Wally's fearless prediction:
Nevada will be starting a new quarterback and a third string center when they come to
Lincoln to face the Huskers in front of the largest crowd they have ever seen before.
That sounds daunting enough, but the Wolf Pack have faced top programs before, having been narrowly defeated by Miami 21-20 in last season's MPC Computers Bowl. But Nebraska
is simply no match for Nevada and will roll this very young Wolf Pack team.
Series history: Teams have never met
Last game: N/A
Nevada's record in 2006: 8-5
Nevada lost to Miami 20-21 in MPC Computers Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
The Huskers showed flashes of some great football today, but this was a very sloppy game
as many first games tend to be. Just ask Michigan {snicker}. Plenty of mental errors
all around and too many dropped passes and stupid penalties. Nevada is not a bad team
but they are very young and were missing some key players. That said, there is no way
Nebraska should have allowed them to keep the game that close in the first half. An intercepted pass returned 80 yards for a touchdown tends to have that effect. Marlon
Lucky had a career day and true freshman Quentin Castille is going to have a huge impact
before his days at Nebraska are done. Sam Keller's debut was a bit shaky initially but he settled down and ran the offense effectively. All in all a pretty good start for NU.
A few more comments and observations:
* Steve Octavien is a beast! He was in the Wolf Pack backfield all day long.
* Adi Kunalic has a cannon for a leg. He may kick one out of the stadium this year!
* So much for the third quarter letdowns. The Huskers exploded after halftime.
* I cannot wait to see Mo Purify in this offense with Sam Keller.
* No sacks today. Zac Taylor must be wondering what that is like.
* 589 yards of net total offense for Nebraska isn't too shabby!
* Marlon Lucky will be named the Big 12 player of the week.
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 31 Wake Forest 17 Actual score: Nebraska 20 Wake Forest 17
Sept 8 in Winston-Salem
1
2
3
4
F
Nebraska
3
10
7
0
20
Wake Forest
0
10
7
0
17
Wally's fearless prediction:
The Demon Deacons are coming off a tough loss at Boston College and will be looking
for redemption against the Cornhuskers. Riley Skinner, Wake Forest's starting QB, is
sidelined with a separated shoulder and won't play after throwing for 236 yards and 3
interceptions the previous week. This does not bode well for the defending ACC
champions considering they amassed a whopping one yard on the ground against BC.
This is an opportunity for Nebraska to show they can win on the road, but I just wish they
could do it against a team at full strength. Brett Hodges is a capable backup at QB and
will give the Blackshirt secondary a very difficult test, and a whole bunch of interceptions.
Series history: Nebraska is 2-0 over Wake Forest
Last game: 2005 - Nebraska won 31-3 in Lincoln
Wake Forest's record in 2006: 11-3
Wake lost to Louisville 13-24 in the Orange Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
The road woes continue as the Huskers escaped Winston-Salem with a three
point win. Sam Keller looked very shaky at QB today despite completing 23 of 39 passes.
Wake Forest's defense shut down NU's running game and forced the Huskers to the air, but
overthrown balls to wide-open receivers and dropped passes again plagued the offense. A
crucial interception by Zack Bowman in the fourth quarter saved the day, just as it
looked
as if the Deacs were going to pull off the upset. The Blackshirts gave up an embarassing
236 yards on the ground to a team that managed only 2 rushing yards the previous week.
Maybe the Cornhuskers were saving all the good stuff for USC next week? Yeah, right.
A few more comments and observations:
* 3 of 15 on third down conversions for NU says all you need to know about this game.
* The Blackshirts gave up some big plays today, but defense still won this game.
* An ugly win is still a beautiful thing, because it is a win.
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 28 Southern Cal 21 Actual score: Nebraska 31 Southern Cal 49
Sept 15 in Lincoln
1
2
3
4
F
USC
7
14
21
7
49
Nebraska
7
3
0
21
31
Wally's fearless prediction:
Let the hype and media frenzy begin! The USC Trojans are coming to Lincoln and they are
bringing their ESPN Game Day lapdogs with them. Lee Corso will put on a stupid Trojan
hat and proclaim Southern Cal to be the greatest team to ever grace the gridiron. USC is
a very good team and the Huskers will have to play flawless football to beat them. Is this
the game that finally gets Bill Callahan and Nebraska over the proverbial 'hump'? YES!
I have never predicted a Nebraska loss and am not about to start now. Huskers win in Lincoln.
Series history: Nebraska is 0-2-1 against USC
Last game: 2006 - USC won 28-10 in Los Angeles
USC's record in 2006: 11-2, beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl 32-18
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
As much as Bill Callahan didn't want to label this game a measuring stick for the progress
of the Nebraska program, it was. The Huskers obviously still have a long ways to go. Callahan has upgraded recruiting over the past several years but the gap in talent and
speed was all too evident tonight. Oh, the speed! USC took that measuring stick and bludgeoned NU over the head with it. Give USC credit because they deserve a #1 ranking. Despite the disappointing setback, all of Nebraska's stated goals are still intact.
A few more comments and observations:
* USC scored so quickly that NU actually lead in time of possession
* Sam Keller had a decent game but it wasn't nearly enough
* I have never seen holes as big as the ones the USC RBs were running through
* USC just toyed with Cosgrove's defense. The poor tackling was an embarrassment
* The lack of sacks this season by the Blackshirts is very disappointing
* This game was not nearly as close as the final score indicates
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 49 Ball State 10 Actual score: Nebraska 41 Ball State 40
Sept 22 in Lincoln
1
2
3
4
F
Ball State
0
10
21
9
40
Nebraska
7
7
14
13
41
Wally's fearless prediction:
This is the perfect opponent for a Husker team that is licking their wounds after a bad
beatdown by USC. Now is the time for Nebraska to step it up and regroup before the start
of the conference schedule. Hopefully, the coaches can remind the team how to block and
tackle before Saturday. Otherwise, I will demand a $30 refund for the cost of the pay-per-view.
Series history: Nebraska has never player Ball State
Last game: N/A
Ball State's record in 2006: 5-7
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
There are pictures of the Blackshirts on the side of milk cartons. Posters on telephone
poles plead for their safe return. Where can they be? Certainly not in Memorial Stadium
today as the Ball State Cardinals bulldozed their way to 610 yards of offense. Wow, what
an embarrassment for the defense. 610 yards to Testicle Tech?! The only bright spot for
the defense was Bo Ruud's interception and return for a touchdown. Sam Keller had a career
day as he passed for a school record 438 yards on 29 of 37 attempts with three TDs, but it
almost wasn't enough. The offense did their job for the most part, but a measly 114 yards on the ground against BSU has to make these coaches scratch their collective heads.
A few more comments and observations:
* This may have been the most pathetic home crowd in Nebraska football history
* If you don't think kicking extra points matters, just ask Ball State
* #24 Nebraska will deservedly drop from the Top 25 this week
* On a positive note, Appalacian State is not on Nebraska's schedule
* Where oh where are the Blackshirts?
* Sam Keller is a big time QB
* Booing inside Memorial Stadium is disgraceful
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 49 Iowa State 21 Actual score: Nebraska 35 Iowa State 17
September 29 in Lincoln
1
2
3
4
F
Iowa State
3
7
0
7
17
Nebraska
0
14
14
7
35
Wally's fearless prediction:
Iowa State comes to Lincoln 1-3 after coming off a one point loss at Toledo, the program's seventh consecutive road loss. ISU is overmatched, but so was Ball State
and we all know how that turned out. The Cyclones rank last in the league offensively but this game could become a shootout if the Blackshirts don't get their act together.
Series history: Nebraska is 83-16-2 against Iowa State
Last game: 2006, Nebraska won 28-14
Last Iowa State victory: 2004, 27-34 in Ames
Iowa State's record in 2006: 4-8
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
Man that was ugly. Turnovers have a way of doing that. Who knows how far these Huskers
can go if they would only stop beating themselves. The Blackshirt defense won this game
for Nebraska because the offense just couldn't get things going until the second half.
Iowa State lead in time of possession by almost 50% and had 28 first downs to NU's 17.
Are you kidding me, and we still won? Whew, we'll take it but there are no gimmes left
on the Huskers' schedule. Parity has found a home in the Big 12. Just ask Texas or OU.
A few more comments and observations:
* Maybe Coz earned some job security today. Naahhh.
