Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated lobs an easy one up for college football bloggers everywhere, with this set up and rhetorical question:

Normally, the arrival of a new coach at a storied program would elicit substantial curiosity, but Pelini’s first season in Lincoln has not drawn nearly the same interest as Rich Rodriguez’s at Michigan or Rick Neuheisel’s at UCLA. Even in the Big 12 — the league Nebraska once dominated — the Huskers’ dawn of a new era is a footnote to Oklahoma’s national-title quest, Chase Daniel’s Heisman pursuit and Mike Leach’s one-liners.

Will Nebraska football ever regain its national relevance?

Mandel also adds that it will take more than one victory to make the kind of statement we’re used to making. I agree. And it will take more than one season to erase the scars of Loserhan. But we’re on our way. Tomorrow’s game will prove that, and next Saturday’s game against Mizzou will prove that. To what extent, remains to be seen, but Nebraska fans have every reason to believe Pelini’s team will line up ready to bust their butts on the road to redemption.