Lets talk USC/NEB

[taoist]

wcb, i like your thinking.... the only thing that scares me (other than midgets) is public road dogs...but I haven't seen that here. What concerns me is the coaching mismatch...and a week off to prepare. I've said it before.... Pete is the best 2nd half coach in all of college foots. OTOH, You also have 18-20 year old kids.... Heads a little big after the big opening win on the road...back home for a couple of weeks with nothing to do...and plenty to screw?!!??! :scared :shrug: :com:

I want to see how the line moves in the next couple of days, but I agree with you. Methinks that the Cornholios make a game of this. I generally don't like these *big* TV games, but I'm thinking a pizza money teaser on Neb and Over. :SIB

 

[THE KOD]

USC's defense, which already lost a starting safety for the season, took another hit on Tuesday when nose tackle Sedrick Ellis had arthroscopic knee surgery that will force him to miss Saturday's home opener against Nebraska and, possibly, several Pacific 10 Conference games.
-- Los Angeles Times
........................................................

I would think the nose tackle is pretty important to lose with the cornhuskers running game up the middle coming to town.

 

[Kramer]

Unless your USC, who has plenty of talent ready
and waiting to show up #1 starter.:sadwave:

 

[wcb4]

sun,

you're right, they are not as good as usc. however, they are closing the gap much quicker than it would appear to most. i don't doubt your big 12 expertise, and i respect the work you do. i also like to think that i know big 12 football as well as anyone, and, like you said, we just disagree on this one. best of luck this week.

taoist,

i understand your hesitation with public road dogs, certainly not a place to make a living. however, i don't believe that the coaching edge is tilted overwhelmingly in sc's favor. in listening to callahan this week, it's pretty clear that he has been working toward this game for quite some time, and despite his comments to the contrary, it's a huge game for him. his system has taken hold in lincoln, something that many said would never happen. this nebraska team, with the exception of andre jones, who for some reason is popping off to the media, has a very good attitude. i guess we'll see. gl to you.

 

[wcb4]

......

 

[tendog]

the last 2 or 3 games last year this nebr. team suddenly changed. i am not an x and o guy, so i dont know what happened but suddenly the offense began to work like it was supposed to. dr fade mentioned the kansas game last year. that was a huge egg laid by a bad team--they also laid em against missouri and okla. the alamobowl team was not the same team and it has continued on this year. yes, weak competition but they did everything needed to pass those tests, these past 2 weeks. the defense with carriker and the linebackers is solid with the dedensive backfield appearing to be vulnerable. the offense is better everywhere with great leadership from taylor. i laid a small ml play on the huskers, but mostly as a fan. i feel usc eats nebr. up or it comes down to the wire in a high scoring affair.

 

[fattymanboobs]

This game is very simple

USC used 18 diff defensive starters last year, their defense this year will be leaps and bounds better this year and maybe without much fanfare, because a lot of the focus will be on John David Booty and their WR

They will blitz Zack Taylor all day and try to make him beat them vs. their press coverage. while Taylor is a smart Qb who is accurate, he does not have a strong arm, and the NU OL is still a work in progress vs. what may be arguably one of the top 5 Front 7 in the country. NU will need to screen and draw early but Callahan is still a little stubborn with his and Jay Norvell's play calling.

Nebraska secondary is a patchwork proposition right now. Andre Jones has been popping his mouth off saying "after we beat USC" this guy has about 25 Division 1 snaps and now will be trying to cover Patrick Turner and Dwayne Jarrett. The vaunted NU Front 4 will not be able to generate enough pressure on the USC passing game. They are going to have to use Zone blitzes and keep the USC offense in front of them, b/c their LB corps is a step slow. Stew Bradley coming off knee surgery not near what he was and Steve Octavien while talented, does not know what he is doing yet. Also the NU wide recievers as a whole do not have good hands so in press covereage that they will see, their mistakes will be magnified. NU will need to play turnover free football, on the road in the big stage. I think this spread is really close and NU may salvage a backdoor cover, but I think there will be little doubt early. It depends on what Carrol does after half time and if he calls the dogs off or not. NU is nowhere near the level of USC for that matter yet, they are improved yes, but still lack great players at some key positions and the depth is already an issue in week 3 b/c of some inuries during fall camp. If NU can hold Sc at bay in the first qtr, history tells us that SC will struggle, but if they get off to that fast start, you can say goodnight sweetheart to the cornholers.

 

[blgstocks]

SC is NOT better than Last Years team. This is easy to see as who is not there on offense. I made money more than a few times betting against the simple fact Booty would come into the game and lose the cover for SC. That being said he did play well against Ark.
But has the defense improved SOOO much that they can outshine Lienhart, Bush, White, OL? Well lets see they did keep Ark from scoring more than 14((even though they had many costly turnovers, which in my mind is Ark fault or a flip of the coin in SC recovering) But I geuss Utah St Defense should be getting you guys all wet to since they kept Ark at 20 points! Except they let Wyoming drop 40 on them.

Cmon dont kid yourself into thinking SC has a GREAT defense. They have always had talent and speed and strength on D, they just havent been able to stop anybody cause they don't need to. SC defense has always been their offense. Having a well rested offense is not necessarily a good thing as they never gel and are cold.

I do not know how good Nebraska is, and that is the reason why I am not playing this game. But I would be on the Over before I would be on SC covering more than two TDs. SC offense is better than I expected this year, but their D is nothing surprising too me, and not as good as everyone advertising. How do you guys know these guys are good if they have only played Ark? Yea Phil Steele nutted himself over them, but look at Oklahoma D? I, for one am not sold on either of those teams, but I will be very excited to watch this game.

