I don’t know if people have been following my writing during this season. I would not blame you if you haven’t. But I have written a couple Op-Eds in which I attempt to strike a more serious tone when discussing certain topics surrounding Nebraska football.

For example, yesterday I wrote a piece about a troubling feeling I have surrounding the consensus to hire Scott Frost. You can find it here if you are interested.

However, if I am not writing an Op-Ed, then I’m writing this Five to Win column. I like to use this column as an opportunity to have fun and write with a lighter tone. Some people don’t seem to appreciate it that much but that is okay.

For example, last week I referenced four different sports in one paragraph.

If you compound the four game 8:1 touchdown/interception ratio over an 82 game NBA season, then Tanner Lee would end the season with 164 strikeouts and 20.50 walks. Numbers like that would even make Wayne Gretzky blush.

It is gibberish. I know. But that’s how I roll.

Life is too short to take stuff like this too seriously.

Anyways, on to five important reasons Nebraska will beat Minnesota.

LIKELY NEED TO WIN THIS GAME TO GO TO A BOWL GAME

Like Coach Riley said this week, the chance of qualifying for a bowl game is one of the few carrots left for the players. Nebraska needs to win two out of the next three games.

And I feel like Minnesota and Iowa are our only two realistic options. Even though the Michigan State game in 2015 does ring a bell.

On an individual level, I kind of want the season to end. I still look forward every Saturday to watching Nebraska play, but the consistent inconsistency from this coaching staff starts to take a toll at some point.

How the game ended last week when we should have had a two possession lead in the fourth quarter is a great snapshot of this team this year.

With that said, the players are the ones who put in all the time and effort throughout the year. A trip to a warmer climate (well except maybe the Pinstripe Bowl) would be like a vacation to the rest of us. So hopefully the motivation will be there to take it to the Minnesota Gophers.

KARMA HAS COME FOR P.J. FLECK

Hard Knocks has become the new Sports Illustrated cover. Don’t do it. Don’t let the cameras into your house. If you do, then you might end up having a hard time remembering the names of your 14 children.

While Hard Knocks did not visit the Minnesota Gophers this past year, ESPNU’s version of Hard Knocks did.

ESPNU is set to air a four-part documentary series showcasing the former Western Michigan football coach as he prepares for his first season at the University of Minnesota.

Titled "Being P.J. Fleck," the documentary-style, multi-episode program will follow the day-to-day life of Fleck, who burst on the national scene in 2016 as he led Western Michigan to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

I watched about two minutes of one episode and that was enough. I believe P.J. Fleck is the guy for Minnesota, but if you go on “Hard Knocks” then you deserve to go 1-5 in the conference up to this point.

MINNESOTA IS STRUGGLING IN THE BIG TEN

Minnesota is currently sitting at 1-5 in conference play. Yes, I know I just wrote that about two sentences ago, but it has been a long season.

While Nebraska and Minnesota currently have the same exact overall record (4-5), Nebraska has fared much better when it comes to conference play. The Huskers are currently sitting at an amazingly impressive 3-3 in conference play!

That means Nebraska is better than Minnesota. Right?

A TROPHY IS UP FOR GRABS

If you don’t believe the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy is the best trophy is the history of western civilization, then I guess you need a history lesson.

Go do some research.

WE REALLY SHOULD WIN

For the sake of all that is holy, can we please win this stupid game? From what I have heard the people of Minnesota are some of the nicest in the midwest but we need to put that aside.

Let’s take all the frustration as a fan base we have been accumulating over the past three seasons (or I guess maybe 16 seasons) and just lay it all on the Gophers. We are a more talented team than the Gophers. It all really comes down to coaching. We have to have at least one game where we put it all together right?

Right?

Goodness gracious.