Whose 2012 season would you rather have?

Whose season would you rather have had, Nebraska's or Wisconsin's?

  • Nebraska's: 10-4 with two blowout losses, losing your final two games

    Votes: 38 65.5%

  • Wisconsin's: 8-6, no blowout losses, Big Ten Champs, Rose Bowl

    Votes: 20 34.5%
  • Total voters
    58
EZ-E said:
If we would have beaten Georgia does the mood change?????
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If we beat Georgia, even by a point. Even if it was 52-45, the CCG would be viewed as a fluke by the kool-aid crowd. But the guys that we label as "debbie downers" would still be questioning many things. Kinda like after every other game, and not wrong either way.

The national media however would have their obvious excuses how Georgia didnt care or wanna be there, and instead of it being chalked up as a win for the Big 10 over the SEC, the game would be scratched alltogether.

 
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1. This has been brought up before you are penalizing Wisconsin for running a program that didn't cheat and played by the rules.

2. their starting qb went out early in the Big 10 schedule. So they essentially played with their backup.

3. If Ohio St. and Penn St. are eligible can you say that Wisconsin still loses? what if they didn't lose their starting qb?

4. Bielema made changes that were necessary to get Wisconsin in the position to win during the season like firing his 0-line coach.

Normally i would pick ours but Bo has been there and done that. winning 10 games every year isn't something new. 9 game wins a year is overrated when we get blown out. Wisconsin is ahead of us in terms of playing the tough games close. They kept Stanford close the whole game. sure 10-4 sounds better than 8-6 but when you are playing in a weaker division and barely beating the bottom feeders then there is something wrong still. Now if we had a history of playing these teams yearly i would understand. I understood when Colorado played us tough even when they were bad. But in the end when we had a chance to cap our season with a conference championship against an 8-6 team we failed hard. We let them run over us. I don't care that Bo said he prepared his team for that game. He didn't. 70-31 isn't a fluke score. Wisconsin game out ready to play and prove themselves that they belonged in the conference championship no matter what other people thought.

 
I chose our season, and I don't really even see how the two can be close. For starters, the season was messed up for the B1G because two teams weren't even eligible. Then, we get into how Wisconsin had to find a new coach. The bowl game is still part of the season, and their coach didn't even coach in it. Yeah, part of me would be intrigued to see TO on the sidelines again in the bowl game. However, I'm nausiated by the thought of another coaching search. The reason I don't even see them as being close stems from having to find another coach.

 
I have to reiterate this: It seems that people are okay with letting Wisconsin make the same excuses that wouldn't be tolerable if NU made them.

 
Wisconsin has had several seasons like Nebraska's 2012 showing and I'm just kind of sick of it. It's not a horrible season, at least not by Wisconsin's standards, but its got me to the point where I'm tired of seeing it. I'd rather have Wisconsin's 2012, even with the six losses, than Nebraska's just because of the Championshp...now had we not won it I'd say the opposite.

This is a difficult question, were I a Nebraska fan I'd probably say I'd prefer Nebraska's....I don't know, its all about your perspective. Neither was a stellar season.

I don't think that there should be any debate about the validity of our championship because of how convincingly we won.

Did we take the same path that Nebraska took to the game? No and nobody is claiming that we had the best season in the Big Ten but we won the game that determines the league's champion by 39 points. That should settle the question of whether we "deserved to be there"...we got there because one school cheated and the other harbored what may be one of the largest criminal and moral scandals in American athletics, those things aren't our fault.

 
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I said Wisconsin due to their improvement through the season. I was close to saying Nebraska due to the play in the bowl game, but still giving up 600 yards just does not resonate as success. Kids showed heart, but heart does not compare to talent sometimes. Hopefully the new kids are as good as we hear, they are going to need to be for us to get over the hump.

In honesty, I was quite happy with the game with Georgia, we played one of the toughest teams in the country and played right with them for quite awhile. This year they are picked number three and some are saying they are the team to beat for the MNC. Even bama fans.

We just need to finish games. Our offense should be good, still the question is the defense, and if Bo truly knows defense, with talent we should be better this year. I say we make the CCG, but I do not at this time see us beating Ohio State, which I feel will be that sides winner. Tough game against UCLA, should give us some idea of what we have. Michigan will be for all the marbles if the season goes as many expect. I am not sure about that yet, UCLA will make my decision.

