It’s All on the Line

The defining goal of the season for the Nebraska Cornhuskers is staring them in the face, and will be on the line this Saturday in Lincoln.

To win the Big 12 Conference in the final season as what it began.

To win the Big 12 Conference before jettisoning off to greener (or at least less orange) pastures in the Big 10.

To give the prohibitive middle finger to Texas, and all the other teams that conformed the power of the conference away from the original eight teams toward the best/worst state in the union.

Whether right or wrong, that’s the way Nebraska perceived it to have happened. That’s why it means so much to us. Big Red Nation has made the claims, responded in the best way it knew how, and now everybody’s cards are on the table.

(More………….)

The Huskers’ goal will fail to be achieved if they fall short against the Missouri Tigers on Saturday. Games don’t come much bigger than this.

Even with a victory, the goal will still be more than an arm’s length away. Missouri is a game up in the standings, and would be waiting in the wings if the Huskers suffered another loss.

But, as has been the case the last four years, the Big 12 North is most likely going to come down to this game.

Fortunately, or so conventional wisdom would lead you to believe, the game is in Lincoln. But, Pelini has posted a mere 5-4 record at home in conference games, while going 8-2 on the road in conference.

I feel very confident about the game. I’d be more surprised to see a Missouri victory than a Nebraska blowout.

I love the advantage in the Pelini-Pinkelnuts matchup, and think the ultimate game within the game is the Missouri running game. If Missouri is able to run it, I think they can escape Lincoln victorious.

Sometimes to get myself fired up for a game, I examine the consequences of a win versus a loss. The stakes are very high for this game, probably the highest of the season (not including the emotions of the Texas game), so it won’t be difficult to get amped up for this one.

The Huskers fell flat when faced with the emotions of that Texas game. Saturday will show whether they have learned their lesson or not.

I leave you all with a final prediction for the game. I expect to see a defensive game. I predict the Huskers hop on them early, and we find out whether this Mizzou team truly is different than in years past. If they are, they battle back. If they aren’t, it’s goodnight sweetheart.

I think they’re the same ol’ Tigers.

Nebraska 26, Missouri 10