Fun To Be A Husker!
Hey, this is getting fun again!
What a wild, wacky, wonderful way for Nebraska to finish the season Friday!
Well, finish the regular season, that is. That’s right – the Huskers are going bowling again!
There was a day, not so long ago, when bowl berths were taken for granted in these parts. In fact, we expected major bowl bids – Orange, Fiesta, Cotton. Soon, that should again be the case.
But forgive Husker fans for being just a little euphoric over an 8-4 record and invite to a Gator or Alamo Bowl this year. A couple years sitting home for the holidays will do that to a program.
Friday’s thrilla’ over Colorado, the upcoming bowl game invitation, the opportunity for another month of practice for a young coaching staff and team, further positive national media attention – it all adds up to a continuation of the momentum Nebraska has generated this past month.
Yes, it’s fun to be a Husker again. I expect there will be quite a few “red” gifts under Christmas trees this year.
Bo already deleivered his to Husker Nation – a Bowl with a Big Red Ribbon!
BCS, Minus The C?
Well, as expected, this past weekend added fuel to the BCS controversy.
Oklahoma’s victory over Oklahoma State, and the Sooners subsequent leap past Texas in the BCS standings, sets up a probable OU match-up in the “so-called national title game” vs. the Alabama/Florida winner (as long as Oklahoma takes care of business against Missouri in the Big 12 championship Saturday).
All well and fine, if you’re not from Texas.
Now, I’m far from a Longhorn admirer. In fact, I normally despise eveything Texas, from the money and arrogance, right down to the burnt orange and “Hook ‘em Horns”.
But, I don’t see how you legitimately leave this Texas team out of the national title picture. In fact, if Alabama loses to Florida in the SEC championship, as many are predicting, I believe you could make a very strong case – the best case – for Texas being the most deserving of all the one-loss teams.
Consider: The ‘Horns own a head-to-head victory over Oklahoma; Texas went through a back-to-back-to-back-to-back stretch of games vs. top-seven opponents (OU, Missouri, Okie State, Texas Tech) more difficult than any four-week schedule segment played by any other team in the nation – and came within ONE SECOND of winning all four games; the one Longhorn loss, to Tech, seems to be against a considerably better team than defeated either Florida (Ole Miss) or USC (Oregon State).
Add it all up and I just don’t see how you tell Mack Brown’s team they don’t deserve a shot at the crystal football.
Bo Knows
With no playoff in sight, I’m beginning to think Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini has the best idea.
A week ago, when queried about the BCS mess, Bo said he’d like to see the bowls go back to the old conference championship tie-ins – Big 10-Pac 10 to the Rose Bowl, SEC to the Sugar, etc., etc. – and then just vote for a national champion after the bowls are played.
Old school.
Seems to me it would be just as fair, maybe more so, than what we have now.
After all, who cares in 2008 that Nebraska and Michigan “split” the ‘97 title? Each claims a national championship and fans can still have friendly arguments on who would have really won had the teams met.
Right now, there’s probably at least five teams that would like to take their chances with the voters after the holidays than be told in a week they don’t have a shot at anything higher than third.
You know, this Pelini character is pretty smart.
