RED-emption

Normally on game days I go with Nebraska highlights to get you ready. In the spirit of revenge, however, I thought you should take a look at some lowlights from last year's implosion in Lawrence. I hope these have been playing on repeat in Nebraska's locker room all week.







So, yeah...chew on that until game time.

Friday Afternoon Club

What better way to kick off the weekend than this gem (Hat Tip to Black Shoe Diaries). Look for our own Dr. Tom belting out "There is No Place Like Nebraska" at the end of the commercial. Now that is old school.

Take the Double Extra Points - #4

“Man is a gaming animal. He must always be trying to get the better in something or other”

Last Week: 6-3 ATS
Season: 14-11-1 ATS

I hope you were all on board last weekend for our outstanding outing as we went 6-3, including two outright upset wins courtesy of Jeffie Husker. No doubt we are back on track and after taking a look at this week’s picks, you might want to join my girlfriends and I from ECU and enjoy the ride.

After watching the Thursday night game between Auburn and South Carolina, I decided enough is enough. Let’s get it out there and see a show of hands – who thinks Kirk Herbstreit and Erin Andrews are getting it on? Herbstreit has been married since 1998, has 3 year-old twin boys, and a house just north of Columbus, OH. Week after week, his poor wife must witness the endless flirting on national television. In fact, I almost felt obligated to hop in the car and drive to Columbus to console and maybe sleep with his hot wife when I heard Herbstreit say to Andrews, “Poopsie, you should get back in the tent.” Furthermore, it is no secret Andrews’ pet name for Herbstreit is ‘Herbie,’ but I wonder what his is for her? Let us know if you have any good ones. This is not the last time you will read about this as I plan on highlighting the best Herbstreit to Erin Andrews line from the Thursday night ESPN game on a weekly basis.

One last thing. Check this out. After #17 TCU's home loss to the BYU Cougars last night, the longest winning streak in the nation was stopped at 13 games. Even more impressive, check out the next 3 longest current winning streaks:

1. Ohio State 11 (this week at Iowa)
2. West Virginia 11 (Oct. 7 at Mississippi State)
3. Purdue 7 (this week at Notre Dame)

Purdue? You have got to be kidding me! Hail, Hail to Old Purdue!

REMEMBER - ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEB SITE IS FOR NEWSMATTER AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO VIOLATE ANY LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAWS. It is braggadocio we endorse - not gambling.

Jeffie Husker

Rutgers (-4) over South Florida: Rutgers is back in the Top 25 this week for the first time since 1976 at #23. Lead by RB Ray Rice’s outstanding 151 rushing yards/game, Rutgers is averaging almost 204 yards a game on the ground while their defense gives up 83 yards rushing/game. South Florida is 3-1 and coming off a heartbreaker at Kansas, where they lost 13-7. However, South Florida beat FIU by one point and UCF by a touchdown. Look for Rutgers to literally run away this one.

Army (-11.5) over Rice: Rice is on its 2nd of 3 consecutive road games here and are up against the Bobby Ross-led Army Black Knights, who are once again a run-oriented team. Rice is 0-4 and has been taken to the woodshed by Florida State and Texas the last two weeks. Army has only been a home favorite 6 times since 1998 and is coming off an impressive 27-20 win at Baylor and a strong showing against Texas A&M. Rice will attempt to use the emotion of the tragic death of Dale Lloyd a la CU and Sal Aunese. But Army will cherish their return home and could roll over the beaten up Owls.

Oregon (+1.5) over Arizona State: As Nebraska fans surely can attest to, playing a night game in Tempe is never easy. Although Oregon is coming off questionable wins against Fresno and Oklahoma, they have had two weeks to prepare. ASU has struggled under the leadership of Rudy Carpenter and his 9 INTs this year. No doubt Sam Keller is smiling somewhere in a bar on “O” Street as we speak. Oregon’s RB Jonathan Stewart is averaging almost 7 yards/carry and Dennis Dixon completing 65% of his passes providing the Dusks with plenty of firepower. The line on this game has bounced a lot late in the week, but I still think Oregon wins it outright.

The ladies love Sam Keller. Sam Keller loves the
ladies. (Picture obviously taken in Tempe)

Dr. D

Penn St. (-18.5) over Northwestern: Northwestern is reeling since the first week when they beat Miami (OH). The Wildcats are averaging only 18 points a game and their freshman QB has 1 TD and 5 INTs. Last week, Penn State was hanging tough with Ohio State before two very costly turnovers in the last few minutes that gave the game a misleading final score of 28-6. Penn State has a top 10 defense and has great offensive talents in QB Anthony Morelli and WR Derrick Williams. Back at Happy Valley; look for Penn St. to throttle Northwestern.

Iowa (+7.5) over Ohio State: Watch the emotions run high here as Kinnick Field is hosting just its 5th night game ever and ESPN’s Gameday is scheduled to hit Iowa City Friday Night. After witnessing how much the rain slowed down the Buckeyes last week the grounds crew may have raised the blades on the mowers a bit this week. Ohio State has the talent edge here, but look for QB Drew Tate and his 62% completion percentage to not only stay within a touchdown, but also possibly pull out the shocker of the season so far.


Indiana (+12) over Wisconsin: A week ago versus Michigan, the Badgers compiled a whopping 12 yards rushing. Their defense, on the other hand, has been solid this year and ranks in the top 20 nationally. The Hoosiers, however, will get a boost from having Coach Hoeppner back on the sidelines this week after his recent brain surgery. In addition, IU gets back future star NFL WR James Hardy from a suspension and QB Blake Powers is now at a 100% for the first time in 2 weeks. What does this all mean? Well, IU is 7-0 ATS when Powers and Hardy play together, and when you sprinkle in the return of a beloved head coach fresh off of brain surgery, it smells like a recipe for an upset.