 
It's hard to argue that Wisconsin's season wasn't a success. I mean they fired coaches early in the season, lost close games, won a title and had to replace their superstar qb. Am I still a bit bitter about that title game...sure...I mean you get to rest your team for several weeks and scheme for the title game because the top two teams in your division were ineligible.

Nebraska's season was up and down too. Although the only real low that Wisconsin had was a bunch of losses that were close. We managed to pull out our many close games.

Since I have to pick one, I'll take ours. Wisconsin's season feels tainted and underachieving...ours just feels underachieving...

 
irafreak said:
It's hard to argue that Wisconsin's season wasn't a success. I mean they fired coaches early in the season, lost close games, won a title and had to replace their superstar qb. Am I still a bit bitter about that title game...sure...I mean you get to rest your team for several weeks and scheme for the title game because the top two teams in your division were ineligible.

Nebraska's season was up and down too. Although the only real low that Wisconsin had was a bunch of losses that were close. We managed to pull out our many close games.

Since I have to pick one, I'll take ours. Wisconsin's season feels tainted and underachieving...ours just feels underachieving...
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It doesn't feel like either of those things to me at all. Wisconsin had a terrific end to the season and was much better than I expected. I got to see Alvarez coach again in a Rose Bowl I didn't expect us to reach in a season where we lost loads of talent and coaches. We may have underachieved compared to the last few years but we overachieved when measured against most fans' expectations at the beginning of the season.

As far as it being "tainted" I think that's something felt more by OSU, PSU and maybe some Nebraska fans, who feel they were somehow screwed out of the title. It felt great to me.

 
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kchusker_chris said:
MichiganDad3 said:
Bo may have been fired. Wisconsin lost 3 of their last 4 regular season games, so Wisconsin was not showing any improvement going into the CCG. Wisconsin's only bright spot in 2012 was the beat down of NU, unless you consider a blowout of Indiana something to celebrate.
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you obviously didn't watch their game against OSU, or the one against Penn. You can look at the schedule and see a loss, but they were a completely different team in the second half of the season than they were in the first where they blew a lead to NU, barely go by Northern Iowa/Utah State/UTEP. And when was the last time you saw Nebrsaka blow out a BCS team...even one such as Indiana? Prolly 2010, Washington/KSU/Colorado. We've fallen a long ways since that season as a team. Even with our top 10 offense...putting games away by 20-30 points is going to be rare this season. Expect to be on the edge of your seat all 4 quarters again this year. Should make for a lot of fun games if nothing else.
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Of course I didn't watch the Wisconsin games you mentioned. The only Wisconsin games I have ever watched were against the Huskers. Regardless, expectations are high at NU, and a 7-5 regular season with losses in 3 of the final 4 games would have many NU fans and boosters in riot mode.

 
If you truly watched Nebraska six win streak, you know as well as I do that we were lucky several times, and could have been in that situation. It was what I felt would happen at the beginning of the season. Just had little faith in last year. It turned out I was wrong, but could have ended very badly for the Huskers with a few plays going the other way and a few calls. But that is football, a win is win.

I do not see Wisconsin as a tainted team. They played everyone, played Ohio State much closer than we did if I remember correctly. That was the test for me. If Ohio State blew them out, then maybe a little less stellar, but the Badgers gave Ohio State all they could take. Us not so much. Of course this is one of the those games where they were just playing the game and really concentrating on Nebraska. Yea sure.

Give respect where it is due. We had a season, that you were wondering every second what would happen, win/lose, team show up, prepared. Wisconsin came to every game ready to play, improved on their game through out the season. I do not think you can say the same for Nebraska.

 
We pulled out wins when we needed them on that six game winning streak, luck or no luck. I'd say the only win that was really lucky was Michigan, as Denard being out did alter that game.

Northwestern--Down 28-16 with 6:00 to play, the offense took the field and scored. Then the defense stopped Northwestern. Then our offense scored again. Yes, they missed that field goal, but that's part of the game. We won that game without luck.

