Week 13(ish) Reflections

     Ugh... hello my football friends. This is getting more and more frustrating each week due to the poor performances by my Huskers, but I'm still here to give you all the College Football content you're looking for! As usual, my reflection post will have a full analysis and break down of the Husker game as well as all the other exciting things that happened around the nation. There were some big upsets, big injuries and big performances, so let's get to it!

     Another poor performance by the Huskers leads to another loss to Iowa and more excuses from Scott Frost about how the coaching staff before him is to blame.  Regardless of the team's performance, it is way past time for Frost to take responsibility for this team. I will rant a bit more about this topic later in my reflection, but for the last time, THE HUSKERS LOSING RIGHT NOW IS NOT MIKE RILEY'S FAULT. Looking at the game itself, there were some bright spots for the Huskers, but more mental errors and dumb mistakes did them in more than the Hawkeyes did. I've got everything broken down into my GOOD, EXPECTED and BAD categories below.

GOOD - The Husker Defense & Adrian Martinez. I am cautious to give the Blackshirts title back to the defense, but honestly they performed very well against Iowa, holding the typically efficient Hawkeye rushing attack to just 128 yards. The Hawks were only able to score TDs on 2 of their 5 trips to the redzone, as the Husker defense forced 5 field goals throughout the game, Iowa made 4 of them. This is a great turnaround for a unit that gave up 41 to one of the worst offenses in the BIG 10 with Illinois last week. The defense played well enough for the Huskers to win, and overall, I thought Adrian Martinez did as well. Martinez was nearly perfect on the day, completing 18/20 for 174 yards. The Huskers still have yet to throw a legitimate TD pass, but Martinez was able to make the best out of some very bad situations thanks to his creativity outside of the pocket. I was a bit disappointed to see the lack of playing time Luke McCaffrey got, but Martinez did what he was supposed to in most circumstances of the game. He even saved some potential disasters, so I give him a nod in this one. There's still no clear starter for the Huskers, which is another reason why I don't see any issue in putting them both in the backfield. There's a different kind of tempo when Luke runs the offense, and if Frost wants the BIG 10 to change for him, that tempo is necessary. I was very happy to see Adrian play well, but there's still a lot of work to do before he is able to lead this team to victory. Also, the golden rule should just be give the ball to Wan'dale Robinson as much as possible. The kid is a baller and defenses rarely have much of an answer for him even though they can focus 3 defenders on him at once.

EXPECTED - Predictable play calling and dumb mistakes. At this point, I honestly think I could script most of the Huskers' playbook in my sleep. Iowa was clearly able to read a majority of Nebraska's offensive plays before the snap, leading to another pedestrian performance and an atrocious 4 of 12 on third down for the Huskers. Nebraska now ranks 116th in the nation for third down conversion rate, sitting at 32.26 percent. The lack of ability to sustain drives goes far beyond third down though, as most of these failures are set up on first and second down where the Huskers often times go backwards. Nebraska clearly cannot run any of the RPOs with much success, and the run game (outside of Martinez & McCaffrey making 3 defenders miss on their own) is nonexistent. The Huskers continue to neglect using their talent on the outside with the lack of a downfield passing attack and the QB draws can be sniffed out a mile away. The offensive line has not push and often acts as a dysfunctional floodgate for any running plays between the tackles or when the Huskers attempt a pass more than 7 yards. Then you add in untimely holding penalties, bad snaps and fumbled punt returns, there's not much rhythm to be found on the offensive side of the ball.

