Nebraska: Nat'l Title Contenders or Pretenders?

• gorocks99

  

  Watching them dismantle K State on ESPN tonight. Freshman QB, albeit an electrifying one. Pretty good defense. GREAT running game. Are they serious contenders to get to the national championship?
  
  Remaining schedule:
  
  vs Texas
  @ 22 Oklahoma State
  vs 24 Missouri
  @ Iowa State
  vs Kansas
  @ Texas A&M
  vs Colorado
  Big XII Title Game
  
  Outside of the looming matchup with Oklahoma (presumably) in the Big XII Championship, they should be favored in every single game. And, once they get past the next three, they have some relatively easy sailing until that Championship. So what say you .. contenders or pretenders?
• killer_ewok

  

  Contenders. Without a doubt. I picked them to play for the BCS title in the preseason. They've done nothing to change my mind.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  I'd throw them in there, right about where TCU is. I think they are more likely to go unbeaten than Oregon. The Big 12 is not that good, and their defense is good enough to win games. But, the problem is Boise and TCU for them. Plus, Bama or OSU have to lose for them to move up.
  But, if Nebraska can win out, I think they are in the discussion. I could easily see them 3rd or 4th in the BCS.
• Rebel_ I.N.S.

  

  Yes they're contenders for sure.
• Sonofanump

  They should be favorites to win ever game from here on out including over OU in the B12 championship game.
• the_system

  ptown_trojans_1;511275 wrote:I'd throw them in there, right about where TCU is. I think they are more likely to go unbeaten than Oregon. The Big 12 is not that good, and their defense is good enough to win games. But, the problem is Boise and TCU for them. Plus, Bama or OSU have to lose for them to move up.
  But, if Nebraska can win out, I think they are in the discussion. I could easily see them 3rd or 4th in the BCS.

  I still think the B12 is good. Kansas State isn't a bad team, they just ran into a buzzsaw tonight. Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas A&M are all good teams, and Texas is still texas...struggling a bit on offense this year but their defense is pretty good against the run.
  
  The point about the Quarterback for Nebraska being a freshman is big. Freshmen screw up. And eventually it will cost them games. Nebraska hasn't won at Oklahoma State since 1995. They've never had luck with Texas. Missouri is a pretty darn good team. A&M is a very hard place to win on the road. Eventually I think the running game will be contained enough that Nebraska will have to throw consistently to be able to win. We'll have to wait and see if Martinez can get it done through the air on the regular.
  
  I disagree about Nebraska winning out and still being behind TCU and BSU. If all 3 go undefeated, Nebraska winning on the road against Washington, OkSt, A&M, KSU, and at home against Texas, Missouri, and throw in a B12 title game against Oklahoma. TCU and BSU can't come close to that in my opinion.
• Hb31187

  

  Contenders...And i honestly hope they go undefeated along with a handful of other teams to throw a wrench intot he BCS
• the_system

  Hb31187;511326 wrote:Contenders...And i honestly hope they go undefeated along with a handful of other teams to throw a wrench intot he BCS

  
  There could very well be 6 undefeated teams. Alabama, OSU, Nebraska, TCU, BSU, Oregon. Alabama is in by default, but what about #2? The big 10 with Iowa, Wisconsin, and Penn State falling early...no teams really highly ranked besides OSU....Does OSU get the #2 or would Nebraska with the added bonus of a conference title game get it?
• cats gone wild

  Pretender.........this is the B12 we are talking about. We see this, hear this every year. The rest of their schedule is a cake walk. Too young of a QB. I do like the direction Neb is going and it will help the B10 next year.
• Little Danny

  

  the_system;511322 wrote:I still think the B12 is good. Kansas State isn't a bad team, they just ran into a buzzsaw tonight. Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas A&M are all good teams, and Texas is still texas...struggling a bit on offense this year but their defense is pretty good against the run.
  
  The point about the Quarterback for Nebraska being a freshman is big. Freshmen screw up. And eventually it will cost them games. Nebraska hasn't won at Oklahoma State since 1995. They've never had luck with Texas. Missouri is a pretty darn good team. A&M is a very hard place to win on the road. Eventually I think the running game will be contained enough that Nebraska will have to throw consistently to be able to win. We'll have to wait and see if Martinez can get it done through the air on the regular.
  
  I disagree about Nebraska winning out and still being behind TCU and BSU. If all 3 go undefeated, Nebraska winning on the road against Washington, OkSt, A&M, KSU, and at home against Texas, Missouri, and throw in a B12 title game against Oklahoma. TCU and BSU can't come close to that in my opinion.

  
  Totally agree on all points. People on this board just like Nebraska now because they are headed to the B10 next year. Otherwise, we'd be hearing about how overrated they are.
  