* Corey McKeon sure seemed like he was having fun again!
* Nebraska could win or lose every single game left on their schedule.
* Three sacks today. At least now the Blackshirts know what a QB feels like.
* All these dropped passes must really be pissing off Sam Keller.
* The defense looked much better, but c'mon, it's Iowa State.
Wally's fearless prediction:
This game promises to be a shootout since neither team has shown a lick of defense so far this season. As expected, Missouri is undefeated coming into the matchup but their
schedule to date is highly suspect. The game is in Columbia, at night, and the Tigers are
favored by seven points. But, never underestimate the Pinkel factor. He has never had a
winning record in the Big 12 and is an underwhelming 1-15 against top 25 opponents. This
is a big game but not quite the battle for the Big 12 North championship that it was made out
to be before the season. Any one of five teams could still represent the North in San Antonio.
Series history: Nebraska is 63-34-3 against Missouri
Last game: 2006, Nebraska won 34-20 in Lincoln
Last Missouri victory: 2005, 41-24 in Columbia
Missouri's record in 2006: 8-5
MU lost to Oregon State 38-39 in the Sun Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
Nebraska made the 11th ranked defense in the Big 12 look like the Steel Curtain. We knew
the defense had issues, but where was the Husker offense tonight? It was a given that
Mizzou would get 40+ points, but two field goals for Nebraska? Are you freaking kidding
me? The sad thing is that Nebraska came out just as flat in the second half as they looked in the first. This embarrassing blowout was much worse than the score indicates.
There is just nothing positive to take away from this game. Not one single thing.
A few more comments and observations:
* A 3-man rush? Daniel was sitting back there in a lawn chair sipping Mai Tais!
* Nebraska's offensive line was horrible tonight.
* Keller was locking in on receivers and telegraphing his passes.
* No defensive adjustments again this week is just inexcusable.
* Pig Brown should have been ejected from the game for that cheap shot.
* Did you catch the MU fan's ESPN sign? Third-grade humor is hilarious.
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 28 Oklahoma State 17 Actual score: Nebraska 14 Oklahoma State 45
October 13 in Lincoln
1
2
3
4
F
Oklahoma State
17
21
0
7
45
Nebraska
0
0
0
14
14
Wally's fearless prediction:
Nebraska's gameplan for OSU is to have some newspaper hack write a goofy column so Mike Gundy can blow another gasket. Sipple, are you out there? We need ya, man.
Oklahoma State is not a very good team, despite their 'almost' win at Colley Station.
This is a game where the Huskers need to regroup themselves and win. Nevermind the parity
crappola, just win the games you are supposed to win. This is definitely one of them.
Series history: Nebraska leads 36-4-1
Last game: 2006, OSU won 24-41 in Stillwater
Last OSU victory: 2006
OSU's record in 2006: 7-6
OSU beat Alabama 34-31 in the Independence Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
I have nothing nice to say about today. Nothing! Okay, the band sounded pretty good.
This team has quit on the coaches, or vice verse. There is no other way to explain
this steaming pile of poo that the Huskers have become over last few weeks. They are
better than this! Major changes need to be made, and they will be made, because there
is way too much talent on this team to explain what is happening. The players are just
not motivated to execute, for whatever reasons. There is just no excuse for this. None.
A few more comments and observations:
* Quentin Castille was a lone bright spot. Q is going to be special
* Coz is done. The only question is when the hammer will fall
* Worst home loss since 1958: Missouri 31, Nebraska 0
* Headline at Huskers.com: 'Castille Posts First Career 100-Yard Game in Loss'.
Props to Q, but that headline is nothing more than turd polishing
Wally's fearless prediction:
If you are looking for a fan base more down on their coach and football team than Nebraska, you need look no further than to the Aggie faithful. One Aggie fan characterized the match up between Callahan and Franchione as "two retards playing chess". Ouch! The mentally challenged will surely object to being lumped into that group. This game is a 'must win' for the Huskers. Finding two wins to become bowl
eligible on the remainder of Nebraska's schedule is difficult to do. Coaches Cally and Fran are finding their respective seats a bit warmer after blowout losses this weekend
and need a win in the worst way. The Huskers will be slightly favored only because of
the home field advantage, but Memorial Stadium hasn't exactly been kind to Nebraska this season. This is a game between two teams that have been beaten and battered both
physically and emotionally. The Huskers will win by seven in a pillow fight.
Series history: Nebraska is 10-2 against Texas A&M
Last game: 2006, Nebraska won 28-27
Last Texas A&M victory: 1998, 28-21 in College Station
Texas A&M's record in 2006: 9-4
A&M lost to Cal 45-10 in the Holiday Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
The Huskers had plenty of chances to take control of this game but just could not finish
as the Aggies ran to their first win in Lincoln since 1955. If Callahan's fate had not
already been sealed before this game, it most certainly is now. Cally and Coz relieved
themselves from playcalling duties today but the result was just more of the same. I may
have been one of Callahan's last supporters but I am going to have to take a raincheck on
helping him load the U-Haul truck next weekend. This game was still winnable at halftime,
but the Huskers made zero adjustments and came out flat once again after the half. The
idea of loading the box to stop Jorvorskie Lane may have occurred to everyone except the
Nebraska coaches as he ran 35 times for a career-high 167 yards. It is obvious that these players have quit on the coaches and it is time to cut the losses and rebuild.
A few more comments and observations:
* The winner of the 'Caption This' contest of the above photo is:
"What is that crusty old F*** doing on my sidelines! Isn't there a flag for that?!"
* Turnovers were game killers today, as is usually the case
* Dropping a fair catch is the very definition of bad mojo
* Bowl game? You may want to book that ski trip instead
* Another career-high day for opposing teams and players against the Blackshirts
Wally's fearless prediction:
There never is a good time to be heading to Austin for a road game, but on the heels of three consecutive beatdowns by mediocre teams is really not a good time.
The Longhorns are looking to climb their way back up the polls and the floundering Huskers are looking like cannon fodder. This game could very well be over by halftime.
Series history: Nebraska is 4-7 against Texas
Last game: 2006, Texas won 22-20
Last Texas victory: 2006 in Lincoln
Texas' record in 2006: 10-3
UT beat Iowa in the Alamo Bowl 26-24
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
Dr. Jekyl, meet Mr. Hyde. The Husker defense played lights out today and it worked for
three quarters against a very good Texas Longhorn offense. Two big plays by Jamaal Charles against a tired Blackshirt defense late in the final quarter sealed the Huskers'
fate. Nobody gave Nebraska a chance to win this game, including me. People expected them to lay down like a stripper at a Duke lacrosse party but they fought
hard and almost pulled out the win. NU showed Texas a defensive look they hadn't seen on
film but the Longhorns finally caught on in the 4th quarter and it was off to the races.
A few more comments and observations:
* People are already blaming Keller, but 2 sacks and a fumble is all on the O-line
* Nate Swift had a huge game today! Six catches for 112 yds and two Touchdowns
* Wasn't it great to see Joey Ganz lead that Husker touchdown drive?
* Bongwhorn fans were booing their team - the Huskers must have felt right at home
* I was proud of the way the Huskers played through adversity today, despite the loss
* Another career high for an opposing player - 290 rushing yards for Jamaal Charles
* When you live by the blitz you sometimes die by the blitz
Wally's fearless prediction:
I am not sure what to make of this pack of overachieving Jayhawks. On paper, they do
not have near the talent of other top 10 teams, or even Nebraska for that matter. What
they do have are intangibles like heart, teamwork and determination – things that have
been sorely lacking in the Cornhuskers this season. Joe Ganz gets his first ever start against a Kansas defense that has given up only two rushing touchdowns all season and
is the nation's #2 scoring defense and #6 rushing defense. It could be a long afternoon.
Series history: Nebraska leads 88-22-3
Last game: 2006, NU won in Lincoln 39-32 in OT
Last KU victory: 2005, KU won 40-15
KU's record in 2006: 6-6
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
The surprising thing about this game was that Nebraska actually scored 39 points.
That would usually be enough to give your team a chance to win, but not with this defense. Mangino and the Jayhawks could have named the score but mercifully stopped
at 76. This was the most pathetic defensive performance by a Nebraska team ever, and Bill Callahan and Kevin Cosgrove should hand over their resignations immediately.