BAD - Cam Jurgens and Scott Frost's inability to accept responsibility. In the words of my Aunt Jennifer, "what type of blackmail does Cam Jurgens have on Scott Frost to keep him in there?" It's honestly a fair question, especially after hearing Frost double-down on his decision to have Cam Jurgens as the starting Center. The snaps did improve in the second half, but after a season and a half at the position, it's pretty obvious this is not the best spot for Jurgens. It's worth noting that Jurgens was a 4-star Tight End prospect coming out of High School, and was ranked in the top 10 in the nation for the position. Now it's fairly common for TEs to be moved to the offensive line, but typically not Center. I don't mind having a player of Jurgens' speed and agility on the line, but he clearly does not know how to play the Center position. The Center has to call and change blocking schemes depending on what he sees from the defense, and most importantly keep the timing of the play intact by snapping the ball directly to the QB. In a very low-level comparison, the 3rd & 4th grade rookies I coached this fall struggled on offense because we were sitting in shotgun and could not snap the ball well enough to set up the timing of our plays. We had to switch players into the Center position numerous times and eventually went under Center to fix the issue. Again, this is a very thin string connecting the two situations, but it's worth putting other players at the position if they're more successful. Timing of the play is dictated by the snap from the Center.

Now onto my second issue, Scott Frost. I do still believe there's potential with him and this team, but I am extremely disappointed in the lack of responsibility he's taken, especially now that we're in year 3. Following the Iowa loss he's still blaming the Mike Riley staff for culture issues, players leaving and the overall terrible performances on the field. I worked with the Riley staff in recruiting athletes to the program, things were far from perfect, and the on-field performance highlighted some of the issues, but things were not as bad as Frost makes them seem. I repeat, THE ISSUES UNDER MIKE RILEY WERE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS SCOTT FROST SAYS, especially for a coach in his third year. I've had Husker fans tell me they would trust Frost to do open heart surgery on their mother before they trusted Mike Riley. Now there's a number of glaring issues with statements like that, but I'll focus on the blind loyalty to a coach who still has yet to win more games than his predecessor did at this point in the tenure. If Scott Frost does not begin to take responsibility for the performances by his team, they will continue to crumble and lose players. Frost announced on Monday that WR Marcus Fleming is no longer with the team, taking away more depth at one of the thinnest positions on the roster. If Frost is so worried about a culture problem, then he needs to ensure this team is prepared for each practice, game and plays like they want to win, not like they already have. This team has become complacent and doesn't get phased by losing (from an outside perspective). A big responsibility is on the athletes as well, getting that fire and passion to play comes from within. However, that fire is stoked by a coach who wants to win and can motivate their players to do the same. I'm sure Frost can be that guy, it's clear (most of) these players like him, but culture is more than being friends. I liked the tough love comment from Monday's press conference, but the toughness needs to show in practice and on the field. It's well past time to stop blaming Mike Riley, this is Frost's team. Own it and coach them up. Go Big Red.

Quick hit thoughts from the rest of CFB:

- Notre Dame flexed their defensive muscles by shutting out the dynamic Tar Heels offense in the second half to win 31-17. They close their season against the Organge before likely squaring off against the Tigers again in the ACC Championship.

- Brock Purdy played a tremendous game and the Cyclones scored 10 4th quarter points to beat Texas on the road and lock up their spot in the Big XII Championship. This brought Head Coach Matt Campbell to tears. Good to see for the Cyclones, and they better hold onto him as long as they can.

- Ex-Husker QB Tristian Gebbia led a tremendous comeback win by the Beavers as they beat the Ducks 41-38. Oregon State just wouldn't go away and a 22-point 4th quarter capped in by a game winning QB sneak by the back-up QB after Gebbia got hurt completed the comeback. OSU Running Back Jermar Jefferson went wild with 226 and 2 TDs on the ground, single-handedly outrushing the Ducks by himself. The Bevers are on the rise in the PAC-12, and the conference is certainly out of Playoff consideration for yet another year.

- 25 4th quarter points by the Chippewas prevented Eastern Michigan from recording their first victory of 2020.

- A blocked PAT at the end of the game gave Stanford the victory over Cal and the Ax Trophy from the oldest rivalry in the West.

- Bama rolled in the Iron Bowl as Mac Jones threw for 5 TDs.

- Clemson was very excited to have Trevor Lawrence back, especially since he threw for 406 yards and 2 TDs over Pitt.

