♪ ♪ ♪ >>> THE HUSKERS HELD THE LEAD INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER BUT COULDN'T CLOSE IT OUT AGAINST WISCONSIN AS THE BADGERS WIN 15-14 AND TAKE THEIR NINTH STRAIGHT AGAINST NEBRASKA.

BIG RED WILL HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE BEFORE THE HIRING OF A NEW COACH.

WE'LL LOOK BACK AT THE WISCONSIN GAME AND PREVIEW THE BLACK FRIDAY GAME AGAINST IOWA.

THE VOICE OF THE HUSKERS, GREG SHARP, BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON FROM 24-7 SPORTS.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL HAVE THE LATEST IN NEBRASKA RECRUITING COMING UP NEXT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

♪ >>> HI, EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

IT WAS DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN AGAINST MINNESOTA AND THEN AGAINST WISCONSIN.

JOINING US TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, IT IS FORMER HUSKER, JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE'RE SEEING THE SAME STORY.

IT GOES BACK ALMOST TO WHAT SCOTT FROST SAID LAST YEAR, SAME BOOK, SAME MOVIE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

>> SAME STUFF, DIFFERENT DAY.

>> YEP.

>> WE'VE ALWAYS -- I'VE ALWAYS JOKED WITH PEOPLE, DOING THIS SHOW, YOU CAN JUST SOMEHOW IF YOU DUB OVER OUR VOICES AND SAY MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, ILLINOIS, WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE SHOW MUCH.

IT'S LITERALLY THE SAME RESULTS WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT.

FOR ONCE WATCHING THAT GAME ON SATURDAY, AND THEY'RE UP 14-3, MY MIND DID GO, WOW, I THINK THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL THIS THING OUT.

AND I WENT THERE.

AND I GO -- SHAME ON ME.

>> POSITIVE.

GOOD JOB.

>> SHAME ON ME.

THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY GET TO 14-9, YOU'RE LIKE, OH, ARE THEY GOING INTO THE WIN THERE?

YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL AT ALL AND STRUGGLE THROWING THE FOOTBALL.

ANYBODY WOULD STRUGGLE THROWING THE FOOTBALL IN THAT WIND, IN THAT COLDNESS.

YOU SAW IT COMING.

IT WAS A SLOW BLEED, MAN.

YOU SAW IT COMING.

UNFORTUNATELY, JUST NOT ABLE TO PULL IT OUT.

ANOTHER ONE-SCORE LOSS FOR THE HUSKERS.

>> AGAIN, THE DEFENSE FOUGHT.

ANOTHER GREAT FIRST HALF BY THEM.

>> THEY CONTINUE TO BE LINED UP RIGHT.

YOU LOOK AT THE GRADES, THAT WAS THE HIGHEST GRADED GAME AS A UNIT NEBRASKA HAD.

WHAT IT TELLS YOU IS GUYS ARE IN POSITION TO MAKE PLAYS.

THEY'VE GIVEN UP SOME YARDS BUT HAVE LIMITED THE RUNS.

UNDER BILL BUSH, NEBRASKA ONLY ALLOWED 30 20-PLUS YARDS RUN.

IN NORTH DAKOTA THEY ALLOWED THAT IN ONE GAME WHEN YOU GO TO THE DEFENSE AT THE START OF THE SEASON.

I THINK THEY MADE TEAMS EARN IT.

THE PROBLEM IS THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT ON THE OTHER END, YOU SEE THAT OFFENSE GET THOSE QUICK THREE AND OUTS.

THE DEFENSE, THOSE ONE, TWO YARD RUNS BECAUSE THREE, FOUR, FIVE YARD RUNS.

WISCONSIN AVERAGED 5 1/2 YARDS PER RUN ON 25 FIRST DOWN RUNS ALONE IN THAT GAME ON SATURDAY.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES HE WAS GETTING TO THE LINE, ALLEN, OR THE BACKUP, BUT WOULDN'T GET THE TOUCHDOWN UNTIL THE SECOND LEVEL.

>> THEY SCHEMED IT NICELY.

I WILL SAY THIS IS NOT WISCONSIN'S BEST OFFENSIVE LINE.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORST LINES WE'VE SEEN IN THE BIG TEN SINCE GOING UP AGAINST WISCONSIN.

THEY STILL WORK VERY WELL AS A UNIT.

GUYS WERE NOT ABLE TO GET OFF THE BLOCKS INITIALLY.

BUT, YOU HAD SOME GUYS SHOW UP ON SOME PLAY.

ERNEST HAUSMANN HAS GOTTEN REMARKABLY BETTER DURING THE SEASON.

SAW HIM STRUGGLE EARLY IN THE YEAR, THEN YOU THINK ABOUT HIM RED-SHIRTING AT ONE POINT.

WITH HENRICH GETTING HURT, HE STEPPED UP.

MAN, HE'S PLAYED HIS TAIL OFF.

AND THAT IS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR A TRUE FRESHMAN.

A KID WALKING THROUGH THE HALLS OF COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

IT WAS A LITTLE DISCOURAGING TO SEE THE D LINE NOT GET OFF BLOCKS AND MAKE SOME PLAYS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THAT.

IT WAS NICE TO SEE THOSE GUYS STEP UP.

FARMER CAME UP, FILLED NICELY IN THE HOLES.

HATE TO SEE BEAUFORD GET INJURED EARLY IN THE GAME.

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

WISCONSIN KNOWS WHO THEY ARE.

SO I'M NOT GONNA PUT TOO MUCH WEIGHT INTO THAT.

BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, THEY HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE GOING AGAINST IOWA THIS WEEK.

>> CASEY THOMPSON MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

YOU CAN FEEL IT IN THE STADIUM WHEN HE'S OUT THERE.

DIDN'T HAVE A HUGE DAY, BUT MADE SOME BIG THROWS.

>> HIS ABILITY TO FIND TREY PALMER ON THOSE TWO KEY TOUCHDOWN THROWS THAT HE MADE.

THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO PASSES OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT NEBRASKA HAD DOWN THE FIELD THE ENTIRE GAME.

THE WIND WAS SO STRONG, ONLY ONE PASS WAS COMPLETED BY EITHER TEAM THAT TRAVELED 20 OR MORE YARDS.

IT HAPPENED TO BE THE WHEEL ROUTE THAT HELPED WISCONSIN WIN THE GAME.

A KEY THROW THAT GRAHAM MERTZ MADE.

THROWS WERE AT A PREMIUM.

CASEY DID WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO ON A COUPLE THROWS TO FIND TREY PALMER.

ALSO DOES A GOOD JOB TAKING WHAT'S THERE.

IF NO ONE IS OPEN, FINDS THAT RUN, GETS THOSE TYPE OF YARDS.

YOU DON'T WANT THIS GUY RUNNING IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

THEY HAD TO USE CASEY'S LEGS TO GET THINGS FREED UP IN THE OFFENSE.

HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF AVOIDING THE SACKS.

FOR AS MUCH PRESSURE AS HE TAKES, HE DOESN'T TAKE NEAR AS MANY SACKS AS HE COULD JUST GETTING RID OF THE FOOTBALL.

>> A THIRD OF EVERY DROP BACK HE HAS, HE HAS HAD PRESSURE THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE TAPED THE SHOW.

OUR PHONE LINES ARE NOT OPEN.

DON'T CALL RIGHT NOW.

DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T REACH OUT TO US AS THE SEASON IS WINDING DOWN.

YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ANY TIME THROUGH EMAIL OR TEXT.

BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AS WELL.

HERE'S THIS WEEK'S ALL NEW SIDELINE SURVEY.

WHAT'S MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN ON FRIDAY, NEBRASKA WINS, IOWA WINS, OR NEBRASKA ANNOUNCES A NEW FOOTBALL COACH?

44% RIGHT NOW, IOWA WINS.

27% NEBRASKA WINS.

AND 29% OF PEOPLE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET A COACH ANNOUNCEMENT PRETTY QUICKLY.

LET'S JUMP STRAIGHT INTO THE HIGHLIGHTS NOW.

LOOKING BACK AT SATURDAY'S GAME.

DESPITE THE COLD AND THE WIND, IT WASN'T THAT BAD OF A DAY.

COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

WE FAST FORWARD PAST THE FIRST QUARTER WHERE NOT A LOT HAPPENS.

SECOND QUARTER, NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE STEPPING UP AGAIN.

HARTZOG AS A FRESHMAN, WHAT A SEASON HE'S HAD.

>> TALKING ABOUT HIM, HAUSMANN, THAT'S A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR TWO YOUNG KIDS ON THE BACK OF THE DEFENSE.

>> AND AS SEAN SAID EARLIER WITH CASEY THOMPSON, AVOIDING THE PRESSURE AND GETTING SOME RUNS.

53 GROSS YARDS RUSHING ON THE DAY.

JUST A REAL GOOD ACCOMPLISHMENT GETTING AND AVOIDING THOSE GUYS.

>> YEAH, YOU HAVE TO FEEL IT.

YOU HAVE TO STEP UP.

ONE ONE THOUSAND, TWO ONE THOUSAND, THREE ONE THOUSAND.

THAT'S WHAT GOING THROUGH THE HEAD OF THE QB.

IF YOU CAN'T FIND ANYONE THERE, YOU BETTER GET OUT OF DODGE.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST PLAYS OF THE GAME RIGHT THERE.

THE THIRD DOWN COMPLETION WHICH ENDS UP SETTING UP THE TOUCHDOWN PASS TO TREY PALMER.

BUT VOKOLEK, IF HE HEALTHY ALL SEASON I THINK HE COULD'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD YEAR.

>> THAT ANKLE INJURY EARLIER IN THE SEASON AGAINST NORTHWESTERN.

HE'S A BIG TARGET.

NICE, BIG BODY, LONG ARMS, THAT WAS A GOOD THROW BY CASEY TO TREY.

>> 7-0, NEBRASKA.

ONE OF THE LONGER RUNS RIGHT THERE, NINE YARDS AS THEY'RE TRYING TO SCORE BEFORE THE END OF THE HALF.

AND THEN A TWO-YARD LOSS.

GOOD JOB HERE BY NEBRASKA'S FRONT AGAIN.

>> YEAH, AGAIN, JUST A GOOD JOB AT THE POINT OF ATTACK.

AND THAT'S ALL HE'S TRYING TO DO.

SLOW THEM UP, LET YOUR BUDS COME HERE AND RALLY AROUND YOU AND MAKE A PLAY.

>> OUR NEXT GUEST GOT A BIG LAUGH OFF OF THIS FIELD GOAL THAT ENDED UP SHORT WITH THE WIND KNOCKING IT DOWN.

IT JUST STOPS.

IT JUST LITERALLY STOPS.

>> HE NEEDED A FIVE IRON INSTEAD OF A SIX IRON THERE.

>> IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT PLAYING IN NOVEMBER.