A few more comments and observations:
* Even Doc Sadler wouldn't be happy giving up 76 points to Kansas
* Five turnovers will lose the ball game just about every time
* The 'Blackshirts' earned that 119th national defensive ranking today
* Things are so bad that I can't even laugh at Navy beating Notre Dame. Okay, I laughed.
Wally's prediction: Nebraska 42 Kansas State 38 Actual score: Nebraska 73 Kansas State 31
November 10 in Lincoln
1
2
3
4
F
Kansas State
10
0
7
14
31
Nebraska
14
24
14
21
73
Wally's fearless prediction:
The Kool-Aid pitcher is almost dry but I am drinking the last drops. The Huskers will
beat KSU this weekend and salvage a modest bit of dignity for the seniors that we all have
rooted for over the past 4-5 years. Will we see the Kansas State Wildcats that beat Texas
in Austin or the team that is coming off a loss to lowly Iowa State? This is the final
home game for the Nebraska seniors and most likely their coaches. What looked to be a
promising season has turned into disaster and we can only hope it ends on a positive note.
Series history: Nebraska is 73-15-3 against KSU
Last game: 2006, Nebraska won 21-3 in Manhattan
Last Kansas State victory: 2004, 45-21 in Manhattan
Kansas State's record in 2006: 7-6
KSU lost to Rutgers in the Texas Bowl
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
KSU scored first, but Grix took the ensuing kickoff to the house and the Huskers never
looked back. Josh Freeman took more hits than Willie Nelson's bong as the Nebraska
defense finally earned back their Blackshirts. The defense also left the Husker faithful wondering
where they have been since the Nevada game. Joe Ganz had a career day with seven touchdowns for 510 yards as the Husker offense rolled in a much needed win for Nebraska.
A few more comments and observations:
* It was the Huskers having career days today for a nice change of pace
* 702 yards of offense by Nebraska hasn't been seen in over twenty years
* Joey Ganz had a record 7 passing TDs! I'll admit to man-love for Joe
* Frantz Hardy not only had his first TD reception, but three of them to tie a school record
* It was fun to see highlights on ESPN again where they weren't mocking my Huskers
* The seniors deserved this big win to close out their time at Nebraska
Wally's fearless prediction:
Nobody outside the states of Nebraska and Colorado really cares about the outcome of
this game, but it will be a good matchup between teams fighting for bowl eligibility
and cellar-dweller status in the Big 12 conference. Nebraska should outlast the Buffs if they can come up with anything that resembles a defense. That is a big 'IF', but
the Huskers will end the Callahan era on a winning note and send their coaches packing.
Series history: Nebraska is 45-18-2 against Colorado
Last game: 2006, NU won 37-14 in Lincoln
Last Colorado victory: 2004, 26-20 in Lincoln
Colorado's record in 2006: 2-10
Wally's view from the cheap seats:
Scientists have descended on Boulder to investigate reports of global warming as they try to
explain Nebraska's spectacular third quarter meltdown. Quarterback Joe Ganz threw interceptions on back-to-back series for two quick Colorado scores and the Huskers imploded. Tack on a blocked punt that lead to another CU score and it was game over. This was just more of the same today for the Nebraska defense in giving up 518 offensive
yards and 65 points to the Buffs. All you need to know about this year's version of the 'Blackshirts' is that the Huskers scored 51 points and still lost the game. What an incredibly brutal season this was for fans to watch. And it started with so much promise!
That third quarter pretty much summed up the entire Husker season. Some people may say
that they are glad this season is over, but not me. We waited so long for the season to
get started and now it is already over. A new chapter in Husker football history is about
to be written and let's just hope the next one is better than the last. GO BIG RED!
A few more comments and observations:
* I'd like to be a fly on the wall at Callahan's meeting with Tom Osborne on Saturday
* The events between now and signing day will shape the Husker program for the next 3-4 years
* Bill Callahan is an offensive genius but just not a great college head football coach
* A 6-6 team going to a bowl game is pretty silly, but NU would have liked to go to one anyway
* Nebraska has forced one turnover in the last seven games. Even Craig Bohl thinks that's pathetic
* There were many records set this season. Some of them good, most not so good
* At least the seating on the bandwagon is much roomier now! Ahh, finally some leg room
* Another Cornhusker football season is in the books. See you all next year!
______
