Nebraska Cornhuskers 2008 Preview

Coach: Bo Pelini (0-0) First Year
Last Year: 5-7, 2-6 Big 12 North, fifth of six 
Returning Starters : Offense 6*, Line 3 | Defense 6, Line 4

Three Things You Should Know
1) The Huskers start with five straight at home, but you wonder if Virginia Tech as game #4 will have the same effect as USC last year. The Corn barely recovered to beat Ball State 41-40 after the USC game, so it was clear that the damage was done. NU could start 3-0 this year, but if VA Tech provides another de-moralizing home loss that could cause a spiral as Missouri comes to Lincoln the following week. That is followed by a road trip to Lubbock. Ouch. One positive -- the Huskers do get a bye week before the Virginia Tech game.
2) Joe Ganz is technically not a returning starter, but after up 1,399 passing yards and 15 TDs in the last three games of 2007, I gave him the asterisk above. Also, on offense SR RB Marlon Lucky is the top returning Big 12 rusher (1,019 yards).
3) Obviously, defense was the issue last year, but the Huskers have four returning starters up front. If Bo Pelini is going to turn this around quick at least that is something to build on.

Trends
The home team is 6-0 since 2002 in the Nebraska/Mizzou series ... KU has lost 19 straight in Lincoln ... the 76 points that Kansas put up against NU last year was the most allowed in team history by the Huskers.

The Game
A win in Lincoln. It's been on the checklist for quite a while. The Huskers will try to hold on to that one with all they've got. As far as I know, other than the home sellouts, that's the last big streak from the old days of Nebraska football (maybe MU not winning in Lincoln since '78 counts as well). The Jayhawks have obviously turned the corner against NU. Starting in 2003 when KU fought hard but lost 24-3 (minus Whittemore), this series has tightened up. Since that game, KU has played Nebraska tough on the road and pretty much blown them out in Lawrence (40-15, 76-39). The last two battles in Lincoln have been close losses (8-14, '04 and 32-39 OT, '06), so Nebraska should expect a confident KU squad. Other than the 84,000 fans wearing red, the most disturbing thing about this game is that NU's offense exposed our pass defense in 2007. Ganz and company will probably feel pretty good going into this one. For Todd Reesing and KU, it looks like the magic number is 39 ... at least based on NU's point totals from '06 and '07.

2008 Nebraska Schedule
Aug. 30, 2008 Western Michigan  
Sept. 6, 2008 San Jose St.  
Sept. 13, 2008 New Mexico St.  
Sept. 27, 2008 Virginia Tech  
Oct. 4, 2008 Missouri  
Oct. 11, 2008 at Texas Tech  
Oct. 18, 2008 at Iowa State 
Oct. 25, 2008 Baylor  
Nov. 1, 2008 at Oklahoma 
Nov. 8, 2008 Kansas
Nov. 15, 2008 at Kansas State 
Nov. 28, 2008 Colorado

2007 Results
W Nevada 52-10
W at Wake Forest 20-17
L USC 49-31
W Ball State 41-40
W Iowa State 35-17
L at Missouri 41-6
L OK State 45-14
L Texas A&M 36-14
L at Texas 28-25
L at Kansas 76-39
W Kansas State 73-31
L at Colorado 65-51