- LSU brought their defense to College Station, but that was about it. A&M had an impressive defensive performance of their own and were able to win 20-7.

- The Gators are on a collision course with the Tide and are looking to jump over A&M (their only loss) to get into the playoffs.

- Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats were bit by the turnover and penalty bugs as Rocky Lombardi led Sparty to a 29-20 upset over Northwestern. The Purple Cats can still win the Big 10 West, but Playoff hopes are dashed significantly and they still need a run game.

- Georgia changed QBs and started winning big again, about damn time.

- In true 2020 fashion, Indiana's star QB, Michael Penix Jr., tore his ACL in the Hoosiers victory over Maryland and will be out for the remainder of the season. He's been sensational to watch and hopefully will make a speedy recover to be back next year. Dark horse Heisman if the Hoosiers can keep this momentum in 2021.

- The Chanticleers continue to roll and will get to host College Gameday this weekend. I guess there are some good things in this world!

- The Pokes out last the Red Raiders in a classic Big XII shootout 50-44.

- Penn State notches their first victory of 2020 in the Big House against Michigan. Haha Jim Harbaugh!

- If you haven't heard of Buffalo's RB Jarett Patterson, you need to watch this kid. He tied an NCAA record with 8 rushing TDs on 409 yards. The kid is phenomenal and is 5th in the nation with 920 rushing yards despite playing in just 4 games this season. He's tied for 2nd in TDs at 16, behind Bama's Najee Harris at 17. GIVE THIS KID THE WALKER AWARD!

- Ohio State is in danger of missing out on a BIG 10 Championship due to a small covid outbreak canceling their game against Illinois.

- Rutgers surprised everyone and beat Purdue on the road despite a pretty solid game from the Boilermaker offense. Purdue will try to right the ship against the Huskers this weekend.

- Colorado was able to play San Diego State after USC cancelled due to covid and the Buffs are 3-0.

- The best was saved for last as we look at the Vandy-Mizzou game. The score didn't matter much as Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play football for a Power 5 school by opening the second half with a kickoff! This was incredible for College Football and I hope the Commodores are able to drive into field goal range next game to give her a shot at some points. Congratulations Sarah Fuller and thank you for helping change the game!

Thanks for reading all of my week 13(ish) reflections and be watching for my predictions post later this week. GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Week 13(ish) Predictions

      Welcome to Week 13 Football fans, aka Rivalry Week! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving, because now it's time to kick your feet up and watch lots and lots of football. This is always my favorite football weekend of the year, and even with Covid-19 spiking, I'm hopeful for a fun and safe weekend. We've got some great games to watch this weekend, and here's all the things you need to know about them. Enjoy!

Week 12(ish) Record: 9 - 6

Overall Record: 45 - 23

#13 Iowa State at #17 Texas

     A spot in the Big XII Championship is on the line as the Cyclones travel to Austin to take on the Longhorns. Texas has fought back into the Big XII picture posting three straight wins since dropping back to back games against TCU and Oklahoma in early October. The Cyclones are riding one of their best conference records in school history, losing just to Oklahoma State on the road by 3. The true kicker of this game is how Texas has not played a game since November 7th. A BYE week and postponement against Kansas has given the Longhorns extra time to rest and prepare. They will need to be ready though, because QB Brock Purdy and RB Breece Hall has this ISU offense humming. They blanked K-State 45-0 last week and have a very balanced offense. Texas is strong against the run, but Hall is a different beast to tame. I like the Cyclones to win down in Austin, Matt Campbell has something special cooking! Iowa State beats Texas 38-31.

Stanford at Cal (The Game)

     A couple of winless PAC-12 teams line up in this one, but records don't usually matter in a rivalry as old as this one. Neither team has found much of an identity yet this year, but one thing is for sure, the defenses are a mess. Games like this usually come down to the turnover battle, and Stanford has the edge there as Cal QB Chase Garbers has 3 interceptions through just two games. The Trees win this one in a very messy game 30-26.

