Had some time this afternoon and pecked around on that google thing to find some info on our opponents. Figured I'd share.
BYU -- Obviously returns a very athletic QB in Taysom Hill, who has been criticized for his passing in the past but is said to be improved. Top RB Jamaal Williams returns and talented WR Mitch Matthews. Won its final four games last year (without Hill) after losing 4 straight in the middle of the season. All but one starting offensive lineman returns this season and all but one defensive starter. However, seven players will be suspended for their role in a bowl game brawl. Difficult to say how rusty Hill will be, but this is an experienced, dangerous team. Come on, homefield advantage! Prediction: Nebraska 27, BYU 24
Southern Alabama -- A very young program in just its 3rd fulltime year of D1 play, S. Ala. did almost beat Tennessee in 2013. The death of the Alabama-Birmingham program has been huge for S. Ala, as several of those players transferred to S. Ala. Included in that group is the QB who started at UAB last year and put up good numbers. Some good talent infusion shouldn't be nearly enough. Nebraska 38, S. Ala. 20
@ Miami -- Seven players were drafted from last year's team, including great back Duke Johnson, great receiver Dorsett and great LB Denzel Perryman. Three starting offensive linemen are gone from a team that lost its last four games last year and the program is under fire. The 'Canes do return talented soph. QB Brad Kaaya. There is, of course, plenty of Dade, Brevard and Palm county talent on the roster, so it's a dangerous game. I'd just really like to think we will be too physical, especially at DT. Nebraska 34, Miami 28
Southern Mississippi -- One of the worst programs in the country, S. Miss is 4-32 the last three years. Showed some improvement last year, going 3-9. Returns a 2,400 yard QB and its top four RBs. Top 3 defensive players are gone. Should be a cakewalk. Nebraska 45, S. Miss. 20
@ Illinois -- Before the season, I considered this a "trap game." QB Wes Lunt, talented WR Geronimo Allison (who hurt us last year) and talented RB Josh Ferguson (who hurt us) are back, as are five of their top 6 WRs and 5 OL. But their coach just got fired and it's hard to imagine they're strong enough up front. Nebraska 34, Illinois 24
Wisconsin -- The Badgers program is, to me, one of the marvels in American sports. Poorly recruited, athletically challenged and very unimaginative on both sides of the ball, they just win year after year. Again this year, I am shocked they're ranked. They return just two OL and lost their Heisman candidate back. Clement will be a great back but Stave is a putrid QB and his top target is yet another walk-on named Alex Erickson. There is very little threat at any other WR position. Two DL return, as does all-conference LB Vince Biegel and all-conference S Michael Caputo. The secondary will be strong. I'll be STUNNED if we lose this game, but I've been stunned before - 3 times to be exact. Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 17
@ Minnesota -- If ever there was an "Exhibit A" for how much coaching matters in college football, it has been the past two seasons when we've played these guys. They have outworked us, out-schemed us and worst of all, out-physicaled us. It has hurt to watch those games. The Gophers return ordinary QB Mitch Leidner but lose David Cobb and superstar TE Maxx Williams. The return 7 defensive starters and of course their great head coach. It pains me to think we could lose 3 straight to this program, but until our boys show me they can out-hit and out-want the mighty Gophers, I can't pick us on the road after the emotional win over Wisconsin. Minnesota 24, Nebraska 20
Northwestern -- No more Kain Colter, finally. Their other guy's gone, too. Redshirt freshman Clatyon Thossen, a dual threat, takes over at QB. Soph. RB Justin Jackson helped me win a college fantasy league last year and killed Wisconsin. He's really good. Dan Vitale, the TE/HB, is just the kind of gritty player who killed us in the Pelini era. This program is in a downward trajectory for now. We'll rebound after our first loss and play our best game in weeks. Nebraska 42, Northwestern 20
@ Purdue -- The ordinary fan may not see it, but Darrell Hazel is doing good job after inheriting a terrible program. He returns 16 starters from a 4-win team, including QB Austin Appleby. But Akeem Hunt has graduated. They'll continue to take baby steps forward, but not on this day. Nebraska 42, Purdue 31
