This is Mike Riley. Mike is a "Dead Coach Walking." The AD that hired him without really interviewing anyone else has been sacked, the team is mired in mediocrity, and Coach has no real support in the Administration. Other than that, life is fine.
Do you remember 2011? Here's a history refresher. My memory of this night is that I went to bed at the 2:00 mark of this video (halftime). Believe it or not, 6 years ago I did not yet have a smartphone, I had a Blackberry, so I couldn't check the score when I got up that morning. I don't think we even had a DVR yet, so I was videotaping all the games. I went downstairs, watched us go up 27-6, happily ate my Crispix, and then . . .
Strange things happen at night, but I don't think this episode will repeat for three reasons: (1) Urban Meyer won't allow it; (2) This time we are ranked and the Huskers are not; and (3) that 2011 team was not talented enough to overcome the loss of Braxton.
Plus, as noted above, things are looking bleak in Lincoln. Not as bleak as Bruce Springsteen's account of Charlie Starkweather, but well on their way. The Huskers barely beat the Arkansas State Red Wolves in Week 1. That close call was not an aberration as Nebraska then lost at Oregon and at home to Northern Illinois. From the MAC. The Huskers did beat Rutgers at home by 10. You may recall we beat Rutgers by 56 on the road. After a win at Illinois, Nebraska lost by 21 to Wisconsin in Lincoln. If we win Saturday night, it would be the Huskers 3rd home loss of the season - an event that has not occurred since . . . 2015, Mike Riley's first season as coach.
This is only the 3rd meeting between the schools since that 2011 fiasco. Urban won both of those games by scores of 63-38 and 62-3. Given the way both our offense and defense have been looking, and the problems Nebraska is having, the score should be similar.
But here comes Vegas with Ohio State only being favored by 24 with an over/under of 58. What gives? Statistically, Nebraska's offense will have difficulty scoring on us, and their defense doesn't show anything that would indicate they could stop the Buckeyes. Now, the Huskers are 46-6 in home night games and had a 20 game win streak snapped by Wisconsin last week, so maybe the sharks think Nebraska will play above their level. Don't buy it. Here's what you need to know: Nebraska has made great adjustments at halftime, but Ohio State is outscoring its opponents 60-14 in the first quarter, while Nebraska is being outscored 38-66. The 2nd quarter doesn't get any better for the Huskers. This game SHOULD be over after 30 minutes and it won't matter what adjustments are made. The Buckeyes on the road under Meyer have been terrific and I think they will be again this Saturday. I'm giving the points and taking the over.
Schaef Says: Ohio State 56, Nebraska 17. (Season 5-1 S/U, 5-1 ATS, 4-2 on O/U).
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