Nebraska vs. Rutgers: Week 11 Predictions

Husker Mike:  Going into this season, I’m sure some people thought that this week was going to be a bye week before the bye week….Whoops! I mean, yeah, Rutgers may suck, but at least they didn’t get blasted by Purdue.  So, yeah...this is a big game, sad to say.

Greg: When you’re 4-6 and the bowl game hangs in the balance, every game is big. And Nebraska is two weeks removed from a loss at Purdue. So nothing is given, nothing is taken for granted.

Joe Canale: What a season, right?  Crazy.  Just win this week then we can look forward to what could become the best 6-6 season in Nebraska History (is that a good way to frame it?)

Pat Janssen: I hate predictions. They’re stupid and they make me look like an idiot.

Adam: Predictions are fun. And I suck at them.

Patrick G: And I’m back to pick more bad games.

David: Yeah! I don’t have to be tempted to pick an Iowa game this week!

Brian: Odd to write that if Nebraska wins game #5 today, they make a bowl. No one thought that would happen at the beginning of the year.

Oklahoma (+3) at Baylor

Greg: Baylor has done some incredible things this season, but then they only beat K-State by a score. The Bears start the hardest part of their schedule with Oklahoma, State, and TCU. They need to win this game at home before going on the road for the next two. And I think the Bears pull out a surprise, even if it won’t technically be an upset, by Vegas’ standards. BU 38 OU 31

Mike: Baylor has blasted everybody and nobody into a position to be in the playoff.  Until now.  Sooners 45, Bearsh 42

Joe: I think the Big 12 is going to get left out of the playoff again and they will be looking to add another team so they can have that championship game.  Should we consider going back?  Even though our pass defense would fit in perfectly, No.   Baylor 175- Sooners 144

Pat Janssen: My gut is telling me Baylor, but my gut has been no good sonofabitch this season. Sooners 42, Bears 37

Adam: This is the game of the weekend. Baylor is going to have a great atmosphere. Their new stadium is awesome. I think Oklahoma will keep it close. But Baylor will pull away in the second half. Oklahoma’s defense will have no answer for Baylor’s offense.

Baylor- 56 Oklahoma- 42.

Patrick G: I was a Briles fan until he started whining last year about not making the playoffs. His stock dropped with me and I’m going to hold it against the team. That and Russell out makes me believe they can be beat by a Oklahoma team that is only getting better.

Oklahoma 32 Baylor 17

David: I’m not feeling Baylor right now. Not sure why. However, I’m not quite sold on the Sooners either. Baylor is super tough at home, so, I’ll take them. Bears 42-38.

Brian: I would take the Sooners in a second if this game was above the Red River. But, Baylor has some funky magic going in that new pad on 35 in Waco. You know what else about Waco? That’s the closest Fazoli’s to me. Mmmmmm… breadsticks. Anyhow, Stoops is due for a stinker and a head scratching how did they do that win. He’s had his stinker this year, and the loser of this game won’t get a NY6 bowl game. Give me the Sooners but it’ll be another Big 12 shooutout.

Alabama (-8) at Mississippi State

Greg: ‘Bama went in to LSU and did something I didn’t think was possible by shutting down Leonard Fournette. Mississippi State has won four of its last five and is 7-2 overall, but who have they beat? A down Auburn team, a shoddy Kentucky, and a Missouri team that is learning the hard way about being in the SEC. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Alabama is going to roll. State doesn’t score twenty points. Alabama scores more than State. Then it’s all mathematics from there.

Mike: I went against Bama last week; bad on me.  I won’t make that same mistake again. Bama 31, Doogies 20

Joe: I don’t see Bama losing again in the regular season.  I could see an undefeated Big 12 team not getting into the playoff again.  I can’t see Nick Saban being fun, ever.  Bama 34- Miss st. 20.

Pat Janssen: Seems like a good time for a letdown, but it ain’t happenin’. Bama 42, Dan Mullen’s previously infallible coaching resume 14

Adam: I think Alabama will be overlooking Mississippi State, especially after beating bitter rival LSU. Here’s my upset pick of the week. Mississippi State- 38 Alabama- 31.