Michigan State--Down 24-14 with 7:00 to play, Taylor scampered for 35 yards. Our defense stopped the Spartans from scoring the rest of the game. Then our offense converted a crucial 4th down. Then with respect to the pass interference (that was iffy, as were most of the calls in that game) Taylor connected with Jamal for the game winning touchdown. We won that without luck.

Penn State--Down 20-6 going into the second half, our offense marched down the field, scoring on Imani's 1 yard run to cut it to 20-13. Stafford then intercepted McGloin, returning it to the 6 yard line before Imani punched in another 2 yard touchdown run to tie the game. Penn State scored a field goal, and then was shut out in the fourth quarter. We won that without luck.

But I get it, when our offense doesn't convert it's terrible execution attributed to the head coach. When our offense does convert, it's luck.

 
Bye Bye Big XII said:
We pulled out wins when we needed them on that six game winning streak, luck or no luck. I'd say the only win that was really lucky was Michigan, as Denard being out did alter that game.

Northwestern--Down 28-16 with 6:00 to play, the offense took the field and scored. Then the defense stopped Northwestern. Then our offense scored again. Yes, they missed that field goal, but that's part of the game. We won that game without luck.

Michigan State--Down 24-14 with 7:00 to play, Taylor scampered for 35 yards. Our defense stopped the Spartans from scoring the rest of the game. Then our offense converted a crucial 4th down. Then with respect to the pass interference (that was iffy, as were most of the calls in that game) Taylor connected with Jamal for the game winning touchdown. We won that without luck.

Penn State--Down 20-6 going into the second half, our offense marched down the field, scoring on Imani's 1 yard run to cut it to 20-13. Stafford then intercepted McGloin, returning it to the 6 yard line before Imani punched in another 2 yard touchdown run to tie the game. Penn State scored a field goal, and then was shut out in the fourth quarter. We won that without luck.

But I get it, when our offense doesn't convert it's terrible execution attributed to the head coach. When our offense does convert, it's luck.
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Your absolutely right. Good point. +1

I can't believe some tool can go around continuously insulting others and gets away with it, but every time I make a comment about what a complete POS I think he is, my comment gets deleted?

 
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Bye Bye Big XII said:
We pulled out wins when we needed them on that six game winning streak, luck or no luck. I'd say the only win that was really lucky was Michigan, as Denard being out did alter that game.

Northwestern--Down 28-16 with 6:00 to play, the offense took the field and scored. Then the defense stopped Northwestern. Then our offense scored again. Yes, they missed that field goal, but that's part of the game. We won that game without luck.

Michigan State--Down 24-14 with 7:00 to play, Taylor scampered for 35 yards. Our defense stopped the Spartans from scoring the rest of the game. Then our offense converted a crucial 4th down. Then with respect to the pass interference (that was iffy, as were most of the calls in that game) Taylor connected with Jamal for the game winning touchdown. We won that without luck.

Penn State--Down 20-6 going into the second half, our offense marched down the field, scoring on Imani's 1 yard run to cut it to 20-13. Stafford then intercepted McGloin, returning it to the 6 yard line before Imani punched in another 2 yard touchdown run to tie the game. Penn State scored a field goal, and then was shut out in the fourth quarter. We won that without luck.

But I get it, when our offense doesn't convert it's terrible execution attributed to the head coach. When our offense does convert, it's luck.
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I really don't think you have an understanding at all on the underlying cause of outcomes or what "luck" means in this discussion.

It is absolutely false to say that luck played no part in any of the victories you listed, and it would be just as wrong to say that luck played no part in any of our losses. You can't control everything that happens in a game, and are going to be susceptible to random events. Part of the allure of sports is that success is measured in short, choppy intervals. When you have ONE GAME there is going to be a team that has to win and one that has to lose, but that does not mean the same thing would happen 100% of the time. Any (inevitable) deviation from that is luck.

You even mentioned several specifics that fit this exact definition. Do you really think the Northwestern kicker could NEVER make that kick? Do you think the refs are always going to give us the pass interference calls? Or that they would always have ruled the Penn State player didn't break the plane? Just because a certain outcome happened does not mean it was 100% because of something you did. And if you can't control absolutely everything that goes in to deciding an outcome, what else would you call that other than luck?

 
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