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

AND AROUND HERE, ONE CARRY FOR A FIRST DOWN THERE, THAT'S KEON LEWIS -- HIS ONLY CARRY THERE OF THE GAME.

OH, THAT WAS BELL.

EXCUSE ME, HIS ONLY CARRY OF THE GAME.

ALSO HAD A CATCH IN THE GAME.

AND THEN YOU HAD THE PASS FROM MERTZ TO KEON LEWIS.

AND THEN A FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT TO GET THEM ON THE BOARD.

7-3.

NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE AGAIN STEPPING UP BIG.

>> THEY'VE BEEN GOOD ALL YEAR.

I TELL YOU WHAT, WHEN THEY GET DOWN THERE IN THE RED ZONE, NEBRASKA HAS HELD UP TIGHT NUMEROUS TIMES THIS YEAR.

I'M REMINDED OF THE RUTGERS GAME AND THE BLOCKED PUNT, NEBRASKA WAS ABLE TO HOLD RUTGERS TO A FIELD GOAL THERE.

SO THEY'VE BEEN GOOD CLOSE TO THE RED ZONE.

>> OF ALL THE GUYS I'M GOING TO MISS, HE'S RIGHT AT THE TOP, HE'S JUST SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH.

COULD HAVE GOT SOME BETTER BLOCKING THERE ON THE PLAY, AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WENT A LITTLE FARTHER THERE.

BUT YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES ON THOSE SCREENS.

AND THEN, THOMPSON, DOWN THE MIDDLE.

WIDE OPEN.

HOW DOES TREY PALMER GET SO WIDE OPEN?

I'LL TELL YOU.

IT WAS A SWITCH ROUTE AND THEY WENT WITH OMAR MANNING.

>> YEAH, THEY DID.

>> MISTAKE.

>> YEAH, GIVE HIM A NICE, LITTLE FAKE, A LITTLE -- ACTS LIKE HE IS RUNNING THE CORNER ROUTE THERE AND BOOM, JUST KIND OF SAT DOWN THE MIDDLE.

WIDE OPEN.

>> NEBRASKA GETS THE TWO-SCORE LEAD, UP 14-3.

HERZOG KIND OF LOST CONTAINMENT THERE?

>> IT HAPPENS.

GUYS JUMP UP IN THERE.

I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NEWSOM, TOO.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

YOU HAVE TO JUST BE PATIENT AND SOMETIMES YOU LOSE CONTAIN.

>> THAT WAS THE LONGEST RUN OF THE DAY.

22 YARDS.

AND THEN, THAT SEEMED LIKE THAT WAS A WIND THING.

ALMOST LIKE THE BALL WENT BACK BEHIND THE DEFENDER FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.

>> GOOD THROW THOUGH.

IT WAS A GOOD SCRAMBLE.

>> PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTED.

WHEN HE THREW IT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERCEPTED.

THAT WAS THE ONLY CATCH OF THE DAY FOR BELL THERE.

NOW IT'S 14-9 AFTER THE MISSED TWO-POINT CONVERSION.

AND THERE'S THE PLAY OF THE DAY.

LONGEST PASS OF THE DAY?

>> YEAH, LONGEST THROW.

ONLY THROW OF 20 PLUS YARDS FOR EITHER TEAM IN TERMS OF TRAVELING IN THE AIR.

>> LOOK AT THE CLOCK TICK OFF ON THIS.

SIX SECONDS.

THEY SHOULD PUT BACK ON THE CLOCK HERE TO GIVE NEBRASKA MORE TIME AFTER THAT BECAUSE THE SCORE HAPPENS, SO THE PLAY HAS TO STOP THERE, BUT IT DOESN'T.

NEBRASKA, ONE LAST SHOT TRYING TO COME BACK AND GET A FIELD GOAL.

TREY PALMER WITH THE DROP THERE.

WOULDN'T REALLY MATTER, TIME RUNS OUT.

NEBRASKA FALLS, 15-14.

LET'S LOOK AT FINAL STATS.

THESE ARE SECOND HALF STATS PRIMARILY FOR WISCONSIN.

THEY HAD ZERO BIG PLAYS IN THE FIRST HALF BUT BOUNCED BACK TO HAVE 318 TOTAL.

YOU CAN SEE THAT OVERALL.

MORE FIRST DOWNS, OF COURSE, TIME OF POSSESSION, ALL THE THINGS YOU EXPECTED FROM NEBRASKA OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HERE'S THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME, SHOWING YOU HOW VALUABLE HE IS TO THE OFFENSE.

CASEY THOMPSON SPARKED THE TEAM WITH TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND EVEN SHOWED SOME OF HIS TOUGHNESS WITH HIS FEET.

ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE, EARNEST HAUSMANN WAS GREAT AS JAY SAID.

SECOND WEEK IN THE ROW, WINS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME.

12 TOTAL TACKLES, 10 SOLO TACKLES.

WE'RE PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY THE VOICE OF THE CORNHUSKERS, GREG SHARP.

HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR?

>> GENTLEMEN, GOOD TO BE INVITED.

GOOD TO BE ON THE SHOW.

>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

WHAT'S THIS FEEL?

IT'S 15 YEARS I BELIEVE, RIGHT?

ISN'T IT YOUR 15th SEASON?

>> 15.

>> WOW.

>> IT FLEW BY.

REALLY, IT DID.

BUT WHAT'S THE FEEL LIKE BEEN FOR YOU UP THERE IN THE BOOTH?

>> IT'S BEEN HARD.

THE LAST TWO YEARS PARTICULARLY HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD.

I WENT THROUGH THE NUMBERS THE OTHER DAY.

WE'VE PLAYED 23 FOOTBALL GAMES LAST TWO YEARS.

14 HAVE BEEN DECIDED BY ONE SCORE.

AND WE'RE ONE AND 13 IN THOSE 14 GAMES.

MATHEMATICALLY, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT.

AND HEARTBREAKING FOR THE PLAYERS AND THE COACHES WHO PUT SO MUCH EFFORT AND WORK IN TO COME SO CLOSE WEEK AFTER WEEK.

IT'S BEEN HARD.

>> YOU'RE AROUND MICKEY JOSEPH OBVIOUSLY A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN JUST WITH HIM MANAGING THIS PROGRAM AND JUST HOW BIG OF A CHALLENGE DO YOU THINK THIS WAS TO STEP IN AND DO WHAT HE'S DONE THE LAST 11 WEEKS?

>> BEEN VERY IMPRESSIVE.

I DIDN'T KNOW MICKEY VERY WELL AT ALL BEFORE HE GOT HERE LAST DECEMBER, BUT I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY HE'S MANAGED THINGS, THE WAY HE HAS KIND OF ENDEARED HIMSELF TO THE PLAYERS AND THE OTHER COACHES ON THE STAFF.

REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT A STAFF HE PUT TOGETHER.

HE DIDN'T KNOW MOST OF THESE GUYS AT ALL UNTIL 11 MONTHS AGO.

BUT JUST REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HIS MATURITY AND HIS ABILITY TO KIND OF WRAP HIS ARMS AROUND THINGS.

AND THE WAY HE JUST INTERACTS EVEN WITH THE EQUIPMENT GUYS AND THE MANAGERS AND THE STUDENT ASSISTANTS AND ALL THAT, IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH MICKEY WORK A ROOM.

>> THE ONE GUY HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS BILL BUSH.

WHEN THEY MADE THAT SWITCH, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, "WHAT'S IT GOING TO MATTER.

IT'S THE SAME TALENT."

>> DEFENSE HAS PLAYED SO MUCH BETTER.

>> BILL HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AS WELL.

>> AND HAS A LOT OF THE SAME QUALITIES AS MICKEY DOES.

HE'S A GOOD PEOPLE PERSON, AND HE IDENTIFIES WITH THE PLAYERS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO MADE THE QUOTE, ONE OF THE PLAYERS SAID "OH, HE'S HARD ON US," AND HE USED THE BUTT TERM, BUT HE GOES AND WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND US.

SO BILL IS TOUGH, BUT THEN HE GOES UP AND TELLS THEM HOW MUCH HE LOVES THEM AND CARES ABOUT THEM.

AND I THINK THAT'S A NICE PLAY, THAT'S A NICE THING THAT AN ASSISTANT COACH CAN HAVE.

>> WE SAW -- TALKING ABOUT BILL, HE MAKES A CHANGE, BILL BUSH BECOMES DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

YOU'VE SEEN THE DEFENSE KIND OF GET BETTER THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

ARE YOU SURPRISED YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL SO FAR THIS YEAR?

SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE GOTTEN WORSE AS THE YEARS HAVE GONE ON.

IT'S RATHER SURPRISING.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THE DEFENSE HAS TRENDED UP.

THE OFFENSE HAS TRENDED DOWN.

NOW HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS THE INJURY TO CASEY AFTER THE ILLINOIS GAME, YEAH, THAT DEFINITELY DID BOTHER THEM.

AND I THINK WE'RE PLAYING BETTER DEFENSES LATER IN THE SEASON.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE THAT WHAT MARK WHIPPLE'S DOING WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT IS REALLY FITS WITH WHAT THE TALENTS OF THIS TEAM ARE.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A DIFFERENT TRAJECTORY FOR BOTH THE OFFENSE AND DEFENSE SINCE THE DISMISSAL OF SCOTT FROST.

>> WHAT'S YOUR FEEL ON WHAT'S NEXT FOR NEBRASKA?

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE GOT TO CALL THIS GAME FRIDAY.

BUT YOU WILL WALK ON THAT PLANE FROM IOWA CITY PROBABLY SAYING "WHAT IS MY SATURDAY GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

WHAT IS MY SUNDAY GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

WHAT IS MY MONDAY GOING TO LOOK LIKE?"

>> AREN'T WE ALL?

>> I MEAN, WE ALL ARE, YEAH.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BACKSTAGE PASS TO KIND OF THAT PLANE GOING HOME.

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?

>> WELL, I THINK MICKEY FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE HIM.

I THINK HE'S KIND OF RESIGNED HIMSELF TO THAT.

AND SO WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE, THAT'S UP TO TREV.

MAYBE ONLY TREV KNOWS IN THIS POINT IN TIME WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE UNSETTLING AND UNCERTAIN.

PUT YOURSELF AS AN 18, 19, 20-YEAR-OLD KID, YOU DON'T LIKE UNCERTAINTY LIKE THIS.

THESE GUYS HEADS ARE ALL SPINNING RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE HEARING FROM THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COACHES, BECAUSE THOSE HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ARE HEARING FROM OTHER COACHING STAFFS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO I THINK THE QUICKER NEBRASKA CAN GET THIS BUTTONED UP, THE BETTER FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM.

BECAUSE THE LONGER YOU WAIT AND LET THOSE KIDS STAY IN LIMBO FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO 10 DAYS, IT COULD BE DAMAGING TO THE PROGRAM.