Sammy Vegas

California (-9.5) over Oregon State: Are you kidding me? Since the week 1 loss to Tennessee, Cal has systematically destroyed everyone that they have come across – including a dominating 28 point win over Arizona State. With possible 1st round NFL players QB Nate Longshore, RB Marshawn Lynch, and WR DeSean Jackson, Cal will once again bring superior talent and a chip on their shoulder into Corvallis. Last time Cal played here, they won 49-7. Oregon State has been very inconsistent and even lost big at Boise earlier this year. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Cal is the best team in the Pac 10 Conference. Cal 100 – OSU 2.

Miami, Fl (-16.5) over Houston: Houston brings in a stout offense lead by QB Kevin Kolb who is averaging almost 300 yards/game with a pass completion of 70%. The D is allowing just over 300 yards a game, and with Miami’s offense struggling, it would be easy to look Houston’s way. However, throw numbers out the window here. Larry Coker’s job is on the line, and with an off week to prepare, look for the very angry Canes’ to take out their frustrations on the Cougars. There is no need to compare talent here – its not even close.


Nebraska (-22) over Kansas: No offense to KU players, fans, and alumni, but last year’s 40-15 loss might have been one of the lowest moments I can remember as a Husker. It not only snapped a 36 consecutive game win streak over KU, but seemed to almost set the Nebraska program back 36 years. Zac Taylor is completing 71% of his passes with 8 TDs and 2 INTs, and KU boasts just the #113 rated pass efficiency defense. Mangyro is only 3-19 SU on the road in his tenure at KU while Nebraska has looked very impressive at home (twice producing almost 600 yards offense). Talent, revenge, and home field advantage (especially at night) spell an easy victory for the Huskers.

Checking in with the Blogosphere

Here is the best of what is out there on the college football blogs this week.

·The new BlogPoll is out and Nebraska moves up three spots after the strong showing against Troy. Thanks again for the feedback on my vote as it is always both encouraged and appreciated. In addition, I did move Cal and Nebraska up and FSU down in my final entry for the week.

·This week's BlogPoll Rountable Round Up summarizes the best of the week’s responses. Maize n Brew went above and beyond with their recap and it makes for an awesome read.

·College Humor counters the pundits with their own Top 25 that is rife with…humor. How fitting.

·KU’s Phog Blog has their preview of the Nebraska game up and it is really good. They were also gracious enough to link to my KU preview, so show them some love.

·This is Terrence Nunn. This is Terrence Nunn’s girlfriend. I now hate Terrence Nunn. Where were the girls like this when I was at UNL?

·Here is more evidence of how tough it is to be a Husker fan behind enemy lines.

· The most recent CFB graduation rates are out and Nebraska is matriculating an impressive 88% of its players.

· The House that Rock Built has a hilarious clip of a Michigan State radio host losing his shit live on air. Give it a listen. Anyone else think he might live in a van down by the river?

· The Corporate Headquarters of the San Antonio Gunslingers does a weekly recap of ESPN Gameday. Reading these has become more entertaining for me than the show itself.

· The Texas-OU hate-fest has already begun at Burnt Orange Nation. This next week is going to be a bloodbath. Bookmark BON and check back often. As a famous UT fan once told Dr. D and me - “Welcome to OU-Texas”.

· Loser with Socks examines who would win in a fight between Beano Cook and Brent Musburger. The more important question is who would do the play-by-play?

· Lastly, I want to give our readers a chance to speak their minds. Tell us what you like/dislike and what you would like to see more/less of on the site. Hell, use this opportunity to audition for a guest spot on the blog if you want. Leave your feedback and suggestions in the comments

Sammy Vegas - NFL "N"sider #6

Last week was an incredible week in the NFL. We saw teams such as Chicago (3-0), Carolina (1-2), and Baltimore (3-0) win in the final minutes of their games. We also saw teams such as Houston, Tennessee, Detroit, Oakland (had a bye which could be considered a victory), and Tampa Bay remain winless. However, most importantly, we saw football return to the Big Easy. It is easy to say that the $85 million dollars to repair and renovate the Superdome could have been spent elsewhere, such as to rebuild communities and restore damaged businesses. But with the NFL bringing in 8 games a year, Tulane playing 6 games a year, the Sugar Bowl, all of the various concerts, conventions, and events a year, it is a crucial investment. For now though, put all of the financial details aside and think about the real reasons why the Superdome had to be renovated: Morale. Hurricanes. Burlesques. Beads. Po’ Boys. Jambalaya. Mardi Gras 2007!

Josh Brown (K): After taking an early 35-3 lead over the NY Giants, the Seattle Seahawks were not in need of any late game heroics from Brown. He ended up hitting 6 of 6 extra points in a 42-30 win in which we saw the Giants make another incredible late game rally. Here’s an idea for the Giants: move your clocks ahead two hours so you are not always starting in the 3rd quarter.

Mike Brown (S): Brown saved the day for the undefeated Chicago Bears. Against the Vikings, the Bears were down 16-12 late in the 4th quarter when Brown forced a fumble that lead to the game-winning touchdown with under 2 minutes to play. The Bears are now 3-0 against the NFC North and appear to be ready for a title run with unusual offensive output.

Ralph Brown (S): In a heartbreaking loss to the Baltimore Ravens’, the Browns’ DB recorded only one tackle.

Correll Buckhalter (RB): In a dominating 38-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles’ Correll Buckhalter produced just 16 yards on 5 carries. The Eagles’ other back, Brian Westbrook, had 117 yards rushing, 48 yards receiving, and 3 touchdowns and in case you were wondering, Buckhalter won’t be starting next week.

Daniel Bullocks (S): In another pitiful performance by the Detroit Lions, Bullocks again looked sharp with 4 tackles and 2 assists. Even though they are winless, the Lions players surely can’t complain about the fact they live in one of the most beautiful cities in the country where the sun shines everyday and the downtown area resembles Hiroshima.

