Final Score

    

                        17                                      38

 What you kinda feared was gonna happen at some point finally did but you played with the hand your dealt and don't make excuses. Even with all of the injuries the game was there to be had with Iowa's QB also on the bench. To Iowa's credit they're playing error free football right now which goes a long way in hiding whatever weaknesses your team might have.

I like Bo but he didn't help himself today. The fake punt call was ignorant and the Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was beyond stupid. Yes it was a terrible call and yes Little Kirksy can stand there and yell at the refs and say things to them like that's f'ing BS and have to be restrained and yet not get a flag but you gotta be smarter than that.

What Bowl game is Nebraska going to? I know not. Personally I am fine with going to Detroit and playing a MAC team. Let's just get the 9th win.

Gameday #12

VS

Yup it's that time again. Time for giving thanks. And one of things Nebraska fans have to be grateful for is when they left the Big 12 for the B1G  that they traded 3 Ne'er do well fan bases with a massive inferiority complex for just one. This means instead of 3 weeks a year of LOOK AT US!!! LOOK AT US!!! LOOK AT US!!! IT'S YOUR FAULT NOBODY EVER LOOKS AT US!!! we only have to live through one week of it. And to be honest Iowa fan is much like Opie Taylor is kinda cute when it throws a tantrum. 

In the 6 years Bo Pelini has been head coach of Nebraska his teams have never fared worse than 9-4. In the same time frame Iowa has had 1 good team. The rest have been average to... well shitty. Still it's Pelini who is looked at as being on "the hot seat" while the media can't get enough of that voodoo that Kirk Ferentz do so well. It's Nebraska at 8-3 who is seen as the poor team sliding down to hell while Iowa at 7-4 is seen as the powerful beast. "Best 7-4 team ever. Could beat the Pats on a neutral field." How is beating Northwestern in the final seconds a sign that Nebraska isn't very good while beat Northwestern in overtime is a sign that Iowa is for real? Because Iowa is the beneficiary of what I like to call the G.W. Bush or Republican debate syndrome. If a Republican shows up to a national debate 3 minutes ahead of time, in the right arena, and with both of his shoes tied the media will already consider it a draw. The same thing goes for Iowa. If they show up on time in the right stadium with their shoes laces tied properly the media will sell that they have over achieved. Part of this is do to the disposition of their fan bases. Nebraska fan, most of them anyway, will be happy...(only just) if Nebraska wins its last 2 games and finishes 10-3. Clem in Carroll is already so happy about being 7-4 he doesn't know whether to carve his prize pig up for breakfast or save him for something else different entire.

There is good news for Iowa. This figures to be the closest the two teams have been since the "rivalry" started in 2011. Iowa has played the tougher schedule and with the Nebraska just one injury away from Ryker Fyfe playing QB there is plenty of reason for Nebraska fan to hold it's breath and for Iowa fan to be optimistic... well again no matter what happens it will get sold as Iowa showing true grit even if the score is somehow 45-7 Nebraska.

Neither of the "Hero's" games have been works of art with Nebraska pounding out a 20-7 win in Lincoln in 2011 and beating both Iowa and the cold in Iowa City 13-7 last year. Iowa likes to hold on to the football play ground pound and keep you down with their excellent defense. Nebraska's defense has gotten better every week while their offense is literally down to the nub with injuries. All of it means expect another ground and pound low scoring slug-fest that wont find it's way to the Louvre or even the Joslyn Art Museum. Or even the Clem and Curly Sue house of finger paintings in downtown Ottumwa.

Count's Krystal Bawl

Nebraska 20
Iowa 14

Big 10 Picks Week 14 and 15.

5-1 Last week 74-16 on the season

Nebraska 20 Iowa 14
Ohio State 31 Michigan 28
Michigan State 27 Minnesota 10
Wisconsin 31 Penn State 14
Illinois 31 Northwestern 30
Indiana 42 Purdue 24

Big 10 Championship game December 7th

Ohio State 42 Michigan State 17

Final Score

        OT

                 23                               20

If ever a team deserved to be cheered on by the fans this team does. They just keep fighting no matter the adversity. Injuries, fan bullshit, refs...they just keep fighting. And the officiating...Yeah the B1G should be embarrassed.

Gameday #11

VS           

Earlier in the week I felt very good about this pick but as the week has gone on there has been so much baggage... well garbage really around the program that I am far less certain about this pick. Nebraska has won the last 2 games 17-14 2 years ago ( The Jerry Sandusky game) in State College and 32-23 ( the fumble-touchdown game) in Lincoln.  I am a homer I admit it. And Nebraska is the better team if, and it's a Mark Mangino sized if, if Nebraska has their minds on business and HOLDS ON TO THE BALL they'll win.

Count's Krystal Bawl

Nebraska 27
Penn State 17

Big 10 Picks Week 13.

3-2 last week thanks to Nebraska doing what I said they absolutely could not do...5 times and Northwestern finding yet another new and exciting way to lose. 69-15 on the season.

This week it's the game we've all been waiting for Illinois Vs Purdue!!! Somebody has to win...I think. Somebody's 0 has got to go.

Nebraska 27 Penn State 17
Illinois 38 Purdue 24
Michigan 26 Iowa 20
Ohio State 70 Indiana 35
Michigan State 27 Northwestern 20
Wisconsin 38 Minnesota 24.

