Nebraska’s Dave Rimington breaks down Saturday’s Big 12 title game between Nebraska and Texas.
This year has been a transition year for Nebraska, and the Huskers went 9-3. I think they’re happy where they are right now. But you play the game because nobody knows what the outcome is before. We’ll see what happens with turnovers or the way the ball bounces.
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In 1996, Nebraska played Texas in St. Louis. Nebraska was a heavy favorite, and Texas found a way to win.
It’s going to be a tough game for them, especially the way Colt McCoy ran last week. It’s going to be tough to contain him.
Virginia Tech had a mobile quarterback in Taylor who didn’t hurt them too bad. As long as they get pressure inside-out, meaning they get pressure inside from the two-gap defensive tackles, I think they’ll contain him. If they get moved out, and there’s big running lanes in the middle, it could be a problem.
It’s dangerous for a team to have a running quarterback — both offensively and defensively. It’s tough to contain him, but you really expose your quarterback to injury when you have him running a lot.
Nebraska’s defense is stout. That’s one thing I’m sure of. They bend, but they don’t break. On third down, they rise to the occasion. I expect goods game from Suh and Crick.
Nebraska has a tough defense, and if its offense can wake up a little bit and play some ball, we’ll have a good game. I see no reason they can’t hang in there and see what happens in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska has played pretty conservatively offensively the last five games. They made sure they weren’t turning the ball over and putting the defense in a bad situation. The kicker and punter have provided a lot of help, too.
But I would say they’ll probably have to open it up because it will be hard to contain Texas’s offense by just running the football. I think this is a game that you let it all hang out. The expectation level throughout the country isn’t that high for Nebraska.
If you have a few trick plays you’ve been saving all year, I think this is the time to use them. You can do some things with the passing game that you haven’t the last few weeks. Then again, you don’t want to throw the ball every down like earlier in the year.
They have some talent on offense. They just have to utilize it. Start with the run game and see if you can get it going, then mix in some play-action passes. And every once in a while, when the opportunity presents itself, like on sudden change, try to surprise some people by throwing downfield. It’s about getting momentum and staying on it.
I want Nebraska to win. I think they have a shot. I just want them to play hard and do the best they can.
I know coach Pelini is going to have expectations high for the team. But as a fan, I sit back and hope they can keep it close until the fourth quarter and try to sneak away with the victory.
My prediction: Nebraska 28, Texas 24.
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Arguably the greatest college center of all-time, Dave Rimington is now the president of the Boomer Esiason Foundation that fights cystic fibrosis.
Got a question or comment? E-mail him here
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