So was there a curse when we went 20+ years between National Championships?
The curse ensures NU will not have a season record better than the 2003 season. Solich was fired because 10-3 was not good enough. The Solich curse ensures NU will never be that good again. NU had many good seasons between National Championships. We keep thinking that improving position coaches, changing QBs, improving LB speed, etc will get NU over the hump, but it will not. NU will only be relevant again when the Solich curse is broken.
I think it had more to do with us having a 10-3 record. I mean look at it at more than just the record. You have to remember, Solich was given a FRANCHISE. He wasn't given a program he had to rebuild. I strongly believe Pederson wanted to fire him after 2002, but gave him one more year to win AT LEAST the division and take us to the CCG.
First year after winning the NCG.
1998- 9-4, No divisional title, no CCG. Lost our bowl game. Incomplete Season.
1999- 12-1. Win our division, win the CCG. Go the the Fiesta Bowl and win. Completed season.
2000- 10-2, No division title, no CCG. Won the Alamo Bowl. Despite the 2 losses, they were critical. Incomplete season.
2001- We win our division, but we lose the Big 12 CCG, in a BLOWOUT. Just like we did against Wisconsin this year. 36-62. We then, somehow found a way to the Rose Bowl, and got spanked by Miami. 14-37. Sure we made it to the NCG, but this season in my eyes was incomplete.
2002- We go 7-7. Not beating one ranked team. Didn't even win our division. No CCG and a crappy bowl. Incomplete season.
2003- 10-3. We beat 1 ranked (Okie St.) team. We then lose to Missouri (1st time ever) 34-41, Texas (the only other ranked opponent on our schedule) 7-31, and unranked K-State 9-38. We didn't win our division, once again, and didn't get to the CCG. No BCS. Incomplete season.
After 6 seasons, we had one complete season, and I guess you could argue '01 being one too if you think getting to the MNC with not winning your CCG, while losing in a blowout fashion is ok. At that time, it wasn't ok. Its still not ok, but its tolerated a little more, because Bo wasn't handed a fully built franchise.