Michigan State

The Pride of All Nebraska! 

No, I’m not talking about the Cornhusker Marching Band (the official Pride of All Nebraska), but rather the Blackshirts Defense.  Heroes of the game, they definitely earned their shirts back in the monumental 24-3 upset over Michigan State this afternoon.  Nine weeks into the season without earning the Blackshirts back, I sure hope Bo and Carl bestow the honor on this year’s D after a well earned performance.

Game day started early when I hit the road just after 7:00 AM to meet my friend, Sean, in town from Chicago to co-host a tailgate event with my company, SHI.  Midway to Lincoln, we hit a swell of traffic, and it was obvious that the 11:00 AM kickoff was an early one for everyone on the road.  We parked in the North neighborhoods, stopped by the Husker shop in the parking garage to outfit my friend Sean for his FIRST college football game ever (about time now that he has moved from Vancouver!), and trekked across the bridge to an awesome tailgate under the Viaduct (thanks, Stacy!). 

Sean's first college football game ever...all decked out in red!

With Shane "Big Country," my SHI counterpart in Omaha.

A quick stop at my family’s tailgate in the Champions Club with an 18^th birthday wish for my cousin Ali, and I headed to my seat on the West Stadium for a perfect view of the game.  Passed the ESPN trailer on the way!  When I took my seat, I was reminded what a family Nebraska fans are.  I learned that my ticket was sold by my neighbor’s grandmother who is currently in the hospital; the rest of my neighbors asked how she was doing, and I was reminded yet again this season that there really is No Place Like Nebraska.

The fans were decked out today!  The front of the student section serendipitously spelled out "B-O-N-E-Y-A-R-D", and Sparty and Lil' Red sparred throughout the day.  Just a great day for football.

Nebraska’s game plans FINALLY worked.  Carl Pelini could not have put together a better defensive scheme, and the kids could not have executed more perfectly against it.  Everything clicked.  4 sacks, a game setting interception by Thurell, only 187 total yards allowed, and holding at least 3 red zone presses to just one Field Goal.  Incredible.  David, Meredith, Compton, Greene and Stafford were ALL standouts.  FINALLY! Those kids played their hearts out.  Even the secondary looked good this week, and I’ve been picking on them all season.  Had a few more of those tips become interceptions, and we would have had a blowout on our hands. 

Maher set us up with each punt and kickoff with near perfect consistency.  After watching a few short punts by Michigan State’s kicker, I felt luckier than ever to have such strong talent and consistency in our kicker.

Burkhead was unstoppable on Offense.  Against a Top 5 ranked rushing defense, Nebraska was in complete control.  Martinez looked calm and confident despite a few loose passes, but I was proud of how they played today.  Beck called a GREAT game.  24 points against one of the nation’s top defenses is pretty solid! 

At Halftime, Sean visited my family's tailgate at the Champions Club, and I met and shook the hand of Tommie Frazier on the way into the club.  Can check that one off of the bucket list. :)

I was so impressed with the Husker fans’ hospitality toward our Spartan friends.  As I was leaving the game, I thanked a group of fans for coming, and I overheard one of them say “These Nebraska fans are almost TOO nice.  We are not used to this.  Perhaps we could learn something.”  I think the B1G is starting to take notice of our fans, or at least I hope so.  A friendly competition is much more fun than an aggressive one.

At the post-game tailgate, I ran into my college roommate, Michaela, her husband, and their 6-week old!  Only in Nebraska is the world small enough that you bump into one of your best friends in a sea of 85,000+.  Their precious daughter was gorgeous, and it was the icing on the cake of a perfect day.  Loved her brother's Halloween costume getup as well!

With this win, Nebraska has just 4 games left standing between us and the B1G Championship.  Today was a milestone in our season and a necessary win if we plan to head to Indiana in December.  With 2 tough road games against Penn State and Michigan along with 2 challengers in Northwestern and Iowa at home, it will not be an easy feat.  With tonight's Ohio State upset over Wisconsin, the B1G plot thickens.  After today, though, I have never been more proud of our team or more confident in our ability to play – and win – through the conference championship game.