Final Score

  
                 28                  41

Gameday #10

VS    




Stop me if you've heard this before. Nebraska is playing a team from the state of Michigan and nobody expects them to win the game. There hasn't been a situation like this since...well last week.

Michigan State have never beaten Nebraska. in 1995 in Nick Saban's first game as a head coach they lost 50-10 in East Lancing. The Next year in a game that was nearly statistically even they lost 55-14 in Lincoln thanks to about 15 defensive and special teams scores by Nebraska. In Bo Pelini's first game as a head coach, albeit an interim one, Nebraska beat Michigan State 17-3 in the 2003 Alamo Bowl.

In 2011 everybody picked Michigan State and Nebraska won 24-3. That was because Michigan State had 3 hard games in a row.

In 2012 everybody picked Michigan State and Nebraska won 28-24. That was because of the refs.

In 2013 everybody is picking Michigan State. Should Nebraska win again what will the excuse be this year? It is fun watching little Lee Barfknecht's hopes get up only to get destroyed every year.

I do want to clear up one possible myth. The myth that the winner of this game has the division wrapped up. That is true if Michigan State wins. Well technically it isn't. MSU could lose out and Minnesota could win out. And technically I could have a date after the game with Univison personality Lourdes Stephen after the game. But they won't and I don't. However should Nebraska win there is still work to be done. The game next week at Penn State is no sure thing and should Nebraska stumble bum around the day after Thanksgiving they also could lose to Iowa.

This just feels like Nebraska-Michigan State III Return Of The Same... And it's in Lincoln where the cold weather could be a factor...OK it's suppose to be 62 at kickoff so scratch that!

Count's Krystal Bawl

Nebraska 17
Michigan State 10

Big 10 Picks Week 12

Last Week 5-0 (Yay Me!) Season 66-13.

Nebraska 17 Michigan State 10
Wisconsin 52 Indiana 24
Ohio State 49 Illinois 14
Northwestern 23 Michigan 17
Penn State 38 Purdue 7

Final Score

              17                                  13

Gameday #9 The Nebraska Edition

VS

In 2005 when these teams met in the Alamo Bowl it was suppose to settle the 1997 national championship debate (Yeah I don't get that either) But Nebraska won 32-28 and the national media didn't like that answer so the 2011 game in Ann Arbor settled the 1997 national championship debate. Michigan won 45-17 which was much better for the media and somehow proved Michigan was the better team in 1997. (Yeah I don't get that either.) Last year Nebraska won 23-9 but that didn't count because Denard Robinson got hurt nevermind that Taylor Martinez played injured and Rex Burckhead, Nebraskas best player was also injured.

Despite what you may have heard from the media both local and national on both teams these teams are both 6-2 not 0-8. Michigan is favored which makes sense. If I had to pick a spread I'd favor Michigan as well. But I am not sure what is in Michigan that makes Nebraska fan think they can't win or even compete in this game. Was it those killer victories over UCONN and Akron? Maybe they are just so down on their own team they're hoping they get blown out. You'd hope not but this is Nebraska fan we are talking about.

Call this a hunch or call me a homer...Nebraska wins and does so in surprisingly easy fashion...

Count's Krystal Bawl...

Nebraska 31
Michigan 17

Big 10 Picks Week 11

Last week I said it was the toughest week of the year and I actually went 5-1 bringing my season record to 61-13 but a closer look at the games shows I was dead on about how difficult a week it was to pick the winners. Nebraska beat Northwestern on a last play Hail Mary. Penn State got a field goal late then beat Illinois in overtime. Indiana was down by 3 and inside the Minnesota 10 with less than a minute left and threw a backwards lateral that Minnesota recovered. 3 games, 3 plays and instead of 5-1 it could have been 2-4.

This week isn't that easy either. 3 of the 5 games could go either way and while Wisconsin should win BYU is never an easy out.

Nebraska 31 Michigan 17
Wisconsin 35 BYU 16 
Indiana 49 Illinois 38
Iowa 34 Purdue 10
Minnesota 23 Penn State 20.

Final Score

    
         27                           24

Gameday #8 The Northwestern Edition

VS  
It's not hyperbole to call this the biggest game of the Bo Pelini era. Win this game and there is still a chance albeit a shrinking one that both his job and the season can be saved. Lose this game and both are all but over. Northwestern is beat up. Mentally and Physically. They've lost four games in a row since giving Ohio State hell four weeks ago. But Kain Colter who has given Nebraska fits the last 2 years is getting healthier and after the last two years, a Northwestern win in Lincoln, and a one point Nebraska victory in Evanston there is no reason for Northwestern to believe they can't win this game.

Nebraska is going with Tommy Armstrong and Ron Kellogg III at QB this should make the world's greatest fans happy. No matter that Armstrong threw 3 Interceptions and looked in over his head against a Purdue team not as good as this Northwestern bunch. So long as he's not named Taylor Martinez it's all good for the worlds greatest.

And about the world's greatest fans? If things start badly will they turn, or should I say act pretty much like the usually do, and begin to boo, mock and ridicule their own team? We all stick together you know... in all kinds of weather...hahahahahahaha. No worries though win or lose they'll cheer the team at the end of the game...Northwestern can count on it. Through these gates!

Count's Krystal Bawl

Nebraska 31
Northwestern 28