>> GREG, THERE'S NO PROVEN WAY, RIGHT, HOW TO HIRE A HEAD COACH.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF ASSISTANTS THERE THAT ARE IN THE TOP 25.

GUYS WHO WERE PROVEN COACHES BEFORE.

SOME WERE ELEVATED IN THE PROGRAM.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE IN YOUR OPINION FOR A HEAD COACH IN THE BIG TEN, ONE MORE YEAR WITH THE WEST TO WIN HERE?

WHAT SHOULD TREV BE LOOKING FOR?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHOSE LIFE IS FOOTBALL.

AND YOU CONSTANTLY GRINDING AT IT.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SOMEBODY HASN'T DONE THAT.

I'M NOT IMPLYING THAT, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL IN.

AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO BE.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN PLAYING THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO BE.

WHETHER IT'S HARBAUGH AT MICHIGAN OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE FROM FERENTZ ON FRIDAY.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THE WISCONSIN PROGRAM FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, THOSE PROGRAMS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

THEY'RE BUILT TO WIN IN NOVEMBER.

YOU MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT TOM OSBORNE IN NOVEMBER.

IF YOU PLAY IN THIS DIVISION AND THIS WEATHER, YOU BETTER BE BUILT TO WIN GAMES LATE IN THE SEASON.

I THINK THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT, TOO.

>> GREG, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT IN A COACH?

IT'S KIND OF THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG.

DO YOU WANT A DEVELOPER OR A RECRUITER?

YOU GET LESSER TALENT, DEVELOP THEM, OR DO YOU GET BETTER TALENT AND LET THEM GO?

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU LIKE TO FAVOR?

>> BOTH.

THAT'S THE EASY WAY BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

AND JAY AND I -- MAYBE YOU GUYS DISAGREE, BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE, REALLY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE NOT DEVELOPED KIDS WELL ENOUGH HERE.

>> OH YEAH.

>> AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN A TON OF RECRUITING BATTLES AGAINST THE UPPER ECHELON TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY, SO YOU BETTER DEVELOP THE HECK OUT OF THEM WHEN THEY GET THEM HERE.

AND I'M NOT SURE WE'VE DONE A GOOD ENOUGH JOB ON THAT.

PARTICULARLY ALONG BOTH LINES OF SCRIMMAGE.

>> SEAN, THEY'VE BROUGHT GUYS IN.

I LOOKED THE OTHER DAY.

TURNER CORCORAN, I BELIEVE WAS THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH HIGHEST RATED GUY EVER RECRUITED BY NEBRASKA.

OBVIOUSLY HASN'T DEVELOPED INTO THAT.

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS NEBRASKA'S HAD TO PUSH THESE GUYS IN EARLIER THAN A WISCONSIN OR IOWA OR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE.

YOU PUT A TEDDY PROCHAZKA AS A TRUE FRESHMAN.

TURNER CORCORAN STARTED IN DECEMBER AS A TRUE FRESHMAN IN 2020.

THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO DEVELOP.

AND THEN YOU MESS WITH THESE GUYS MENTALLY WHEN THEY STRUGGLE OUT RIGHT OF THE GATES.

AND THE FAN CRITICISM.

IT'S TOUGH.

THE PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS SCORES THAT WE ALL PUBLISH ON SUNDAYS AND THEY'RE NOT PRETTY.

I MEAN, THAT GETS TO GUY'S HEADS MENTALLY.

AND I THINK WHEN YOU PUT YOUNG PLAYERS -- I MEAN, LOOK AT ETHAN PIPER.

HE ACTUALLY ALMOST BENEFITED BY BEING BENCHED TO HAVE A COUPLE YEARS TO CATCH HIS BREATH AND NOW HE LOOKS A LOT BETTER.

SO IT'S TOUGH WITH THESE YOUNGER GUYS.

I THINK THEY'VE PLAYED A LOT OF THEM EARLIER, MAYBE, THAN OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE HAD TO.

>> GOTTA BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, GETTING THAT OFFENSIVE LINE FIXED?

>> GET OLD, STAY OLD.

YOU HEAR THAT TERM A LOT.

AND MICKEY HAS LEARNED THAT GOING THROUGH THIS BIG TEN.

HE'S LIKE, MY GOSH, THEY'VE GOT 20 FIFTH-YEAR SENIORS, AND SIXTH-YEAR SENIORS THAT ARE PLAYING OUT THERE.

THESE ARE 24-YEAR-OLD MEN AGAINST SOMETIMES 19 AND 20 FOR US.

IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE ON THE FIELD.

>> WE JOKE A LOT ABOUT THE BIG TEN, THE WAY THEY PLAY.

THE STYLE OF PLAY.

YOU HEARD IT FROM SCOTT FROST AFTER A YEAR, YOU HEARD IT FROM OTHER ASSISTANTS, AND NOW MICKEY, WHO PLAYED IN WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST CONFERENCE, OR COACHED IN THE BEST CONFERENCE, YOU HEAR HIM CONSTANTLY, THE BIG TEN IS TOUGH.

THIS IS TOUGH TO WIN.

>> IT'S A GROWN MAN'S LEAGUE.

AND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE IS REALLY SOLID IN THIS CONFERENCE.

AND SO YOU BETTER START THERE.

SO, GOING BACK TO JAY'S POINT, I THINK IT BETTER START WITH LINE PLAY.

YOU BETTER BE GOOD ALONG THE LINES OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME CYCLE GOING.

>> YEAH, I THINK YOU HAVE TO CREATE A STYLE THAT FITS THIS WEATHER, LIKE YOU SAID.

THE WAY THAT GAME WAS SATURDAY, IT WASN'T ABOUT BEING PRETTY OUT THERE.

IT'S HOW DO YOU GET FIVE YARDS.

AND WISCONSIN, IOWA, MINNESOTA, AT LEAST IN THE WEST RIGHT NOW, MASTERED THAT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YOU THINK ABOUT USC AND UCLA COMING HERE, AND ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE IN FOR, DO THEY?

>> THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE IN FOR.

AND JUST LOOK AT ALL OF THE TEAMS THAT HAVE MADE CONFERENCE JUMPS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD A HARD TIME.

AND LOOK OUT, TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, IT'S COMING TO YOU GUYS NEXT.

THAT CHANGE FOR YOU GUYS TO THE S.E.C.

IS GOING TO BE BE A BIG LEAP FOR BOTH PROGRAMS.

>> SPEAKING OF CHANGE, YOU HAVE A NEW COLOR GUY IN THE BOOTH WITH YOU IN DAMON BENNING WHO USUALLY SITS RIGHT THERE EVERY OTHER WEEK.

HOW'S THAT BEEN, KIND OF THE TRANSITION?

YOU'RE A TEAM IN THE BOOTH, REALLY.

YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED A LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH MATT DAVIS.

>> BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN DAMON FOR SO LONG, IT'S NOT LIKE I'M WALKING INTO A THING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW HIM AT ALL.

SO I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY SMOOTH.

I'LL LET THE LISTENERS GIVE US THE FEEDBACK ON THAT.

BUT DAMON IS ALWAYS SO WELL PREPARED.

KNOWS FOOTBALL INSIDE AND OUT.

SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

>> IT'S HARD, TOO.

I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY, I LISTEN TO EVERY GAME.

I HAVE IT UP IN MY EAR.

AND YOU GET ALL EXCITED BECAUSE YOU GET A SCORE.

YOU'RE UP.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, 14-3, I COULD HEAR IT IN YOUR VOICE, MY GOD, WE'RE GOING TO GET A WIN.

AND THEN AT THE END, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

>> JAY SAID THE SAME THING EARLIER, YOU'VE KINDA GOT THE EXCITEMENT GOING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER.

GOING "“I THINK IT MAY HAPPEN.

I REALLY THINK TODAY MIGHT BE THE DAY.

"” THEN, MAN, THE DEFLATION HAPPENED IN THE LAST SEVEN, EIGHT MINUTES.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IOWA?

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MATCH-UP, IT SEEMS LIKE THE SAME TYPE OF OPPONENT NEBRASKA'S PLAYED FOR THE LAST MONTH.

>> IF YOU CAN NOT GIVE UP A NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN, YOU'D PROBABLY BEAT THEM.

BUT THAT'S HARD TO DO.

BECAUSE THEY FIND TO WAY A SCORE, WHETHER IT'S A SCOOP AND SCORE, PICK-SIX, A BLOCKED PUNT, A KICK RETURN.

THAT'S HOW THEY BEAT YOU.

AND YOU CAN SIT THERE AND GO, WELL, THAT SHOULD BE EASY TO DO.

IT'S NOT.

THEY FORCE YOU TO DO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

AND HERE THEY ARE AGAIN.

THEY'RE A WIN AWAY FROM WINNING THIS DIVISION.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LAUGHABLE COMMENT A MONTH AGO WITH WHERE THEY WERE OFFENSIVELY.

BUT THERE THEY ARE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEY'RE BUILT FOR NOVEMBER.

BUT THIS IS STILL A WINNABLE GAME FOR NEBRASKA.

>> I WAS TELLING THE GUYS BEFORE, THE LAST TWO GAMES, IOWA HAS GIVEN UP 200 MORE YARDS THAN THEY'VE HAD.

THEY'VE GIVEN UP ALMOST TEN SACKS OVER THE LAST THREE GAMES, BUT YET THEY FIND A WAY.

AND IT'S USUALLY IN DEFENSE, OR SPECIAL TEAMS IS HOW THEY GET IT DONE.

>> LAST YEAR, BLOCKED PUNT LATE IN THE GAME COST THE HUSKERS THAT GAME AGAINST IOWA IN THAT ONE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THEY LIVE ON.

AND IT WOULD BE FRUSTRATING TO BE A FAN OF THE HAWKEYES, WOULDN'T IT?

I MEAN, CAN YOU GO UP, CAN WE GET THREE FIRST DOWNS TODAY?

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

BUT THEN THEY WALK OUT OF THERE AS A WINNER.

>> WE ALL WALK OUT WITH THE PUNTER T-SHIRTS ON.

THAT'S THE GUY.

THAT'S THE STAR OF THE TEAM.

IF THEY LOST, NEBRASKA WOULD BE EIGHT STRAIGHT LOSSES TO IOWA, NINE TO WISCONSIN.

THERE'S NO WAY WE THOUGHT -- YOU CAME IN PART WAY THROUGH 2007 AND THEN IN 2008, WHEN WE CAME INTO THE BIG TEN, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS.

>> NO WAY.

THE LAST TIME WE BEAT IOWA -- >> LAST GAME -- >>-- IN THE OVERTIME WIN.

KENNY BELL MAKING THE CATCH AT THE GOAL LINE.

SO SINCE 2014 IT HAS FLIPPED FOR THE HUSKERS AGAINST IOWA AND WISCONSIN.

AND I DON'T KNOW, WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY WE'VE GOT TO SHOOT FOR OHIO STATE.