Michigan State -- Well, what can we say? This is now one of the best programs in the nation and is at the point where it re-loads each year with very few hiccups. Gone are top two RBs Langford and Hill, as well as go-to WR Tony Lippett (a huge loss), but QB Conner Cook is one of the nation's best. Defensively, the top S and best CB (Trae Waynes) were drafted but 7 starters return on both sides of the ball. Shalique Calhoun (DL) could be a top 5 draft pick next April. And excited home crowd will help our boys keep it close for awhile, but we're not ready to slay this dragon just yet. Michigan State 45, Nebraska 35
@ Rutgers -- Danger Will Robinson! Sorry if you're too young to get that one but this is a trap game if ever there was one. Our hangover from the week before will not be cured, and it's a long road trip against an athletically dangerous team that went 8-5 last year. QB Gary Nova is gone, but WR Leante Carroo might be the best WR in the country. We all remember what he's capable of. Their top DE is a sack machine. This game makes me nervous as hell, but I'm banking on our physicality up front proving too much in the end. I see this as a barnburner. Nebraska 38, Rutgers 35 (OT)
Iowa -- If this isn't a blowout, I'll be very disappointed. This is a typical Iowa team, though it lost many of its top playmakers (which is a VERY relative term). They're banking on CJ Beathard to be their savior at QB, but I'm not seeing it. They do have a good secondary and it will pain me greatly to see Nebraskan Drew Ott dominate our OL, but their offense should be anemic as hell. This should be a Black Friday blowout. Nebraska 30, Iowa 9
So there you have it. I've got us going 10-2 in the regular season, though I acknowledge we "could" slip up one additional time and end up 9-3 in the regular season. At the same time, we "could" lose just 1 regular season game and win the west. This is not a brutal schedule by any stretch of the imagination. The only game I just can't justify us winning at this point is Michigan State, but anything's possible at home. I am confident Mike Riley and his staff are competent enough to take the talent Bo left behind and run through this slate with great success.
Go Big Red!
BYU -- Obviously returns a very athletic QB in Taysom Hill, who has been criticized for his passing in the past but is said to be improved. Top RB Jamaal Williams returns and talented WR Mitch Matthews. Won its final four games last year (without Hill) after losing 4 straight in the middle of the season. All but one starting offensive lineman returns this season and all but one defensive starter. However, seven players will be suspended for their role in a bowl game brawl. Difficult to say how rusty Hill will be, but this is an experienced, dangerous team. Come on, homefield advantage! Prediction: Nebraska 27, BYU 24
Southern Alabama -- A very young program in just its 3rd fulltime year of D1 play, S. Ala. did almost beat Tennessee in 2013. The death of the Alabama-Birmingham program has been huge for S. Ala, as several of those players transferred to S. Ala. Included in that group is the QB who started at UAB last year and put up good numbers. Some good talent infusion shouldn't be nearly enough. Nebraska 38, S. Ala. 20
@ Miami -- Seven players were drafted from last year's team, including great back Duke Johnson, great receiver Dorsett and great LB Denzel Perryman. Three starting offensive linemen are gone from a team that lost its last four games last year and the program is under fire. The 'Canes do return talented soph. QB Brad Kaaya. There is, of course, plenty of Dade, Brevard and Palm county talent on the roster, so it's a dangerous game. I'd just really like to think we will be too physical, especially at DT. Nebraska 34, Miami 28
Southern Mississippi -- One of the worst programs in the country, S. Miss is 4-32 the last three years. Showed some improvement last year, going 3-9. Returns a 2,400 yard QB and its top four RBs. Top 3 defensive players are gone. Should be a cakewalk. Nebraska 45, S. Miss. 20
@ Illinois -- Before the season, I considered this a "trap game." QB Wes Lunt, talented WR Geronimo Allison (who hurt us last year) and talented RB Josh Ferguson (who hurt us) are back, as are five of their top 6 WRs and 5 OL. But their coach just got fired and it's hard to imagine they're strong enough up front. Nebraska 34, Illinois 24