Josh Bullocks (S): In case you haven’t heard yet, the New Orleans Saints are undefeated at 3-0 and appear to be legit. On Monday Night Football, the Saints dominated a tough Atlanta Falcons team 23-3. Bullocks had a magnificent blocked field goal and added 5 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles.

Scott Shanle (LB): Along with Bullocks and the rest of the New Orleans Saints, Shanle shined on MNF. He added 4 tackles and 1 sack and watched his fellow defense hold the run-oriented Falcons to only 117 yards rushing.

Mike Minter (S): The Carolina Panthers narrowly missed going a fate-sealing 0-3 start to this early season by beating Tampa Bay 26-24 on a last second field goal. Minter added just one solo and one assisted tackle.

Mike Rucker (DE): Along with Minter and the rest of the Carolina Panthers, Rucker could breathe a huge sigh of relief last Sunday. Rucker chipped in with one tackle and 2 assists as the 1-2 Panthers edged out Tampa.

Ahman Green (RB): Ahman had a fantastic day for the Packers as they beat the hapless Lions. Green had 63 yards on the ground and 68 yards receiving with one touchdownand now appears to be healthy and ready to contribute for the first time in years.

Chris Kelsey (DE): Kelsey and the Buffalo Bills fell to 1-2 after last week’s embarrassing home loss to the New York Jets. Kelsey had one solo, one assisted tackle, and a sack in the loss.

Kyle Larson (P): I’ll continue to stand by my claim that the Cincinnati Bengals are the best team in the NFL. After systematically destroying the World Champion Steelers despite numerous setbacks throughout the game, the Bengals sit 3-0 and appear to clicking on all cylinders – including punting. Larson had 5 punts for an average of 53.4 yards, including a long of 67 yards.

Sam Koch (P): Down 14-3 in the 4th quarter to the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens won 15-14 on a last second field goal from Matt Stover to remain unbeaten. Koch did his part and had 6 punts for an average of 39.2 yards, including a long of 53 and 3 inside the 20. Have we become “Punter U”?

Barrett Ruud (LB): Ruud is starting to see some significant playing time as the young season moves on. Barrett recorded 8 tackles for the 0-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


Kyle Vanden Bosch (DE): In a battle of two winless teams, Vanden Bosch and the Tennessee Titans were edged out by the Miami Dolphins 13-10. Kyle recorded 3 solo tackles, one assisted tackle, and one sack and will have the unfortunate task of watching, Kerry Collins once again line up under center next week. What’s that one QB’s name again? Oh yeah, Vincent Young. It has to feel like he is watching Chance Mock play ahead of him all over again.

Fabian Washington (DB):
My Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving the Oakland Raiders a week off. I pray that if you could find it in your heart to give them the rest of the season off, it would give us all a few minutes of our lives back each week by not having to read about them.
Amen.

Demorrio Williams (LB): Demorrio had another great game for the Falcons on Monday night by contributing 7 tackles and 1 assist against the Saints. However, Williams gameplay was overshadowed by the homecoming of the Saints to the city of New Orleans and to the Superdome.

By the Numbers

There is no arguing that Nebraska is a much better team through four games than a year ago. A quick glance at the NCAA statistics provides further evidence of this improvement.

Offense

Total Offense: #6 with 472.5 yards/game.
Rushing Offense: #10 with 224.25 yards/game
Passing Offense: #26 with 248.3 yards/game
Scoring Offense: #2 behind Louisville at 42.8 points/game. Nebraska leads the nation with 24 touchdowns.

Defense

Total Defense: #21 giving up 257.8 yards/game
Rushing Defense: #49 giving up 111.00 yards/game
Passing Defense: #17 giving up 146.8 yards/game
Scoring Defense: #15 giving up 11.8 points/game

Best Individual Numbers - Zac Taylor

QB Rating: #3 nationally at 178.3
Touchdowns: Tied for 15th nationally with 8

Most Surprising Statistics

In the battle of Big 12 sophomore running backs:

Player.............G....ATT....YDS......AVG....TD......ATT/G.....YDS/G
Marlon Lucky.......4....51.....365.....7.16.....5......12.75......91.25
Jamaal Charles.....4....55.....334.....6.07.....3......13.75......83.50

And, after leading the nation in sacks with 50 in 2005, the Huskers have managed just 7 sacks in 4 games in 2006.

BlogPoll Ballot - Week 4

Ok, have at it. Missouri makes its first appearance along with Boise State and Rutgers. As you can probably see, this was apparently "Separation Saturday" for the bottom fourth of my poll. I'm accepting any and all feedback on this one. My petition to have my girlfriend move her birthday to basketball season was denied. As a result, I watched virtually no college football this weekend.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Ohio State	--
2	Southern Cal	--
3	Auburn	--
4	West Virginia	--
5	Louisville	--
6	Florida	--
7	Michigan	--
8	Texas	--
9	Georgia	--
10	Louisiana State	--
11	Oregon	--
12	Iowa	1
13	Notre Dame	1
14	Tennessee	--
15	Virginia Tech	--
16	TCU	--
17	Oklahoma	1
18	Cal	1
19	Clemson	2
20	Florida State	2
21	Nebraska	2
22	Missouri	4
23	Boise State	3
24	Rutgers	2
25	Boston College	5

Dropped Out: Arizona State (#17), Alabama (#24), Penn State (#25).

Kansas Preview

Location: Lawrence, Kansas
Enrollment: 29,272
Conference: Big 12
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 50,071)
First Year of Football: 1890
All Time Record: 539-532-58

Head Coach:Mark Mangino
Fifth year as head coach at Kansas: Career record 22-30
· Mangino spent 8 seasons as an assistant at Kansas State. He served as recruiting coordinator, running game coordinator and, in 1998, was appointed assistant head coach. The season prior to his arrival in Manhattan, the Wildcats posted a 5-6 record. Over the next eight seasons, K-State went 71-23-1 with six consecutive nine-plus win seasons and played in six straight bowl games.
· In Mangino’s four seasons as coach of Kansas, the Jayhawks have made two bowl appearances.
· Mangino has seen two of his signees named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year during his short tenure at KU - quarterback Bill Whittemore in 2002 and center Joe Vaughn in 2003.

