[personal] [Husker] Buffs and 'Cats

[Skylar Dodds]

> Anytime you go into Austin and beat the Bovines by 20
> points, that's impressive.  Not as much as defeating a
> Sooner team that previously looked to be one of three
> elite teams in college football, but still impressive.

I'm sorry man, but Arkansas St (#100 Sagarin) almost did it too this year.
The Shorthorns just aren't that impressive this year.

OU is favored by 10.5 in Austin and I'd bet that line heads north before
week's end.  I'd take it at 10.5 anyway.

> A&M and Oklahoma State both have had some bad losses
> on the road out of conference.  The North served
> notice on the South that "the times, they may be
> changing again"...

Couldn't agree with you more :)

> I really don't know how anyone can say that Missouri's
> defense is "clearly worse than ours".  The Tigers may
> have played a less-than-desirable OOC schedule, but
> still beat a middle-of-the-road Big 10 school
> (probably comparable to Wake Forest) and a bottom
> feeder SEC team on the road (possibly comparable to
> Ball State if you are feeling generous to the
> Huskers).  

Missouri's SOS (per Sagarin, I've always liked his ratings) is 95th vs NU's
at 33rd.  That's a pretty big discrepancy considering they're ranked lower
in Total Defense (MU #93 vs NU #77).  They played a weaker schedule and
ended up a worse ranked team defensively seems 'considerably worse' to me.

Opponents Total Offense Rank Comparison:

NU - #31, #89, #21, #14, #78 - Avg #46.6
MU - #48, #73, #32, #64 - Avg #54.3

Nebraska's rush defense is worse than MUs at #92 vs #71.  But NUs pass eff
defense is much better at #25 vs #64.

> Huskers).  Last week we gave up 400+ yards to one of
> the worse offenses in college football.  The only
> thing "clear" is that both schools are struggling on
> defense.

I don't deny that NU's defense is struggling, but yds/play to me is more
telling about how a defense played that game then yds/game.  Yeah, we gave
up 400+ yds, but the five times we scored totaled about 7 min or so for time
of possession.  While quick scores aren't bad, that just means the opposing
team is going to run a LOT of plays, which they did.  Any offense, even ISU,
given 102 plays is going to rack up SOME yards.  Combine the quick
scores/T.O.P. with the 2 times we let them back on the field after a punt
and that's typically going to equal a lot of plays.

I do feel that ISU was an improvement, but I'll hold back enthusiasm because
I know it's just ISU.

> I'd be curious where Vegas sets the over/under on this
> one.  Last week, I thought it could possibly be 110...
> With the late kickoff, this game could remind folks of
> those late-night WAC games from about 15 years ago.

Every website I've checked doesn't have an overs yet.  I don't gamble on
sports, but if it comes in under 70, I might have to consider it :)

LOL @ late-night WAC games.  Maybe we can get Mizzou to paint their field
blue for Saturday :)

--
Skylar
mailto: sklarbodds at cox.net