If the 14th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1) think that Saturday’s game with the Ohio State Buckeyes (3-2) is cause for celebration, they better think again. Both teams are trying to find the right mix of players and plays to fix their ball clubs recent woes.

Despite having several off field issues plague the Buckeyes, they come into Lincoln with a viable defense ranked 13th overall in the nation. The problem for Ohio State is an offense that ranks 108th out of 120.  They are unsettled at QB with redshirt senior Joe Bauserman and true frosh Braxton Miller trading time under center.  The running attack features RB Jordan Hall.  The passing game is impacted with the suspension of WR DaVier Posey who became the leading receiver for the Buckeye’s this year.  Ohio State will have to figure out how to attack the Huskers and settle on an identity of a balanced attack or stay in the spread that became the norm with Tyrell Pryor.

For the Huskers, the Blackshirts currently rank only 64th in the nation in total defense and the offense isn’t much better, ranking only 48th. So what does all of that mean? The identity of the Nebraska offense should still struggle to find itself against the Buckeyes in the Big Ten home opener for the Huskers. The defense will look like it is the #1 ranked defense in the land.  The Huskers will have to decide if they will run the option or rely on Taylor Martinez to throw.  The first twenty minutes looked very promising last week at Madison until the power of Wisconsin on both sides of the ball became too much for Nebraska.

I am attending today’s game for my daughter’s 14th birthday; her first live Husker game. I will be watching closely to see whether the offense can overcome the Buckeyes defense and their desire to continue to shed the problems from last year.  I expect a very good game with plenty of hickups along the way to a drama filled ending.

P.S.  The ticket pic would not center!

PREDICTION:  HUSKERS 21 BUCKEYES 24

Bucky Badger was doing push-ups all night.  The crowd at Camp Randall was did a slow wave after singing Neil Diamond’s ”Sweet Caroline” and opening the fourth quarter to House of Pain’s ”Jump Around”. Even the tuba line was circling the field playing the well known beer polka “Roll Out The Barrel”.  The pageantry of college football was in full swing in Madison as the Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) welcomed new Big Ten foe Nebraska (4-1) quite harshly, defeating the Huskers 48-17.

I was going to post many stats from the game as I usually do, such as, Wisconsin rolled the Blackshirts for 486 yards of total offense, 255 yards passing and 231 yards rushing.  I was going to mention how the Huskers offense, which started the game trading blows with Wisconsin, totaled 335 yards of total offense, much coming in the final quarter after the game was decided.

Rather than do that, I felt it was time to say what I have been seeing myself.  The Nebraska Cornhuskers are a much smaller and over matched team to compete on a national level at this time.  The Huskers first quarter last night was great as they fought hard on both sides of the football.  However, a much larger, more powerful and pro-style balanced attack was too imposing a foe for Nebraska.

No measure of adjustment.  No defensive scheme.  No offensive plan could have overcome the Wisconsin onslaught last night with the current roster that has been assembled under Husker HC Bo Pelini.  The Huskers are not going to challenge for a National Title this year and perhaps no next year either, unless Nebraska finds it’s true identity once again in the annals of years past.

I remember when Nebraska was talked about as the Badgers were last night.  An offensive line of great mass and strength.  A defense that routinely turned opponents away with three-and-outs, shortening the field and scoring at will.  Wisconsin could have posted many more points last night to put Bucky Badger to sleep until next spring.

Nebraska needs to either go with the option and run it to perfection, or adopt the spread and commit to it.  But as we witnessed last night, the Huskers need a quarterback who can throw and not just run.  We need a larger, faster backfield.  Defensively, we need linebackers who don’t look like safety’s and think that the speed will overcome power.

“Be careful what you wish for” and “The grass isn’t always greener…” both came to my mind last night as I watched Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson give the Blackshirts fits on their QB containment/spy techniques.  Russell completed 14 of 20 passes last night for 255 yards and 2 TD’s.  Badger RB Montee Ball ran 30 times for 151 yards and 4 TD’s.  For awhile, I thought I was watching a replay of the Husker football from the 90′s.  I wasn’t.  It was Wisconsin.

The majority of Husker Nation wanted Bo Pelini for HC after Bill Callahan was shown the door.  Well he is here and this is his team.  Pelini made a change at OC last year showing Shawn Watson the door.   His brother Carl Pelini is in charge of the defense.  What does Husker Nation say now?

I am not saying that the Callahan era should have continued.  But I am saying that the coaching staff was out-planned and the Huskers were easily out-played in Madison Saturday.  The rhetoric of, we made mistakes and pointing to a couple of bad calls is over.  Nebraska will need to look at it’s recruiting plans and alter them to bring in some bigger “and” faster players to compete with the likes of Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, et al.

Next week, the Huskers host a wounded Ohio State team that is reeling and maybe that is what the doctor ordered for the Big Red’s Big Ten home opener.  But make no mistake, we are not in the Big 12 anymore Dorothy!

It is set for a primetime kickoff, it was expected to be a playoff preview before a national television audience. But, as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for the Indianapolis Colts this week, something is very different. The Steel Curtain will not have to deal with the passing of Peyton Manning, still sidelined with a neck injury. Therefore it should be a one-sided yawner.

There was more information available about Peyton Manning’s alleged stem cell treatments overseas than how he handle the Steeler blitzes. It will be QB Kerry Collins who gets to figure out how to avoid being sack all day on Sunday.

The Steelers (1-1) are coming into the game tied for 1st in the AFC North after blanking the Seahawks at home last week. The Colts (0-2) are looking at falling to (0-3) for the first time since before the Manning era in Indianapolis began.

The Steelers rank #4 against the pass after two games, so don’t expect Collins to have much success passing the ball. The Curtain is #12 against the rush, allowing 100.5 yards rushing per contest. Combined, Pittsburgh has the #2 defense in the league. Not a good sign for Indianapolis.

Offensively the Steelers rank #4 in passing and #20 in rushing. #9 overall for total offense. The Colts rank #29 overall for offense and #16 for defense. This game unfortunatlely has lost it’s luster long before kickoff.

PREDICITION: Steelers 31 Colts 10

The ninth ranked Cornhuskers needed to show a balanced attack going into next week’s game against Wisconsin. Nebraska did not disappoint, gaining 333 rushing yards against Wyoming Saturday.

Rex Burkhead led the charge for the Huskers with 15 rushes for 170 yards. Taylor Martinez ran for only 37 yards on 12 carries, but passed for 1TD, 157 yards on 12 of 21 passes.

Nebraska started the game sluggish, finding the going tough for the first quarter. Burkhead’s first TD came at the 8:29 mark of the 1st quarter on a 45 yard TD dash. The Huskers went in at halftime leading 14-7.

Wyoming was lead by the passing of Brett Smith who threw for 2 TD’s and 1 INT on 17 of 33 passing. A committee of running backs could only manage 137 rushing yards against the Blackshirts.

Opening the second half, the Huskers took advantage of a good return and a personal foul to take the ball in on Rex Burkhead’s 16 yard TD to take a 21-7 lead at 13:39 of the 3rd quarter.

Most of the Huskers yardage came in the second half as the defense had full control throughout the game. Wyoming managed a late TD in the 4th quarter, but the game had long been decided.

Next up for the Huskers (4-0) are the Wisconsin Badgers (4-0). Expect a much louder crowd and atmosphere for this one at Camp Randall. Wisconsin will prove a great measuring stick for the Huskers.

Nebraska HC Bo Pelini insists that the Huskers (3-0) are taking it day by day and not looking forward to a Top 10 showdown with the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison next week.

Instead, Pelini says the process will continue to work and get better on both sides of the ball to enter the seasons first road game at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming Saturday as the Cowboys (3-0) host the Huskers.

The defense has plenty of work to do in order to stop an uncharacteristic start to the season that has seen them give up over 360 yards of total offense per contest and back to back 100-yard rushers on the ground. Something that had not happened to the Blackshirts since 2002.

QB Taylor Martinez comes into the Wyoming game with 384 yards, 6 TD’s on the ground and 490 passing yards for 3 TD’s, 2 INT’s. WR’s Jamal Turner and Kenny Bell have been the top two pass catchers for Martinez. Hopefully the Huskers will find the needed mix to get RB Rex Burkhead jump-started on the ground. So far this season, Burkhead has gained only 250 yards through 3 games.