Team Overview

Last Season: The Jayhawks finished the 2005 season with a 7-5 record. In addition, they defeated the University of Houston in the Fort Worth Bowl 42-13. The 2005 season also saw Kansas post a perfect 6-0 record at home - the team's first undefeated/untied season at home since 1951.

This Season: Kansas comes into the game with a 3-1 record. Their lone loss was an overtime thriller to Toledo.

On Offense: Offensively the Jayhawks are averaging 363 yards per game in 2006. Kansas may be in the midst of a minor quarterback controversy. Redshirt freshman Kerry Meier started the first three games before injuring his arm against Toledo. Against South Florida senior Adam Barmann got the nod and completed 25 of 35 throws for 273 yards and no interceptions. It is unclear whether Meier will be able to go against the Huskers, but look to perhaps see both quarterbacks on Saturday. At RB KU is led by Jon Cornish. The 205 pound senior is averaging over 100 yards per game this season. Cornish has a nice burst when holes are there and also has the hands to be successful catching passes out of the backfield. Receiver looked to be a weakness going to into 2005, but so far players have stepped up to carry the load. The Jayhawks rely mainly on Brian Murph and Marcus Henry. In addition, sophomore Dexton Fields looks like a star in the making and has two TD catches this year. The KU offensive line might be the best of Mangino’s tenure. Senior guard Bob Whitaker anchors the line and is also the biggest of KU’s linemen. Sophomore tackle Anthony Collins is another of the team’s rising stars.

On Defense: In 2005, the Jayhawks’ defense was central to the team’s success. This far in 2006, the team is ranked 45th nationally against the run and 54th against the pass. The team’s best defensive player is CB Aqib Talib. Talib is a hard-hitting DB who shines in making tackles in the open field. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks Talib was suspended for the first two games in 2005. Talib is joined in the secondary by SS Jerome Kemp who is a ferocious hitter. Kemp is fourth on the team with 21 tackles. The Jayhawks’ leading tackler is sophomore M LB Mike Rivera. Rivera will be key in KU’s efforts to stop Nebraska’s power running game. Joe Mortensen is another talented linebacker who has 6 tackles for loss in 2006. Along the defensive front the Jayhawks are led by defensive end Paul Como. Como is the team’s top pass rusher and leads the team with 3 sacks. Defensive tackle James McClinton is also a future star along KU’s front four.

Special Teams: Kicker Scott Webb is 2-3 on the year after earning honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2005. Considered one of the better punters in the country, Kyle Tucker is struggling in 2006, averaging less than 40 yards per punt. Punt returner Brian Murph is dangerous averaging 21 yards per return, including a 70 yard touchdown.

Random Notes

Series History: This marks the 113th meeting between the two teams. Nebraska leads the all-time series 87-22-3.

I Can’t Believe I Looked It Up Either: Last season the Jayhawks broke a 36 consecutive game losing streak to the Huskers. Prior to last year, Nebraska had not lost to KU since a 23-13 defeat in Lawrence in 1968. The Huskers bounced back from that loss with a 21-17 victory of the Jayhawks in Lincoln in 1969.

Way Cooler than “Husker – Power”: The "Rock Chalk" chant dates to 1866, when it was adopted by the Kansas University Science Club. At first, the cheer was "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU" repeated three times. Later, an English professor suggested "Rock Chalk," in place of "Rah, Rah" because it rhymed with Jayhawk and because it was symbolic of the limestone, also known as chalk rock, surrounding Mount Oread, the site of the Lawrence Campus. It became the official cheer of the University in 1897.

Obligatory “Mark Mangino is Fat” Comment: Mark Mangino is so fat, his blood type is Ragu. Mangino reportedly weighs upwards of 420 pounds this season. Coincidentally his career winning percentage is .423. The over-under on his cholesterol level is 520.

Six Degrees of Beano Cook: Beano doesn’t have to work real hard on this one. In 2005 Kansas beat Nebraska 40-15.

Great game, but I didn't see a play...

I apologize for the lack of updates this weekend. I spent the weekend in Galveston and was forced to acquire updates on the Nebraska game via my cell phone. Have I mentioned that I despise the Big 12 television contracts? Stay tuned for another big week of coverage, including analysis of the Troy game, a preview of the Jayhawks and our regularly scheduled programming.

Take the Double Extra Points - #3

“No wife can endure a gambling husband, unless he is a steady winner”

2 weeks ago: 3-5 ATS
Last week: .29% BAC (Blood Alcohol in California)
Season: 8-8-1 ATS

I apologize for taking a sabbatical last weekend, but a more important Nebraska football game suddenly came up. I’ll admit two weeks ago our selections weren’t exactly refrigerator material. In fact, a losing record is a topic that we do not expect to encounter again. However, as you can see, the Double Extra Point fan club is still behind us and stronger than ever. After encouragement like that, who isn’t ready for a rebound?

I will say that some last minute scratches two weeks ago, like Drew Tate for Iowa and Blake Powers for Indiana, no doubt changed the outcome of games significantly and did little to help our record. In addition, why is Tyrone Willingham no longer coaching at Notre Dame? This is why. Down 24 points to Oklahoma with 5 minutes to go, Willingham’s Washington Huskies drove the length of the field and eventually scored a TD to put them down18 points. Instead of attempting a two-point conversion to bring his team within 2 possessions at 16 points (two TD’s and two 2-pt conversions), Willingham kicks the extra point to make it 17 points (spread was 17.5). Washington then proceeds to regain possession of the ball with less than 4 minutes to play, but instead of being down 2 possessions, were still down 3 possessions giving his squad no chance to win.

