Nebraska moves to 1-0 on the season. I’ll fill in the details later but wanted to give our audience a place to talk about today’s game. Fire away in the comments.

I believe Misha was the winner of the guess the score contest with a prediction of 42-21.

Results updated throughout the day. Teams will fall off the list as we play them.

TEAM (Rank) – Result – Season Record
San Jose State – Won – 1-0
New Mexico State – Bye – 0-0
Virginia Tech (17) – Lost – 0-1
Missouri (6) – Won – 1-0
Texas Tech (12) – Won – 1-0
Iowa State – Won – 1-0
Baylor – Lost – 0-1
Oklahoma (4) – Won – 1-0
Kansas (14) – Won – 1-0
Kansas State – Won – 1-0
Colorado – -

Notes:
Virginia Tech is upset by East Carolina which may rank as the big upset of weekend. Pedi-shine has found a new market at Pitt where the Dave Wannstedt-led Panthers are having their lunch handed to them by Bowling Green. My guess is that Pitt will be hearing the “not letting this program gravitate to mediocrity” speech sometime soon as Wannstedt is unlikely to keep his job after this season.

It’ll be a warm one in Lincoln today with a high around 90. A slight wind out of the south/southeast at 12-16MPH. Get your sunscreen for your afternoon tailgating and stay hydrated.

If you caught ESPN’s College Gameday this morning you probably heard the shocker of all shockers, Kirk Herbstreit is high on the Huskers and says they will be one of the surprises in College Football this year. Offensively he says Nebraska will put up the points, and on Defense Pelini knows how to run a defense, and they won’t look slow and confused with depleted morale.

I tend to agree. I don’t think Nebraska was as bad as they played last year, but low morale stole our motivation to play. This year, the team is in shape, playing hard and inspired by true leadership.

We’d like to see your photos, movies, and stories of gameday. Send them to huskers@huskerzone.com and we will feature them throughout the upcoming week.

Let’s play some football!

Bust your predictions out. Closest to the actual final score gets eternal recognition and their prediction featured in next week’s official score prediction post.

For me, Nebraska 49 – Western Michigan 12

The Defense won’t get their Black Shirts before this game and will be hungry to earn them. Hard-hitting, turnover-inducing football will surprise the Broncos. Ganz rides off into the sunset with an early sitting down in the 3rd quarter, giving experience to the other QBs on the team (yeah, haven’t seen something like that in a few years). Equally balanced offense going over 450 yards and limiting the Broncos to less than 200 total yards on the day.

Hey Husker fans. I’m in need of 4 tickets to the Baylor game on October 25. Can anyone help the Admin out (at face value)?

I’m proud to say I joined the Oregonians for Nebraska group yesterday, following our move to Portland. I’m psyched that we will enjoy the company of Husker faithful this fall as we watch our team compete.

OR4NE conducts watch parties every Saturday at The Refectory on NE 122nd Avenue.

My $20 membership entitles me to a chapter directory, football watch parties, the Oregonians for Nebraska newsletter, a bumper sticker and mailings regarding chapter functions and special events.

Want to dress like a richest man to ever inhabit Nebraska, while supporting one of his company’s and the the team you love? If yes, Borsheim’s can hook you up with a limited edition Huskers watch designed by Swiss watchmaker, Raymond Weil.

Get your season predictions in. I’m going on record with an official pick of 9-3. My 3 losses are to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

I see the Missouri game as being highly focused effort by the Huskers and an improved Texas Tech could surprise Nebraska in a bounce back week.

I do see a couple of other games looking very tight, Kansas and Colorado. Colorado could surprise a lot of people this year and run the Big 12 North if they play with discipline defensively and can get their offense in gear. It will be interesting to see how Kansas reacts to a tougher schedule this season.

Much of this is also dependent upon how they react after this weekend. I’m hoping we are getting the downplay on talent/play from Pelini much like Osborne was before seasons got started.

I open it up to you guys now. Get your Season Predictions going in the Comments and I’ll open up a Western Michigan Score thread tomorrow.

I believe, fairly soon, NU will have to do something it hasn’t ever had to do.  What exactly am I referring to?  Paying up, that’s what.  Nebraska, even though we are in the top 5 of our conference, has never really had to pay big time dollars to retain any of our coaches.  Doc Sadler was given a raise this year ( and rightfully so!) but outside of CallaJOKE getting a fatty of an extension, not one coach comes to mind who we put up big dollars to keep, all while under an original contract.  Sadler jumped his base pay up $100,000 and added some incentives that could possibly bring it up further.  His contract was also extended 2 years until June 30, 2014.  I think NU did a good job in locking him up after the year he had and how hard the team played for him.  I think, in a couple of years, they might have to re-work that deal again.  My question is WILL NU BE READY TO PAY?

2008 Big 12 Coaches Pay (FOOTBALL)

1. Mack Brown (Texas) $2.8 million
2. Bob Stoops (Oklahoma) $2.65 million 
3. Mark Mangino (KU) $2.3 million
4. Gary Pinkel (MU) $1.85 million 
5. Mike Sherman (Texas A&M) $1.8 million
6. Mike Leach (Texas Tech) $1.65 million
7. Bo Pelini (Nebraska) $1.6 million
8. Art Briles (Baylor) $1.4 million
9. Dan Hawkins (Colorado) $1.1 million 
10. Gene Chizik (Iowa State) $1 million
11. Mike Gundy (Okla. State) $953,000 
12. Ron Prince (Kansas State) $754,140 

For Bo Pelini, 7th place in the Big 12 for pay, isn’t a bad starting spot for someone WITHOUT head coaching experience.  With the exception of Gene Chizik, all the coaches making less than Pelini have at least 2 years of head coaching experience.  As conservative as we are with pay around here, I cannot see us paying as much as Texas or Oklahoma, even though we have the money to do so.  I know that Nebraska is a good place to raise a family and that Lincoln is a nice place to live, but when bigger money comes at Pelini, will we be able to hold them off with a crime stat sheet, CAT scores, and low housing prices?  Pelini being a graduate of Ohio State University, if that job would become available, would he want it?  Jim Tressel made $2,700,000 last year.  The next coach of OSU will probably make more.  What does everyone else think?  Will NU “SHOW HIM THE MONEY”  when that time comes?

I have really read a lot about this group of Huskers, who by the way, have the huge burden of reversing the 2007 season sitting on their shoulders.  The more I read, the more I am sure this group of guys will NOT allow what happened last year to repeat itself.  Guys have some confidence back along with the NU swagger that made those great teams from the 90′s so damn good.  We have an O-line that is 10 deep, a good stable of QB’s, and three RB’s that can start for any team in the country.  Our receivers are young but fast, athletic, and physical.  Offensively, we should be able duplicate last years numbers, when NU averaged 33 points a game.

When looking at last year, NU went 5-7, but I think we could have been easily 8-4 with a little more defensive effort and game planning.  Those 3 victories should have come at the expense of Texas A&M, Texas, and Colorado.  Who knows what would have happened with the others.  I think with a coach like Pelini and the rest of the staff, that defense would not have been what it was, PERIOD! 

Taking a look at the 2003 season, NU finished 10-3.  The criticism I really can’t stand is when people point out how Bo Pelini’s defense played in the Texas, Missouri, and K-State game.  Let’s not forget that our offense had more 3 and outs in those games then they did the rest of the other 10.  That defense had to play pretty much the entire games and just simply wore out.  I don’t blame the defense for those losses, but pin it on an offense that really wasn’t that prolific.  If we were able to put together things offensively in those 3 games, I believe the outcome would’ve been different.

That brings us to 2008 and where I think the Huskers will finish.  I am just so AMPED about this season.  I don’t care if every game was on PPV, I would gladly spend the money and wouldn’t care how much they charged!  I will compare this team to the 2003 team because it’s the last NON-LOSERHAN team and the only Bo Pelini defensive team.

Offensively we are in way better shape.  The defense from the 2003 team had a few break-out players….Demorrio Williams,  Barret Ruud, the Bullocks brothers, and a young Adam Carriker, but that was it.  Athletically this defense is quick and hungry to knock the taste out of every opponents mouth.  We might be young and unproven in the back seven, but I’ll put my money on them being much better than the 2003 team.  Our corners will see what it’s like to play for a coach who knows how to coach his players and Bo Pelini will know how to use his linebackers, just like he did in 2003.  We are thinnest at the LB position, but there is plenty of speed and guys who KNOW how to tackle.  Honesty I cannot see Coach Ekler not getting these guys to play their butts off every play.  Bottom line……  This will be a top 25 defense when it’s all said and done.  I really believe that.  So, how does this translate into the number of wins for NU?  I see it like this.  In the first five games, I see NU only loosing one of those.  Either VT or Mizzou, I am not sure which one.  In the next five games I see 2 losses from either Texas Tech, Oklahoma, or Kansas.  That leaves the last two games of the schedule, K-State and CU.  I think NU will easily win both those games.  That has NU sitting at 9-3 and heading to a January 1st bowl game. 

Let me know what you guys think about NU’s chances this upcoming year and where they will finish.