SQJ Taipei

for 364 days.

I also could title this post “My 1st favorite team this year and forever” if I were to follow the naming convention from this earlier post about my 2nd favorite team.

The fact is… I posted about my newly adopted 2nd favorite team and intended to post on my favorite team… the Nebraska Cornhuskers… but got swamped with things to do. Too many things to even blog about the Huskers? Yep… it has been that crazy. The truth is… I don’t have time to write about this now either… but I’m so excited for tonight’s rematch with USC that I’m having trouble keeping focused on other things. Kinda like how I was with the TdF earlier in the summer.

Since I’m so slow to post this… I’ll have to give a recap on the first 2 games along with my outlook for the season.

The first game was a home game vs. Nevada. Nevada went to a bowl game last year, but their starting QB from last year is now in the NFL. They’ll still be a good team and will go to a bowl… but NU rolled. New QB didn’t have to do much in the air because the running game was rampaging up and down the field. Late in the 4th quarter, true freshman RB Roy Helu got in the game and would have scored if not for NU taking a knee. His cousin teaches PE at Bethany School, a missionary school here in Taipei. I’ve subbed for him a couple times. It has been fun to see Rex becoming a part of Husker Nation even from here in Taiwan.

The second game was a very stiff test at Wake Forest. Wake was in a BCS bowl last year and although they probably won’t be as good this year as last… they are a good team. They are solid in all areas and they have some playmakers on both sides of the ball. It is hard to go on the road against teams like Wake Forest. Although it was “ugly”, it was still a “W” and with Michigan’s season already in the dumps, and Georgia getting beat by some high school team and Notre Dame wondering where the magic has gone and basically any team that isn’t LSU, Florida or Oklahoma really wondering what they’ve got going this year… it is even more important to get that W and be sitting 2-0. I do wear Husker Red colored glasses… but I know ugly football when I see it… and NU showed a lot of ugly football last week. However… NU has several talented players and they grabbed that win. Teams from the last several years probably lose that game… but this team won it and overall it continues to confirm the thoughts of most observers… the Huskers are an improved team and just might be “back”.

Tonight against USC we find out a little more about this year’s team. The strange thing is that we really don’t know that much about USC yet. They got their own “kinda” ugly win 2 weeks ago vs. Idaho 38-10. Idaho won’t be good this year and USC didn’t really dominate like they probably should have. What does that game indicate… NOTHING. For all practical purposes, this game vs. NU is their opener.

Will they have the usual first game jitters and problems? Probably not. I believe that USC will be VERY VERY good. The line on this game is about 10 points and that is a pretty realistic margin, I think. The most likely outcome is USC to win about 31-21 or so…

BUT

Nebraska has its own playmakers this year… the offensive line is MUCH improved over last year… Keller is probably an upgrade from Taylor last year… the home crowd should be influential… and the Huskers definitely have a chance to be in this game and to win this game. To beat USC last season would have been a huge upset… to beat them this year would be a small upset at best.

USC is starting a true freshman at center and he has to go up against NU nose tackle, the manchild Ndamukong Suh. Good luck.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to watch the first 2 games over the internet and I think I’ll be able to get this one as well… at least until church starts! Yup… the game starts at 8AM Sunday and we have church here at 10AM. Maybe NU will have it all wrapped up by halftime so I won’t be tempted during our meeting!

Even with a loss to USC - especially a close loss - most of NU’s goals for the season remain in tact. It is not a “must win” game in terms of the success of the season. However, head coach Bill Callahan doesn’t have what might be called a “signature win” during his time at Nebraska. If he gets that win tonight, he’ll have won over all but the most bitter fans that still aren’t so sure about him marching in to Lincoln with his fancy West Coast Offense and not many ties to Husker Nation besides coaching with NU alum Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin. At least Wisconsin wore red and white.

As for the rest of the season. Of course it is hard to predict. Especially before seeing the game vs. USC. We’ll know more then of course. As of right now, it seems like NU can probably play with anyone on their remaining schedule. Texas and aTm worry me the most but OSU and Mizzou could both be tough games too. Even Kansas looks surprisingly good so far this year. It will be very difficult to win *all* those games. It is fun to know that NU has the talent to win them all though. All in all I guess I’d say that NU will finish 9-3 or 10-2 and face Oklahoma in the Big XII title game. OU is looking mighty good right now. Judging just by what has happened so far, I’d have to give that game to OU, but at 10-3 NU still might get a BCS bowl since there aren’t going to be any Boise States this year and ND probably won’t get their free pass.

As I’ve said before on this blog… I’ll write about NU football and other sports occasionally… but not much. It could take up all my time if I didn’t decide to just not post much about it! So… since I don’t know when I’ll post about Nebraska football again… let me give you some links and other media for you to enjoy, study, learn, get pumped up with, or whatever.

Here’s a great article about NU fans donating tickets to those who give us freedom to play the games.

Here’s an article specifically about this game with USC and what it would mean about NU football.

Here’s a very well written post about how NU Football has contributed to Nebraska’s character.

VIDS:

Beano Cook cites NU as a rare example of sportsmanship in sports today

Does anyone know of a Nebraska video on the web that is better than this one?

NU @ Wake Forest Highlights (it was an ugly win… sure… but still lots of great plays!)

NU v Nevada Highlights

2007 Tunnel Walk v Nevada (not as good as they used to be… but still pretty cool and I love the new intro)

NU @ aTm from 2006