When the Big 10 prematurely shut down the football season in August, nobody was more voiciferous in dissent than Nebraska. Those bold, brash Cornhuskers briefly gave thought to defying the Big 10 and concocting their own schedule.
Their possible mutiny so ticked off ESPN talking head Desmond Howard that the Heisman Trophy winner wanted Nebraska banished from the Big 10.
When multiple parties suggest a divorce, the honeymoon is definitely over. Nebraska’s fall from the elite has been pronounced since their 3 national titles in the 1990’s. When is the last time the Huskers won a conference championship? Only trivia buffs can tell you: 1999.
The latest Nebraska pratfall occurred Saturday in Columbus to the tune of 52-17. Nebraska’s boldness and brashness in August did not carry over to late October.
Since Urban Meyer was hired for the 2012 season, the beat goes on against the Big Ten’s boss. Here are the scores of Nebraska’s last 6 games against Ohio State:
2020 17-52
2019 7-48
2018 31-36
2017 14-56
2016 3-62
2012 28-63
Everybody knows what a perennial power the Buckeyes are, but those who remember the stout defense of the Black Shirts in olden times must still be aghast.
Nebraska has fallen to such low ebb that the local papers were touting various “green shoots” in their latest 35-point smackdown. After 5-7 and 4-8 seasons, grasping for any straws is understandable if somewhat pathetic.
Their Big 10 schedule vengefully punished the potential mutineers. Nebraska’s next 3 games:
Home versus Wisconsin.
Away against perhaps the most improved team in the country in Northwestern.
Home versus Penn State.
Ouch!! Nebraska may catch a big break in that Wisconsin’s new wonderkind QB, Graham Mertz, may be a COVID scratch. Amazingly, Nebraska had the potential to start 2020 against TWO QBs who went 20 for 21 in their 2020 openers.
A winning record for Nebraska in 2020 would be an achievement with that slate.
The Odyssey has long felt Nebraska is misplaced in the Big 10. The conference only offers one regional rivalry in Iowa. In eras of Nebraska glory in the Big 12, the Huskers were able to recruit well in Texas and even California. Those days seem to be gone. The irony for head coach Scott Frost is that his former job with Group of Five UCF offered more fertile recruiting opportunities than his fallen alma mater.
Nebraska made a deal with the devil for Big 10 monetary riches that was partly necessitated by those egotistical tyrants in Austin. Hopefully, counting all that money will help compensate for their prolonged fall from the top.