The defense, which gave up three late 4th quarter touchdowns to Washington looks to improve and put the stop on an opponent as Big Red Nation is used to seeing on the field. Opponents are averaging 132 rushing yards and 232.7 passing against the Blackshirts. LB Lavonte David and S Damion Stafford lead the team in tackles with 32 and 26 respectively.

The Huskers will need to be aware of a Wyoming’s passing attack led by Frosh QB Brett Smith. Smith has passed for 797 yards on 61.8 percent passing. Smith will also run the ball as he has second on the team with 176 yards on the ground. Cowboy RB Ghaali Muhammad is the team’s leading rusher with 204 yards.

Look for the Huskers to exert themselves both on the ground and through the air Saturday. The Blackshirts will need to look sharp and though they are not looking forward, the Wisconsin Badgers are next folks! I sure am looking for a solid four quarters to prepare for the Big Ten road opener at Madison next week.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 52, Wyoming 17

The Steelers (1-1) made it look like a Week 1 thumping at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens was a distant memory on Sunday. Pittsburgh shutout the Seattle Seahawks 24-0 in their home opener at Heinz Field.

The Seahawks could manage only 164 yards of total offense as the Steel Curtain that was missing in last week came to play. The Seahawks were unable to cross midfield until late in the game despite QB Tavaris Jackson putting up good numbers, 20 for 29 passing for 159 yards. Pittburgh’s offense was methodical and mixed the run and pass very well on the way to 421 yards of total offense.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger was very efficient, completing 22 of 30 pass attempts for 298 yards and 1 TD. Steeler Nation held their breath collectively when Seattle DE Raheem Brock was flagged for hitting Roethlisberger low on his right knee and had to briefly leave the game.

The Steeler D posted 5 sacks on the day and allowed a Seattle a feeble 31 yards on the ground.  That compares to over 170 yards the defense was gashed for last week versus the Ravens.   On offense, RB’s Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman both found the end-zone once on runs of 11 yards and 20 yards respectively.  Through the air, it was a great day for WR Mike Wallace as he collected 8 catches for 126 yards.

It was good to see the Steelers playing with a purpose compared to seven turnovers last week.  HC Mike Tomlin will prepare the Steelers for a road game with the Indianapolis Colts (0-2).  The Colts season without Peyton Manning is proving challenging; they are win-less after two weeks for the first time since 1998, the year Manning entered the league and became their starting QB.

Nebraska HC Bo Pelini said he was hoping the Huskers would take what happened in San Diego personally. If the final score, 51-38 is any indication, Nebraska extracted revenge for last year’s Holiday Bowl loss to the Washington Huskies.

Pelini also said in the post game conference that the Huskers are where he expected, undefeated (3-0) and improving.

Nebraska traded blows with the Huskies Saturday for the first half of the ball game and going in at halftime up 20-17. It was how the Huskers made adjustments at half time and began the third quarter that set the tone the rest of the game.

Husker IB Rex Burkhead scored two times in 9 seconds when Nebraska took the second half kickoff down the field, capped by Burkhead’s 1-yard TD plunge. On the ensuing kickoff, Washington return man Bishop Sankey dropped the ball and Nebraska recovered followed by Burkhead scoring on a second 1-yard TD to put Nebraska ahead 34-17.

Husker QB Taylor Martinez completed 10-21 passes with 2 TD’s on the day and rushed for 94 yards and another 2 TD’s on the ground.  Freshman made a big splash as backup IB’s Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green all contributed to a big day for the Nebraska offense.  The Huskers had a total of 309 yards on the ground.

Washington amassed a total of 420 yards with 274 coming through the air.  The Blackshirts will need to continue to improve as they hit the road at Wyoming and then open Big Ten play at Wisconsin.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) will play their first home game in Week 2 as the Seahawks (0-1) come to Heinz Field. Pittsburgh will need to be stingy, keep the ball in their hands, and not turn the ball over as they did inWeek 1 versus Baltimore with 7 giveaways.

Seattle comes in with one less weapon available as a sore shoulder will keep WR Sidney Rice out of action for this weekend. ‘Hawks OG Robert Gallery will play despite knee problems. Look for Seattle to run the ball more than pass as they hope to duplicate Balitimore’s Ray Rice’s effort of 100 plus yards against the Steel Curtain in Week 1. It does not seem likely that Pittsburgh will allow back to back 100 yard rushers which means a punishing day for Seahawk RB Marshawn Lynch.

