By Ryan Donohue
Two weeks later, you can still feel it in the air: the universal disappointment in the 2011 Nebraska Cornhuskers’ football season. A toxic belief that Nebraska’s season ended in “The Big House” on November 19 in a gaffe-riddled loss to Michigan.
Since then, the Cornhuskers regrouped and defeated Iowa to send its seniors out with a win. Yet judging by the mood of the Husker faithful, that victory seemed just a concession, a hollow triumph over a struggling batch of average Hawkeyes.
Even the media appears to be trying to turn the tide and emphasize the positives of beating Iowa. If they’re working overtime to craft a warm and fuzzy picture, something is wrong. No, Nebraska did not win their division. Yes, for the first time since 2008 the Huskers did not prepare for the conference championship game. No, Nebraska didn’t live up to many of the expectations of many a fan.
Yes, the Huskers are destined for a January bowl game against a big name opponent. It sounds almost silly to mention, as if Nebraska playing in a bowl at all is a revelation known to few. Well, the Big Red is going bowling. It’s a shiny, stubborn fact that sticks out in the thick fog of melancholy funk that is suffocating all of Nebraska football.
Like it or not, thanks to the hidden Big Ten benefit of powerful bowl tie-ins, the Huskers will play in their highest profile bowl game since the 2006 Cotton Bowl. In that game, then-head coach Bill Callahan’s squad had a chance to knock off Auburn, a premiere SEC team, to end a solid season with big momentum heading into the following year.
Come January (or late December at the very worst), Nebraska will have a similar opportunity in the Capital One, Outback or Gator Bowl to knock off a solid SEC team, likely South Carolina, Georgia, or Arkansas. Which bowl and team will be ironed out very shortly, but it doesn’t change the fact that Nebraska will likely play a January bowl in fertile recruiting ground against an elite team from the top conference in front the eyes of the college football world.
If that doesn’t brighten your mood, think of the alternative. Most deem the Husker season a failure because there is no division crown. Let’s say Nebraska won the MNI...er…Legends division. Is a rematch with Wisconsin honestly what the Husker faithful wanted? The Badgers would’ve provided Nebraska with a terrible reminder of Madison.
Perhaps the only difference would be that the Huskers are even more banged up than they were during their ill-fated trip. Nebraska could’ve easily lost to Wisconsin twice with a good chance the second loss embarrasses the program more than the first. The cloud hanging over Nebraska football would double in size and camp out through Christmas.
Instead, The Huskers have momentum from a dominant victory over Iowa – a team that beat Michigan – and a month to heal, practice and improve before the bowl game. A healthy Nebraska will be trouble for any team from any conference. A Husker win provides many advantages.
Stability could be argued with a 10-win season for the third straight year. Defeating a team from the SEC would be a feather in the cap of both Nebraska and its new conference. Perhaps the most significant advantage is momentum.
A bowl win means a chance to extend positive energy into the offseason. If you question the significance of this, think back to Callahan’s loss to Auburn and the absolute disaster of a season that followed.
Think back to less than a year ago, when Nebraska ended a once-promising season on a sour night in San Diego. This season’s bowl is not the Holiday Bowl. This post-season reward is an opportunity for a fresh start with two huge prizes: Redemption for 2011 and confidence for 2012.
Every bowl game matters. Just ask any coach or player who isn’t going to one. No practices, no continued improvement and no season-ending excitement. For Nebraska, this bowl game may not have been the one they wanted but it’s the one they’ve got.
It’s an opportunity for the Huskers to make a statement, to build for next season, to show they have what it takes to win a championship even when there isn’t one on the line. Quite frankly, It’s an opportunity too good to pass up.
Follow Ryan on Twitter: @DigitalRyan
Follow Husker Locker on Twitter: @huskerlocker
Like us on Facebook: Official Husker Locker Page
Permanent Link to this Blog Post