#15 Oregon at Oregon State

     Staying out with the PAC-12, I'll take a look at a winning team in this game. The Ducks found themselves back a bit further than they wanted in the opening week of the CFB Playoff rankings, but with a stylish win over their rival, they could vault themselves toward the top 10. The Beavers are typically irrelevant when it comes to PAC-12, but they always love to play Oregon tough and try to spoil their plans. Oregon State has been able to put up some points this season, scoring an average of 26.7 points per game, so the Ducks will be tested again on defense. Oregon should just hand the rock to CJ Verdell and get out of the way though. He'll carry them to another victory in this rivalry. Ducks 37, Beavers 21.

#2 Notre Dame at #19 North Carolina

     The last big challenge for the Irish before a likely rematch with Clemson in the ACC Championship comes this weekend in Chapel Hill, NC against the Tar Heels. Despite the consistent efforts and texts from my uncle, I still haven't hopped on the Notre Dame Bandwagon. The Irish have looked impressive this season though, averaging nearly 38 points per game with a dynamic rushing attack and a sturdy defense that will give up some yards, but not many points. UNC on the other hand, they score a lot. Their high powered offense is led by one of my favorite young QBs to walk, Sophomore stud Sam Howell. He's thrown for 2,631 yards and 23 TDs so far this season. This is complemented by Javonte Williams' 10 rushing TDs and 868 yards on the ground. The Irish have a talented running back of their own in Kyren Williams. He has 10 TDs on the ground with 777 yards this year. Needless today, this game is going to be a shootout. It's always fun to see the upset, but I'll give the nod to Ian Book's experience and the Irish. Notre Dame 41, North Carolina 36.

#4 Ohio State at Illinois (Battle for the Illibuck)

     The Turtle Trophy is on the line as the Buckeyes travel to Illinois after holding of the comeback of Indiana last week. The Illini dominated my Huskers in Lincoln last week and look to force more turnovers with Ohio State in town. Brandon Peters will likely have the start again as he threw for 205 yards and a TD against the "Blackshirts" last week. He was helped out by the 5 turnovers Illinois got, and their defense now has 13 on the season. Justin Fields had an uncharacteristic 3 interceptions against the Hoosiers last week, and was constantly under pressure. I doubt he'll be under as much siege as last game, but he will still need to take care of the ball, especially when trying to run against the Illini linebackers. I think Ohio State should have a solid performance though, and they win the Illibuck Trophy 48-21.

Maryland at #12 Indiana

     The real Turtles of the BIG 10 missed their shot at upsetting the Buckeyes a couple of weeks ago due to Covid, and were off last week as well. Tualia Tagovailoa had the Terps' offense humming in early November though. He'll look to restart that fire against a very tough Hoosier defense. One that forced 3 interceptions against Justin Fields and the Buckeyes last week. They will bounce back quick in my opinion, especially with the way Michael Penix Jr. has been playing. He threw for a career-high 491 yards and 5 TDs last week. Maryland ranks 78th in pass defense in the nation and 9th in the BIG 10, so he should have another big day. Hoosiers get back on track with a 38-20 victory.

Texas Tech at #23 Oklahoma State

     The Cowboys are likely out of Big XII Title contention after the blowout loss in BEDLAM last week, and now have to come home to a Red Raider team coming off of a BYE and looking for another upset. There should be plenty of offense in this one as neither defense has performed well recently. The QB battle is my big key to watch in this game, as TTU's Alan Bowman and OSU's Spencer Sanders look bounce back after both throwing an interception with no TDs in their previous games. Oklahoma had a hangover after the Texas loss earlier this season, and I think they might have another one here. I haven't bought into their success in recent years, so I'm putting my guns up and riding with the Red Raiders. Texas Tech wins 37-31. Wreck 'Em!