We absolutely love our selections this week. If you are interested in becoming famous and marrying beautiful women like these other professionals, then stick with us. Like my dad taught me, if you truly think you are wise and bold enough to predict the outcome of a game, then show me. And believe us, after hours of research we will show you.

REMEMBER - ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEB SITE IS FOR NEWSMATTER AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO VIOLATE ANY LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAWS. It is braggadocio we endorse - not gambling.

Jeffie Husker

Wake Forest (+3) over Ole Miss: Wake Forest is off to a great start at 3-0 – their best in 19 years. In fact, it is safe to say that they are not only the biggest surprise of the ACC but the only surprise. QB Riley Skinner has not committed a turnover this year and they have had solid play from their backfield. Ole Miss lost their SEC opener last week to the perennial power Kentucky, and the week before, tallied only 162 yards when they were smoked by Missouri. Last week, Ole Miss committed 5 turnovers and QB Brent Schaeffer is averaging only 126 yards/game with 4 picks on the year. Wait, does that say that Wake is getting points? Look for the outright win.

Air Force (+1/2) over Wyoming: Even though they have played only one game this year, Air Force gained 400 yards and came up short on a late 2 point conversion to lose to Tennessee in Knoxville. They bring their wishbone offense to Wyoming, which has artificial turf (the Falcons are 13-2 ATS on turf). Wyoming is only 1-2 this year, but they have a solid defense that held Boise St. to only 17 points. However, the OL has given up 9 sacks this year, and faced with the daunting task of preparing for the wishbone only one week after preparing for a spread offense, is going to be too much for the defense to handle. Air Force wins this one easily.

Oklahoma State (-1.5) over Houston: This game is going to feature two potential NFL QB prospects that can put points on the board. Houston’s veteran QB Kevin Kolb has lead his team to a 3-0 start by averaging almost 300 yards/game and throwing for 8 scores. Oklahoma State relies on QB Bobby Reid, who despite his youth, leads a spread offense that is loaded with talent. Houston must travel to Miami next week, and OSU will have many alumni and many travelers at the game. This one should be interesting, and Husker fans take notice because we must defend this spread offense in Stillwater on October 28.

Dr. D


South Carolina (-31) over Florida Atlantic: Florida Atlantic has been outscored this year 147-14. They were beat 48-8 last week against Oklahoma State. They are in the bottom 10 statistically in offense and defense. Enough said. South Carolina has their QB Blake Mitchell back this week after serving a suspension for a bar fight. Drunk or not, Spurrier will let Mitchell utilize all of his offensive weapons and will use this game as a springboard for confidence as they have Auburn on deck. Look for Spurrier to take full advantage of the opportunity to run up the score…again.

Iowa (-21.5) over Illinois: It appears as if this could be a huge trap for Iowa, as they are coming off a win over Iowa State and have Ohio State next Saturday night. However, Drew Tate is back and is averaging 249 yards/game while completing 62% of his passes. Illinois is starting a true freshman QB named Juice Williams. Iowa has too much talent and remember, Illinois was blown out by Syracuse last week. Iowa will not burn us this time.

Nebraska (-23) over Troy: This is 3rd straight road game for Troy as they have come off two heart breakers against Florida State and Georgia Tech. They are 0-3 against Nebraska and have only one win all-time against Big 12 teams. Look for Zac Taylor and his 73% completion percentage to rebound this Saturday night at home as the Big 12 opener with Kansas looms on the horizon. Callahan will once again return to the air and Nebraska will use the home crowd advantage to roll big.

Sammy Vegas

California (-7.5) over Arizona State: After an embarrassing first week loss to Tennessee, Cal appears to be focused and ready to take on the Pac 10. RB Marshawn Lynch is averaging over 7 yards/carry this year and is coming up against a porous front seven from Arizona State. Both offenses are amongst the best in the country, but Arizona State under Dirk Koetter has never won a game in the state of California. This is the first of 3 extremely difficult road games for Arizona State, and you heard it here, Cal will win the Pac 10 this year.

Boston College (-7.5) over N.C. State: B.C.’s two wins this year have both been at home and in OT. However, B.C. thrives on the road and is an impressive 18-8 ATS on the road. They are well coached and possess a wealth of talent at the running back position as well a great QB in Matt Ryan, who has been playing injured and is now at almost full strength. Last week against S. Mississippi, N.C. State did not force one punt. Chuck Amato could possibly be in his last year as head coach, and his team has already dropped two non-conference games to Akron and S. Miss.

Missouri (-21.5) over Ohio: The Missouri Tigers are off to a great start this year led by a talented offense. RB Tony Temple is averaging over 7 yards/carry and QB Chase Daniel is completing 67% of his passes with 7 TD’s and 1 INT. Ohio is 2-11 ATS their last 13 road games and is clearly outmatched offensively and defensively here. Missouri has 18 starters back, has numerous NFL talents, and is looking at going 5-0 for the first time since 1981. With the nightlife and margarita specials too much to pass up, expect coach Frank Solich and his Bobcats to have a massive hangover in the great party town of Columbia.

Sammy Vegas - NFL "N"sider #5

Although only a few days have elapsed since the USC – Nebraska game, I hope you all have been able to gather your composure and move on as I have. The NFL season is off to precarious beginning with many twists and turns. If you haven’t noticed, the Atlanta Falcons have compiled 558 yards rushing and only 209 yards passing in two impressive wins over the formidable defenses of the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Watching Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn run the option surely brings smiles to faces of NU football purists. On the other hand, the Carolina Panthers (many experts’ pick to win the NFC), as with a weekend with me and the ladies, are off to a 0-2 start. Although, there were no game breaking or standout performances by ex-Huskers in the NFL, there were some great contributions. Even though I was drinking Jack and Cokes on Sunday afternoon in a California airport with my NFL ‘N’sider consultants and fan club, I was still somehow able to note some great performances by Huskers in the NFL.

