Bringing you coverage of Nebraska and Big Ten sports and other stories from college football and beyond.

This week, #14/#16 Nebraska takes hopefully the first of two trips to the Rose Bowl this season, taking on UCLA this Saturday, 6:30 CDT on Fox.

Join us tonight for the Friday Night Game Thread as we watch Utah vs Utah State on ESPN at 7pm CDT.

Go Big Red!

In today's Reads, the local media takes a look at our newfangled Taylor Martinez, the Lady Huskers sweep Oklahoma and Pittsburgh loses by a lot to Cincinnati. Those stories and more below.

(Sites indicated by the double asterix (**) may have a limited number of views per 30 day/month period.)

The Check-Down Pass:

Hail Varsity: Husker Fast

An offense that behaves like all the best parts of Alabama and Oregon? Yes please. Is this the offense you thought Pelini would bring? If it's successful, does Beck turn this into a head coaching position in 2013?

Thrash-for-cash not such a bad thing for a financially strapped Savannah State - Yahoo! Sports

The other side of the "better non-conference games" debate. Should this be considered when weighing the option of upgrading non-conference schedules? Perhaps schools should be permitted to field and play junior varsity squads for pay-to-play games against schools like Savannah State?

Nebraska football and other stories after the Jump!

Football (1-0)

Things that happen when you watch Pitt getting clobbered by Cincinatti:

ESPNS says nice things about Taylor Martineeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzz.... .i'm havin a stroke

— CornNation (@CornNation) September 7, 2012

Then Mark May killed any good will by picking UCLA to beat Nebraska.

Martinez Earns National Honor - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
Well done, Nebraska fans. We beat Ohio State! (And congrats to Taylor!)

(**) Alterations make Martinez a better fit at QB - Omaha.com

"The quarterbacks who just stand in the pocket and deliver the ball are going to be a thing of the past," he said.

Not good news for Nebraska unless Pelini figures this bugaboo out.

(**) Shatel: For Martinez, new blends well with old - Omaha.com

A good primer for those of you who were concerned about Martinez working with Calhoun rather than Beck.

(**) Notes: Kaczenski says front four can improve - Omaha.com

Lots of goodness to look forward to. Hope the d-line listens to Coach Kaczenski.

(**) Offseason study helps Cooper in dime role : Husker Extra

I'm pretty sure watching football all summer is better than anything that came out this summer.

Evans adjusting to role as receiver with Huskers - The Grand Island Independent : Sports: college football, nebraska, tyler evans,

Take your opportunity to the house this week, Evans!

(**) Pelini: Burkhead will make UCLA trip | sports.omaha.com

I don't think we'll need Rex. Now, if we could sneak Suh onto the plane...

Big Ten Blog - ESPN

Reed from J'ville N.C., writes: Let me just start by saying it's hard being a Nebraska fan here on the east coast! But being in a military town makes the fan base very diverse. In my opinion I see Nebraska going undefeated this year. With that said this is if they can play consistently. The only team I see as being a real challenge is tOSU. But I think it will be like the 2010 OK State game. Next part is if Nebraska does make my dreams come true and finishes B1G Champs undefeated, would they be in the National Championship game? Would they be ranked above a 1 loss Big 12 team?

Well, someone is pretty darn optimistic. (Brian lets him down gently.)

(**) Scouting UCLA: Breaking down the Bruins : Husker Extra

BRUINS ON OFFENSE

Offense Average Nat. rank

Points 49.0 14(t)

Total yards 646 3

Rush yards 343 4

Pass yards 303 24

Could be a stiff challenge this Saturday. Yes it was Rice. I'm sure these numbers are inflated. But Hundley still has two legs and a arm at last report. And he's just the kind of QB that makes Nebraska's defense get stupid.

UCLA set football program in motion with upset win over Nebraska in 1972 - latimes.com

Let's hope Saturday isn't a repeat of that game.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Inland shaded Big Red, not UCLA blue : Gregg Patton

it’s not so easy to understand how the Cornhuskers, halfway across the continent, have more contributing players from the Inland area than the Bruins do

'CAUSE WE'RE AWESOME.