Kent State at Buffalo

     Now this might be a game many of you brush past, but this #MACtion match-up is one you should check in on during commercial breaks if you don't have a multi-game setup like myself. The Golden Flashes are just two seasons removed from a year in which they only had 1 conference win, and now they're rolling the competition. They've posted 60+ in their last two games and are averaging a staggering 616 yards per game on offense. The Bulls are looking for revenge after a 3 point loss a season ago to the Flashes, and they have a pretty dynamic offense of their own. They're led by Junior RB Jaret Patterson, who has 8 TDs so far this season. This one is expected to be a barn burner, and I'm going to pick the Flashes. Not really sure why, but they're riding a hot streak and I think it's going to continue. Kent State defeats Buffalo on the road 53-44.

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (The Egg Bowl)

     One of the biggest rivalries in the South takes place this weekend in Mississippi as the Bulldogs take on the Rebels. This game was decided by a missed PAT last season, thanks to Ole Miss Wide Receiver Elijah Moore celebrating the (near) game tying TD with a dog peeing in the endzone celebration. Yes, he acted like a dog peeing in the endzone... God Bless College Football! Anyways, the 2020 matchup features two brand new coaches for each program in Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach. Two of the most interesting and outspoken coaches in the country, this can only be entertaining. There have been ESPN experts saying "first one to 60 will win the Egg Bowl", and I kind of agree with them. This one is going to be a shootout, as both teams have dynamic offenses that are starting to come together and very terrible defenses. I think Lane Kiffin's team has the offense figured out a bit more than Mike Leach's squad, so I'll give the nod to the Rebels. Ole Miss 55, Mississippi State 42.

#22 Auburn at #1 Alabama (The Iron Bowl)

     This game has gotten a little more interesting since Nick Saban tested positive for Covid-19 the other day, and won't be on the sidelines to coach this game. Outside of that this should just be another stepping stone for the Tide on their way to another College Football Playoff birth. To be fair though, we've seen some interesting things happen in the Iron Bowl before, so things could get a little exciting. Auburn QB Bo Nix would need to play well though, and the Sophomore has hit that slump hard in his second year under center. He's just 1 pick away from tying the 6 he threw as a Freshman, and the offense overall has not helped him out much. Mac Jones for Bama looks to pad his Heisman-like stats even more against the Tiger defense that gives up an average of 402 yards per game. Tide Roll 36-17 even without Saban.

Nebraska at #24 Iowa (The Hero's Game)

     Normally I'd be pretty jazzed about this game (and I still am), but the performance at Memorial Stadium was a straight up gut punch from the Huskers. This team clearly has very little motivation to improve, and it's becoming very frustrating to watch. Nonetheless, I am ready to hurt again and will give you my keys to victory for Nebraska. Hopefully they'll follow them this week. First and foremost, Nebraska NEEDS to stop the run. Iowa is going to line up in the I-formation, hand the ball to Sophomore RB Tyler Goodsen and run him to the left, then the right, then the left two times, the right once, the left again and then the right two more times. Iowa has figured out they really only need to pass when absolutely necessary, and at that point they could still probably run it and be better off. Nebraska started the season with a fairly stout run defense, but that was blown wide open after receiving their blackshirts last week. The Illini rushed for 285 yards last week, and had two backs go over 100 yards thanks to multiple gashing runs. Luke McCaffrey will likely get the start again, which is the right decision in my opinion, but I do want to see Martinez. If Mills is still unable to play, why not have both QBs out there to run the option and RPOs with each other? Nebraska leads the nation in QB rushing attempts, so why not have them both in there and pound the rock. It is obvious Nebraska cannot pass the ball downfield, so Iowa is going to load the box. This is a great time to use your two best rushers and confuse the Hawkeye defense as much as possible. Iowa is not a team that makes many mistakes, so Nebraska drastically needs to cut back on the penalties and turnovers. Unfortunately I'm not sure Scott Frost has this team prepared and I think Iowa is going to win their 6th straight over the Huskers. Nebraska makes me sad with a 34-21 loss. I really hope this one doesn't get out of hand, and I hope even more that the Huskers prove me wrong. GO BIG RED!

