Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Skip navigation

ESPN- Big 12 pick and CFN Game information

Post

Big 12 predictions for this week - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Nebraska 45, Florida Atlantic 17: Zac Lee makes his first career start as the Cornhuskers attempt to build on momentum that saw them finish with a four-game winning streak, punctuating that with a Gator Bowl victory over Clemson. It will be important for the Cornhuskers to get a lot of work for an inexperienced set of running backs that features only two players – Roy Helu Jr. and Marcus Mendoza – with previous college experience. The Cornhuskers will face old rival Howard Schnellenberger, who claimed a memorable national championship while at Miami by beating them in the 1984 Orange Bowl. The Owls are coming off a victory over Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl. Quarterback Rusty Smith was the MVP of that game and comes into the contest as the Sun Belt Conference’s leading career passer. But look for Nebraska’s talented defensive front to repeatedly pressure him and set the tone for the victory.

Scout.com: 2009 Big 12 Fearless Picks, Week 1, Part 2

Florida Atlantic (0-0) at Nebraska (0-0),7:00 EST, Saturday, September 5

Why to watch: Howard Schnellenberger led the Miami Hurricanes to one of the biggest shockers in college football history in a national title win over the mighty Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1984 Orange Bowl. No he leads a good Florida Atlantic team into Lincoln with a chance to pull off another upset, and this one might not quite as stunning. Nebraska is solid under head coach Bo Pelini, who pulled the program up out of the nosedive of a Bill Callahan era, but it’s reloading on offense and needs to establish itself early on defensively. FAU won’t just roll over; this might be the Sun Belt’s best team and it has the makeup and the character to make this far more entertaining than Big Red fans might like.

Why Florida Atlantic might win: Rusty Smith vs. the Nebraska secondary. The Husker defensive backs will be as good as the pass rush, and Schnellenberger’s lines are fantastic at keeping the quarterback clean. The Owls were 17th in the nation last season in sacks allowed, and part of that was due to Smith, the Sun Belt’s best quarterback, getting the ball out of his hands in a hurry. FAU has just enough of a receiving corps to give the Huskers fits. Nebraska can’t rest if it gets a lead.

Why Nebraska might win: The Huskers might be replacing several key players on offense, but the FAU defense is undergoing a facelift on defense, especially in the front seven. The Owls always have quick defenders, but there isn’t a lot of size and there isn’t enough overall experience to count on. FAU has to make this a shootout and hope that Smith gets red hot, but the Owl defensive front isn’t likely to provide a lick of pressure. Not helping the cause if the loss of end Jamere Johnson to a knee injury and tackle Andy Czuprynski to an ankle problem.

Who to watch: The Nebraska defense will be more than fine, Pelini coached defenses rarely struggle, and the running game will be serviceable, but QB Zac Lee has to be excellent if there’s any hope of a run for the Big 12 title. He doesn’t have an elite group of receivers to work with and he doesn’t have a killer ground game to take the pressure off, so with this game against Florida Atlantic and the follow-up against Arkansas State to tune up, Lee needs to be strong early to be ready for Virginia Tech on September 19th.
What will happen: The Husker defense will give up too many passing yards, but the FAU defense won’t do nearly enough to come up with the big stops needed to get the win. This won’t be a walk in the park, but Nebraska will keep the Owls at arm’s length all game long.

CFN Prediction: Nebraska 37 … Florida Atlantic 13 … Line: Nebraska -21.5

Must See Rating: (Mad Men 5 … NYC Prep 1) … 2

I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick @$$ and I'm out of bubble gum.

Back to the top

Post

Re: ESPN- Big 12 pick and CFN Game information

Thanks… good read… although I definitely think we will score more than 13 points… Rusty will have a good game but I just wish he doesn't try and show off and get himself injured when it's not really necessary in this game… All I can think of is Texas and what happened last season…

GO OWLS!!
Back to the top

Post

Re: ESPN- Big 12 pick and CFN Game information

ESPN- Big 12 pick and CFN Game information

13 points LOL, there is no chance we only score 13 points…unless Rusty seperates his shoulder again.  We will put up 24-31 points.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
Back to the top
Control functions: