I haven't been able to be on the board for a few days but did just now get caught up. Here's my take on all this bubble talk as I channel my inner Aaron Rodgers: R-E-L-A-X.
A team that has reached this point in the season with 30 wins and a 17 RPI is not on the bubble. A lot can still happen--good or bad--but at the moment it's a regional lock. Conference records are definitely part of the equation for the committee but in a 13 team league, it's important to dig deeper than just the standings.
Nebraska has BY FAR the most difficult conference schedule. It's the only team in the league that plays four of the other five teams (Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State) in the RPI top 35. Some play as few as two. Illinois and Iowa have only played one so far so it's no surprise they are the leaders at the moment. And Nebraska hasn't hit the easy part of its schedule yet. 5+ wins against Northwestern and Purdue will make for a climb in the standings. Finishing fourth or fifth in the league doesn't sound sexy but it will be more than good enough to make a regional and might actually be good enough to host one.
None of us agree with John "Loser" Anderson. The NCAA tournament is the thing and conference titles are secondary by a wide margin. Do the Huskers need to hit better on the weekends? Absolutely. Have all the season goals been trashed in the last two weeks? Absolutely not.
It's all still in front of this team...
.
A team that has reached this point in the season with 30 wins and a 17 RPI is not on the bubble. A lot can still happen--good or bad--but at the moment it's a regional lock. Conference records are definitely part of the equation for the committee but in a 13 team league, it's important to dig deeper than just the standings.
Nebraska has BY FAR the most difficult conference schedule. It's the only team in the league that plays four of the other five teams (Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State) in the RPI top 35. Some play as few as two. Illinois and Iowa have only played one so far so it's no surprise they are the leaders at the moment. And Nebraska hasn't hit the easy part of its schedule yet. 5+ wins against Northwestern and Purdue will make for a climb in the standings. Finishing fourth or fifth in the league doesn't sound sexy but it will be more than good enough to make a regional and might actually be good enough to host one.
None of us agree with John "Loser" Anderson. The NCAA tournament is the thing and conference titles are secondary by a wide margin. Do the Huskers need to hit better on the weekends? Absolutely. Have all the season goals been trashed in the last two weeks? Absolutely not.
It's all still in front of this team...
.