^^^The Unofficial Capital One Bowl Pregame Thread^^^

[Hunter94]

I do not know what the spread for this game is, or will be come kickoff time... but I surmise that USC will be rather heavily favored. Of those in the media who have given their impartial predictions, all of them favor USC and several see the game as one that will not be overly contested. Here, of course, good wishes and projecting onto this team (NU) what we want them to be (rather than what they are) --- the very thing that fans tend normally to do --- will lead to a poll whereby more think NU will win than not. But... we in this poll are hardly impartial!

FWIW, like several of my colleagues on this board, I fall into the camp that says if the Huskers can play w/in a couple of touchdowns of USC that they would be doing pretty well. I hope that a Wisconsin/Michigan type blowout does not occur. It very well might. But anything can happen. Once more, which NU team shows up? Will it be the one that shows up 75% of the time, the unfocused, under-prepared, flat team that plays 2 - 2.5 quarters and cannot make adjustments? Or will it be the one that shows up 25% of the time that plays fairly tough, focused football? If it is the former, a blowout loss is likely. If it is the latter... and we get lucky and USC is flat.... then we have a shot. If USC is not flat, then even if a focused NU shows up, USC will win. Unless there are some turnovers and breaks that we catch. So... hope for one of the latter scenarios. Go Big Red.

hmmmmmmmm.........snowball's chance, eh? pretty good assessment, unfortunately.

 

[The Dude]

I do not know what the spread for this game is, or will be come kickoff time... but I surmise that USC will be rather heavily favored. Of those in the media who have given their impartial predictions, all of them favor USC and several see the game as one that will not be overly contested. Here, of course, good wishes and projecting onto this team (NU) what we want them to be (rather than what they are) --- the very thing that fans tend normally to do --- will lead to a poll whereby more think NU will win than not. But... we in this poll are hardly impartial!

FWIW, like several of my colleagues on this board, I fall into the camp that says if the Huskers can play w/in a couple of touchdowns of USC that they would be doing pretty well. I hope that a Wisconsin/Michigan type blowout does not occur. It very well might. But anything can happen. Once more, which NU team shows up? Will it be the one that shows up 75% of the time, the unfocused, under-prepared, flat team that plays 2 - 2.5 quarters and cannot make adjustments? Or will it be the one that shows up 25% of the time that plays fairly tough, focused football? If it is the former, a blowout loss is likely. If it is the latter... and we get lucky and USC is flat.... then we have a shot. If USC is not flat, then even if a focused NU shows up, USC will win. Unless there are some turnovers and breaks that we catch. So... hope for one of the latter scenarios. Go Big Red.

hmmmmmmmm.........snowball's chance, eh? pretty good assessment, unfortunately.

What makes you say that?

 

[panhandle husker]

Badger fan, thanks for taking the time on your assesment. I think most realistic NU fans feel we will be lucky to keep it close. Our defense is weak and Spurrier is all about O.

 

[walksalone]

I like out chances, they just don't have enough weapons outside of A Jeffery. If they had Lattimore, I'd be a hell of a lot more worried than I am now.

:bigredn: 21

SoCar 6

 

[Excel]

This will be interesting because while USC's Defense is quite good its Offense is lacking. NU is just kind of vanilla, but like a good vanilla, all around. Either way I think it'll be close. I don't feel comfortable calling it in either direction until I read up more...

 

[roundegotrip]

The flashes that we've seen from the defense in a few games tell me that the ability to shut an opponent down is there. Pelini's track record in bowl games tells me that he will have these guys ready to play. I see a return to form in this game. I think the defense's pride is on the line. I originally voted too close to call, but I'm going to go ahead and call a close win for Nebraska in a relatively low scoring game.

 

[garnetgoggles08]

I like out chances, they just don't have enough weapons outside of A Jeffery. If they had Lattimore, I'd be a hell of a lot more worried than I am now.

:bigredn: 21

SoCar 6

I am not saying that Brandon Wilds is the same type of player as Marcus Lattimore, BUT I think our run game has actually looked better at times with Wilds. I think alot of that has to do with Lattimore being injured within a couple of games of Shaw replacing Garcia though. When Garcia was our QB teams just had to stack the box and key on Lattimore because Garcia was just that bad in 2011. Anyways, my point is that our running game hasn't really suffered much of a dropoff in production since the loss of Lattimore.

 

[knapplc]

Here's what we're playing for. Hope there's room for it in the trophy case:

 

[sd'sker]

Here's what we're playing for. Hope there's room for it in the trophy case:

that's just the MVP trophy.

 

[Blackshirt96]

The human head weighs 8 pounds.

I have a toy pony he takes big sh!ts.

 

[ADS]

Too much speed up fron for USCe, Clowney is going to make some plays no matter what kind of protection we throw at him. Connor Shaw doesn't scare me through the air, but he is pretty athletic and we ahve had troubles with mobile QB's.

Nebraska-17

USCe-20

 

[Hunter94]

The flashes that we've seen from the defense in a few games tell me that the ability to shut an opponent down is there. Pelini's track record in bowl games tells me that he will have these guys ready to play. I see a return to form in this game. I think the defense's pride is on the line. I originally voted too close to call, but I'm going to go ahead and call a close win for Nebraska in a relatively low scoring game.

no koolaid for me, unfortunately Spurrier's kids will light up our defense........our only chance is if they turn the ball over, a bunch.