Wisconsin -- The Badgers program is, to me, one of the marvels in American sports. Poorly recruited, athletically challenged and very unimaginative on both sides of the ball, they just win year after year. Again this year, I am shocked they're ranked. They return just two OL and lost their Heisman candidate back. Clement will be a great back but Stave is a putrid QB and his top target is yet another walk-on named Alex Erickson. There is very little threat at any other WR position. Two DL return, as does all-conference LB Vince Biegel and all-conference S Michael Caputo. The secondary will be strong. I'll be STUNNED if we lose this game, but I've been stunned before - 3 times to be exact. Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 17
@ Minnesota -- If ever there was an "Exhibit A" for how much coaching matters in college football, it has been the past two seasons when we've played these guys. They have outworked us, out-schemed us and worst of all, out-physicaled us. It has hurt to watch those games. The Gophers return ordinary QB Mitch Leidner but lose David Cobb and superstar TE Maxx Williams. The return 7 defensive starters and of course their great head coach. It pains me to think we could lose 3 straight to this program, but until our boys show me they can out-hit and out-want the mighty Gophers, I can't pick us on the road after the emotional win over Wisconsin. Minnesota 24, Nebraska 20
Northwestern -- No more Kain Colter, finally. Their other guy's gone, too. Redshirt freshman Clatyon Thossen, a dual threat, takes over at QB. Soph. RB Justin Jackson helped me win a college fantasy league last year and killed Wisconsin. He's really good. Dan Vitale, the TE/HB, is just the kind of gritty player who killed us in the Pelini era. This program is in a downward trajectory for now. We'll rebound after our first loss and play our best game in weeks. Nebraska 42, Northwestern 20
@ Purdue -- The ordinary fan may not see it, but Darrell Hazel is doing good job after inheriting a terrible program. He returns 16 starters from a 4-win team, including QB Austin Appleby. But Akeem Hunt has graduated. They'll continue to take baby steps forward, but not on this day. Nebraska 42, Purdue 31
Michigan State -- Well, what can we say? This is now one of the best programs in the nation and is at the point where it re-loads each year with very few hiccups. Gone are top two RBs Langford and Hill, as well as go-to WR Tony Lippett (a huge loss), but QB Conner Cook is one of the nation's best. Defensively, the top S and best CB (Trae Waynes) were drafted but 7 starters return on both sides of the ball. Shalique Calhoun (DL) could be a top 5 draft pick next April. And excited home crowd will help our boys keep it close for awhile, but we're not ready to slay this dragon just yet. Michigan State 45, Nebraska 35
@ Rutgers -- Danger Will Robinson! Sorry if you're too young to get that one but this is a trap game if ever there was one. Our hangover from the week before will not be cured, and it's a long road trip against an athletically dangerous team that went 8-5 last year. QB Gary Nova is gone, but WR Leante Carroo might be the best WR in the country. We all remember what he's capable of. Their top DE is a sack machine. This game makes me nervous as hell, but I'm banking on our physicality up front proving too much in the end. I see this as a barnburner. Nebraska 38, Rutgers 35 (OT)
Iowa -- If this isn't a blowout, I'll be very disappointed. This is a typical Iowa team, though it lost many of its top playmakers (which is a VERY relative term). They're banking on CJ Beathard to be their savior at QB, but I'm not seeing it. They do have a good secondary and it will pain me greatly to see Nebraskan Drew Ott dominate our OL, but their offense should be anemic as hell. This should be a Black Friday blowout. Nebraska 30, Iowa 9
So there you have it. I've got us going 10-2 in the regular season, though I acknowledge we "could" slip up one additional time and end up 9-3 in the regular season. At the same time, we "could" lose just 1 regular season game and win the west. This is not a brutal schedule by any stretch of the imagination. The only game I just can't justify us winning at this point is Michigan State, but anything's possible at home. I am confident Mike Riley and his staff are competent enough to take the talent Bo left behind and run through this slate with great success.
Go Big Red!
