Perspective is a funny thing

I was in the stands for the ISU-Nebraska game in 2004, and the differences in the two teams was stark. ISU looked skilled, polished, strong. Nebraska looked small, slow and confused. It was a complete flip of what we are used to seeing in the series.

Fast forward a year, and read the quotes coming out of Lincoln.

“I think it’s been on all of our minds. It was a bad loss. They were a beatable team, and we should’ve beaten them.”

What game was he watching?

ISU outplayed the Huskers in every phase of the game until the last 10 minutes. Only when the ISU staff went to the soft prevent zone to prevent the big play did the Nebraska offense find any life. The 7 point margin was as close as the game got at any point.

ISU was beatable? Well, so were the Huskers. Even more so.

I suppose it's the only good face the Nebraska staff and crew can put on the game. A loss to ISU is not easy to swallow for the Big Red crowd. Coach Calahan can't start the post game presser with "They've passed us in both talent and scheme. It's going to take a while for us to catch up in both." The earth would open up and swallow him whole the moment he crossed the Missouri. So the loss is couched as "We should have won. A break here, a play there, we win."

Another loss this year and they might consider giving up football; if they lose 3 of 4 to the Cyclones, clearly they have forgotten what they are doing. Which way to the baseball field?

The ISU game is critical for Nebraska. A win, and they are in the driver's seat for the North title. A loss, and every team on their schedule is looking at them as a possible benchmark win, bad record or not. With Tech bringing it's wild road show into Lincoln the following Saturday, NU needs some confidence against a quality opponent. Fast.

Peterlone