  I am actually hoping there are about 5-6 unbeatens at year end. It will throw a whole-monkey wrench into the BCS system and maybe we'd get a playoff.
• krambman

  

  They had better be this year because it's going to be a while before their back up their again after this. They may have a freshman at QB, but this team will graduate a lot at the end of this season. Talking to a buddy of mine who's a HUGE Nebraska fan and he hopes that they'll go 8-4 next year in the Big Ten because they will lose so much and they have a pretty rough schedule to start out next year (OSU, Michigan, Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin all on the schedule next year.
• krambman

  

  Little Danny;511375 wrote:I am actually hoping there are about 5-6 unbeatens at year end. It will throw a whole-monkey wrench into the BCS system and maybe we'd get a playoff.

  
  When will people realize that having 30 undefeated teams at the end of the year wouldn't get us a playoff. Crowning a national champion in college football has nothing to do with equity and fairness, but everything to do with money, and there's simply no money to be made with a playoff or we'd already have one.
• cats gone wild

  Krambman ,I would say, have a 8 team playoff and have all the other teams in bowl games like normal. I would love to see a Bama/OSU game and the winner play the winner of Boise/Oregon on one half of the playoff schedule for example. That would bring in tons of money.
• Pick6

  

  IF OSU gets passed, they will reclaim the #2 after they get into the meat of their schedule..wisconsin, iowa, psu, michigan
• cats gone wild

  Pick6;511441 wrote:IF OSU gets passed, they will reclaim the #2 after they get into the meat of their schedule..wisconsin, iowa, psu, michigan

  
  I dont see them getting passed, but on paper now....OSU has a tougher schedule than Neb, Boise, Oregon, and TCU coming up. Iowa should be tough, but no one really knows how good Mich and Wisc are, but PSU isnt any good.
• Pick6

  

  Also a problem I have with the BCS....what has Oregon done to pass Boise? They beat one ranked team and a bad Tenessee team. Boise beat them this past season, and returns more starters than Oregon. Who is to say Oregon is better than Boise all of the sudden? The same can be said if Oregon passes OSU..OSU beat them this calendar year and returns more starters than them.
  
  Before anybody says last year doesnt mean anything..it does or Bama wouldnt have been ranked preseason 1, OSU ranked preseason 2, and Boise ranked preseason 3..Neither of those teams have lost yet..so why are they getting passed? The BCS is a flawed system. Grow a pair of nuts and play an 8 team playoff. put everyone else in bowl games so you can still make your money,
• hoops23

  

  Nebraska vs OSU in the national title game.
• the_system

  krambman;511436 wrote:They had better be this year because it's going to be a while before their back up their again after this. They may have a freshman at QB, but this team will graduate a lot at the end of this season. Talking to a buddy of mine who's a HUGE Nebraska fan and he hopes that they'll go 8-4 next year in the Big Ten because they will lose so much and they have a pretty rough schedule to start out next year (OSU, Michigan, Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin all on the schedule next year.

  
  Looks like they have 7 of 11 starters back on offense and defense next season. 17 of 22 on the 2-deep roster on offense and 16 of 22 for defense. The only area where they are getting hit is the defensive backs which has 3 or 4 gone. Nebraska always seems to have great DBs though so I bet they don't miss a beat. They will have a tough start with Wisconsin and OSU back to back to start out B10 play.
• vball10set

  hoops23;511459 wrote:Nebraska vs OSU in the national title game.

  I'd love to see it...and IMO they're contenders--with an Italian boy from Youngstown at the helm, how can they not be??
  
  defense wins championships, and they've got a good one...I'd rather see them in it than Boise State or TCU, that's for sure.
• centralbucksfan

  Good solid team. Top 10. How good? Who knows. They have yet to play against a really good team. Martinez is exciting, great runner...a passer? Very questionable. If they play someone who can stuff the run, then they could be in trouble IMO. On top of that, they need HELP big time from the teams in front of them to move up the polls. I don't see it happening this year to be honest. But you never know. Crazier things have happened.
• jordo212000

  

  They are contenders. But my goodness the Big 12 is baaaaad
• OneBuckeye

  

  jordo212000;511487 wrote:They are contenders. But my goodness the Big 12 is baaaaad

  
  This. They will get exposed for one game and that's all it takes. Texas or Oklahoma will shut down their offense and it will be a defensive battle. I think Oklahoma will beat them in the big 12 champ game, just because Nebraskas offense is one dimensional at times, and if they get behind they could be in trouble.
• Hesston

  

  Nebraska is for real, Bo Polini looks like he is likes to fight guy even with a 100 point lead, great addition to the big 10
• gerb131

  

  Hesston;511547 wrote:Nebraska is for real, Bo Polini looks like he is likes to fight guy even with a 100 point lead, great addition to the big 10

  
  I agree. He had sort of a rough start in Lincoln but once he got rolling I think they have staying power.
  Haven't watched much of their games but from all the articles I think they can be and they miss Baylor.
• krambman

  

  Hesston;511547 wrote:Nebraska is for real, Bo Polini looks like he is likes to fight guy even with a 100 point lead, great addition to the big 10

  
  Drunk this early in the day?