(**) Big, fat recruiting update, Sept. 6 | sports.omaha.com

For those of you who enjoy such things. I'm still waiting for my offer.

(**) Bruin lineman no stranger to NU fan base - Omaha.com

Several splotches? Heh, I'm guessing that stadium is at least half red.

Hail Varsity: Hot Reads: Upsets old and new

Michigan Mitten, taking on Air Force, earns the top-spot which…wow…an unranked Michigan Mitten squad after week two?

Mitten losing to Air Force? I'm as big of a fan of our service academies and the triple option as the next guy but...Air Force beating Mitten?

Hughes Wants Huskers to Win, Mora to Excel - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

Pelini thinks Jim Mora, Jr. will get UCLA turned around. Hopefully not by Saturday.

Volleyball (6-0)

The ladies swept Oklahoma 3-0. Great job! The ladies take on Duquesne tomorrow at 4pm CDT and Kentucky on Saturday at 4pm. (Kentucky will be available on NET. Video will also be found at BTN.com with a subscription or free live audio at Huskers.com.)

Women's Soccer (2-4-0)

Huskers Return Home to Face Redhawks - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

Good luck ladies!

Baseball

Huskers Release Challenging 2013 Schedule - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

Nebraska is scheduled to play 19 of its first 24 games on the road, including four games in the Southern California area to open the season. Seriously, what's the problem with starting the season later? It's not like Omaha has anything going on in July or August.

Big Ten (10-2)

Bowl Projections: Our Expert’s List after Week 1 " Big Ten Network

Oklahoma won't reach the Fiesta, so there's that. Could Nebraska take West Virginia or one of the Texas schools?

Week 2: We predict all 12 Big Ten games " Big Ten Network

False hope in Wisconsin.

An updated look at Iowa’s throwback uni vs. Iowa State " Big Ten Network

Do not adjust your TVs, that is indeed Iowa.

Alabama, LSU hold top spots in Week 1 Power Rankings - Andy Staples - SI.com

#5 Preseason rank: 10

Michigan St. Spartans (1-0)

If Michigan State's receivers can start hauling in quarterback Andrew Maxwell's passes, the Spartans will easily be the most complete team in the Big Ten. Tailback Le'Veon Bell, who gained 265 yards on 50 touches, is going to run himself into the Heisman discussion, but the Spartans must be careful not to wear him out like Javon Ringer in 2008. After five games that season, Ringer averaged 37.4 carries and 179.4 rushing yards a game. The rest of the way, he averaged 25.4 carries and 92.5 yards a game. Some of the dropoff was a function of playing better opponents, but some could be blamed on the fact that humans -- no matter how impressively constructed -- simply aren't built to withstand that many full-speed collisions in such a short period of time.

Last game: Beat Boise State, 17-13

Next game: Saturday at Central Michigan

Sounds like a lot of if's to me.

Other Stories

A few minutes with … former Nebraska QB, current FX analyst and Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch | K-Stated | Wichita Eagle Blogs

We get GUS JOHNSON.

Tino Sunseri Presents: Pitt-Cincinnati In A Single GIF - SBNation.com

Looks familiar, doesn't it?

Oregon pushes for random drug testing - Yahoo! Sports

I'm surprised the NCAA hasn't made this mandatory across all of its sanctioned sports.

Arkansas' Smith files Chapter 7 bankruptcy - Yahoo! Sports

Ooof.

NBC broke even on London Olympics coverage, had more than 219 million TV viewers in US | The Verge

So who are the 80 million Americans who chose not to watch?

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Join me every morning Monday to Friday for a round-up of the day's stories. Comments, rants and cat pictures are welcome below! (Not a member of CornNation? Join today and take part in the conversation!)

Have a great Friday and an excellent weekend! GO BIG RED!

-Salt Creek and Stadium

PS - Don't forget to check back through out the day for more great Nebraska content and tonight's game thread!