Quick Hit Predictions:

#8 Northwestern at Michigan State - The Wildcats are coming off of a big win against the Badgers where they have all but claimed the BIG 10 West Division Title for the second time in three years. Pat Fitzgerald will have this team focused though, and that suffocating defense will hold down the Spartans. Wildcats win in East Lansing 30-14.

Penn State at Michigan - Not many people expected this to be a BIG 10 bottom feeder matchup earlier in the year, but here we are with the Nittany Lions at 0-5 and the Wolverines at 2-3. Both teams are a complete mess this season and I honestly don't know who to pick. I'll go with Michigan just so we get another year to make fun of Harbaugh before he gets the ax. Try to keep your eyes away from this train-wreck, but still watch because it's a train-wreck. Wolverines 33, Nittany Lions 28.

Rutgers at Purdue - The Boilermakers are likely still steaming after the horrible offensive pass interference call that took away their game-winning TD in the final minute against Minnesota last week, but Rutgers is just as pissed about their overtime upset against Michigan being spoiled at the last minute. Both teams are looking for some thing to prove and both can sling it all over the field. Look for some points in this one, but I'll take the home team. BoilerUp to a 38-33 victory.

LSU at #5 Texas A&M - The Aggies are sitting just outside of the playoff picture right now, but will look to put up some style points over the final few weeks of the season. LSU is still a mess and I expect Kellen Mond to make quick work of Bo Pelini's defense. Aggies win 40-20.

Kentucky at #6 Florida - Last time the Wildcats were in Gainesville they snapped a losing streak to the Gators that dated back to 1987. That won't happen this time around and if you're betting I would take Florida to cover easily. Kyle Trask is the real deal at QB and he should have a big night. Gators win big with a 54-21 blowout.

Utah at Washington - Since the Apple Cup (UW vs. Wazzu) was cancelled due to Covid-19, we get the Utes and Huskies for our primetime game. The PAC-12 doesn't get as much love as they deserve in College Football, but they have some good games out West. I'm hoping this one provides us some entertainment, but I'll take the Huskies and their defense. Washington 35, Utah 28.

Thanks for reading my Week 13(ish)/Rivalry Week Predictions! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and are now ready to kick back and watch some football. Also, since it's hate Iowa week... GO BIG RED & BEAT IOWA!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Week 12(ish) Reflections

      Howdy Football Friends, let's get this over with. As many of you are aware, the Huskers lost 41-23 against the Fightin' Illini from Illinois, and unfortunately it is now my duty to give y'all a recap and analysis. This was honestly one of the worst football performances I've witnessed, especially by Nebraska. The comments from the press conference on Monday made things even worse, which I did not know was possible. There's a lot to break down, so let's dive in. Enjoy... if you can.

     Coming off of their first win of the season and wearing the freshly handed out, Blackshirt jerseys, I really thought Nebraska would come out with some momentum and be ready to win their first set of back to back BIG 10 games since 2016. Clearly I was wrong. Illinois brought the pop early and often, dominating the line of scrimmage and time of possession. This was also aided by the 5 turnovers given to them by the Husker offense. It's clear Nebraska was in no shape or form ready to play this game, and that was capped off by Monday's press conference where Captain wideout Kade Warner said the team wasn't motivated or energized at practice the week before, and admitted he and the other wideouts especially weren't even running full speed on their routes. I've got a full analysis in my GOOD, EXPECTED and BAD categories below.

GOOD - Collin Miller is okay and looking to make a full recovery. About the only good thing from Saturday comes from one of the scariest moments when Senior LB Collin Miller was carried off on a stretcher early in the 4th quarter. Scott Frost said on Monday the injury is a Spinal Concussion which will likely sideline Miller for the remainder of the season. Luckily he's not expected to have any permanent damage and was able to attend practice to be with his teammates and support them. I certainly wish him a speedy recovery and am glad to hear he's doing well.