WE NEED TO SHOOT TO BE THE BEST TEAM ON OUR SIDE OF THE CONFERENCE.

AND I KNOW THE DIVISIONS ARE GOING AWAY.

BUT YOU BETTER START FIRST BEATING THE IOWAS AND WISCONSINS BEFORE YOU SET YOUR SIGHTS ON THE BUCKEYES.

>> WE CAN SEE THE LONGEST CONFERENCE LOSING STREAKS GOING BACK TO THE OKLAHOMA ONE WHEN OKLAHOMA WON ALL OF THOSE GAMES IN A ROW.

BUT WILKINSON BACK IN THE DAY.

BUT THOSE WISCONSIN AND IOWA ONES REALLY JUMP -- IT'S ONE THING TO LOSE SEVEN IN A ROW TO OHIO STATE.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE TOP THREE TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT TO WISCONSIN AND IOWA, THAT'S TOUGH.

>> AND THAT WASN'T A GREAT WISCONSIN TEAM LAST WEEK.

>> NO.

>> I THINK EVERYONE WALKED AWAY GOING "“MAN, THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF.

"” YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY MADE THAT CHANGE A MONTH OR SO AGO.

WHEN WE WERE ALL GOING, WOW, THEY FIRED PAUL CHRYST?

BUT I THINK THEY SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE PROGRAM.

>> THE WEST DIVISION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ATTAINABLE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE DIVISION WILL HAVE A SIX-WIN WINNER.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN 7-2, 8-1, AND 9-0.

TO HAVE A 6-3 DIVISION WINNER WHEN YOUR CROSSOVER GAMES FOR NEBRASKA WERE INDIANA AND RUTGERS, IT WAS GIFT WRAPPED FOR NEBRASKA, IF THEY HAD IT FIGURED OUT THIS YEAR, TO MAKE A RUN AT THIS DIVISION.

>> SURE WAS.

DO YOU HAVE A FEEL WHEN WE'LL GET AN ANNOUNCEMENT?

>> WELL, I SAW A MOVING TRUCK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY.

I COULDN'T STICK AROUND BECAUSE I HAD TO GET HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS THAT GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK.

I DON'T.

I REALLY DON'T.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY DOES.

IT'S AMAZING HOW QUIET THIS WHOLE THING HAS BEEN.

USUALLY THE WORD LEAKS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

>> AGENTS.

>> AGENTS GET IT OUT THERE.

BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY QUIET.

>> IT'S STRANGE IT WOULD GO THIS LONG AND WE NOT HEAR ANYTHING FOR REAL.

BUT MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING.

MAYBE TREV HAS HIS GUY AND IT'S ONE PERSON HE'S TALKING TO AND THAT'S IT.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S ONE WAY TO KEEP A SECRET.

GIVE US A PREDICTION ON THE IOWA GAME?

>> I MEAN, WHAT IS IT, TEN-POINT SPREAD, I THINK.

I THINK THIS IS A GAME PROBABLY 20-13, 20-14, SOMETHING IN THAT RANGE.

I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THE BALL COULD BOUNCE THE HUSKERS WAY, BUT AS I GO BACK TO THAT FOURTEEN GAMES DECIDED BY ONE SCORE, WE'RE 1-13.

IT'S HARD TO PUSH AGAINST THAT TREND.

>> WELL, THEY'RE DUE.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

>> NO DOUBT.

>> GREG, IT WAS GOOD SEEING YOU, MAN.

>> THANKS, GUYS.

>>> GREG SHARP JOINING US.

WELCOME, NEXT UP ON THE SHOW, WE BREAK DOWN A FEW PLAYS AND CHAT WITH BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON FROM 24-7 SPORT.

AS WE GO TO BREAK, IMAGES FROM SATURDAY'S GAME COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY.

STAY WITH US, WE'RE BACK SOON.

CHRISTOPHERSON FROM 24-7 SPORT.

AS WE GO TO BREAK, IMAGES FROM SATURDAY'S GAME COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY.

>>> ALL RI >>> ALL RIGHT.

WELCOME BACK TO THE HUDDLE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OFFENSIVE PLAYS.

THE >>> ALL RIGHT.

WELCOME BACK TO THE HUDDLE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OFFENSIVE PLAYS.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE STRUGGLED IN THIS GAME.

WE'LL BREAK DOWN A COUPLE THINGS.

HERE, NEBRASKA STRUGGLED PICKING UP STUNTS.

I BROKEN DOWN NUMEROUS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

BEN HART.

THIS MIGHT BE LUTOVSKY.

I CAN'T SEE HIS NUMBER, BUT AS WE LOOK THEY'RE GOING TO BRING A DELAYED T/E GAME HERE.

WATCH THIS.

THIS GUY IS KIND OF HANGING.

IT'S NOT A GOOD GAME IN MY OPINION.

BUT HE GETS SO HEAVY.

YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE, RIGHT NOW BEN HART SHOULD BE YELLING SWITCH, PASS IF OFF SOMETHING, FOR HIM TO PASS IT OFF.

HE GETS SO HEAVY ON THE TACKLE, HE CAN COME OUT, BOOM.

CASEY HAS NOWHERE TO STEP UP.

YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN THE RIGHT TACKLE AND RIGHT GUARD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS NONE.

NOW LET'S LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS THE FOUR-MINUTE DRILL.

NEBRASKA IS ABLE TO GET A FIRST DOWN MORE THAN LIKELY WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME.

THIS IS THE FIRST PLAY OF THIS DRIVE.

WE''‘RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THIS GUARD.

DEFENSIVE GUARD RIGHT HERE.

OUR OFFENSIVE GUARD FOR SOME REASON -- I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SCHEMATICS OF THIS AT ALL.

I'M A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, BUT HE'S GOING TO LEAVE HIM.

THE CENTER WILL TRY TO CUT HIM OFF.

IT'S NOT A GOOD SCHEME HERE, IN MY OPINION.

I DON'T KNOW WHY HE LEAVES HIM AND YOU'RE ALLOWED -- THE CENTER HAS TO SNAP IT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CUT HIM OFF OR GET HIM?

IT'S A WEIRD SCHEME.

OBVIOUSLY SOME MISCOMMUNICATION HERE.

BOOM.

HE'S RIGHT THERE.

RIGHT IN THE FACE OF ANTHONY.

ACTUALLY ANTHONY DOES A GOOD JOB OF JUST GETTING BACK TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

STRUGGLES OFF THE LINE COST THIS OFFENSE HEAVILY SO FAR THIS YEAR.

>> DO YOU THINK IT'S MORE SCHEME OR IS IT DEVELOPMENT?

>> IT'S EVERYTHING.

>> WHAT IS IT?

THAT SEEMED MORE SCHEME.

>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THERE.

YOU'RE GIVING -- MAYBE THAT'S A BACKSIDE, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF FRONTSIDE BLOCKING.

I THINK IT'S SCHEME.

TO ME, THE OFFENSIVE LINE, THE SCHEME, IT ALMOST LOOKS TOO -- THEY'RE TRYING TO BE TOO COMPLICATED.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM -- YOU KNOW WHAT -- >> HAT ON HAT.

>> HAT ON HAT, BLOCK THE GUY IN FRONT OF YOU, BE PHYSICAL.

DO SOMETHING.

YOU GET A HAT ON HAT, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THREE YARDS EVERY TIME.

MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING OFFENSIVE LINES I'VE EVER WATCHED AT NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH YOU START LOOKING AT THE TAPE IT WILL GET YOU FRUSTRATED.

TIME TO CHECK IN WITH THE TEAM AS THEY PREPARE FOR FRIDAY'S MATCH-UP WITH IOWA.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DIDN'T GET THE JOB DONE ENOUGH TO WIN THE GAME.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH LOSS FOR SURE.

>>> WE GOT ONE MISSION LEFT.

ONE GAME.

I SUSPECT AND I KNOW OUR BOYS WILL COME OUT AND GIVE FULL EFFORT THE LAST GAME.

A LOT OF PRIDE.

LAST GAME PLAYING WITH SOME OF THEIR BROTHERS.

SO, I EXPECT THEM TO COME OUT AND PLAY TOUGH AND BE RESILIENT THROUGH THE WHOLE GAME.

I THINK THEY'RE BETTER NOW THAN WHEN I FOUND THEM.

I THINK THEY'RE A BETTER TEAM, MORE CONFIDENT TEAM.

THEY HAD NOT GOTTEN THE WINS.

I THINK THEY'RE BETTER PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.

THEY CAN SEE THE GROWTH IN THEMSELVES.

I CAN SEE THE GROWTH IN THEM.

I THINK THAT THEY KNOW THAT SOMETHING -- YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING.

THEY KNOW WE'RE A COUPLE PIECES AWAY.

WE DON'T PLAY SOME CLOSE GAMES, WHEN WE COME BACK ON SUNDAY, WE IDENTIFY WHAT HAPPENED.

WE KNOW WE'RE A COUPLE PIECES AWAY THAT WE NEED TO GET UP IN HERE TO HELP US GET OVER THAT HUMP.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO PLAY, A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WE'VE BEEN A LITTBLE BIT OFF THIS YEAR AND I KNOW IN THE PAST THE LAST FEW YEARS.

SO, WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE, I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHO WILL TAKE OVER AS THE HEAD COACH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY GET PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT.

>> WE JUST KNOW WHAT TYPE OF GAME IT'S GOING TO BE.

A PHYSICAL, FOUGHT GAME.

A LOT OF GAINS AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

MAKING SURE WE'RE PRECISE AND MAKING SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR EACH PLAY.

>> WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT.

YOU KNOW, LAST GAME OF THE SEASON, WEEK 12, WE'RE STILL HAVING GREAT ATTITUDE, GREAT EFFORT, STILL HAVING GOOD PRACTICES, A LOT OF BUY-IN IN THE LOCKER ROOM.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND OUR FUTURE.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THE NEXT GAME, I KNOW IT'S A RIVAL GAME, I KNOW THEY'LL BE UP FOR IT.

THEY'LL COME OUT AND PLAY IN FULL FORCE THIS GAME.

>> JOINED BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON FROM 24-7 SPORTS.

B.C.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M DOING WELL.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE AFTER A WIN WAS THE STRANGE PENN STATE GAME IN THE -- ERA.

>> OH NO, 2013?

>> THAT'S HOW LONG I'VE BEEN ON THIS SHOW AFTER A HUSKER WIN.

>> TEN YEARS.

>> I DON'T COME ON ALL THE TIME, BUT THAT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS.

>> WE DO A SHOW EVERY WEEK.

>> AT LEAST IT'S NOT THAT LONG.

>> SEAN MENTIONED IT, JAY DID, TOO, YOU HAD A FEEL HEADING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER THAT MAYBE THIS WAS THE WEEK.

DID YOU FEEL THAT WAY?

>> BE HONEST.

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS 50/50.

I GUESS THAT'S JUST HAVING SEEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

IT'S A SITUATION WHEN YOU'RE UP 14-3, YOU SHOULD BE THINKING THERE'S AN 80% CHANCE NEBRASKA WILL WIN THIS GAME.

BUT WISCONSIN HAD THE WIND.

IT FELT LIKE THAT 7 1/2-MINUTE DRIVE IN THE THIRD QUARTER, EVEN THOUGH IT ONLY ENDED UP IN A FIELD GOAL WAS BIG.

BECAUSE IT TOOK SOME OF NEBRASKA'S WIND TIME AWAY FROM THEM, THEIR WIND ADVANTAGE AWAY.

YOU COULD TELL WISCONSIN WAS ESTABLISHING ITSELF UP FRONT AND IT WOULD BE TOUGH FOR NEBRASKA TO HANG ON.

YOU NEEDED GRAM MERTZ TO MAKE ONE MORE MISTAKE, INSTEAD HE HITS THE THROW ON THE WHEEL ROUTE.

>> ALMOST OVERTHREW THAT WITH THE WIND.

>> HE DID.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT DECISION FOR NEBRASKA NOT TO HAVE THE WIND FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER?

NOW WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT, HOW BIG WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN?

>> THAT'S A TRICKY CALL.

I DO KNOW FOOTBALL COACHES DON'T LIKE TO GIVE YOU BOTH.

THEY DON'T LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE BALL AND THE WIND TO START A QUARTER AND A HALF.

I UNDERSTAND THE PHILOSOPHY NEBRASKA HAD.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE I AM -- I'M KIND OF WITH YOU.

YOU ALWAYS LOVE HAVING THAT AT YOUR BACK IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WHEN IT'S CRUNCH TIME.

BUT I GET WHY THEY DID WHAT THEY DID.

HONESTLY, WHEN YOU'RE SITTING THERE UP 14-3, GOING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE AGAINST THE WIND, WE FEEL LIKE WE PUT OURSELVES IN POSITION.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE A COUPLE MORE PLAYS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

>> GOING INTO THE IOWA GAME NOW.

IS IOWA'S DEFENSE THE BEST OR THE SECOND BEST BEHIND MICHIGAN THAT NEBRASKA WILL FACE THIS YEAR?

>> OH, MAN.

I THINK -- I WOULD PUT THEM UP THERE RIGHT WITH MICHIGAN BECAUSE I REMEMBER WATCHING IOWA PLAY OHIO STATE THIS YEAR, I THINK THAT GAME ENDED UP 54-10.

OR SOMETHING RIDICULOUS.

BUT OHIO STATE WAS FRUSTRATED AS HECK IN THE FIRST HALF BY IOWA.

I WAS THINKING IF THE BUCKEYES ARE SCUFFLING AROUND WITH THESE GUYS, THAT'S A PUT TOGETHER UNIT.

THE FACT THEY HAVE SEVEN WINS AND CAN WIN THE WEST DIVISION, IT'S -- I WON'T SAY NEBRASKA IS '09 DEFENSE, BUT ONE SIDE OF THE BALL IS DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING, THE OTHER SIDE STINKS, AND HERE THEY ARE WITH A CHANCE TO WIN THE DIVISION.

>> WHAT'S REMARKABLE IS IF YOU LOOK AT WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA AND IOWA, THEY ALL WERE GIVING UP 13 POINTS A GAME.

IT'S CONSISTENT.

EVERYONE HAS GIVEN UP 13 POINTS A GAME.

IF YOU CAN GET THE TWO TOUCHDOWNS, YOU CAN BEAT THIS TEAM.

>> YOU CAN.

>> THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

>> YOU CAN, BUT I THINK GREG MADE THE RIGHT POINT.

IOWA SPECIALIZES IN GETTING THAT DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN OR SETTING THEIR OFFENSE UP AT THE TEN-YARD LINE, WHATEVER THAT IS.

SOMEHOW SOME WAY NEBRASKA HAS TO AVOID THAT.

YOU USED TO THINK IOWA IS LUCKY, STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK.

AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO TIP YOUR CAP AND SAY, WOW, THEY'RE BUILT TO TAKE THE BALL AWAY.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT COACHING FOR IOWA -- THE DISCUSSION FOR BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR NOW IS REALLYUP IN THE AIR.

TWO WEEKS AGO IT FELT LIKE BRET BIELEMA WAS LEADING IT.

PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET IT NOW.

YOU THINK THE COACH OF THE YEAR IS DOWN TO THE WINNER OF OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN -- WHOEVER COMES OUT OF THAT GAME.

OR COULD SOMEBODY ELSE WIN THAT IN YOUR EYES?

>> THAT SEEMS TO ME HOW IT SHOULD BE.

IT WOULD BE STRANGE TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT FOR KIRK FERENTZ.

>> POLLS ARE STRONG.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YOU KNOW, I DON'T -- THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE WEST.

IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING FROM THE EAST, I THINK.

I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT, MAYBE HARBAUGH, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

OHIO STATE MIGHT LAY IT ON THEM THIS WEEK.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MVP ON THE OFFENSE, IS IT DEFINITELY CASEY THOMPSON FOR NEBRASKA?

>> WELL I THINK YOU SAW THAT WITHOUT HIM, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHANCE.

WHEN CASEY WAS INJURED, IT WAS LIKE TWO GUYS WERE INJURED IN ONE ALMOST.

BECAUSE IT TAKES TREY PALMER OUT OF THE EQUATION.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT RHYTHM HASN'T REALLY CAUGHT UP.

I THINK MARCUS WASHINGTON IS A GUY WHO HAS DONE SOME GOOD THINGS, KIND OF UNDER THE RADAR THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND PLAYED SOLID.

BUT WITHOUT CASEY, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS OFFENSE DOESN'T KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO BE, CAN'T ATTACK, CAN'T THROW IT DOWN THE FIELD.

BUT WITHOUT CASEY, IT JUST FELT LIKE THIS OFFENSE DOESN'T KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO BE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO ATTACK, THEY CAN'T THROW IT DOWNFIELD.

AND THEN THERE'S JUST NO TRUST IN THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY WANTS TO TAKE MARK WHIPPLE TO TASK RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THERE.

BUT I ALSO WOULD GET TO THE POINT THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE A PLAY CALLER WHEN YOU CAN'T TRUST YOUR O-LINE AT ALL.

WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN GET THREE YARDS.

AND NEBRASKA'S RUNNING BACKS HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB TOO, FRANKLY, OF GETTING NORTH/SOUTH ON SOME RUNS AND UNDERSTANDING, I CAN GET THREE YARDS HERE, AND THREE YARDS IS GOOD AS OPPOSED TO EAST/WEST, AND THAT'S SECOND AND TEN THEN.

>> YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THAT OLD MAN WHO'S WATCHING THE GAME YELLING, "“GO FORWARD.

GO FORWARD.

"” I AM AN OLD MAN, BUT GO FORWARD.

BECAUSE THERE ARE A COUPLE TIMES WE'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR MARK WHIPPLE TO CHANGE THE RUN GAME.

YOU NOTICE HOW MANY TIMES THEY WENT THREE TIGHT ENDS IN THAT GAME?

A NUMBER OF TIMES.

THEY WERE PULLING GUARDS, THEY WERE DOING THINGS THAT WE HADN'T SEEN THEM DO.

BUT GRANT WASN'T FOLLOWING THE BLOCKS OR SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG.

>> YEAH.

AND I LIKE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT ANTHONY, AND HE'S GOT A GREAT STORY, AND HAD A GREAT BURST TO THIS SEASON TO START IT OFF.

BUT AS THEY GO FORWARD, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIND TWO OR THREE BACKS THAT ARE BIG TEN BACKS.

THE SHAME OF IT IS, WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE AJAY ALLEN.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE KIND OF WAS YOUR -- MAN, I WANT TO SEE HIM GO AGAINST THESE WISCONSIN AND IOWAS, SEE IF HE'S THAT GUY WHO CAN GRIND OUT YARDS.

AND SO, AS WE GET TO THE GUYS YOU GOT TO KEEP ON THIS ROSTER, HE'S ONE OF THEM.

>> OH, DEFINITELY.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THAT BRIAN, KEEP GUYS ON THE ROSTER.

YOU KNOW, DECEMBER 5th WILL BE THE FIRST DAY PLAYERS GO ON THE PORTAL, STARTING MONDAY AFTER IOWA.

YOU KNOW EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE IN A DEAD PERIOD WITH MEETINGS WITH THEIR PLAYERS.

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING NEXT WEEK TO BRING?

NOT THE COACH STUFF, BUT JUST THE ROSTER STUFF AND THEN THE TRANSFER PORTAL AND HOW WILD THIS COULD BE.

>> YEAH.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF RUMORS, BUT ALSO, THERE MIGHT BE SOME GUYS WHO JUST -- I GOT TO HOLD PAT, I GOT TO SEE WHO MY COACH IS AND WHO THE POSITION COACH IS.

AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE AS MUCH MOVEMENT FOR NEBRASKA RIGHT OFF THE BAT WITH SOME OF THE PORTAL STUFF.

BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU GET -- FIRST OFF, WITH THIS HIRE, YOU GOT TO GET THE RIGHT GUY LONG-TERM.

OBVIOUSLY.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THAT DECEMBER 5th TIMELINE HAS MADE IT SO TRICKY WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT THAT GUY IN PLACE EARLY NEXT WEEK.

AND THEN THERE'S GUYS OUT THERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF A CHRIS KLIEMAN'S GOING TO BE IN THE MIX OR NOT, OR COULD BE.

BUT HE'S A GUY WHO COULD BE PLAYING IN THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP THE NEXT WEEKEND.

AND THAT COMPLICATES MATTERS IF YOU HAD A COACH LIKE THAT THAT WAS ON YOUR RADAR.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, TO PIGGYBACK OFF THAT, DO YOU HAVE A FEEL WHO THIS GUY'S GOING TO BE?

BECAUSE IT'S GETTING CLEAR.

YOU'RE SEEING LIGHT BULBS, GOT THE EXTENSION.

WASHINGTON'S COACH GOT THE EXTENSION.

STOOPS IN KENTUCKY GOT THE EXTENSION.

SO TO ELIMINATE A FEW GUYS HERE, IT'S GETTING CLOSE.

BUT YOUR SENSE, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S ABOUT AS CLEAR AS MUD, BUT YOUR FEEL OF -- >> CLEAR AS MUD IS TRUE.

AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU CAN -- WHAT I'VE NOTICED ABOUT THIS IS, I'LL HEAR EIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS FROM EIGHT DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

>> OH YEAH.

>> THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CONSENSUS ON STUFF, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.

AND TREV HAS REALLY SUCCEEDED -- I KNOW SEAN WOULD BACK THIS UP, I THINK, WITH JUST KEEPING THE INNER CIRCLE TIGHT.