Josh Brown (K): With just 3 extra points and no field goals in Seattle’s 21-10 over the Arizona Cardinals, Brown was not exactly the star of my fantasy team. However, the Seahawks do sit alone in top place in NFC West at 2-0.

Mike Brown (S): Once again the Chicago Bears look like they perhaps have the best defense in the NFL. Brown contributed 2 tackles in the teams’ second blowout win of the season, but it should be noted that those 2 wins are against Detroit and Green Bay.

Ralph Brown (CB): Brown had 2 tackles in Cleveland’s 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Correll Buckhalter (RB): With only 6 rushes for 6 yards, Buckhalter saw his Eagles blow a 17 point fourth quarter lead and lose in OT to the Eli Manning lead New York Giants.


Daniel Bullocks (S): Even though Detroit WR and former Texas Longhorn Roy Williams has voiced that the score does not matter to him, Bullocks did his part to try and help the Lions versus the Chicago Bears. Bullocks lead the team with 7 tackles in a 34 – 17 loss.

Josh Bullocks (S): With 2 tackles in a shootout win over the Green Bay Packers, surely Bullocks and his teammates are focused on next Monday night when the Saints return home to the Superdome.

Scott Shanle (LB): Shanle contributed 4 tackles, 3 assists, and 1 FF alongside Bullocks in the Saints win last Sunday.

Mike Minter (S): With 6 tackles and 2 assists in a 16-13 loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings, Minter and the Carolina Panthers (many experts’ picks to win the NFC) are still winless.

Mike Rucker (DE): Along with Minter and the rest of the Panther’s defense, Rucker struggled with only 2 tackles and 1 assist.

Ahman Green (RB): Finally, Brett Favre and the Packers showed that they might win a game this year as they put up 27 points in a loss to the New Orleans’ Saints. However, Green had only 16 rushes for 42 yards.

Chris Kelsey (DE): Kelsey had 2 tackles and 1 sack against Miami in a 16-6 win for the Buffalo Bills.

Kyle Larson (P): In a 34-17 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati punter had 48 yards on 4 punts.

Sam Koch (P): Koch and the Baltimore Ravens won 28-6 over Raiders and have established their team as legit AFC contenders. Koch added 7 punts for 43 yards/punt, including 3 punts inside the 20.

Kyle Vanden Bosch(DE): In a 40-7 loss to the Chargers, Kyle had 3 tackles for the Tennessee Titans who apparently playing touch-football. The only question regarding the Titans next week is whether we will see the first start of QB Vincent Young – because the season is clearly over.

Fabian Washington (CB): With a 28-6 loss to the Ravens, Washington and the Oakland Raiders were once again transparent.

Demorrio Williams (LB): With 4 solo tackles in a 14 -3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it should be interesting how much time Williams receives next Monday night. Clearly, he is a victim of seniority and should and would be starting on any other team in the NFL.

BlogPoll Roundtable #3

The season's third BlogPoll roundtable is up and is being hosted at the wonderfully named Maize n Brew. These are our answers to this week's questions.

1. Its only the third week of the season and we've already seen some highly ranked favorites drop out of national championship contention. Preseason favorite Cal dropped to #21 after a loss and a pair of underwhelming victories. Who's your pick as the next NC contender to take a fall?

Obviously the easy answer is any of the SEC teams, as it looks like no one here gets out alive. It’s just a waiting game for Auburn, Florida and Georgia. Louisville may also be in trouble without Bush and Brohm. However, if any team can get away with losing that type of firepower it just might be the Cardinals (I can’t believe I just typed that!). I definitely do not see Kansas State beating them this week. So to pick who goes down, why not go out on a limb? Iowa hasn’t been pretty lately, but if Drew Tate is healthy, I have always liked the Hawkeyes chances of upsetting Ohio State on September 30. So, there you have it, the Buckeyes are bounced in Iowa City.

2. By that same token there are several schools hanging around without a loss that all of a sudden look like surprise contenders. There are also a few one loss teams with a legit shot at getting back into it. Looking at the rankings who's the team no one's talking about with the best shot at crashing the party?

TCU stunned the hell out of me, by holding Texas Tech to 3 points. Christ, two years ago Nebraska barely held the Red Raiders under 3 points per minute. So that is extremely impressive, but even without a loss, I don’t think the Horned Frogs should pack their bags for Glendale. I think Virginia Tech is also sneaking around this year. The Hokies have Georgia Tech and Clemson at home and road tests at Miami (if they decide against packing it in) and Boston College, so their schedule may prevent them from running the table. And I suppose, why not put Cal back on the list? Everyone was all over them at the beginning of the season based on their schedule and that hasn’t changed any.

3. Every team has their quicksand away game. You know. That place you should win but somehow find ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory or at least scare the &*%^ out of you every year. Did you know that over the last 21 years Kentucky wasn't won once in Knoxville? Where is your team's yearly sandtrap?

Actually our yearly sandtrap comes against any ranked team on the road. We haven’t been victorious in such a game since September 9, 2000, or the day the “Sea of Red” washed over Notre Dame Stadium. This is one monkey I would love to get off our back and soon.

Aside from that I think going into Columbia to face Missouri is historically our toughest road game. Luckily we have the much-improved Tigers at home this year, as we have lost two straight in Columbia. In addition, in 1997 we needed a miracle “flea kicker” to escape defeat and keep our national title hopes alive. In 1992 we went into Columbia (wearing all-white) ranked 8th in the country and managed just a 34-24 victory. In 1985 and ranked 7th we slipped by the again unranked Tigers 28-20 on the strength of seven Dale Klein field goals and a fourth quarter Doug DuBose TD run. In 1981 it was Phil Bates scoring from 3 yards out with 23 seconds left to secure a 6-0 Nebraska win. In 1978 Missouri came into Lincoln and upset the Huskers a week after Nebraska had dispatched of Billy Sims and #1 ranked Oklahoma. In 1979, the Tigers almost got us again in Columbia, as Nebraska came away with just a 23-20 victory. Finally, in 1973 first year coach Tom Osborne and the #2 ranked Huskers visited Missouri and were shocked by the 12th ranked Tigers 13-12. I think you get the point. And I’m sure my dad will have more games to add to the list in the comments.