Patrick G: As much as I like Mississippi State and Dak Prescott, I am having a hard time picking them to win this one. Bama is playing too good of ball to get upset on this one so I will follow the wonders of Vegas.

Ala-bama 27 Miss-iss-ippi State 17

David: I picked MSU at the beginning of the season to do big things. Prescott carries the Bulldogs in this one with a big game and a late drive. He’ll have a Heisman moment, even if he’s not in the Heisman race. MSU takes this one 24-10.

Brian: Ahh yes, Dan Mullen. Many said he should have gotten a call to be in Nebraska. I just don’t know about MSU in this one. Taking the safe play in Roll Tide, but the whole letdown game special could be in play.

BYU (-4.5) vs. Missouri in Kansas City

Greg: It will be interesting to see how the protests at Mizzou affect the team, which had thirty or so players not participate in football activities until the president stepped down. But beyond that, we all know Missouri is not good at footballing this year, and BYU is the better team. I don’t know if football will be the great unifier Missouri needs this week, but I still anticipate the Cougars to win handsomely. BYU 38 -ZOU 24

Mike:  How will Mizzou deal with all of the distractions of the past week? Will this unite and focus the team this week, or causing things to unravel further? I can see it going both ways, but I have to make a choice here. BYU is the better team, but it’ll come down to who plays better this week...and my money is on the ‘Zou. Mizery 27, Mormons 24

Joe: I see BYU winning.  On a hail Mary.  That is kicked first. And the receiver was out of bounds before coming back in.  Why?  Because there is no order to the universe and sometimes shit just happens.  BYU-31 Missou 30

Pat Janssen: A lot of stuff going on, and Mizzou just isn’t a very good team this year. BYU, dirty as they may be, are still a salty bunch. Cats wearing blue 31, Cats wearing black and yellow 21

Adam: Missouri has had a tough week. I think BYU is a pretty dirty team, like when they played Nebraska. I think the Mizzou fans will rally around the team and pull of the win. Because damn, they need something positive this week. Missouri- 28 BYU- 17.

Patrick G: Mizzou is a divided campus right now. Mizzou is also a somewhat divided team. They are having racial problems and there’s going to be a white out for the game. Their journalism school couldn’t make this stuff up. Wait a minute…..

Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Site 17 Fiery Redhead Professor 9

David: Man, what a week in Columbia! First the protests, then Pinkle retiring. They’ve had their share of distractions, but I think it pulls them together. Mizzou comes together and plays the game of their season. Mizzou comes out on top 31-21.

Brian: BYU is not as good as when Nebraska played them, and Pinkel’s group will be a little more focused than you thought they would be, at least if this game was at their pad a little East. Mizzou with the win here.

Oregon (+9.5) at Stanford

Greg: This Oregon team has been fun to watch, because this is the real Oregon. All sizzle, no steak. No Chip Kelly, no Marcus Mariota. No reason to believe they will have a chance against Stanford. The not yet Christmas-trees should have no problem with the multi-colored Ducks. Let’s say it’s 38-21.

Mike: This Oregon team is as allergic to defense as Mark Banker is...but I’m not sure Stanford is the team to exploit that.  Ducks 41, Trees 38.

Joe: I used to always root for teams that had the same colors as Nebraska,  That’s why I’m picking Oregon, who by now are probably down to Red and White for their Uniforms as they’ve used every other possibility. Ducks 33- Stanford 22.

Pat Janssen: This was an easier game to pick until Oregon seemed to find itself again. Still going with Stanford though. Smart school 31, Drunk school 24

Adam: This is going to be an epic PAC 12 battle. Oregon isn’t as good as people thought they would be this season. I think Stanford will win this game, especially with that power run game. Stanford- 42 Oregon 28.

Patrick G: This is a down year for Oregon football. The palace that Nike built has become a better funded Under Armour school in their style of play.

Stanford 37 Oregon 24

David: Stanford just knows how to play when the Ducks pop up on the schedule. This time is no different. The Ducks will be grounded for this one, Stanford prevails 35-22.

