** 2020 Opponent Previews : Northwestern (Game 3) **

Your annual reminder that the series with Northwestern has been close on the scoreboard - which is obviously the only thing that really matters - but significantly in Nebraska's favor everywhere else.  We have completely out-played most of the time but the fact that the games have been close has been much more about us shooting ourselves in the foot than about them playing well.

Until last year, we had out-yarded them by at least 140 yards in all of our wins.  

In 2015, we lost despite out-yarding them by 40

In 2018, we lost in overtime despite dominating the first 50 minutes of the game.

The 2017 game is the only time we've gotten really out-played at all in the last eight meetings.

If we take care of ourselves, we will likely take care of them.

Total Offense Yards vs. Northwestern

2011 (L): NU - 411; NW - 468

2012 (W): NU - 543; NW - 301

2013 (W): NU - 472; NW - 326

2014 (W): NU - 471; NW - 290

2015 (L): NU - 373; NW - 333

2016 (W): NU - 556; NW - 388

2017 (L/OT): NU - 337; NW - 475

2018 (L/OT): NU - 482; NW - 487

2019 (W): NU - 319; NW - 293

 
Mavric said:
Your annual reminder that the series with Northwestern has been close on the scoreboard - which is obviously the only thing that really matters - but significantly in Nebraska's favor everywhere else.  We have completely out-played most of the time but the fact that the games have been close has been much more about us shooting ourselves in the foot than about them playing well.

Until last year, we had out-yarded them by at least 140 yards in all of our wins.  

In 2015, we lost despite out-yarding them by 40

In 2018, we lost in overtime despite dominating the first 50 minutes of the game.

The 2017 game is the only time we've gotten really out-played at all in the last eight meetings.

If we take care of ourselves, we will likely take care of them.

Total Offense Yards vs. Northwestern

2011 (L): NU - 411; NW - 468

2012 (W): NU - 543; NW - 301

2013 (W): NU - 472; NW - 326

2014 (W): NU - 471; NW - 290

2015 (L): NU - 373; NW - 333

2016 (W): NU - 556; NW - 388

2017 (L/OT): NU - 337; NW - 475

2018 (L/OT): NU - 482; NW - 487

2019 (W): NU - 319; NW - 293
Click to expand...


Can't help saying this, the more glaring thing to me is.. we are 5-4 against them. who on this board thought we'd be 5-4 with northwestern 9 years into B1G conference play! IMO, shameful.. simply shameful but I also believe they're turning the corner and the huskers are rising. Finally!! (that is if the B1G doesn't B1G the program)

 
Loebarth said:
Can't help saying this, the more glaring thing to me is.. we are 5-4 against them. who on this board thought we'd be 5-4 with northwestern 9 years into B1G conference play! IMO, shameful.. simply shameful but I also believe they're turning the corner and the huskers are rising. Finally!! (that is if the B1G doesn't B1G the program)
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Eh, I don't think generally out-playing a team that has ended up a Top 25 team roughly half the time while struggling through the worst stretch of Husker football in decades is all that bad.  

 
Mavric said:
Eh, I don't think generally out-playing a team that has ended up a Top 25 team roughly half the time while struggling through the worst stretch of Husker football in decades is all that bad.  
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I disagree.. I think your statement reads as though a top 25 finish roughly 50% of the time is ok. Personally, I think a top 25 should occur 100% of the time. Anything less is unacceptable. Hence why I think its shameful that we are only 5-4 against the purple peeps.

 
Loebarth said:
I disagree.. I think your statement reads as though a top 25 finish roughly 50% of the time is ok. Personally, I think a top 25 should occur 100% of the time. Anything less is unacceptable. Hence why I think its shameful that we are only 5-4 against the purple peeps.
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If it is unacceptable, what is the remedy?  Every time we don't finish in the Top 25 everyone should be fired and start over?

 
Mavric said:
If it is unacceptable, what is the remedy?  Every time we don't finish in the Top 25 everyone should be fired and start over?
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did I say that? No.. in fact, my original comment shows a positive reflection of what I feel is coming. My comment is: going 5-4 over the first 9 years is shameful. We should be and soon will be better than that. The rebuild is slow but the foundation is strengthening.

 
Mavric said:
I didn't say you said that.  I asked a question.  Curious to see if you answer.
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D'oh... I misread it..

My response would be.. monitor growth, monitor both perceived and unseen perceptions. A confidence was missing so work on that by installing it via conviction in the process. Reward when its necessary, Discipline when its needed. Recruiting the right minded athletes with the necessary skills. Constantly evaluate the staff and be not afraid of making a change if its needed. Ask the administration to be patient but give them reason to be so. Ask the fans to raise the program, honor the tradition, stand with the process while also explaining why they should and yes, if the administration, the fans and the athletes sense less than a change may be needed. 

Frost's proven he's doing these things and in so, recruiting is elevating, fans are supporting, athletes are responding. Hence the reason my optimism is so high! 

 
Shameful is a strong word imo for holding a winning record over any B1G west team when considering the coaching issues we have had recently. 

Since joining the B1G-

VS Iowa we are 3-6

VS Wiscy we are 1-8

VS NW we are 5-4

VS Purdue we are 4-3

VS Minn we are 5-4

VS Ill we are 6-1

What is shameful, IMO, is our win/loss record vs Iowa and Wisconsin since joining. 

 
The numbers say NW defense is pretty stout after 2 games.  I feel like we find ways to move the ball on them, then go backwards 15 yards from penalties.  And then we add in some turnovers.  Plus you sprinkle in 3-5 big offensive plays by NW that gut our Defense, even though the Blackshirts play pretty solid.  And finally a late FG or TD by them to win the game. 

And afterwards we are like, what just happened

 
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Mavric said:
Your annual reminder that the series with Northwestern has been close on the scoreboard - which is obviously the only thing that really matters - but significantly in Nebraska's favor everywhere else.  We have completely out-played most of the time but the fact that the games have been close has been much more about us shooting ourselves in the foot than about them playing well.

Until last year, we had out-yarded them by at least 140 yards in all of our wins.  

In 2015, we lost despite out-yarding them by 40

In 2018, we lost in overtime despite dominating the first 50 minutes of the game.

The 2017 game is the only time we've gotten really out-played at all in the last eight meetings.

If we take care of ourselves, we will likely take care of them.

Total Offense Yards vs. Northwestern

2011 (L): NU - 411; NW - 468

2012 (W): NU - 543; NW - 301

2013 (W): NU - 472; NW - 326

2014 (W): NU - 471; NW - 290

2015 (L): NU - 373; NW - 333

2016 (W): NU - 556; NW - 388

2017 (L/OT): NU - 337; NW - 475

2018 (L/OT): NU - 482; NW - 487

2019 (W): NU - 319; NW - 293
Click to expand...


Also, we've only won the turnover battle against them twice - 2011 and last year.  In 2012 and 2013 we won despite being -3 in turnovers both years.  If we can play better there, it obviously makes a huge difference.

In addition, we've only had fewer penalties than them once, in 2014.  Never had fewer penalty yards.  That seems unlikely to change but at least minimizing it would be helpful.  We played pretty clean for about 25 minutes against Ohio State until we had four refs throwing flags to make sure stuff got called.

 
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