4. Now that you've looked into the darkest place in your football soul, free Escalades aside, turn and look into your crystal ball. Conference play is either just starting or a single game in. Based on what you've seen so far, give the order of finish in your conference, and if you've got a Conference Championship game tell us who the winner will be. Independents must predict the remainder of their schedule. The results your predictions will be held against you at the end of the season.

I once again deferred to Sammy Vegas for these picks, so take it out on him.

North
1. Nebraska
2. Missouri
3. Iowa State
4. Kansas
5. Colorado
6. Kansas State

South
1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas Tech
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas A&M
6. Baylor

Big 12 Championship Game: Texas over Nebraska

5. In keeping with the spirit of Maize n Brew, name your beverage of choice on game days and why. It need not be alcoholic, as there are some of us who choose not to imbibe on game day. Further, it need not be limited to a single brand/type/category. If you enjoy drinking PBR and Kraft Turkey Gravy at the same time (which I have personally witnessed), please, elaborate. Finally, if you should feel so inclined, and this is not a requirement, add an anecdote involving said beverage choice.

I still have a hard time watching college football without something alcoholic, but clearly my biggest game day drinking experiences are behind me (at least until this November). I’ve never been particularly brand loyal, but Bud Light has probably been by my side through the majority of those endeavors. After five football seasons as a student at Nebraska and three years of Florida State student tickets, I allowed my liver to decide on my doctoral program. It chose the University of Houston over Texas Woman’s University and cirrhosis.

Dr. D - Good, Bad and the Ugly, Week 3

The Good

Okay, so the expected happened and the boys in Vegas had us pegged dead on accurate—18 points worse than USC. The good news was Callahan did not take big risks to try and make us look like something we’re not—a top 5 team. Cally has taken plenty of heat the last 48 hours for being too conservative in his gameplan. What most of these critics seem to neglect is that the likelihood that a first down pass could have ended up in the endzone was offset by an even bigger chance for a big play swing in the other direction (e.g., interceptions, sacks turned into fumble recoveries and touchdowns). So, lambaste the game plan if you must, but I saw it as a way to keep us in the game and perhaps hang around and wait a break later in the game (e.g., Grixby returning an interception for a touchdown). The breaks never came, and I believe that has more to do with why we lost—not playcalling or a faulty scheme. The critics will counter that more passes could have made it 28-24. I would say 49-10 would have been more likely. If you don’t believe me, you’ve never been to Lubbock. Besides, the 4th down fake punt early in the game took, as my new friends from East L.A. like to say, cajones. Big Red didn’t lose because we were too conservative. The best team won Saturday night.

The Bad

The O line’s inability to clear running lanes was disappointing. The Trojans are salty up front, but there wasn’t much room to run, even when we tried running in passing situations. We have plenty of highly touted athletes along the line—Callahan has made signing O-lineman a major recruiting priority in each of his first 3 classes. I would have expected that we would have seen a bit more to show for it by now.

The Ugly

The Big 12 stinks. Sorry to be the one to break it to ya folks—but this just isn’t the same conference that routinely competes with the SEC for tops in the land honors and has won 3 national titles in its 10 year history. After Saturday’s carnage, the conference emerged a woeful 4-8 on the weekend. With the 4 big wins coming over the likes of New Mexico, Rice, Florida Atlantic and Army I might add. I don’t think there’s a team in the conference that will lose less than 3 games. One month into the season, the conference’s biggest win is probably Texas Tech’s come from behind escape at UTEP, and the Miners shouldn’t be ranked in the top 5 in Texas, let alone the country. All 12 teams are beatable if they don’t play well—I don’t think any of them are top 10 caliber. The good news behind the Big 12’s struggles is that the Huskers can win the entire league in 2006—not just the north. I’m actually a little annoyed that nobody seems ready to point that out. I’ve read about the preseason goal of earning a Big 12 north title ring still being intact despite the loss to SC. I found myself asking—is there really such a thing as a big 12 north title ring?? And, if so, why? I think the goal of beating .500 quality teams like Kansas, Iowa State and Missouri is hardly the stuff that fills player’s heads and hearts with determination in their offseason workouts, and probably isn’t the reason 5 star recruits sign to play in Lincoln. I think we’re selling ourselves short with such minimalist expectations. OU and UT are much worse than they’ve been in recent years, and no other squads in either division seem capable of cracking the top 25 this year (maybe Mizzou—maybe). All we have to do is take care of business against some pitiful north competition and then get lucky and play well one Saturday night in December. So, before you get fitted for your Big 12 north championship replica ring—maybe we should consider the possibility that we can actually achieve a bit more.

They should at least have the courtesy to buy Bob Stoops dinner first...

OU got royally screwed in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday...I’m not the first to point that out. But, watch the clip of the disputed onside kick and observe that OU actually recovered the kick. WTF??? OU prez Boren is correct—none of those clowns should ever officiate a game with stakes bigger than the Eugene, OR little league championship ever again. My favorite part of the clip is hearing commentator Dan Fouts astutely observe “Awful close from that angle”, as the OU player clearly possesses the ball. It should be noted, that Fouts, who called the game for ABC, played QB for the Ducks. I’ll go a step further than Boren and say that in addition to firing at least a half dozen zebra hacks, ABC and the NCAA should try and keep Fouts and his homerisms off of live air on fall Saturdays.

Troy Preview

Location: Troy, Alabama
Enrollment: 27,104
Conference: Sun Belt
Stadium: Movie Gallery Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 30,000)
First Year of Football: 1909
All Time Record: 443-335-27

Head Coach: Larry Blakeney
16th year as head coach at Troy: Career record 119-60-1.
· Blakeney was a three-year letterman at quarterback for Auburn from 1966-69.
· He also played shortstop and third base for the Tiger baseball team in 1968 and 1969.
· Before arriving at Troy, Blakeney was an assistant at Auburn. He began his career as the assistant offensive line coach during the 1977 and 1978 seasons. That was followed by stints with the Tigers’ tight ends and wide receivers from 1978-80 and then a focus strictly on wide receivers from 1981-90.
· From 1986-90, Blakeney was also the Tigers’ offensive play caller. During that time, Auburn posted a 47-10-3 record and won three Southeastern Conference titles.

Team Overview

Last Season: The Trojans finished 4-7 in 2005 and ranked in the bottom ten nationally in total offense.

This Season: Troy comes into the game with a 1-2 record. The Trojans began the season by shutting out Alabama State 38-0. In week two they pushed Florida State to the limit before losing 24-17, and last week they fell to Georgia Tech 35-20.

On Offense: After struggling offensively in 2005, the Trojans hired new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Franklin has installed a wide-open, quick-strike, four wide receiver offense. Thus far the offense seems to have improved as Troy ranks 79th nationally in total offense. At quarterback the Trojans count on junior college transfer Omar Haugabook, who seems to have a good grasp of Franklin’s scheme. Haugabook is completing 60% of his passes and has thrown for 572 yards with 6 TDs and 6 INTs. The Trojan running attack is led by junior Kenny Cattouse and sophomore Anthony Jones. Cattouse has 99 yards rushing in 2006 and carried the load against GT finishing with 69 yards on 8 carries. A year ago Cattouse had 109 yards in the win over North Texas and 89 yards and two scores against UL Lafayette. Running back/fullback hybrid Anthony Jones also has 117 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans this season. At wide receiver, Troy is led by Gary Banks who has 23 catches for 246 yards and 4 TDs. Banks is a tremendous athlete who spent three years in the Chicago Cubs’ minor league system. The Trojans also have other playmakers at the receiving position, including Toris Rutledge, Josh Allen and Smokey Hampton. Although Troy is using a lot of four-wide receiver sets, expect to see several double tight end sets as well, with Josh Pruitt and Josh Henderson. Troy has been looking for improvement along its offensive line after giving up 38 sacks in 2005. This year’s unit starts four seniors and sophomore Chris Jamison. Jamison is extremely athletic and has shown great technique since joining the starting line up early in 2005.

On Defense: In 2005, the Troy defense finished 24th nationally in total defense. In 2006 the Trojan defense is giving up an average of 19.6 points per game. Troy has had to replace its best defensive player after losing talented FS Sherrod Martin for the season with a shoulder injury. The Trojans rely upon their front four to pressure the quarterback and clog the middle of teams’ running attacks. Troy is talented at DE with Kenny Mainor and Shawn Todd. Todd is the strongest player on the Troy team and Mainor shows excellent speed in getting up field. The defensive tackles are Steve McClendon and Franklin Lloyd who are both a bit undersized. At linebacker the Trojans are led by Marcus Richardson who should contend for all-conference honors in 2006. He is joined by Josh Maxwell and Ryan Babb. Babb transferred from Alabama and is small (5-11, 198 lbs), but very, very quick. With Sherrod Martin out for the year, SS Brannon Condren has been called on to step up his game. Condren has responded to the challenge so far and finished with 13 tackles including 2 for losses against Georgia Tech. Sophomore Taveres Williams has been starting in Martin’s place at FS. The Trojan cornerbacks are Leodis McKelvin and Elbert Mack. Mack has two fumble recoveries this season.

Special Teams: Greg Whibbs is one of the better kickers in the country. He has connected on 2-3 field goals in 2006. The punter is Jason Wright who is averaging 37.6 yards with a long of 52 yards. Leodis McKelvin looks like a dangerous punt returner who is averaging over 11 yards per return.

Random Notes

Series History: This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams. Nebraska leads the series 3-0 after victories over Troy in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

I Can’t Believe I Looked It Up Either: Bill Callahan is 5-4 in games when coming off a loss in his Nebraska coaching career.

Wrong Sport but Still Impressive: On January 12, 1992, Troy beat Devry Institute of Atlanta 258-141, in the highest scoring game in college basketball history.

Six Degrees of Beano Cook: As if the Florida State outcome wasn’t enough to scare you. In 2005, Troy beat Cal Poly SLO. Cal Poly SLO beat South Dakota State. South Dakota State beat UC-Davis. UC-Davis beat Stanford. Stanford beat Arizona. Arizona beat UCLA. UCLA beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma beat…Nebraska.

BlogPoll Ballot - Week 3

Here is my ballot following the third week of the season. Please share any and all feedback and remember that we are the only Nebraska blog with a vote, so we need your help.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Ohio State	--
2	Southern Cal	--
3	Auburn	--
4	West Virginia	--
5	Louisville	1
6	Florida	1
7	Michigan	9
8	Texas	1
9	Georgia	1
10	Louisiana State	2
11	Oregon	6
12	Notre Dame	7
13	Iowa	6
14	Tennessee	3
15	Virginia Tech	3
16	TCU	10
17	Arizona State	4
18	Oklahoma	6
19	Cal	4
20	Boston College	4
21	Clemson	4
22	Florida State	9
23	Nebraska	8
24	Alabama	2
25	Penn State	1

Dropped Out: Miami (Florida) (#14), Texas Tech (#20).

First off, major apologies to Michigan fans for vastly underrating your team. Now that that is out of the way, I feel pretty good about the top of my poll. I still like Louisville, who hasn't missed a beat since losing Michael Bush. We'll have to wait and see now about Brohm. I didn't give the SEC games enough attention this week, so let me know if I'm off on those rankings. I thought I was showing homerism with Nebraska remaining in the poll, but apparently the AP agreed with me.