Brian: This one is a head scratcher too. If this was in Eugene, Ducks all day and twice on Sunday. But, Oregon has been a rollercoaster. The same team that got whacked by Washington State ended the season’s dreams for Arizona State just a couple weeks later. Give me the Tree in this one, as they are the more consistent team.

Nebraska (-9) at Rutgers

Greg: The excitement of the win over Michigan State is easily calmed by the memory of a 55-45 loss at Purdue. So I wish I could say I knew what to expect for Saturday. But I don’t. I hope people are healthy. I hope they stay healthy heading into the bye week. And I hope Nebraska wins comfortably for a change. Let’s call it a three-score win. And for whatever reason, I’m going 45-21. GBR!

Mike: On paper, this looks like a mismatch.  Rutgers is poorly coached, depleted by injuries and struggling to make it to the end of the season and a coaching change.  This should be a week where Nebraska goes into Jersey and lays waste to the Knights. But I don’t trust this coaching staff to do that, because Rutgers knows that you can distract Danny Langsdorf by showing some weakness in the secondary.  Especially with all of the injuries they’ve suffered in their back four this season.  Can this staff avoid the trap of trying to throw 45 or 50 passes this week?  I suspect not.  To be totally honest, it might not really matter - except that Leonte Carroo is expected to play...and if that happens, we’re going to have an east coast shootout.  I think Nebraska hangs on, but it’s going to be closer than it should be.  Huskers 48, Knights 45.

Joe: Ugh.  We win.  No score prediction.  Too painful.

Pat Janssen: I can’t do it! Every time I pick the Huskers to break through, all hell breaks loose and I have to spend my Sunday mornings piecing the Cobcast crew back together. I had a good feeling about last week, and I picked against the Huskers. Doing the same this week. The Fightin’ Chris Christies 34, ‘Skers 31

Adam: Nebraska played incredible last week at home. What a game! Upset city!!! The one thing I worry about is a letdown. I think this coaching staff will keep this team motivated, but I worry about going on the road to play a bad Rutgers team. I think it will be a close game but Nebraska will pull it out in the end. Nebraska- 27 Rutgers- 24.

Patrick G: Ya know what’s great about my podcast, it’s about beer and economics. So in reality, only a part of my Monday morning might be depressing. I don’t envy Pat Janssen one bit. Other than his editing is quite good. Nebraska’s offense played a fairly solid game last week and even if they do regress this week like they have done so many times this season, I don’t see them losing. The game will most likely not be pretty, but a win.

Nebraska 37 Rutgers 28

David:I missed a few weeks and it all went south for NU. I picked NU to win last week as Armstrong led a late game winning drive. Well...it happened. I must continue the streak. It’s supposed to be cold and windy, so Langsdorf will stubbornly try to pass on the weak Rutgers defense, much like he did vs. Illinois. this time however, Armstrong and company will connect a couple more times and things will go a bit better for the Huskers. Terrell Newby will get the start again, but Imani Cross and Andy Janovich will carry the burden in the second half as NU wears down the beleaguered Rutgers defense. It will be uncomfortably close at halftime, but NU will pull away, capitalizing on the momentum built up after knocking off Michigan State last week, setting up a matchup with Iowa the day after Thanksgiving and the opportunity to spoil the Hawkeyes playoff hopes and salvage a little something from the first Riley campaign. It’s NU 41-17 in this one, however.

Brian: Big time, five star trap game. WR coach Keith Williams mentioned how this wasn’t going to be a easy one, and there’s a euphoric letdown expected after the high of the Michigan State win. That being said, Nebraska has done one thing well this year and stayed mentally tough to keep themselves in the ball game. Yes, Carroo gonna get his numbers, but if the Huskers can let that AND ONLY THAT happen, they should prevail on D. This is a Defense for Rutgers that isn’t very good, and should be woodshedded. Nebraska by 17, we get that fifth win, and a week off for Ivan Drago to come in the ring on Christmas Day while Barry Tompkins calls the fight for USA Network.