I for one am thankful for this bye week. I needed a break from the week-in-week-out craziness that is Nebraska football. And all I do is sit behind a computer and write about it. So I can only imagine
how the players were feeling leading into this bye week.
Ten games down. Two to go and against two of the better teams on the entire schedule in my opinion. This is true even though Penn State has not won a single game in conference this season which means it has lost six straight games heading into this weekend against Michigan State.
Iowa on the other hand has looked like the best Iowa team that I have watched in several years.
Indiana, which is currently the second ranked team in the country and looks like they are on a mission, has had two close games. Those two games are a five point win over Iowa and a three point win over Penn State. The next closest game was a 10 point win over Oregon and a 13 point win over (you guessed it) Old Dominion.
Iowa has a great matchup this weekend against USC which might tell us a lot about what to expect. USC’s fanbase and football program apparently is extremely motivated in this matchup as they are bringing up benign quotes by Iowa’s head coach Kirk Ferentz from two seasons ago.
Whatever it takes.
Iowa is currently sitting at 6-3 and Penn State is sitting at 3-6 and at this point I expect both games to be a loss for Nebraska. Though I am willing to change my mind. We may not find out until Sunday, but the Penn State game could end up being at night in Death Valley. If Penn State wins out then they will qualify for a bowl game. I expect Vegas to have Penn State as at least a touchdown favorite.
On the other hand, I expect Vegas to have the Iowa game at like 1.5 either way. This is how it has to be.
Going into the season I made game-by-game predictions for Nebraska football and I am currently batting 1.000. In that article I also predicted a loss to Penn State but a win against Iowa.
But it is the Nebraska run defense against Iowa which at this point makes me think Iowa will win another Black Friday rivalry game. I can already see what is going to happen. Archie Wilson will pin Iowa at a three yard after a great punt. Nebraska is up three points with five minutes left. Then Iowa proceeds to run the ball 12 straight times for a touchdown. The Hawkeyes leave 26 seconds left on the clock (to the chagrin of Kirk Ferentz) and T.J. Lateef throws a game clinching interception.
SPORTS! SPORTS! JORTS! SPORTS! SPORTS!
The 3-2-1: Recruiting calendar flip, NIL momentum talk, Nebraska vs. Penn State time TBD
Nebraska’s final week on the road recruiting, Rhule’s NIL optimism rises, and the Penn State kickoff time remains up in the air.
We hit on that and more in this week’s 3-2-1 column with the latest insights, key questions, and one bold prediction.
Inside the Big Ten’s $2.4B Deal: Why Ohio State and others could win big
Last November, from his office on Ohio State’s campus, Ted Carter, the school’s president, suggested that the Buckeyes may, one day, earn more revenue than many of their other conference brethren.
“If we get into that conversation, we certainly are in a position of strength,” Carter told Yahoo Sports in a sitdown interview then. “I think we do bring a lot more.”
Radio Rundown: O-line coach Raiola, talks injuries and adjustments
Nebraska is on bye this week before heading to Penn State looking for its eighth win. Huskers offensive line coach Donovan Raiola joined the Nebraska Coaches Show to discuss the adjustments made throughout the season, depth questions and other topics.
Here is what the fourth-year offensive line coach had to say Wednesday night….
Huskers offer fast-rising junior college edge rusher
For the second time in as many days, Nebraska football dipped into the junior college ranks with an offer, making an offer to Pearl River (CC) edge Jalen Anderson.
The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Anderson was committed to Florida International as late as October, but after re-opening his recruitment has seen his recruitment take off.
Five questions for Nebraska with just 2 games left in the regular season
The Monday of a bye week in November worked as well as any time for Matt Rhule, so the Nebraska coach had a conversation with his staff.
“In the previous couple years,” Rhule said, “I had to make a lot of hard decisions because we didn’t have the money for everyone.”
CFP chair Mack Rhoades on leave from Baylor, playoff roles
Baylor athletic director and College Football Playoff chairman Mack Rhoades is stepping away from both roles for personal reasons.
CFP executive director Rich Clark told ESPN on Thursday that Rhoades “will step down from his role with the committee at this time for personal reasons.” The CFP likely will try to replace Rhoades and will work on naming a new chair.
Documents: NFL filed grievance against NFLPA to stop report cards
The NFL filed a grievance against the NFL Players Association, asking the union to stop its annual team report cards, saying the exercise violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement by airing public criticism of teams, according to documents obtained by ESPN.
Four Verts: Giants got it half right, while Mike McDaniel might quietly be saving his job in Miami
We’re officially past the midway point of the NFL season. The picture is a little prettier right now in Miami than it is in Atlanta or with the NFL’s prime-time games, but this edition of the Four Verts column starts with this week’s half measure in New York.
