Nebraska vs. Cincinnati provided mixed emotions for Huskers fans as they weighed finally winning a P4-P5 season opener/one-score game against what was a performance which – shockingly! – fell short of the optimistic outlooks being given in the weeks leading up.
Saturday, I dove into to the issues as a CFB first responder and tried to determine what might be fixable vs. what might be red flags following
the opener. Fair enough, but why should we experience anxiety alone? No deep dive here, but how did the opening frame go for our opponents this season?
Let’s see:
Wyoming 10 AKRON 0 – For anyone who was sweating the Zips. Another electrical storm remains their best chance of getting out of town without a loss. AGAIN! (Never forget)
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 69 Arkansas Baptist 0 – Uh oh!! Just kidding and enjoy the Bud-Canelo fight that evening. Sidebar – doesn’t this game sound like the kind of matchup which has religious zealots in knife fights in the parking lot?
MICHIGAN 34 New Mexico 17 – Fans predicting doom and gloom against Mchigan had to feel better about things after watching the Wolverines fart about with the Lobos Saturday night.
MICHIGAN STATE 23 Western Michigan 6 – And Sparty didn’t exactly post a frightening number against the mighty Broncos.
MARYLAND 39 Florida Atlantic 7 – The score hides the fact Maryland only outgained the Owls by 26 yards and got out first-downed 23-22. Why the 32-pt spread you ask? Try 6 FAU turnovers. Yeeesh.
MINNESOTA 23 Buffalo 10 – An underwhelming win was still good enough for P.J. to perform his victory celebration leap and remind everyone who Minnesota football is truly about.
Tulane 23 NORTHWESTERN 3 – Who thinks Northwestern might have a red flag or 25? Karma might be rolling around for the latest, but far from only, Big 10 team team to have a creepy “ick” scandal. In a separate story, “Surviving Ohio State” is still playing on HBO Max – check that out for story which dwarfs the Penn State abomination at least as far as sheer numbers of sexual abuse are concerned.
USC 73 Missouri State 13 – Finally, someone clicking on all cylinders! But keep in mind Southern Cal’s record in 2025 when traveling beyond the west coast for a road game.
Utah 43 UCLA 10 – The Bruins are praying the Utes have flipped to a Top 10 team this season, because we suddenly look much more effective against 2024 mid-bottom teams from the Big 12.
PENN STATE 46 Nevada 11 – Penn State rolled as expected against the Pack. It’s probably a good thing we don’t play them until late.
IOWA 34 Albany 7 – The Squawks pulled away in the 2nd half, but Mark Gronowski’s 8-15 44 yard performance suggests the scrimmage videos and stories out of Iowa City were not exaggerated. Kirk Ferentz is probably thrilled Iowa still does not have a QB whose talent will force him to throw more than sparingly.
So there you go – for the most part Week 1 likely induced anxiety, if not outright depression, for Huskers opponents and the schedule certainly looks no harder when taking everything in. Enjoy the two scrimmage weeks, cheer Bud Crawford on, and we can always start panicking again if Michigan takes the wood to Oklahoma.
And here’s one little fun stat for those sweating Dylan’s low YPA numbers in the short pass attack vs. the Bearcats:
Go Big Red, e’erbody!
