We're Going to Miami (in 7 years)

I can't wait to bust out my old Will Smith CD when the time comes to head to Coral Gables. For those of you who don't know, the Huskers agreed to a home-and-home with the Hurricanes set for 2014 and 2015, meaning that we finally get to revisit one of the better rivalries of the 80's and 90's. I know I am as thrilled as every other Husker fan about this news, mainly because it's hard to get too enthused for Husker games when we're playing MAC and I-AA retreads. No disrespect to them, but I'm sick of watching us beat up on the little guys, which is something we can thank Steve and Bill for, as they often needed the non-conference schedule to try to make a bowl game during their tenure. It's not that I want a bunch of landmines in our first few games, but there is somethign to be said about playing some tough competition before heading into the conference slate.

This year our big one was Virginia Tech, though they are not as good as many hoped they would be before the season. However, with Pelini and Osborne making a renewed commitment to finding exciting non-conference games, it shouldn't be long before we are getting College Game Day stopping by campus more regularly. Look at the hype created by games pitting teams like OSU and USC against each other (I would talk about our games versus USC, but I hate to bring on flashbacks for all of us). Big time games mean big time ratings, which bring in more recruits and get more publicity for the program. Plus there's the added benefit that by 2014 we hopefully will be back to competing regularly for national titles (I'm saying we'll be a juggernaut or anything, but hopefully at least back to 10 wins regularly and then make a run every 3 or 4 years at a title).

See, I know we have a game this weekend. But am I really getting that pumped for it? Sure, I'll go to a watch site, and I'll cheer like I always do. But what I really want is some electricity, the anticipation of a huge game, and I'd like to not have to wait a month into every season to get it. My ideal scenario would be to schedule a patsy (La-Lafayette or something like that), one decent non-BCS opponent (Southern Miss, Fresno State), then get the big-time game against a good program (Miami, UCLA, Tennessee, etc), and then finish off with another mid-level opponent to beat up on heading into conference play. Looking at the future schedules, this seems to be what Pelini and T.O. are gunning for, so I'm excited for the next decade of Husker football.......not that I wouldn't have been anyway....

Some other quick thoughts heading into the weekend:

-Just a reminder, Kansas plays South Florida tonight on ESPN2 tonight at 7:00 central, in case anyone is looking for something to watch while pre-drinking for evening festivities.

- Anyone else see Rutgers get annihilated by North Carolina last night? I know UNC and Butch Davis are supposed to be on the rise, so I want to give them some credit, but the real reason I mention this is to point out how bad Rutgers is struggling right now. Anyone remember a couple years ago when ESPN and the eastern media were ready to anoint the Scarlet Knights as the next big thing? It just goes to show that while there might be some upstarts now and then with all the parity that is present in college football, there will always be the traditional powers to keep things in balance for the most part. USC, Ohio State, Texas, and hopefully Nebraska, to go with a handful of others, will always be the top dogs, no matter how many challengers step up to try to fill the gap when a few of the big boys struggle.

-Did ESPN really have to give the OSU/USC clash a monkier as stupid as "The Coliseum Collision"? I mean, doesn't a game between two top-5 teams market itself? I can't stand how the media feels the need to give every weekend a nickname.

- Can the Huskers please, PLEASE establish the run this week? I'm thinking the Huskers win by 24, despite having little idea as to what the Aggies are going to throw at them.