HUSKER
DAN SEZ
By now, most Husker fans have seen the video in which Colorado head
football coach Dan Hawkins says at a recent Buffy pep rally: "The
worst day as a Buffalo fan is better than the best day as a Husker fan."
The video then goes on to show highlights of the past 45 years of Husker
football with 5 national championships, a bazillion conference championships,
Heisman, Lombardi, Outland and Unitas trophy winners, another bazillion
academic All-American honors and 281 consecutive Cornhusker home sellouts-you
get the picture.
I attended a Big Red dinner recently in which Husker defensive coordinator
Kevin Cosgrove spoke. He was asked if he'd heard of the video. He said,
dryly, that yes he and the rest of the players and coaches were aware
of it. His comment received much laughter.
DRESSED TO THE NINES
Okay, so maybe Dan-o's comments won't be a factor in this Friday's "showdown"
with the Colorado Buffaloes. The Huskers, in my view, don't need any
more motivation. The Huskers know a win Friday will mean they will have
won more games (9) than any other Callahan coached Nebraska team. Period.
To be sure, 9-3 would be awfully sweet. (I know I'll hear from Solich
fans who will quickly remind me that Frank's last team was 9-3 (10-3
if you count the Bo Pelini coached Alamo Bowl win that year).
62 AND COUNTING
Since 1996, the Huskers have gone 6-3 (3-2 in Lincoln and of 3-1 at
Boulder). Through the nine games, the average score has been Colorado
27.8 and the Huskers 25.2 with a margin of only 2.6 points per game.
(The scoring is somewhat distorted due to the 62 points the Buffies
laid on the Men of Corn in '01 in "The Bloodbath in Boulder".
FANTASY FOOTBALL
What the past nine games means going into this game is anybody's guess.
I'm inclined to think that this year the Huskers are going to want to
come out strong and not let up for the entire game-okay, so it's probably
more of wishful thinking on my part, but what the heck, I'm entitled
to a little fantasy once in awhile, ain't I?
It's been since the year 2000 that the Huskers have beat the Buffies
in Lincoln. Do you think Callahan, his assistants and players are aware
of this? Is Rosie O'Donnell obnoxious?
Q&A
Look for the Huskers to play a very intense game-one with few turnovers
and mistakes on their part. Nebraska still hasn't returned a punt or
a kickoff for a touchdown. Will that happen this Friday? Will the Huskers
intercept a pass for a TD?
Will Joe Ganz see some playing time? Will Matt Herian catch another
TD pass? I'm thinking that one or more of these questions will have
a positive answer by game's end Friday.
THE COUNT SAID IT
Come Friday afternoon, the Husker seniors will get one last chance to
perform in front of 85,000 rabid Big Red fans. One more time to take
it all in. One more Tunnel Walk, one more once, as Count Basie used
to say. Huskers will look impressive, be able to rest some regulars
and look forward to their trip to Kansas City. The Huskers don't need
this game, but they do need this game. Still fresh in their minds is
the agony of this year's losses to Texas and Oklahoma State. Nine and
three has a nice ring to it, especially in November.
HUSKERS 31
BUFFIES 14
H U S K E R D A N
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