizon with the resurgance of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma St. and Nebraska in a few years this conference could be as even as the ACC which isn't necessarily a good thing. The favorites to win it this year yet again is a crap shoot between Oklahoma and Texas.

North:

Nebraska

Kansas

Big East Conference Preview

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:32:16 EDT

The Big East has been about as up and down a conference as anyone could ask for as far as football goes. It may be the easiest conference to play in to get into a BCS bowl. Since Miami (FL) left for the ACC in 2004 there has only been on team to win the conference twice, and that team looks to be gone on a downward spiral as Pat White is now gone. Since there is no championship game for the Big East the conference relies on a series of tie-breakers to decide the team to move onto the Orange bowl. since 2003 these teams have had at least a share of a Big East crown:

West Virginia, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville, UConn, and Cincinatti

This year looks to be no different. With no clear front-runner one would have to go with recent insurgent and brilliant coach Brian Kelly with Cincinatti, but USF, Rutgers, Lousiville, Pittsburgh, and UConn might have something to say about that. the Big East is even more wide open than the ACC this year. Who knows if West Virginia can rebuild, and can Pitt recover from losing their offense? (Namely McCoy and Stephens-Howling). It will be an exciting year for the Big East and this is how I see it playing out, a race between three teams for the top spot and a shot at a BCS Bowl. My preseason favorite is Pitt, but that could switch to Cincy in an instant, its a coin flip scenario.

ACC College Football Preview

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:13:29 EDT

Like I stated in my Top 25 for the pre-season I am a College Football fanatic and I could not think of any better way to pass the time than try to beat the magazines out with my pre-season picks. I did the top 25 now I move on to conference by conference Alhpabetically. That means we start with the ACC. The ACC has been a mess for a few years without an overwhelmingly dominant team. Virginia Tech had somewhat of a down year next year and still won the ACC championship. That being said the road to the Orange bowl still goes through Blacksburgh. There will be a few teams that try to remove that title however, among them, Florida St., Georgia Tech, Clemson and Maryland. For what was the most wide open league last year this promises to be another year of parody in the world of ACC athletics.

Pre-Pre-Season Top 25

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:41:30 EDT

I know it is still early to be thinking about college football, but well... not to me! With Spring Ball on its way and the smell of basketball season cooling down all I have to look forward to is a summer full of Golf and meaningless baseball games. Starting in April I always count down to the opening day for College Football and I think that there is no such thing as a Too Soon outlook on College Football. So, before the magazines, before the spring games, I will be taking a first hand look at the top teams in all 11 conferences and even which Independent teams to look out for. First, I will start with my pre-pre-season Top 25!

Note: Ratings are subject to change in light of news throughout the summer.

Florida (Yes, yes, it pains me to say this but I have to say the Gators will be the favorite to win it all again next year. Of course th ey lost Percy Harvin, but they still have their heart and soul Tim Tebow. As much as the man annoys me he is still the best football player in the country. Also, looking at a dominant offense its hard to say they will stumble, Obviuosly they return Tebow, but they also lost only two receivers, and three offensive linemen and their starting running back. that is seven starters, but they reload every year on the line and Chris Rainey stepped it up last year and is proving to be a go-to back. The receiving corps may seem a little suspect but with returning role players like Brandong James and David Nelson they will be just fine not to mention the incoming talent of Andre Debose. That being said their offense will be fine. The defense is the issue for the Gators then right? Wrong, maybe if Brandon Spikes had decided to go pro but he's coming back and so is the rest of the defense they don't lose one starter on defense and that deserves a major "yo" as Lee Corso would say. Depth is never a concern for the Gator's and it won't be again this year. Looking at the schedule I see every game and go, wow that is winnable... The SEC is always hard to get through unscathed, but with their most difficult games on the road beaing LSU (who is still iffy in the quarterback area) and at a nuetral field against Staffordless Georgia. Florida should be the favorites to win the SEC...and the National Championship.)

College Football Analysts...Good...Bad

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:20:30 EST

So here I am...Sitting on my couch drinking a Dr Pepper when I decide it would be fun to watch ESPN. So I change it to ESPN and there it is, my favorite show College Football Live...with a twist. They have so-called "Jesse Palmer" on there as their "expert analyst." Give me a break. Is anyone else sick of this guy? Sorry if you like him, but i think ESPN's attempt to bring sexiness on the show with a guy that was a back-up his entire life and was worthless...even in The Bachelor? I mean what type of idiot says the wrong girl's name? (p.s. I don't watch the show, I just know it happened, one of the all-time blunders on so-called reality TV). So here I am sitting and watching my new-found nemesis and I am forced to listen to him yammer on like some sort of moron.