The Steelers looked old and were manhandled by the Ravens who played inspired ball for all four quarters last week.   They will need to get back to basic Steeler ball and run on the back of RB Rashard Mendenhall who managed only 45 yards on the ground against Baltimore.  Big Ben will need to do his part in the turnover department.  Roethlisberger was responsible for 3 INT’s last week, passing for 280 yards, 1 TD.  Targets will be possibly be whittled down as WR Jericho Cotchery has been ruled out for the game and WR Hines Ward has been held out of practice during the week leading up to Sunday’s game.

The Steelers need to get on pace in all offensive facets and hold on to the ball thus look for them to  rely on the ground game to reclaim some prideagainst the Seahawks. The Steeler defense should be up to the task and be ableto utilize the blitz to get back a few turnovers left on the carpet against the Ravens.

PREDICTION: PITTSBURGH 33 SEATTLE 13

No, we do not need Justin Timberlake and the rest of the pop boy band to reunite in Lincoln this Saturday. But Nebraska sure needs to get their game ratcheted up a notch if they expect to beat the unranked Washington Huskies.

The 10th ranked Huskers (2-0) will play Washington (2-0) in rematch from last year’s 56-21 victory at Washington and the ill fated 19-7 loss in the Holiday Bowl to (Jake Locker) the Huskies.

What has been missing? A complete game by the Huskers. So far this year, the Blackshirts rank a very unHusker like 45th in the nation for total defense. Let me put that into other terms for you; Utah State, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Connecticut, Eastern Michigan and Central Florida all rank higher than the Huskers in total defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, things are not much better. Sophomore QB Taylor Martinez is the offense so far this year. He has rushed for a total of 301 yards on 34 carries with 5 TD’s. Husker IB Rex Burkhead has 26 touches for 130 yards on the ground.  Through the air, Martinez is a woeful 48.8 percent on 21 of 43 passing attempts with 1 TD. Not one Husker receiver has more than 5 catches and not one has more than 100 yards…for the season!  This is not an attack on either side of the ball that will compete, let alone win the Big Ten. The Blackshirts have allowed 337 yards of total offense on average in two games. A total of 674 yards. This is not something HC Bo Pelini or Husker Nation should be relaxed about.

The Huskers will not get the big plays as they did last year. Washington has the Holiday Bowl and the tape of the first two Husker games to review and Nebraska becomes less than one dimensional.

So, look for a complete game by the Huskers or prepare for a long Big Ten season.

PREDICTION:  HUSKERS 31  HUSKIES 17

The Steelers look to conclude preseason play with a winning record and a healthy offensive line Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. Steeler HC Mike Tomlin is set to try a third man at RG in Doug Legursky, after taking looks at Ramon Foster and Tony Hills in previous games. Legursky is a 6-1, 315 pounder, who is normally a backup at the center position.

The offensive line remains a point of concern for the Steelers who have been plagued by injuries up front. Salary cap constraints have also made it tough for the Steelers to patch the O-line as the likes of Flozell Adams have departed due to monetary necessity.

Offensive and defensive starters will be rested in preparation for the Week 1 tilt with the Ravens in Baltimore on 9/11. Perennial clipboard carrier Charlie Batch, a 14 year veteran, gets the nod at QB for Pittsburgh against Carolina. Both Batch and Dennis Dixon will take all of the snaps as Byron Leftwich is out with a broken left arm.

The Steelers will be trimming their roster down from 80 to 53 men by the NFL deadline of Saturday, September 3. That means many young players will be looking to make a final impact against the Panthers. RB Jonathan Dwer, P Jeremy Kapinos and K Swayze Waters among others need to make a major statement to make the final roster.

Carolina will look to finalize their QB situation against the Steel Curtain. Lucky for both Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen, they will face backups rather than starters. Then again, that might not bode well for either player as the desperation to make a roster spot statement could mean hard times for the Panther duo. Both will get long looks for HC Ron Rivera.  Regardless, look for spirited play from the Steeler reserves and some big hits on both sides of the ball in this final tune up for both teams in Charlotte.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 31 Carolina 17