IT'S VERY TIGHT OVER THERE.

>> LOOKS LIKE THIS.

>> YEAH.

IT'S ALL COMING FROM OUTSIDE STUFF, AND AGENTS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.

I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, YOU GOT TO LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY -- I DON'T KNOW WITH A MATT RHULE, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE SAID, "“AH, HE'S OFF THE RADAR NOW.

"” I THINK IN THESE SITUATIONS, YOU ALWAYS GOT TO BE, THINK THAT A GUY CAN CIRCLE BACK IN NEGOTIATIONS.

>> WELL REMEMBER TREV ALBERTS, WHEN HE HIRED DEAN BLAIS, HE TURNED TREV DOWN.

>> THREE TIMES.

>> TREV CAME BACK AT HIM.

SO DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THAT FROM TREV ALBERTS.

>> YEAH, SO THE CIRCLE BACK IS SOMETHING I WOULD KEEP IN MIND.

>> AND A GUY LIKE MATT RHULE DOES HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MICKEY JOSEPH.

IMPORTANT YOU THINK TO TREV TO WHOEVER HE BRINGS IN TO KEEP MICKEY JOSEPH?

>> I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE A PROMINENT DISCUSSION WITH THE NEXT GUY.

AND THE NEXT GUY, I THINK, WOULD BE SMART ENOUGH TO SAY, "“THIS IS A GUY I REALLY COULD USE TO KEEP THIS ROSTER INTACT TO AT LEAST HAVE A BASE FLOOR GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.

"” MICKEY MEANS SO MUCH TO SO MANY GUYS OVER THERE.

OBVIOUSLY, HE'S A GREAT RECRUITER, BUT I THINK HE'S REALLY WON THE LOCKER ROOM, WHERE IF HE STUCK AROUND AND STOOD BY WHOEVER THE NEXT HEAD COACH IS, I THINK THAT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO THOSE GUYS AND IT WOULD KEEP MAYBE SOME OF THOSE YOUNG RECEIVERS IN THE ROOM, TOO AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

>> ALMOST LIKE KEEPING TURNER GILL WHEN CALLAHAN CAME IN.

>> YEAH.

I WONDER IF HE SHOULD -- YOU MIGHT HAVE TO UP HIS SALARY A BIT, THOUGH.

I'M NOT HIS AGENT OR ANYTHING.

>> GOTTA MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS.

>> HE MIGHT MAKE A MILLION NOW.

>> PICK FOR THE IOWA GAME?

>> WELL, I -- AS MUCH AS IOWA'S OFFENSE STRUGGLES, IT GIVES NEBRASKA A CHANCE.

BUT I ALWAYS BELIEVE IN THAT IOWA DEFENSE, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET TWO OR THREE TURNOVERS, AND NEBRASKA SORT OF PLAYS INTO THEIR HANDS IT FEELS LIKE EVERY TIME IN THIS MATCHUP EVEN IF IT'S LOOKING GOOD.

EVENTUALLY THAT BIG MISTAKE HAPPENS.

HOPEFULLY THIS TIME NEBRASKA DOESN'T PUNT IT OFF A GUY'S BACKSIDE LIKE HAPPENED ONE YEAR.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME NEBRASKA WON IN IOWA WHEN THEY PUNTED OFF THEIR BACKSIDE.

BUT, I'D SAY IOWA BY A TOUCHDOWN.

>> YOU KNOW, HAVE A KENNY BELL.

IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE A KENNY BELL BACK FOR THAT GAME.

>> THAT WOULD BE NICE, WOULDN'T IT?

>> OR A DE'MORNAY PIERSON-EL.

>> ANY OF THOSE GUYS, YOU KNOW.

PUNT RETURN.

BC, WE APPRECIATE IT.

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING, MAN.

>> THANKS, GUYS.

>> THANKS A LOT.

NEXT UP, SEAN AND I WILL DIVE INTO A COUPLE OF STANDOUT PERFORMANCES FROM THE NSAA STATE FOOTBALL GAMES.

BUT FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK FROM SATURDAY, COURTESY OF "“HAIL VARSITY.

"” WE'RE BACK IN TWO.

♪ GAMES.

FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK AT SATURDAY FROM HAIL VARSITY.

WE'RE BACK IN TWO.

♪ ♪ >>> WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW, MIKE'L SEVERE WITH SEAN CALLAHAN.

BEFO >>> WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW, MIKE'L SEVERE WITH SEAN CALLAHAN.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE GUYS FROM THE NSAA GAMES, WHAT ABOUT WISCONSIN IN TERMS OF THE VISITORS?

ANYTHING HAPPEN OUT OF THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, SOME NEW OFFERS WERE MADE.

BUT IT WAS AN 11 A.M. GAME.

>> YEAH.

>> NOT EXACTLY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WEATHER TO BRING IN A LOT OF GUYS.

>> TRUE.

>> BUT A FEW UNDERCLASSMAN OFFERS WERE MADE.

YOU KNOW, NO OFFICIAL VISITORS.

NEBRASKA IS SITTING ON THE OFFICIAL VISITS.

THERE WILL BE THREE WEEKENDS IN DECEMBER.

ALL OF THE CURRENT COMMITS OR ANYONE THAT'S VISITED NEBRASKA ALREADY ONCE, THEY'LL BE ALLOWED NOW TO VISIT AGAIN ONCE THE COACH IS MADE -- EVEN IF IT WAS MICKEY JOSEPH, THOSE GUYS COULD GET A SECOND VISIT.

SO, LOOK FOR NEBRASKA TO PROBABLY BRING IN ALL OF THEIR CURRENT COMMITS AGAIN ON ONE OF THOSE DECEMBER WEEKENDS.

>> A LOT OF GREAT GAMES IN THE HISTORY OF CLASS "A."

I REMEMBER I WENT TO ONE WHERE SEAN FISHER HAD THIS AMAZING GAME.

BUT, WAS THAT THE BEST THAT YOU'VE SEEN WESTSIDE AND GRETNA?

>> YEAH.

JUST THE STAR POWER, THE STAGE, THE STORYLINES OF LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, THE TITLE BEING STRIPPED.

>> 7-3 GAME.

7-3.

COMBINED.

>> YEAH, JUST A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF GAME.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT FOR THROWING AND WHAT BOTH TEAMS WANTED TO DO.

JUST THE STAR POWER ON THAT FIELD ON BOTH ENDS.

GRETNA'S FINAL GAME AS A ONE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, 8,800 PEOPLE, I MEAN, ON A MONDAY NIGHT.

IMAGINE IF THAT WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT, WHAT THAT CROWD COULD HAVE BEEN.

SO, REALLY REMARKABLE THAT WE HAD 8,800 FANS AT A HIGH SCHOOL GAME IN NEBRASKA ON A MONDAY NIGHT.

>> WITH ALL THAT SAID, THE BEST PLAYER, A FIELD GOAL KICKER?

>> YEAH, AND WE'VE SEEN.

I MEAN, I WATCHED ALEX HENRY IN HIGH SCHOOL, BRETT MAHER, AND YOU COULD ARGUE TRISTAN ALVANO RIGHT NOW, AT THIS POINT, IS BETTER THAN THOSE GUYS WERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IMPRESSES YOU ABOUT ALVANO IS HE KICKS OFF THE GROUND.

YOU KNOW, WHEN HIGH SCHOOL KIDS CAN USE A LITTLE TEE BOX.

IT'S LIKE JAY MOORE, HITTING YOUR GOLF BALL AT THE TEE VERSUS ON THE GRASS.

EVERYTHING HE DOES IS ON THE GRASS.

ON THE GROUND.

>> AND EVERY KICKOFF IS DEEP INTO THE END ZONE.

SOMETIMES OUT OF THE END ZONE.

>> AND THEY KICK FROM THE 40 IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HE WAS GOING ALMOST TEN YARDS DEEP ON KICKOFFS.

AND THAT WAS A HUGE ADVANTAGE BECAUSE EVERY PLAY WAS A TOUCHBACK FOR GRETNA.

WHERE WESTSIDE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE RETURNING THEIR KICKS TO THE 30, 35.

SO WESTSIDE GOT A PLUS TEN ON EVERY POSSESSION BECAUSE OF THE KICKOFF.

>> YEAH.

>> AND HOW THEY WERE DOING IT.

THIS PERFORMANCE AND WHAT HE DID, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL EVER SEE A KICKING PERFORMANCE LIKE THIS AGAIN.

VERY FEW COACHES WOULD EVEN WANT THEIR KID TO KICK, YOU KNOW, FIELD GOALS THAT LONG IN HIGH SCHOOL RANKS.

>> YEAH, BECAUSE OF FIELD POSITION.

>> WESTSIDE MANAGED THE END OF THAT GAME, IT FELT LIKE AN NFL GAME.

>> YUP.

>> LET'S GET AROUND THE 35-YARD LINE.

TRISTAN ALVANO GOT HIS OFFER FIRST THING TUESDAY MORNING FROM MICKEY JOSEPH.

HE HAD A REFERRED WALK-ON OFFER, HE GETS THE OFFICIAL OFFER FROM THE HUSKERS.

SO, NEBRASKA OBVIOUSLY IN A GOOD SPOT.

I MEAN THE BIG QUESTION WAS TIMMY BLEEKRODE.

NEBRASKA HAS HIM BACK ANOTHER YEAR.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT I THINK MICKEY JOSEPH'S LIKE, NO.

>> YOU GOT TO GET THIS KID.

>> LIKE WE'RE NOT OVERTHINKING THIS ONE.

>> ALABAMA WOULD TAKE THIS KID.

ANYBODY.

>> THIS GUYS'S BETTER THAN TIMMY BLEEKRODE.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, THE WAY THE BALL -- THEY WAY HE KICKS THE BALL, YOU HEAR -- >> YOU HEAR IT.

SOUNDS LIKE A CANNON.

>> IT'S LIKE TIGER WOODS HITTING A BALL IN THE DRIVING RANGE.

YOU CAN HEAR NOISE.

>> BEEN THAT WAY SINCE HE WAS FRESHMAN.

>> CALEB BENNING, NINE WEEKS OFF.

COMES BACK, WIDE RECIEVER/SAFEY, GETS A COUPLE PICKS.

GREAT GAME FOR HIM.

>> AS THAT GAME WAS GOING ON, HE MADE A COUPLE BIG PLAYS, DAMON WAS ON THE SIDELINES.

I WALK BY HIM.

HE GOES, "THAT KID'S PRETTY GOOD."

>> HE'S PRETTY GOOD.

ALMOST HAD THREE PICKS TOO >> THE TWO INTERCEPTIONS.

AND JUST THE SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL HE PLAYED.

YOU KNOW, THESE LITTLE THIRD DOWN STICK ROUTES THAT HE RUNS.

I MENA, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GAME, HE WAS THEIR THIRD DOWN AND, LIKE, SIX OR SEVEN TYPE GUY.

HE COULD RUN CRISP ROUTES, BUT TO PICK ZANE FLORES TWICE AND ALMOST GET IT A THIRD TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT TELLS YOU WHAT HE BROUGHT.

AND THEY WERE PLAYING WITHOUT JALEN LLOYD, THEIR LEADING RECEIVER.

SO, THEY GET CALEB BENNING BACK.

THAT WAS AS BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE GAME MAYBE AS ALVANO BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE PLAYS BENNING MADE HELPED ALVANO GET THOSE FIELD GOALS.

>> BEN BRAHMER, BEST PERFORMANCE YOU'VE SEEN FROM A TIGHT END?

>> WELL, RECEIVER -- JUST NOT TIGHT END.

>> HIS FUTURE'S TIGHT END.

BEST PASS CATCHER OVERALL.

>> YOU LOOK AT THE YARDS HE HAD, 11 CATCHES ON 11 TARGETS FOR ALMOST 250 YARDS.

>> WOW.

>> IT WAS AN ALL-CLASS -- OR 11-MAN PLAYOFF RECORD FOR RECEIVING YARDS IN A GAME.

AND HE WAS A GREAT BLOCKER, TOO.

AND HE HAD AN INTERCEPTION.

IT WAS -- HE'S NOT A HUSKER YET.

I THINK HE'S LISTED AS A COMMIT, OKAY?

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT HE'S LOOKING AT IOWA STATE AND HE'S GOING TO TAKE IT TO AMES.

HE WANTS TO SEE WHO THE NEW HUSKER HEAD COACH IS.

THEY WANT TO MEET WITH HIM.

>> WOW.

>> SO, THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL FOR NEBRASKA UNTIL WE KNOW THE FUTURE AND MATT CAMPBELL HAS DONE A GOOD JOB -- >> WITH TIGHT ENDS IN GENERAL.

>> -- OF GETTING INVOLVED WITH BEN BRAHMER.

>> YEAH, AND TIGHT ENDS IN GENERAL.

THEY DEVELOP SO MANY GOOD ONES.

LAST ONE, 'CAUSE THIS GETS ASKED ALL THE TIME, ZANE FLORES, ANY CHANCE?

I KNOW HE'S COMMITTED TO OK STATE.

ANY CHANCE THE NEXT COACH COULD CONVINCE HIM?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY TOUGH.

I MEAN, THE FLORES PEOPLE -- AND BY THE WAY, IT'S FLORES.

>> IT'S FLORES.

WE'VE BEEN PRONOUNCING IT WRONG.

>> NOT FLORES.

FLORES.

>> BUT ZANE, YOU LOOK AT WHAT HE'S DONE.

AND THEY'RE SUCH LOYAL PEOPLE, CLASSY PEOPLE, BY THE BOOK.

OKLAHOMA STATE HAS DONE IT RIGHT.

THEY DID THE RECRUITING PROCESS THE RIGHT WAY THE WHOLE WAY.

I HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME SEEING HIM SWITCHING IN THAT SITUATION WITH THE WAY OKLAHOMA STATE RECRUITED HIM.

>> THANKS, SEAN.

APPRECIATE IT.

TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.

MICHIGAN SQUEAKED BY ILLINOIS, WHAT A GAME, 19-17 TO STAY UNBEATEN.

AND THE OF COURSE, INDIANA, WHAT A GAME GOING TO DOUBLE OVERTIME TO BEAT MICHIGAN STATE, 39-31.

AND THEN IT WAS A LATE FIELD GOAL OF COURSE THAT LIFTED IOWA OVER MINNESOTA 13-10.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S DIVE INTO ANOTHER COACHING CANDIDATE FOR NEBRASKA.

THIS WEEK, WE'RE LOOKING AT DAVE DOEREN WHO IS ENDING HIS SEASON PRETTY TOUGH AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE.

THIS IS A GUY WHO LOST TO BOSTON COLLEGE AND THEN THEY TURNED AROUND AND LOST THE LAST WEEK TO LOUISVILLE.

I KNOW THEY GOT SOME QUARTERBACK ISSUES.

BUT HE'S NEVER HAD A TEN-WIN SEASON WHILE AT NC STATE.

A BUNCH OF NINES.

NEVER FINISHED HIGHER THAN SECOND IN HIS DIVISION, IN THE ATLANTIC, AND THIS DOESN'T MEAN A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT 58-64 AGAINST THE SPREAD.

I'M JUST SAYING.

HE DOESN'T WIN A LOT OF GAMES WHEN HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DAVE DOEREN?

>> WELL THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE YEAR, AND THEN THEIR QUARTERBACK GOT HURT -- >> AGAIN.

>> -- AND THEN THE BACKUP GOT HURT.

THEY STARTED MJ MORRIS, A FRESHMAN, WHO ACTUALLY NEBRASKA RECRUITED AT ONE POINT A YEAR AGO.

SO, THEY'RE ON THEIR THIRD STRING TRUE FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK RIGHT NOW.

HE HAD HIS TEAM RANKED UP UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO.

>> 22ND.

>> SO, THEY WERE HANGING IN THERE.

BUT YEAH.

HE WOULD TAKE -- I BELIEVE HE WOULD TAKE THE NEBRASKA JOB IF YOU GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY.

HE'S A KANSAS CITY GUY.

PLAYED HIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT DRAKE.

>> RIGHT.

>> COICIDENTLY, I THINK HE COACHED AT KU AT ONE POINT.

HE'S BEEN AT WISCONSIN.

YOU KNOW, HE HAS BEEN ALL OVER THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, NORTHERN ILLINOIS, TOOK THEM TO THE ORANGE BOWL I BELIEVE AS THEIR HEAD COACH WAY BACK.

SO, HE'S ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN THIS NEBRASKA JOB.

HE GOT HIS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, TIM BECK.

>> YUP.

>> THEN JOHN GARRISON AS HIS O-LINE COACH.

SO, THERE ARE SOME CONNECTIONS HERE.

BUT AS WE'RE SITTING HERE TAPING THIS SHOW, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE HE'S THE GUY RIGHT NOW.

>> ONE MORE STAT, 'CAUSE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THEY NOT GOING TO GET OVER .500.

HE'S BEEN UNDER .500 IN CONFERENCE FIVE DIFFERENT SEASONS SINCE 2013.

AND HE HASN'T HAD THE KIND OF SUCCESS I THINK THAT PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT IF HE'S GOING TO GET HIRED AT NEBRASKA.

>> DOESN'T CHECK THE BOXES FOR ME ON A GUY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TURN THIS PROGRAM AROUND.

HE ALWAYS PLAYED CLEMSON TOUGH.

>> YEAH, HE HAS.

>> THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD NUMEROUS UPSETS AGAINST CLEMSON THE LAST FOUR, FIVE YEARS WHEN CLEMSON'S BEEN ON TOP.

BUT THAT'S JUST - IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A BIT OF A REACH.

IF DAVE DOEREN WAS TO BE THE GUY, I MEAS, THAT MEANS NEBRASKA GOT TURNED DOWN IN MY OPINION BY FOUR, FIVE OTHER GUYS.

I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN -- I WOULD NOT EXPECT DAVE DOEREN TO BE TOP THREE ON TREV'S LIST.

>> I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING WE WILL PROBABLY NEVER FIND OUT, BECAUSE WHY WOULD TREV EVEN SAY IT.

BUT DO YOU HAVE A FEELING HE HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN?

WHAT'S YOUR FEEL IN TERMS OF HOW THIS HAS GONE FOR TREV AND NEBRASKA?

>> WELL I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS ONCE YOU ENGAGE WITH AN AGENT -- >> YES.

>> -- AND THAT'S YOUR SEARCH FOR MAYBE COULD BE TREV ALBERTS OR A COACH, NOT EVEN AN OFFER, JUST ENGAGEMENT, THAT LEADS TO RENEWALS.

AND WE SAW MARK STOOPS, HE WAS ENGAGED.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> THEY REACHED OUT TO JIMMY SEXTON.

AND THE CONTRACT THAT HE GOT, $9 MILLION NOW, KIND OF FELT LIKE THE MAX OF WHAT NEBRASKA HAD TO PAY TO GET MARK STOOPS.

WELL, HE'S GETTING THAT FROM KENTUCKY.

LANCE LEIPHOLE GETS HIS NEW DEAL FROM KANSAS HERE ON TUESDAY.

>> THAT DEAL HE HAD ON HIS DESK, ACCORDING TO PEOPLE, FOR A FEW WEEKS.

>> AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERMS ARE, IF HE'S IN THE 5 OR 6 RANGE.

>> I THINK SO.

>> WHERE HE'S GOING TO BE, BUT THE SNIFF OF NEBRASKA, THESE AGENTS, THAT'S THEIR JOB, TO TAKE THAT -- TREV ALBERTS, "HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?"

>> THAT'S ENOUGH.

>> 2 MILLION MORE DOLLARS.

>> EVEN KALEN DEBOER, ONE YEAR AT WASHINGTON, GETS HIS SALARY BUMPED.

BECAUSE MAYBE HE WAS MENTIONED FOR NEBRASKA OR EVEN AUBURN TOO.

SO YOU HAVE THOSE TWO BIG JOBS OPENS, IT OPENS IT UP.

YOU HAVE A FEEL AT ALL?

I MEAN I KNOW WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS.

>> YEAH.

IT'S -- IT'S CRAZY.

I DON'T, BECAUSE IT WAS -- MATT RHULE WAS KIND OF THE FLAVOR OF THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COOLED OFF.

NOW YOU HAVE LUKE FICKELL WHO REALLY HASN'T BEEN, I WOULD SAY, THE TOP -- IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF LEIPHOLD -- >> ARANDA.

-- ARANDA, CAMPBELL.

NOW LUKE FICKELL KIND OF COMES INTO THIS.

SO TO ME, I FEEL LIKE HOW QUIET IT'S BEEN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY MENTIONED.

WE'RE TALKING WITH GREG BEFORE HE GOT OFF, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WOULD LOVE -- I WOULD TAKE URBAN MEYER.

I'D LOVE FOR THAT.

IF YOU COULD GET HIM, TAKE HIM.

IF YOU CAN'T GET HIM, I REALLY LIKE LUKE FICKELL, HE WOULD BE GREAT IN MY OPINION.

I REALLY LIKE CHRIS KLEINMANN.

I LIKE WHAT'S HE ABOUT.

I LIKE THE STYLE OF FOOTBALL.

HE'S DONE IT AT EVERY LEVEL.

HE'S DEVELOPED GUYS.

HE'S GOTTEN K-STATE.

THEY'RE OFFENSIVE LINE IS PHENOMENAL.

IT'S REALLY GOOD.

I THINK YOU'VE SEEN ADRIAN HAVE SO MUCH MORE SUCCESS DOWN THERE BECAUSE HE HAS PROTECTION AND THEY CAN RUN THE FOOTBALL.

>> THEY RUN THE BALL.

>> DEUCE VAUGHN IS OBVIOUSLY A REALLY GOOD RUNNING BACK.

BUT I LIKE HIM.

I DON'T THINK -- OTHER THAN URBAN, I DON'T THINK THERE IS, IN MY OPINION, A SLAM DUNK.

THERE'S A GUARANTEE.

THE GUY I WANT GOING FORWARD, I LIKE KLEINMANN, I LIKE JEFF MONKEN.

I LIKE THE GUYS WHO IT'S ALL ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, TOUGHNESS, DISCIPLINED FOOTBALL.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO WIN AND GET BACK ON TOP.

IN THE BIG TEN WEST AND OBVIOUSLY IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE.

>> EITHER RANGE, SO WE ALL THOUGHT '07/'08 THAT IT WAS GONNA BE BO.

I MEAN IT WAS TURNER/BO.

BUT IT WAS BO.

WE WERE ALL SURPRISED BY MIKE RILEY.

IN TERMS OF OUR SURPRISE LEVEL FOR THIS ONE, WHERE DO YOU THINK IT FITS?

IS IT ONE OF THE 12 NAMES YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN THROWING AROUND OVER THE LAST SEVEN DAYS?

>> I THINK BRONCO MENDENHALL WOULD BE A SURPRISE.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE LIKE A MIKE RILEY HIRE FOR TREV.

THAT WOULD OUT OF LEFT FIELD.

'CAUSE IT'S A GUY WHO WALKED AWAY FROM BYU AND WALKED AWAY FROM VIRGINIA.

>> HE LEFT TO GO TO VIRGINIA BECAUSE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN A POWER CONFERENCE, TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

I GET THAT.

BUT HE DID LEAVE KIND OF BROKEN A LITTLE BIT.

>> YEAH.

THAT WOULD BE A -- OUT OF THE FIELD.

LUKE FICKELL TO ME WOULD BE, LIKE, WALKING INTO THE BAR, SEEING THE PRETTIEST GIRL AND SAY, "YOU," AND THEN GET HER.

>> AND YOU ACTUALLY GET HER.

>> HE'S THE GUY THAT I THINK PEOPLE NATIONALLY WOULD BE LIKE, "THERE'S NO WAY HE WOULD GO TO NEBRASKA."

AND IF TREV WERE TO PULL THAT OFF, THAT WOULD BE REMARKABLE.

>> 'CAUSE HE WAS MENTIONED LAST YEAR FOR USC, FOR NOTRE DAME -- >> LSU.

>> -- AND LSU.

>> MICHIGAN STATE TOO.

FICKELL, RIGHT?

>> THREE BIG ONES.

>> HE HAD A PLAY OFF TEAM THOUGH.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK HE KNEW HE HAD A PLAYOFF TEAM.

SO MICHIGAN STATE, YOU KNOW -- >> THAT WASN'T ONE.

>> HE DIDN'T WANT THAT.

>> BUT USC, NOTRE DAME, LSU.

>> AND HIS OLD A.D. IS AT USC.

>> OKAY.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EASY DECISION FOR HIM TO MAKE.

BUT YOU MENTION, HE WAS IN THE PLAYOFF.

YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A JOB WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PLAYOFFS MOST TIMES.

THIS IS A YEAR LATER.

>> RIGHT NOW, THEY COULD BE IN A NEW YEAR SIX BOWL GAME IF THEY WIN THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

THEY'RE GOING TO REMATCH TULANE.

>> IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE TULANE, YEAH.

TULANE IS ALREADY IN.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CINCINNATI IS IN YET.

DON'T THEY HAVE TO WIN THIS WEEK?

>> I THINK, IF THEY COULD GET TO THE COTTON BOWL.

HE COULD STILL HAVE A PRETTY GOOD YEAR THERE.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO THE BIG 12, NEXT YEAR THEY'LL BE IN THE BIG 12.

>> YES, THAT'S THE SCHEDULE.

THERE WILL BE THREE NEW TEAMS IN THE BIG 12.

SO THAT'S ALL REASONS.

LET'S GO TO IOWA.

FEELINGS ABOUT IOWA?

WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS?

>> I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE A SIMILAR EFFORT THAT'S GONNA BE THERE.

I THINK THE DEFENSE IS GOING TO PLAY WELL.

IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT CAN NEBRASKA SOMEHOW SUSTAIN DRIVES?

I WOULDN'T SAY THE POINTS -- OBVIOUSLY SCORE SOME POINTS, BUT CAN THEY FLIP THE FIELD?

IF THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE THE BALL A LITTLE BIT, PIN IOWA BACK AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN DEFENSE HOLDS IOWA'S LACKLUSTER OFFENSE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, WE GET THE GOOD FIELD POSITION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET THREE POINTS.

I DON'T THINK -- WE HAVEN'T DONE IT AGAINST ANYONE THIS YEAR.

BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO 80 YARDS ON THIS IOWA DEFENSE.

YOU HAVE TO HOPEFULLY GET A COUPLE FIRST DOWNS, IF YOU CAN'T GET POINTS, PUNT IT.

FORCE IOWA, PIN THEM DOWN DEEP.

HOLD THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO PUNT AROUND THE 50, COUPLE FIRST DOWNS, BOOM, BLEEKRODE GET SOME POINTS, THREE POINTS.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOW-SCORING GAME.

AGAIN, I WOULD HEAVILY TAKE THE UNDERS ON THIS ONE.

>> SEAN?

>> YEAH.

I JUST THINK FOR NEBRASKA, THIS GAME IS SO SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'VE SEEN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

BUT IOWA, IT FEELS AT LEAST THEIR DEFENSE IS BETTER THAN WHAT NEBRASKA HAS SEEN, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE RUNNING BACKS.

NEBRASKA HAS SEEN FOUR OF THE BEST RUNNING BACKS IN THE COUNTRY, SO CAN THEIR DEFENSE SLOW DOWN IOWA ENOUGH AND MAKE PETRAS -- PETRAS IS THE WORST QUARTERBACK FERENTZ HAS HAD IN A LONG TIME.

WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH HIM, CAN THEY MAKE HIM MAKE A MISTAKE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT MISTAKE?

>> PETRAS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE AS BAD AS HE CAN BE AT TIMES, OCCASIONALLY HE WILL MAKE THE BIG THROW.

LAPORTA IS BIG.

BECAUSE HE'S BEEN GOOD AGAINST NEBRASKA.

THIS IS HIS FRESHMAN YEAR.

HE'S MADE A LOT OF CATCHES.

YOU MENTION THE RUNNING BACKS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO IOWA HAD AT RUNNING BACK, THOUGH.

THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AGAINST NEBRASKA FOR WHATEVER REASON.

THE WAY THEY RUN OUTSIDE ZONE, NEBRASKA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE IT PHYSICALLY.

SO IF THEY COME OUT RUNNING IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHO'S BACK THERE.

>> ERIK CHINANDER WAS ACTUALLY FAIRLY GOOD AT SCHEMING AGAINST IOWA.

THAT'S HIS ALMA MATER.

HE PLAYED WITH BRIAN AND FOR KIRK.

HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY DID THERE.

>> THEY STILL AVERAGED OVER FIVE YARDS A CARRY.

>> THERE WERE GAMES WHERE THEY WERE HANDLING, WHO WAS THE -- DANIELS.

THEY WOULD HANDLE SOME OF THOSE LINEMEN UP FRONT.

HE HAD A GOOD ATTACK SCHEME.

NEBRASKA WOULD ALWAYS FALL APART AT THE END OF THOSE GAMES.

>> ONE OF THE WORST PROBABLY IOWA OFFENSIVE LINES YOU'VE HAD, THEY'RE YOUNG.

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A SENIOR ON THEIR OFFENSIVE LINE THIS YEAR.

IT'S ALL FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS THIS YEAR.

THAT'S WHY THEY'VE STRUGGLED A LITTLE.

I RUN INTO A LOT OF IOWA FANS AT WORK.

THEY GET SO FRUSTRATED.

I SAID YOU HAVE TWO, THREE DRAFT PICKS ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE EVERY YEAR.

YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE THAT.

NOW THEY'LL PROBABLY BE THAT TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT YOU GUYS ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BLOCK ANYONE.

LOOK AT US.

WE STRUGGLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T BLOCK ANYONE.

SO IT'S SIMILAR, BUT IOWA HAS GOTTEN BETTER.

THAT'S WHAT -- YOU'VE GOT TO TO TIP YOUR HAT TO KIRK FERENTZ.

THEY STRUGGLED OBVIOUSLY IN THE YEAR, BUT THEY'VE SOMEHOW GOTTEN BETTER.

OFFENSE HAS GOTTEN INCREMENTALLY BETTER, THAT DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS ARE ON POINT.

>> AND REMEMBER, IOWA HAS THREE TOP RECEIVERS.

TWO LEFT AND ONE'S BEEN INJURED.

>> HIS FUTURE WILL BE INTERESTING IF HE'S -- IT HASN'T FELT RIGHT THERE WITH THIS SITUATION THIS YEAR BEING SHELVED FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

>> WHAT'S YOUR BURNING QUESTION, SEAN?

>> ALRIGHT, MY BURNING QUESTION.

THURSDAY, EAT YOUR TURKEY, FRIDAY WATCH FOOTBALL.

WHAT WILL SATURDAY BRING?

WHAT WILL THE WEEKEND BRING?

WILL WE BE AT NORRIS STADIUM ON SUNDAY, MONDAY?

WHAT'S THIS ALL GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN THE DUST CLEARS AFTER FRIDAY?

>> IS THIS GOING TO BE A SIMILAR SCENARIO HERE WHERE I FEEL LIKE NEBRASKA WILL HANG IN THERE, BUT IOWA'S SPECIAL TEAMS, I THINK THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BE TOO MUCH.

A GAME-WINNING FIELD GOAL I PREDICT FOR IOWA.

>> CAN NEBRASKA BREAK THE STREAK?

THEY LOSE TO IOWA, THAT WILL BE 17 STRAIGHT BETWEEN WISCONSIN AND IOWA, CAN THEY BREAK THE STREAK ON BLACK FRIDAY?

DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ON THE PREDICTION.

JAY, SEAN AND MYSELF WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON FRIDAY.

NEBRASKA HITS THE FIELD ONE FINAL TIME IN 2022 TAKING ON THE IOWA HAWKEYES ON THE ROAD.

KICKOFF SET FOR 3:00 P.M. ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK.

NEXT WEEK, WE'RE BACK TO RECAP THE GAME, START TO UNPACK THE SEASON, OF COURSE, POTENTIALLY TALK ABOUT THE NEXT ERA OF NEBRASKA FOOTBALL WITH GUEST MITCH SHERMAN FROM THE ATHLETIC.

OUR THANKS TO GREG SHARP AND BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

♪ GRIG SHARP AND BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

♪