Instant Analysis - Nov. 21
Nebraska 17 ... Kansas State 3
Pete
Fiutak
C’mon … you really didn’t want to see Kansas State vs. Texas.
Bill Snyder did a nice job of getting the Wildcats to 6-6, but two of the wins came over FCS teams, one came over Colorado, and three came against the purest definition of mediocre bowl eligible squads: Iowa State, Texas A&M, and Kansas. There was a lot of spunk in this team, and there were chances against the Huskers, but for the good of college football, it’s going to be far more interesting to see what this Nebraska defense can do to screw up the national title discussion.
As this game so painfully proved, Nebraska has no shot whatsoever of beating Texas in any sort of a shootout. The Huskers were outgained 293 to 267, but the defense has the potential to get to Colt McCoy on a regular basis, it has the speed and quickness in the secondary to hang around with the Longhorn receivers, and it’ll have the nobody-believes-in-us attitude that will be drilled into its head for the next two weeks.
The Colorado game next week is all about tuning up for the Longhorns. Zac Lee has to be able to do more for the downfield passing game, and this has to be used as a live scrimmage to try out some new wrinkles and come up with a few new ideas in case the defense isn’t working at its highest level. But with the way the Huskers have played all year, Texas should be worried. Meanwhile, Kansas State can use the extra time not spent dealing with a bowl game to work on getting a better schedule.
Richard
Cirminiello
The only bad thing you can say about Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh this season? He’s been so doggone good all year, he overshadowed the play of sophomore Jared Crick, his partner on the interior of the Husker line.
Sure, Crick has benefited from all of the attention that No. 93 receives, but that can’t diminish what he’s accomplished in his first full season of action, leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss. The tackle part of that equation is a real eye-opener for an inside lineman. More important, he’s making opposing teams pay for throwing so much attention at Suh, with a combination of speed, strength, and intensity that’s often too much for one blocker.
Kansas State became the latest victim to succumb to a Nebraska defense that’s as good as any in America, and more than just Suh and Crick. Only once all season has an opponent dented the Huskers for more than 17 points, and six have failed to reach double-digits, including the Wildcats in Lincoln. Sprinkle in the Pelini brothers’ knack for defending spread offenses, and Texas could have its hands full in two weeks. Hey, beating the ‘Horns won’t come easy, but that air-tight Blackshirt D gives reason to hope for national championship wannabes, like TCU and Cincinnati. And cause for concern for at-large hopefuls, like Boise State and Oklahoma State.
Matt Zemek
1) When you commit only one turnover instead of – oh, I don’t know – EIGHT against a mediocre Big 12 North opponent (Iowa State) at home, you just might win. Imagine that.
2) If the Heisman Trophy really, really, really is supposed to determine the most outstanding player in college football, Ndamukong Suh deserves a seat at the Downtown Athletic Club on Dec. 12 in New York. Maybe Rolando McClain of Alabama should get an invite, but this much needs to be said: In one of the least enthralling Heisman races of all time, surely a defensive player should be named as one of three to five finalists for the award.