What Ifs: A Seemingly Unpredictable Nebraska Football Season is Upon Us

What if...

What if...mother nature rears her ugly head again on Saturday against South Alabama and the game is cancelled? There have been a few weather reports about possible rain and lightning on Saturday morning. The game starts at 11 a.m., which should give the University more flexibility if something happens but the possibility is there. Even if that possibility is unlikely.

What if...the much anticipated improvement on defense doesn’t show up against Colorado and Laviska Sehnault Jr. shows us why he is a likely All-American candidate at wide receiver. Quarterback Steven Montez is also very capable. The legion of Nebraska fans could end up seeing a show. Yet, it won’t be the show they thought they were paying for after all.

What if...Northern Illinois does it again.

What if...College GameDay comes to Lincoln, NE for the much anticipated game between Ohio State and the 4-0 Nebraska Cornhuskers and Nebraska gets blown out again on a national stage. For a Nebraska fan who has experienced the past 20 years, getting blown out again on a national stage is unfortunately a familiar sight. It keeps me up at night. Then we get to hear about how Nebraska simply isn’t the program it once was.

What if...the division title comes down to a game in Minneapolis? Right now the ESPN Power Football Index (PFI) has a 55.9% (Yes, even after last night) chance that Minnesota is winning that game. There is a real possibility that both teams could be undefeated going into that game. Their schedule is a bear toward the end as they finish with Penn State, at Iowa, at Northwestern and then Wisconsin. If they win, then they likely go into that slate of games 5-0 in the conference. What if rowing the boat actually works?

What if...Wisconsin comes in and does what Wisconsin does has been doing to Nebraska since Nebraska entered the Big Ten Conference. Which is long methodical drives which keeps the ball away from our offense? At this point in the season the biggest weakness of Nebraska’s offense could be the Nebraska defense. If the Blackshirts cannot get off the field, then our offense will struggle. Then we will lose.

What if...like in the game against Minnesota, the division comes down to Black Friday and Iowa stuns Nebraska in Lincoln? Nebraska could be 11-1 or 8-4, but if they lose the division to Iowa on Black Friday then was it all worth it in the end? Likely not.

What if...

What if...

What if...mother nature does what it should do and stays away this Saturday? Nebraska could take the opportunity to roll over South Alabama. Adrian Martinez only plays a series or two in the third quarter then Coach Frost sits him for the rest of the game. Nebraska fans finally have the opportunity to watch Noah Vedral run the offense. Nebraska fans go home happy looking forward to the trip the following week.

What if...25,000ish Nebraska fans make their way to Colorado and Nebraska wins? The Nebraska fans take over Folsom Field as a final “salute” to Colorado. Think of what that would do for the program. It could erase any memory of last season. Nebraska fans show that they are unrivaled when compared to any other fan base. Case closed. Colorado even had a promotion to try and keep Nebraska fans away and it didn’t work. Scott Frost could use that to sell to recruits. Also a win over the hated former conference foe could be a momentum swing going into the upcoming conference slate after Northern Illinois.

What if...College GameDay comes to Lincoln, NE for the much anticipated game between Ohio State and the 4-0 Nebraska Cornhuskers - and Nebraska wins. It yanks the proverbial monkey off it’s back. Nebraska fans can cry with joy and reunite with long lost loved ones after they finally win a big game in front of a national audience. The national conversation then starts turning to whether this Nebraska football team could be in the running for the college football playoff.

What if...Nebraska kept the turn-around going exactly where it started: against Northwestern? Many have said that the game against Northwestern last season was where the players started believing in each other. Nebraska should have won that game last year against the eventual division champs.

What if...the division title comes down to a game in Minneapolis and Nebraska wins? It would likely be in the driver’s seat for the division. It would hold the tie breaker over Minnesota and we would know that rowing the boat does not work.

What if...the improved Blackshirts shut down an expected Heisman finalist Rondale Moore in a prime-time game at Purdue? The build up to the game could be between expected Heisman finalists - Rondale Moore and Adrian Martinez. The Blackshirts have emerged.

What if...Wisconsin comes to Lincoln and they can’t keep up with Nebraska? It is likely that this game will be decided between the Wisconsin offense and the Nebraska defense. Can Wisconsin keep the ball away from Nebraska’s offense? Nebraska could put the conference on alert if it runs away from Wisconsin.

What if...the division comes down to Black Friday in Lincoln, NE and Nebraska seals the deal? The turnaround is complete and Iowa goes to sit back down at the kids table. Nebraska is on to play the east divisional champ in Indianapolis.

What if...Nebraska strolls into Indianapolis with more than just a Conference Championship on the line...

What if...

This season is unlike any other since I have been watching Nebraska football. All of the situations above could absolutely happen. That is what is so exciting yet terrifying about Scott Frost’s second season.

Hold on tight.