Late thoughts on the NU/USC game
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:32 am
My feeling about the game has gone back and forth in the last 24 hours or so. At times, I feel very confident. Other times, I feel like I'm going to be disappointed.
For example, Roger Craig was on the radio and he felt very confident about NU's chances. Then another former Husker, Damon Benning (who grew up a USC fan), gets on the radio and admits that USC's depth will ultimately overtake NU.
Osborne's old DC, Charlie McBride, was on the radio with some other wisdom. He said that it'd be wrong to put some much importance on a game because if they're all tight, then they're going to play tight and make mistakes. You want a team to have fun. He also talked about how his best defenses weren't necessarily the ones that had the most talent. They were just the ones that played with great team chemistry.
Then I hear how much Carroll wants this game. I read reports that say that he's been pretty intense this week. So then I wonder if that's a good or bad sign. On one hand, he could be so intense that his team is too wound up and play bad. On the other hand, he may have them so well prepared that we're in for a long night.
So now I don't know what to think. My head is having a battle with my heart right now. The heart has been wrong a few times, but it's been right a lot more times than you would think.
I can point to many games that NU was supposed to lose badly or had no chance in.
1993 - FSU game. FSU is favored by 17.5, NU loses by 2.
1994 - CU game. NU is not favored against a talented CU team. NU wins 24-7
1995 - Miami game. NU is definitely not favored against a Warren Sapp led defense on their home field. They win.
1996 - Florida game. Much of the media picks Florida. NU trounces Florida.
2001 - OU game. OU is supposed to win easily. NU wins.
2006 - Texas game. NU is supposed to struggle against Texas, but lose by 2 in a heartbreaking fashion.
Granted, I can also point to other games in recent history where NU is favored to lose and do so in a big way, so there's that.
Some other thoughts. NU is 5-0 when ESPN gameday comes to town.
In other news, USC practices at noon at Omaha Westside High on the field turf fields. Pete Carroll gets pissed when fans that caught wind of it surround the edges of the school while they practice. Supposedly one of their coaches calls our fans "rednecks", which is pretty ironic considering that it didn't come from Callahan's mouth.
It should be a good game. People will be drinking and tailgating starting in the morning. If that doesn't get the place bouncing, nothing else will. It's supposed to be in the low 50s, which is what southern Californians would consider 'cold', but is just fall weather to us.
Yes, I'm rambling. It's late.
For example, Roger Craig was on the radio and he felt very confident about NU's chances. Then another former Husker, Damon Benning (who grew up a USC fan), gets on the radio and admits that USC's depth will ultimately overtake NU.
Osborne's old DC, Charlie McBride, was on the radio with some other wisdom. He said that it'd be wrong to put some much importance on a game because if they're all tight, then they're going to play tight and make mistakes. You want a team to have fun. He also talked about how his best defenses weren't necessarily the ones that had the most talent. They were just the ones that played with great team chemistry.
Then I hear how much Carroll wants this game. I read reports that say that he's been pretty intense this week. So then I wonder if that's a good or bad sign. On one hand, he could be so intense that his team is too wound up and play bad. On the other hand, he may have them so well prepared that we're in for a long night.
So now I don't know what to think. My head is having a battle with my heart right now. The heart has been wrong a few times, but it's been right a lot more times than you would think.
I can point to many games that NU was supposed to lose badly or had no chance in.
1993 - FSU game. FSU is favored by 17.5, NU loses by 2.
1994 - CU game. NU is not favored against a talented CU team. NU wins 24-7
1995 - Miami game. NU is definitely not favored against a Warren Sapp led defense on their home field. They win.
1996 - Florida game. Much of the media picks Florida. NU trounces Florida.
2001 - OU game. OU is supposed to win easily. NU wins.
2006 - Texas game. NU is supposed to struggle against Texas, but lose by 2 in a heartbreaking fashion.
Granted, I can also point to other games in recent history where NU is favored to lose and do so in a big way, so there's that.
Some other thoughts. NU is 5-0 when ESPN gameday comes to town.
In other news, USC practices at noon at Omaha Westside High on the field turf fields. Pete Carroll gets pissed when fans that caught wind of it surround the edges of the school while they practice. Supposedly one of their coaches calls our fans "rednecks", which is pretty ironic considering that it didn't come from Callahan's mouth.
It should be a good game. People will be drinking and tailgating starting in the morning. If that doesn't get the place bouncing, nothing else will. It's supposed to be in the low 50s, which is what southern Californians would consider 'cold', but is just fall weather to us.
Yes, I'm rambling. It's late.