Best of luck to huskers and the over betters! I will be rooting for ya.

 

[wcb4]

zach taylor does have a strong arm, just fyi. it did not appear that way early last year, because he was not comfortable in callahan's scheme. but if you check the tapes of the last 2-3 games last year, and the first couple this year, he does have a strong and accurate arm.

 

[wcb4]

...............

 

[thom24ad]

michigan beat michigan at the alamo bowl last year.

:iagree:

Led by a senior QB there could be a late cover by NEB but I wouldn't be willing to put any cash on it...A team that gave up 38 sacks last season with two new starting tackles and guards but I do like NEB defensively...and I have a lot of respect for Carroll and his preparation and coming off a bye this team will be ready for NEB in their home opener...this game is a definite pass for me...

 

[socrstud]

I guess Nebraska didn't beat Michigan, and I was watching a different game? I guess the taxi squad ran on the field that game against the regular team...

That's rediculous the point is that they won the game against a good team. I guess i can say USC beat USC against Texas and so on....give me a break guys...

Lets see how fast this RB is against the Neb deffense.

Just like last year I have called shockers....I said straight out WVU would be Georgia, I said Cutler would beat Tenessee when everyone said I was public Joe, and Fresno would have a chance at BIG TIME USC....

Come on Fresno sux on deffense and Neb has a better D than them and this is without reggie and lion...

If analyzing a team from last year is so stupid and juvenile than why are we analyzing how USC done in the past....Oh boy they beat up on Arkansas a team that probobly will lose against Vanderbilt this weekend... nebraska has crushed their competitors thus far as well and proved they can score in the 50's against both teams. These are facts.

This is what will happen to USC at USC...USC will think its going to be another roll over and boom Nebraska comes out for blood.

A decent team which nebraska is will always be hungry to beat up on an established team....It's always harder to stay on top especially when everyone wants to murder So California boys that lie out in the sun all day and have never husked corn....

I'm calling it right now USC by less than 10 guys...

Good luck to all the haters

 

[hedman]

Socrstud, as a NU diehard and grad, I agree that NU is on their way back to being an elite team and all these "haters" are trying to enjoy their last 10 minutes, however with Bowman out and now Mann, Nu's starting center and guy who calls all line adjustments and blocking schemes out, Im getting a little more nervous. I agree 18 is a high number, but if the wheels fall off they will fall off. I think NU wins or gets rolled. Im taking NU on the money line.

 

[Dirty Oobie]

Go Huskers!! Nebraska holds tight and makes a game of this.

 

[Hashish]

Nebraska will find out in this game what happens when your team warms up for a road trip to USC with two scrimmages against teams that are barely D1. :scared

USC rolls big time. And for what its worth, I have extreme dislike for USC being an ND fan.

 

[flapjack]

Nebraska 1st half should be the bet if you like Nebraska in this one. SC tends to come out conservative. If they are to pull off the upset or hang close, they will have to hold onto the ball in the 1st half and utlize the short passing game and clock. Carroll's defenses have shown two weakness over the last 4 years 1) fast, QB's that can run the option and flat out run - Vince Young, Ell Roberson were a combined 3-0 SU versus Carroll. 2) A patient offense that will consistantly throw underneath for short completions and not lose patience and abandon that strategy - see Cal Aaron Rodgers completed like 22 straight versus SC - and just about all short passes 2-7 yard gains. Cal only scored 17 in that game but it kept SC's O off the field.

Neb's QB is not Vince Young so #1 is not an option. So, #2 is the route Neb should take if they want to hang in this one or pull of the upset. If they do that successfully, I don't know what the 1st half line is, but at +9.5? it could be a better bet than taking them for the game at +19. On the road against a better team, they will not be able to go down big and come storming back. If this is Neb's strategy and it is working, SC will adjust at halftime on defense and open it up on offense. This is where SC is the most dangerous. I can think of so many occasions over the past 3 years where SC has covered a very large spread for the game after going into halftime with a close score or even down.

I know it sounds a little stupid, but I would consider Nebraska first half and if they cover, load up on SC at halftime.

 

[hm23]

several unanswered questions for both teams, so I am gonna sit this one out.

Where is Scott4USC?:shrug:

 

[socrstud]

By haters, I mean this pick.... a lot of people on the board do not like my pick. USC is a great team but by taking away two NFL someday greats, this team is just not the same team...We saw what OSU did to Texas without Vince...

I agree that this one will probably stay close at first and if it does become a rout, it will happen close to the end of the third quarter....I think people just expect USC to just come out and blow nebraska away by 30 and this just won't happen.... I think a scenario that could happen is that last year Oregon kept it real close and were actually winning if i believe correctly until USC decided to turn it on and blow them away. But I just don't see how this happens without the two biggest threats of an offense missing/not the same, that of an exablished QB and that of an established big time RB. Especially against a good deffense.

I may be crazy but I still think Neb cang hang on late....they outlasted Michigan last year late, and I think they can do it again.

My bet will be $100, since it is so early....but I do smell some turmoil in southern cal....

by the way I like USC and I'm a big fan of Reggie, bought the #25 gold jersey this past weekend. But I call them how I see them

GLTA

 

[kneifl]

I'm all over the Cornhuskers in this one...

Nebraska +18 (Big play here)

and

$50 Nebraska ML (Small play +770) wins 385

This will be like taking candy from a baby.

kneifl

 

[wcb4]

i don't know about candy from a baby, but i love your confidence. i'm on em big at +19, and will throw a little on the ml. gl to us.