I saw that on Rivals, anyone know if that is true?
Even that's inaccurate since Oklahoma finished 6th in the AP in 2001.Last year they beat OU when OU was ranked 20th. In 2001 they beat two teams ranked in the top 20 when they played them, including a team ranked 2nd. In 2000 they beat Northwestern when NU (of the wildcat variety) was ranked 20th. Maybe they are talking about teams who finished the season in the top 20?
Even that's inaccurate since Oklahoma finished 6th in the AP in 2001.
The stat is based on where the team was ranked at the time. And yes, OU was indeed ranked No. 2 when No. 3 Nebraska beat them on Black 41 Flash Reverse (hybrid option play where the qb hands off to the running back, running back laterals to a wideout, wideout heaves it downfield to the quarterback who is streaking towards the endzone).
That being said, that win total against top 20 teams is horrendous. It's one of those things that Nebraska fans get sick to their stomachs when they see. However, we're coming out of it... Last year, we were ahead the whole game at #9 Virginia Tech and lost by a point on a last-second long pass TD, and we lost to #2 Texas at literally the very last second on a very fortunate (for Texas) officiating call-enabled field goal.
Anyone who looks at Nebraska objectively, trying to determine what type of football power they will be in the B10, throws out everything prior to Pelini. The titles are great as far as long term prestige of a new member but as meaningless moving forward as the Solich / Callahan years. Right now Nebraska football is in a very Iowa/ Wisconsin like stage.
Right now, they are not in a Iowa/Wisconsin like stage. They are in a Northwestern like stage. Again, they haven't beat a team that finished the season ranked since 2001. Iowa has done that 13 times in the same time frame.
Traditionally, they are in a Top 5 all-time stage.
Whoop de doo, man. Remember 2002? That year when you went to the Orange Bowl and got flattened by USC but had a really great season up to that point? Oh yeah, Iowa State.
Remember, also, when your mighty Hawkeyes pulled out an absolute miracle this last season against FCS team Northern Iowa?
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Nebraska lost 3 games this last season by a combined 4 points. Iowa was the team on the reverse of that stat. One less miracle here, on more pick there, and Iowa goes 7-5 in 2009 instead of 11-2.
Remember 2002? That year when you went to the Orange Bowl and got flattened by USC but had a really great season up to that point? Oh yeah, Iowa State.
Remember, also, when your mighty Hawkeyes pulled out an absolute miracle this last season against FCS team Northern Iowa?
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Nebraska lost 3 games this last season by a combined 4 points. Iowa was the team on the reverse of that stat. One less miracle here, on more pick there, and Iowa goes 7-5 in 2009 instead of 11-2. The football gods are sometimes generous and smile on a team. The football gods were beaming on Iowa last year. They were not smiling upon Nebraska when we coughed up the ball 8 times and lost by less than a field goal to Iowa State. However, what the football gods really seem to hate is when a team takes their generosity and gets cocky. We all saw what happened to Meechiken.
Well they for all intents and purposes beat Texass in that title game, and they return a stellar defense so I'd say they are in pretty good shape.
Right now, they are not in a Iowa/Wisconsin like stage. They are in a Northwestern like stage. Again, they haven't beat a team that finished the season ranked since 2001. Iowa has done that 13 times in the same time frame.
Traditionally, they are in a Top 5 all-time stage.
They are infact in a very Iowa / Wisconsin like stage RIGHT NOW. See my earlier post where I reasoned everything prior to Pelini should be thrown out the window because it means nothing RIGHT NOW.
Last year under Pelini Nebraska had a pretty good year. Dare I say a year that reminded me very much of 2008 Iowa. A good number of wins, a good bowl win and the only loses by very marginal differences. They lost a great player but return a great nucleus on a stellar defense. Explain again how that RIGHT NOW, is not very Iowa Wisconsin like?