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This week: Nebraska has unfinished business

By Anthony Gimino
SportsLine College Football Editor

Nov. 22, 1999

There's only one major conference that doesn't know which team will be its champion (or even who will be in its championship game): The Big 12.

That will get settled Friday when Nebraska plays at Colorado, the Buffs looking for a season-defining victory in Gary Barnett's first year as coach.

Quarterback Eric Crouch looks to continue Nebraska's dominance over Colorado. 
Quarterback Eric Crouch looks to continue Nebraska's dominance over Colorado.(AP) 

If the Cornhuskers win, they'll get another shot at Texas in the conference championship game and perhaps stay within reach of passing Virginia Tech for No. 2 in the BCS rankings. But Nebraska better not spend a lot of time worrying about playing in the national championship … because it's a long drop down to not even winning the Big 12 North.

A Colorado victory would send Kansas State to the league's title game on Dec. 4, leaving 'Husker fans ruminating about the good ol' days of Tom Osborne.

At Colorado, whatever Barnett has been preaching -- physical football, mostly -- his players seem to have finally gotten it. They have won three of four, losing only to Kansas State 20-14 when a fourth-quarter rally fell short.

"I really wish we had five or six more weeks left in the season," Barnett said.

Colorado optimism aside, this doesn't seem to be the time for an upset.

Nebraska's defense is world class, allowing 11.4 points per game. Take away very cheap late scores in blowout wins against Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Iowa State, and Nebraska has yielded an average of less than 8 points when the stuff on the field really mattered.

The closest thing to the Blackshirts in the Big 12 is K-State's defense, which shut out Colorado for three quarters before Mike Moschetti connected with Javon Green on two long scoring passes.

Ah yes, Mike Moschetti. It seems unlikely that he'll be able to succeed where Kordell Stewart and Koy Detmer failed -- beat Nebraska. Moschetti threw an interception for a touchdown last season against the Cornhuskers and lost two fumbles.

Keep an eye on …

  • TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson: The junior running back plays Friday against SMU, able to answer the immortal question: So, what do you do for an encore after rushing for an NCAA-record 406 yards?
  • Wild West Shootout: Last year, Arizona and Arizona State combined for 1,169 yards and 92 points in a Wildcats' victory. The teams could do it again this year … if they're not too busy comparing embarrassing losses.
  • Coaches in the unemployment line: 'Tis the season for coaching changes, and already seven of them have been fired/forced to resign/announced their retirement. With most of the bad teams having concluded their seasons, university presidents and athletic directors are conspiring to oust a few more.
  • That darned BCS: If Virginia Tech and Nebraska each lose, and Florida beats Alabama in the SEC title game next week, we could have a Florida State-Florida rematch in the Sugar Bowl -- and who wants to see that?
  • Premature celebration: The timing is bad and the opponent is scary. USC happily would take its ball and go home after last week's victory over UCLA, but the Trojans have one more game at the Coliseum -- against QB Tim Rattay and respect-seeking Louisiana Tech.
  • Suntanned Cougars: Washington State didn't go home after its Apple Cup game at Washington, sleeping over in Seattle and then taking off for the islands Sunday for a week of preparation for Hawaii. Add it all up: A bad team that is coming off its most emotional game of the season, with nothing to play for, turned loose in paradise for six days, playing against an inspired Hawaii team that has eight wins and a postseason future. Uh … we like the Rainbows in this one -- big.

Games of the Week

THURSDAY
Mississippi at Mississippi State, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
The bowl ramifications aren't clear in the SEC, but try this: Mississippi State could reach as high as the Outback Bowl with a victory; Ole Miss could climb to the Peach.

FRIDAY
Texas at Texas A&M, 11 a.m. ET, ABC
It's sure to be an emotional game in the wake of the A&M bonfire tragedy … but how will that emotion affect the Aggies?
Nebraska at Colorado, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Nebraska hasn't lost to Colorado since 1990 (the teams tied in 1991, remember ties?), but the past three games has been squeaky close. Two-point margin last season, three in 1997 and five the year before that.
Boston College at Virginia Tech, 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Boston College is a quality team that knows how to win. Virginia Tech is all that … plus it has way better athletes. The Hokies will thank Boston College for beating Notre Dame last week (thereby enhancing Virginia Tech's strength of schedule, a key element in the BCS rankings) and then hand the Eagles a four-touchdown defeat.

SATURDAY
Arizona at Arizona State, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
So this is how Arizona's season ends. Not with visions of the Sugar Bowl, not with a chance to qualify for its first Rose Bowl ever … but with a spot in the Aloha Bowl opposite Wake Forest on the line. If that wasn't bad enough, the Wildcats are actually underdogs against the hated Sun Devils.
Georgia at Georgia Tech, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
Georgia coach Jim Donnan doesn't have to answer any more questions about going to North Carolina, because the Tar Heels officials said Carl Torbush will remain on the job, despite reports that his departure was imminent. Quarterback Quincy Carter, however, will still have to answer questions about what his future holds next year (professional baseball? The NFL?). And every Bulldog will have to answer questions about not being able to win the big one if they lose to Joe Hamilton and Georgia Tech.
Notre Dame at Stanford, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
OK, there really isn't anything at stake here … other than the whole wounded pride of the Pac-10. Lose, and Stanford goes into the Rose Bowl having lost all of its non-conference games.