EXPECTED - McCaffrey struggles and turnovers. To preface this, I am a big proponent of keeping McCaffrey as a focal point of the offense moving forward, especially if Frost thinks he's the future of this program. With that being said, the Redshirt Freshman did not play well, especially when throwing the ball. This is going to happen from time to time, and I've said it before, but he'll need to work out the kinks of being a starter if it's truly his job moving forward. Adrian Martinez is also one of the more talented players on this roster however, and with Mills being injured, I wouldn't mind seeing Martinez in the backfield with McCaffrey. It's clear the Huskers will not having any form of a passing attack in 2020, so if you're going to run, you might as well run with your best. There's nothing in Frost's playbook that's going to drastically change from the basic shotgun handoffs, QB draws and RPOs, so you might as well have all your best playmakers on the field.

Looking at the turnovers, that was my primary key to victory in this game. Illinois has been one of the best turnover teams in the last few years in the BIG 10, and they proved it again on Saturday with 5 takeaways from the Huskers. Some were literally handed to them (like on the first play of the game), but this is still an outrageous issue for Nebraska that needs to be fixed immediately. The Huskers have had 22 and 21 total turnovers in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Through just 4 games in this season Nebraska has 10 turnovers. Some of the interceptions are inevitable with poor QB play and a lack of a consistent passing attack, but for a team that runs so much, fumbles are not something Frost can keep living with. Especially when many are caused from miscommunication on handoffs or poor ball security by the QBs who he recruited SPECIFICALLY for running in his offense.

BAD - Everything? I honestly don't exactly know where to start with this category, especially since I'm trying to find a new issue to pick on. To take a stab at it, I want to point your attention to Monday's press conference in which multiple players including Captain WR Kade Warner admitted to not going full speed and being lackadaisical in practice during the week leading up to the game with Illinois. As a fan, football coach and former football player myself, this ticks me off more than anything. There are two sides to this coin, so we'll start with the players. In the past three years, they've had to overcome quite a bit of changes in their program and culture. They've had games canceled and odd seasons. But most importantly they have become comfortable being a bad team. It's clear some of these athletes walk around campus like they are royalty, and that's because they're treated like it. Frost and his staff have built a culture that celebrates the players as Greek God equivalents at UNL, despite just winning 10 games in the past 2.5 seasons. From an outside perspective it seems like some members of the team don't necessarily care about the wins as long as they're still treated like the royalty they're told they are day in and day out. I truly hope that's not the case, but when players are giving half-assed efforts in practice after nearly giving up their only victory in the last calendar year, there's a culture change needed...again.

The other side of the coin is back to Scott Frost and the coaching staff. I agree that the players are the ones on the field making things happen, but that all comes from knowing what to do and being prepared. I have yet to see a fully prepared Husker team under Scott Frost, and with the recent comments about practice I can understand why. When I coached 3rd and 4th graders earlier this fall it was even more eye opening compared to my playing days on how many things from practice translate to a game. There were times I had to really harp in on some kids to get focused and take what we're doing seriously so they could be ready for the games. If I can do that with 9-year olds, there's absolutely no reason Frost can't kick his players into high gear when he sees them slacking. That's one of the main roles as a coach, to keep your team focused and working to the best of their abilities and make sure they're prepared week in and week out. There needs to be some fire in this football team if they're going to win any games moving forward, and that starts with the Head Coach. If I were playing for or coaching the Huskers, I'd be ticked off more than anyone in the state of Nebraska. This team is comfortable with losing and that's got to change.

     There's not much else to say about that Husker performance, other than that it needs to be forgotten quick. It'll be interesting to see who Nebraska's extra crossover game ends up being later this year, especially with Penn State falling to 0-5. That would not be a fun re-match, but the bigger fear is probably getting torched by ex-Husker QB Noah Vedral and the Scarlet Knights from Rutgers. Both are possible and both are nightmare scenarios for Frost. Time to shape up and get this team in high gear. Or at least out of reverse.

Quick hit thoughts from the rest of CFB:

- There's going to be a few of these in this section, but I TOLD YOU SO about Indiana. The Hoosiers gave Ohio State a big run for their money in the Horseshoe on Saturday as Michael Penix Jr. lit up the Buckeye secondary for 491 yards and 5 TDs through the air. Their defense picked off Justin Fields 3 times, but Ohio State was able to prevail and hold the inside track to the BIG 10 Championship.

- On Thursday night the Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa completed yet another comeback victory, but in serious style this time by sending the game to overtime with a game-tying Hail Mary. They then won in overtime with a 96 yard pick six. WILD.

- Purdue was absolutely screwed by the BIG 10 Officials against Minnesota on Friday night with a horrendous offensive pass interference call that took away what likely would've been the game-winning TD pass. They missed some FGs earlier in the game and could've made other plays, but that was a bad call and should not happen. BoilerUp

- After a 2 week hiatus, the Tide were Rolling yet again and should be on their way to another CFB Playoff.

- The Gators struggled early, but Kyle Trask eventually woke up and threw the ball all over the Vandy secondary. Just another 350+ and 3 TD day at the office for the new Heisman front-runner.

- I TOLD YOU SO about Cincy being legit as well. The Bearcats survived a tough road game in Orlando to beat the UCF Knights and sit atop the American Athletic Conference standings. They're at Temple this week and then have an open week before taking on Tulsa in the conference championship. Maybe a BYU - Cincy battle in that open week? We can certainly hope!

- Speaking of the Cougars, Heisman dark horse, QB Zach Wilson had another 4 TD performance as BYU dropped 66 on North Alabama.

- Back in the BIG 10, the Wildcats made me regret not going with my gut on their "upset" win over Wisconsin. The Northwestern defense completely dominated the Badgers and forced 5 turnovers. This defense is legit and if their offense can figure out a rushing attack they have an outside shot at a Playoff spot. Nonetheless, they now have the inside track for the BIG 10 West Division with a very win-able schedule remaining.

- Chip Kelly nearly got his revenge in Autzen Stadium, but the Ducks prevailed with a 38-35 victory. UCLA is gaining momentum again though, watch out PAC-12 South.

- I TOLD YOU SO about the battle of the Bulldogs! Mississippi State nearly upset Georgia between the hedges, but easily covered the outrageous 25 point spread. If you bet money based on my blog this week you probably did pretty well. Georgia is not very good.

- Another overrated team that was exposed on Saturday would be the Cowboys of Oklahoma State. BEDLAM showed yet again who the real Oklahoma team is, and that would be the Sooners. Spencer Rattler threw for 4 TDs in a 41-13 beat down and the Sooners are back in the Big XII title hunt yet again... joy.

- Elsewhere in the Big XII, Iowa State proved they really want that title, and blanked K-State 45-0 at home. Cyclones and Oklahoma rematch would be fun!

- My last I TOLD YOU SO comes with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. They remained undefeated after beating Appalachian State for the first time in program history and are making a push for a New Year's Six bowl game.

- Liberty finally lost and LSU beat Arkansas for the Golden Boot Trophy.

- Last but not least we have a nod to my first every recruiting tour prospect, ex-Husker QB Noah Vedral and his stellar performance against Michigan. The Scarlet Knights fell to the Wolverines in triple-OT, but Vedral was phenomenal with 381 yards and 3 TDs through the air. His lone interception at the end finished the game, but it was nice to see at least one Husker QB who knows how to throw a downfield pass. Seriously, take a look at the highlights, they made me sad they're so good. Also Jim Harbaugh is bad.

Thanks for reading my Week 12(ish) reflections on the Husker game! Now to forget about that and move on to Iowa Hate week. Watch for my prediction post on Friday and GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando