Weekend TV Preview

7-10-1


- The Fall Vacation tour hits Austin, Texas this weekend. The McCawley's are making the trip south to watch another ass-kicking, this time in person. We'll be in the stands for what hopefully is Bill Callahan's final game. I'm hoping for a 52-0 blowout so Osborne has no choice but to fire him. We'll see.

Ignore your family, there's too many games to focus on.

Last Week - 9-10
YTD - 78-64-3

Thursday

Colorado at Boston (-155) - FOX - 7:30 pm
Game 1 went exactly how I thought it would. Beckett was dominant, Boston kept pounding the ball, and Colorado looked like they were out of their league (which they were). You are now officially seeing the difference between the 2 leagues. The AL is just simply better. Expect Colorado to score a few runs on Schilling, he's not what he used to be. But expect Boston to rock Colorado's pitchers again.
Pick - Boston and the Over (10)

Boston College at Virginia Tech (-3) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
ESPN just keeps lucking out with these Thursday night games. There always seems to be a highly ranked team in them. Check out the last few weeks and the fates of the #2 teams in the nation:

10/6 - Stanford 24 (2) USC 23
10/13 - Oregon State 31 (2) Cal 28
10/20 - Rutgers 30 (2) South Florida 27

It ends this week. BC covers and wins.
Pick - BC +3


Friday

Boise State (-3) at Fresno State - ESPN2 - 8:00 pm
Fresno is quietly 7-1 and is not getting the hype that Boise is getting. Pat Hill is a damn good coach and it's only a matter of time before he gets a big time gig. Give me the points in this one, I was impressed the way Fresno played ATM in College Station earlier this season.
Pick - Fresno State +3


Saturday

- A huge day of games, possibly the best Saturday of the year, tons of top matchups and possible upsets.

Colorado at Texas Tech (-13.5) - ABC - 11:00 am
A very interesting matchup. Colorado can play defense, but Tech is damn tough at home, no matter how great the opponent is. They always play like national champs in Lubbock. Give me Tech to roll like Tech does against average teams.
Pick - Texas Tech -13.5

Michigan State (-3) at Iowa - ESPN2 - 11:00 am
A non-descript game, but it's on TV.
Pick - Iowa +3

Indiana at Wisconsin (-7.5) - Big 10 Network - 11:00 am
Wouldn't it suck to go to a Big 10 school and have every one of your games kick off at 11 am? These kids have to hate it, absolutely no time to recover and you have nothing to look forward to the rest of the day.
Pick - Indiana +7.5

USC at Oregon (-3) - FSNSW - 2:00 pm
The Pac-10 tripleheader begins at 2 pm with a great matchup of top 15 teams. Oregon is rolling right now, just running the ball up everyone's asses. USC is so overrated it's ridiculous. John David Booty may start, but from what I've seen, they're just as ineffective with him as they are Dirty Sanchez. I expect Oregon to beat them by 2 TD's at home. USC's downward spiral begins here.
Pick - Oregon -3

Nebraska at Texas (-20.5) - ABC - 2:30 pm
Nebraska continues it's Dead Man Walking tour with a stop in Austin. This has all the making of the most embarassing defeat of the year. If you thought ATM ran the ball at will last week, just wait until Texas starts bitch slapping Nebraska up and down the field. And why wouldn't you? Nebraska has a D-coordinator content to stay in his base 4-3 the whole game and not make any adjustments. So why not. The bloodbath continues. What's sad is, I'm paying money to watch this shat.
Pick - Texas 52 Nebraska 10

Florida (-9) at Georgia - CBS - 2:30 pm
Florida continues to be the best 2 loss team in the nation. Georgia is just a tough team to figure out, year after year. Just an above average team that can beat anyone, but can also lose to Mississippi State at the same time. Give me the points, but a Florida win.
Pick - Georgia +9

Minnesota at Michigan (-23.5) - ESPN Classic - 2:30 pm
The matchup of the 2 teams to lose to I-AA teams this year. Michigan just doesn't lose conference games outside of Ohio State. Minnesota is absolutely terrible. Michigan continues its roll through the weak Big 10.
Pick - Michigan -23.5

Virginia (-3) at NC State - ESPNU - 3:30 pm
One of my sleeper picks of the year is 7-1, 4-0 in conference. After an embarassing loss in week 1 to Wyoming, they have reeled off 7 wins in a row and are the favorites to win the coastal division. NC State sucks, they really suck.
Pick - Virginia -3

UCLA (-6) at Washington State - FSNSW - 5:30 pm
Game 2 of the PAC-10 tripleheader. Pullman is like Lubbock, it's always a tough place to play. But not this week. UCLA finally has a decent QB back, and is surprisingly 4-0 in conference. They continue their conference dominance.
Pick - UCLA -6

Kansas (-3) at Texas A&M - ESPN2 - 6:00 pm
Kansas has been outside of the state only once this year, barely beating an average Colorado team. Texas A&M hasn't exactly been impressive this year, but I believe Kansas gets exposed for what they are this weekend.
Pick - Texas A&M +3

South Carolina at Tennessee (-3) - ESPN - 6:45 pm
South Carolina finally lost another game, and got out of the top 10. I never was a believer in this team and knew they were not as good as the ranking suggested. Tennesse got embarassed last week against Alabama in a rivalry game. I have to go with Spurrier and his history of knowing how to beat Tennessee.
Pick - South Carolina +3

Ohio State (-4) at Penn State - ABC - 7:00 pm
Ohio State is just not that good. They beat up on a bad conference, and a weak non-conference schedule. They go on the road, against a top 5 hostile environment, and they finally lose. I will throw up if they go undefeated and make it to the title game. They'd be an average team in the SEC.
Pick - Penn State +4


CROWN GAME



Cal at Arizona State (-3) - FSNSW - 9:00 pm
The Crown Game returns to the PAC-10, and it's a good one. Arizona State hasn't beaten anyone of substance, and is due for a loss. Cal has lost 2 in a row, and I can't see them losing a 3rd game in a row. Expect all the elements that make a classic Crown Game. Great co-eds, tons of offense, and a long, exciting game. The upsets continue.
Pick - Cal +3


Sunday

NY Giants (-9.5) at Miami - FOX - 12:00 pm
NY seems to be getting better and better. They're hot on Dallas' heels in the NFC East, and Eli is playing very well. Miami is just terrible.
Pick - NYG -9.5

Indy (-6.5) at Carolina - CBS - 12:00 pm
Indy is playing very good. Carolina has either David Carr or Vinny starting for them. Wow.
Pick - Indy -6.5

Washington at New England (16.5) - FOX - 3:15 pm
New England has been rolling. Washington has a good defense, but Belicheck is licking his chops to shut down this offense. I see a 31-6 game.
Pick - New England -16.5

Things look good around here

- A rare appearance of the Cowboys to lead off the blog. I will admit it has been fun watching them play well again. Although Wade Phillips still reminds me a labotamy patient and I just can't get pumped up watching/listening to him, they're still 6-1 and should be frontrunners for the Super Bowl. Winning it is another story with Indy and New England looking like all-world teams.


Cowboys' stock high and still rising

Return of Henry, Johnson, Glenn makes strong team even stronger

IRVING – Things are good for the Cowboys right now.

As they enter their bye week, they have the NFC's best record at 6-1.

Tony Romo is second in the NFL with 16 touchdown passes. Marion Barber's six touchdowns are tied for sixth in the NFL. Jason Witten's 42 catches are tied for second-most in the league for a tight end. The defense is ranked seventh in the league and its 10 interceptions are tied for most in the NFL. The Cowboys' 18 sacks rank eighth in the league.

And there are reasons to believe the Cowboys could improve.

Those reasons are Anthony Henry, Tank Johnson and Terry Glenn, though Glenn's return is not guaranteed.

The NFL trade deadline came and went last week, and the Cowboys chose to stick with what they had.

In some ways, the return of Henry (ankle) and possibly Glenn (knee) from injuries, and Johnson from a suspension, can be looked at as midseason acquisitions.

"We've got to improve in areas and we are going to work in those areas," coach Wade Phillips said. "Having personnel back that can help us will help us to scheme better and also be able to play better."

After losing nose tackle Jason Ferguson for the season with a torn biceps in the opener, the Cowboys' new-look first-team defense has been together for only 14 plays against St. Louis on Sept. 30 before Henry suffered a high right ankle sprain, and even then it wasn't at full strength.

Linebacker Greg Ellis made his debut as a pass rusher against the Rams, and cornerback Terence Newman was slowed by tendinitis and a partially torn plantar fascia in his foot.

The defense Henry left in the first quarter of the win against the Rams will look a lot different if he can return Nov. 4 at Philadelphia. Ellis is a starter again and Newman is healthier.

With Henry on the field, Newman can move back to left cornerback, and Jacques Reeves can play the No. 3 corner role he was expected to man when the season started. Despite missing three games, Henry has four interceptions, tied for second-most in the NFL.

"I think we can step it up even more, in my opinion," said Ellis, who has 4 ½ sacks in four games.

Johnson can make his debut Nov. 11 against the New York Giants. Jay Ratliff has filled in for Ferguson at nose tackle, but Phillips is worried about him wearing down. Johnson would help take some of the pressure off Ratliff, but he has not played since Super Bowl XLI and has practiced only one day since NFL commissioner Roger Goodell granted him permission to work out with his new teammates.

With nine career sacks, Johnson, however, can bring a pass rush up the middle as well as providing needed size to help against the run.

"The more good football players you have," defensive end Chris Canty said, "the better the chances you'll be successful."

Glenn remains the biggest mystery. He had two operations on his right knee in a month, but he has not practiced since the opening week of the season. He chose to have arthroscopic surgery instead of a season-ending microfracture operation, but the Cowboys have not put a timetable on his return.

If – and it is a big if – Glenn can come back, the offense would benefit from his speed.

"You look at Greg coming back and what he's done for the defense," tight end Jason Witten said. "Terry at 75, 80 percent or whatever he would be, we'd definitely welcome that. He's a talented, talented guy."




- Tom Hicks splurges once again for everything but top-flight free agent talent. Bastard.



Stars and Rangers travel in style

New plane should make for more comfortable journey


01:31 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com

FRISCO – Owner Tom Hicks unveiled a new Boeing 757 charter jet for the Stars and Rangers on Tuesday. The Stars, along with their wives and girlfriends, then took off on the first road trip to Los Angeles.

The new plane is bigger than the 727 the teams were using and includes 71 first class seats (up from 54), including 24 fully-reclining sleeper seats for players.

Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood was impressed after touring the plane. "It's got nice big seats and lots of room," he said. "Having this plane helps you relax between cities. We'll have some fun."

For Stars coach Dave Tippett, the new plane presents a dramatic contrast to the glory days of flying commercially. When he was with the Houston Aeroes, Tippett said a team official would arrive at the airport early and use souvenir pucks as bargaining chips at the ticket counter to get upgrades for coaches and pre-boarding for players and their equipment.

The Stars' closest Pacific Division rival is Phoenix, which is almost 900 miles away. The longest trip among Atlantic Division rivals is 350 miles. Flying home on a charter after night games makes a big difference, especially when you have a bed in the plane.

"When you have ownership that is supportive and they're willing to do whatever it takes to make your team succeed, that speaks a lot about where we are," Tippett said. "Just look at our travel and the teams in the East. You try and take that advantage out. There are some perks living in Dallas, but traveling in the Pacific Division isn't one of them. Mr. Hicks has always been at the forefront of making sure the players have whatever they need to make the travel easier."

One negative: Since they park their cars just outside the hanger and go through private security screening, players have few opportunities to kill time in crowded gates with the dollar-on-a-string trick.

"The biggest difference from the old days is not having to go through airports," Tippett said. "At 7 a.m., you've got a tired grumpy bunch of hockey players waiting at a gate to get on a plane. There was some fun, but I think we were making the best of a bad situation."

Juggling act: For their maiden voyage, the Stars packed 15 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies. Everybody had a seat.

But determining the seating chart on Dallas' bench is up in the air. The roster is tilted with one extra forward and one fewer defensemen.

"It's a delicate juggling act," Tippett said. "It can be hard, and it can be frustrating. I've been in that position as a player."

This isn't quite juggling chainsaws, but manipulating the minutes of hockey players is no small feat. For each game, 18 players exclusive of goalkeepers are permitted. With three pairs of defensemen and four lines, that leaves three forwards to be scratched. The opponent's playing style and personnel also figure into the equation.

"It's about continuity and getting everybody involved," Tippett said. "Our players have done a great job of putting the team first.

Even Mike Modano has seen his minutes drop with his point production. He is averaging 17 minutes, 36 seconds, third in ice time among forwards, behind Brenden Morrow (19:03) and Jere Lehtinen (17:51) . Niklas Hagman (16:54), with a team-high five goals, is playing more, including on special teams.

Ice time is based on a player's performance, "or the result of how somebody else is playing," Tippett said. "If somebody is playing better, they're going to get more."




- 2007 World Series



- Although I absolutely hate everything Boston, they win it in 6. Reasons why Colorado's dream season comes to a close.

1) Boston's hot and Colorado's been sitting - Plain and simple. In baseball, maybe more than any other sport, things are pretty even between teams in the playoffs. Every team has a few top-tier starters, a few great bats, a good bullpen, etc. What it comes down to, who has that lightning in the bottle? Who has the mojo working? Who has the breaks working? Who's bats are hottest and who's sluggers are uncharacteristically slumping?

Boston has won 3 in a row, their offense has exploded, Beckett is rested and pitching as good as any postseason pitcher ever, and their bullpen is better than Colorado's.

Colorado has won 22 of 23, but they've taken their first break in 6 weeks. The layoff is going to hurt them. Their momentum is nil now.

2) The AL is just simply more dominant - St. Louis in 2006 aside, the AL just simply dominates the NL. In interleague, and in the World Series.

3) Colorado is too green - They've been riding high and winning, yes. But look at where they've been doing it and the quality of teams they've been beating. Arizona, San Diego, Philadelphia. Towns that get into their baseball, but don't present pressure packed atmospheres. Also teams that are playoff teams only because they play in the NL.

Welcome to Fenway Park and the overbearing Red Sox fan. I hate Boston and their fans, but they have a way of melting the opposition into a 1 foot tall scared little girl. Watch for this, young Colorado melting in that red-hot media circus and environment.

4) Josh Beckett can start 3 games in a series. Jonathan Papelbon can pitch 2 innings for saves. You know how much that shortens a game?

5) It's Colorado, they can't win a World Series can they?

Pick - Boston in 6.




- Nebraska News/Notes




- The Colonel checks in.



One more game and one more blow-out loss. I remember when we all thought that parity in college football was a bad thing. At this point it would be great to achieve parity with any of our remaining opponents. At least this week the players showed effort, particularly in the first half. And again the fans didn’t boo and many stayed until the end of the game. Obviously at this point it is difficult to see us being competitive in any the remaining games. Hopefully the team can rally and put together a great effort and manage to pull one out.

Everyone understands this deterioration can’t be allowed to continue. So what should happen at this point? Tom has said he will not make any changes until the end of the season. Bill has said he won’t resign, so in the midst of a disastrous season nothing will change. Bill looks like a guy who wants to be put out of his misery. The picture in the Sunday W-H was worth a thousand words. I would like to see what Watson could do with the team in an interim role to finish the season. As I mentioned with Meyers' resigning, Watson calling plays on Saturday is very significant.

For the sake of the players, I wish something would happen with the coaches that at least gives a chance the rest of the season. A coaching change at the end of the season seems inevitable at this point. But first we must go through what looks like a rough end of the season. All we can do as fans is root for the team and hope for the best.

Keep the faith (Better days are coming). GBR.



- The players say the over-bearing Nebraska fan is just too much. You signed up for it pal. You know this is their pro team. You know these people think of nothing else and have nothing else to follow. You made the decision to play for this ridiculous fan base.



Husker players being subjected to more ridicule
BY RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — Nebraska football captain Zack Bowman showered, wandered outside Memorial Stadium on Saturday and thought he couldn't feel any worse about the Huskers' loss to Texas A&M.

He was wrong.

"People will come up and be like, 'You suck!'" said Bowman, a senior cornerback. "To me, to the team, they say it to anybody. Anybody associated with the football program. It's bad.

"You see them at the games. They'll come up behind the bench and just be like, 'Y'all suck,' or, 'How can y'all wake up in the morning?' I'm dead serious, man."

So much for the warm, fuzzy feeling after Tom Osborne replaced Steve Pederson as athletic director last week.

At least two other players mentioned that they could hear an assortment of catcalls from fans while sitting on the bench during games. The more vitriolic comments seem on the increase after embarrassing back-to-back home losses to Oklahoma State (45-14) and Texas A&M (36-14).

Bowman and senior receiver Maurice Purify said Tuesday that, at least in their experience, the simple booing of a month ago has given way to more bitter and pointed remarks — and traveling to Texas on Saturday might not be a bad thing for an embattled team.

"I'm just kind of angry at the fans who come here," Purify said. "They put on their Nebraska shirts, sweaters, their hats . . . and then when we're down by seven or 14, they come down to the sidelines and say, 'You guys suck. You guys take your N's off your helmets.'

"If you're going to support us when we win, why can't you support us when we're losing?"

Purify, careful to point out that he was speaking for himself and not for the team, added: "Why are you going to waste your money and come here just to boo us and tell us that we suck? Save your money."

Senior linebackers Steve Octavien and Corey McKeon already have made comments this season that stirred replies by NU followers. That was when the team was 3-1 or 4-1 and the complaint was with the level of play and was mostly confined to the stadium.

As NU has stumbled to 4-4, Bowman said, the criticism has drifted into other settings and has become more disturbing.

"Now it's almost to the point where, like, I know some of the guys want to fight these people," Bowman said. "We do a lot. We come in here almost every day and go through film, go through practice and do the extra things to get better. When you've got people out there just talking bad about you, it makes you mad.

"It's got to where people are just like, 'The program's going to hell. This may be the worst team in Nebraska history.' It's tough on the players."

Senior cornerback Cortney Grixby said he hopes most Huskers understand that the nasty fans are a small minority. Some of the negativity, he said, actually has gotten other fans to respond, show more support and "really have our back."

"We love the support, and we want to win for them," Grixby said. "We want to win just as bad as they want us to win."

When the minority is heard over the majority, Bowman said, his message to younger players is to go about their business and don't worry about such stuff. Still, it sometimes gets through.

"They're like, 'Put someone else in . . . you guys need to resign,'" said freshman I-back Quentin Castille.

To catch a break from the negativity, junior defensive end Zach Potter said he took advantage of some off time Monday and returned to Omaha. In trips to a mall and a movie, Potter said, he only once was recognized, by a store clerk who said: "I appreciate you coming in, and best of luck the rest of the year."

Potter said the drive gave him time to just listen to music and clear his head.

"It's just nice to get away from everything," he said. "I don't mean getting away from your teammates, but just being on your own is kind of nice."

Bowman said the Huskers realize they can change public opinion by winning at 16th- and 17th-ranked Texas or by putting together some sort of successful finish. That's what the team can control — and let the rest take care of itself.

"It's almost a little like Frankenstein, how everybody sees, like, the evil villain and everybody in the village wants to go kill him," Bowman said. "That's what it kind of feels like around here. They look at certain people and coaches and stuff as that Frankenstein, and everybody wants to kill them or get them fired."




- A little overboard, but this once again paints the picture as to how ridiculous Nebraska fans are. These people are idiots. So glad I don't live up there, or else I truly think I would hate Nebraska.





- The face this guy makes is priceless.




- Give. It. Up. This is pathetic. He might as well be sitting on a recliner and trying to sing with laringitis.

Let the de-committing begin.......

- All the unrest in Lincoln is causing many Nebraska recruits in the 2008 class to de-commit and reopen the bidding war. Jonas Gray, a top 10 back in the nation, and Blaine Gabbert, a top 5 QB in the nation, have both either de-committed or taken trips to other schools in the past week. Not good. Things could get much worse before they get better. This coaching change could set things back a few more years unless Osborne or the new coach can work some magic with these guys.

NU Football: Callahan situation affecting recruits
BY RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - With Nebraska football finding itself on shakier ground by the minute, Jonas Gray likely is going to pick somewhere else to stand.

The prized I-back recruit told assistant coach Randy Jordan on Monday night that he was de-committing. Gray had visited Notre Dame on Saturday and probably is going to look harder at Michigan and Louisiana State.

It fired the first of what could be several shots at the Huskers' commitment list in light of the three-game losing skid and uncertain future for coach Bill Callahan and his staff.

"He wasn't stunned," Gray said of Jordan. "He understood, in light of the situation, that I had to do what's best for me."

Nebraska already had gone into damage control, getting Tom Osborne's phone number to Gray and encouraging him to call Monday night. Gray never reached the NU interim athletic director and former coach, who said last week that he wouldn't announce any decision on Callahan's future until after the regular season.

Gray said that would be too long of a wait for him.

"Even if he does keep Coach Callahan, you figure every year he's going to be on a short leash," said Gray, from Southfield, Mich. "Was I committed to the coaching staff or the school? I was definitely committed to the coaching staff."

Gray said it "doesn't mean I'm completely done with Nebraska," but his situation isn't totally unlike that of other high-profile NU recruits suddenly reconsidering. Among those are quarterback Blaine Gabbert, linebacker Will Compton and offensive lineman Bryce Givens.

Asked earlier Monday what his message would be to NU recruits who are wavering, Callahan's answer included nothing about being able to guarantee them he would be around when they signed in February.

"I think a prospect selects a school because of its tradition, because of its value educationally," Callahan said on the Big 12 teleconference. "I think it's all-encompassing in terms of selecting a school. We just tell them to stay in there and just support our staff and our program and our players - and everything that surrounds Nebraska. We really try to sell that message to them."

However, linebacker Shaun Mohler of Costa Mesa, Calif., is like Gray in that he wants to know who will or won't be there next season because a lot of his decision was based on the Husker staff. In the meantime, he already has lined up a visit to Colorado and likely will take three to Pacific 10 schools.

"It's definitely not done now," Mohler said. "It is hard because I went on my recruiting trip there and loved it. Now you look at it and the coaching staff is getting fired, there's a new athletic director . . . what would you do in that situation?

"They say hang in there, just play your season out and don't worry about this right now, which is kind of hard to do."

Millard North senior Sean Fisher said he's tried to stay informed on NU matters through a friend on the team. The linebacker recruit also calls Husker defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove every Wednesday.

It's hard not to follow what's happening with the other 23 high school or junior college players who have committed before or after him.

"You'd like to make sure the recruiting class stays intact, regardless of the situation," Fisher said. "But I understand where they're coming from."

Fisher said his conversations with Cosgrove haven't included much insight into the future of the staff, "maybe because they don't know themselves."




- Much like the ATM game last week, which wasn't even televised on PPV, the Texas game this week just isn't as big anymore. Texas is .500 in conference and Nebraska might be the worst team in the whole Big 12.



College football: UT-Nebraska matchup lacks luster

Web Posted: 10/22/2007 10:41 PM CDT

Natalie England
San Antonio Express-News

AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns talked a lot about respect on Monday, and an awful lot about history.
After all, Saturday's game against Nebraska is just the fifth in college football history between programs that each have more than 800 all-time victories.

And when you see those white helmets with the red "N's" and the burnt-orange Longhorns, "you know exactly who it is," UT coach Mack Brown said.

The two storied programs have come up with some gems — "Roll Left," anyone? Just don't expect the same kind of sizzle this week, when historical reputations are all that are keeping the Longhorns and Cornhuskers in the national dialogue.

The eyes of the conference won't even be on Royal-Memorial Stadium. They'll be on College Station, where Texas A&M plays that Big 12 North power Kansas — and it's not even basketball season yet.

Victories against Iowa State and Baylor have steadied the Longhorns after losses to Kansas State and Oklahoma, but they still need to win out and get help from others to wrestle back into the Big 12 or BCS pictures.

That scenario might actually sound like paradise for the Cornhuskers, who are mired in a three-game losing stretch that has the program at its lowest point since a 1-9 disaster 50 years ago.

Since beating Iowa State on Sep. 29, the Cornhuskers have been outscored 122-34. In a 36-14 home loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, Nebraska was gouged for 359 rushing yards — the second highest total for A&M in a road game.

This is not the Nebraska that advanced to 35-straight bowl games and won three national titles — these Cornhuskers rank 105th in total defense, surrendering 457.4 yards per game.

For the record, Florida International — which started its football program in 2002 and is winless in two seasons of Division I play — is No. 104.

"We're struggling. We realize that," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. "We understand that we can be a better football team."

The Longhorns, at least, aren't looking at the Cornhuskers' struggles, including the 41-6 whipping from Missouri or the 45-14 rout by Oklahoma State. They'll just be focusing on those helmets and the red "N."

"Nebraska is a historic team — and that's something they'll always have," center Dallas Griffin said. "You've got to watch out for a team like that. They'll always be dangerous."

The Cornhuskers last visited UT in 2003, and a 31-7 Longhorns victory helped seal the fate of coach Frank Solich, who was fired after a 9-3 campaign.

Callahan took over the next season, but he comes to Austin on a similar hot seat — and Solich's 9-3 failure is looking awfully good right now.

When Callahan retreated from Memorial Stadium after the numbing loss to Oklahoma State, Nebraska fans — well, the ones who stayed past halftime — taunted him with boos and curses.

And last week, Callahan, offensive mastermind that he is, reportedly wasn't even allowed to call plays. That duty went to offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, under orders from interim athletic director Tom Osborne.

If this isn't rock bottom for Nebraska, what is? And that scares the Longhorns most of all.

"They'll be playing harder than they ever have to turn this trend around," UT nose tackle Derek Lokey said. "You have to expect that they'll give us their best blow."



- The Austin paper.....



Nebraska's skid takes edge off its Texas trip
Cornhuskers are in a downward spiral coming into Austin this weekend.
Click-2-Listen
By Suzanne Halliburton

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Tuesday, October 23, 2007

At the beginning of the season, the glamour game on the Texas home schedule was the Longhorns' late-October matchup with Nebraska.

It's not so sexy anymore.

The Cornhuskers (4-4) are limping into Austin on a three-game losing skid. They need to win two of their next four to be bowl eligible. The defense is on track to be the worst in school history — as it stands now, the Blackshirts are 105th nationally.

And they've been outscored 122-34 during this latest losing streak.

Oddsmakers have established the Huskers as a three-touchdown underdog to the Longhorns.

On Monday, Texas coach Mack Brown was busy trying to verbally rub some luster back into the game, which is expected to draw the largest home crowd this year.

The team "won't even look at the record or even all the stuff you guys talk about all week," Brown told local media. "They will be excited about playing Nebraska. When you put those two helmets out on the field, we'll be excited to see that white helmet with that 'N' on it when they run out on the field."

Expect Brown to maintain that Nebraska rhetoric all week as he tries to prevent his team from overlooking their beleaguered foe. After all, the 17th-ranked Longhorns can empathize with their opponent. They were involved with their own two-game losing streak earlier this month, only to snap the slump by outscoring Iowa State and Baylor, 87-13.

The last time Texas played at Royal-Memorial Stadium was Sept. 29, when the Longhorns suffered through a 41-21 loss to Kansas State, their worst home defeat in eight years.

"We didn't play well last time we were home. We want to give fans a good show," said Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.

Texas has provided a good show for its fans in past Nebraska games, losing only once in seven tries since the Big 12 Conference formed in 1996.

And the Texas wins have come in every possible fashion, from the boring to the dramatic.

Texas has won as a massive underdog — see the 1996 Big 12 title game, when Texas quarterback James Brown directed Texas to a 37-27 victory over the two-time defending national champions.

See 1999, when Texas knocked Nebraska out of the national title picture with a 20-16 win at Austin.

The Horns have won nail-biters, too. In 2002, Texas cornerback Nathan Vasher picked off a pass in the end zone to seal the 27-24 victory. Only a year ago, unknown walk-on Ryan Bailey kicked a winning field goal in the snow and swirling winds to give Texas a 22-20 win.

They've trashed Nebraska traditions by snapping long Husker home winning streaks in 1998 (47 games) and 2002 (26 games). Both times, Nebraska had come into its games against Texas with the nation's longest home winning streak. For a decade, Texas was the lone team to beat Nebraska in Lincoln.

The last time Nebraska came to Austin represented the only lopsided Texas win. That's when the Longhorns mimicked two main Husker principles. They ran well — rushing for 353 yards. Conversely, they stuffed the run, limiting Nebraska to 53 yards on the ground, the lowest Huskers rushing total in 24 years.

But Brown is desperate to leave all this history in the past.

If anything, he's reminding the Horns what happened last season, when Texas blew a nine-point halftime lead.

"It basically is a rivalry game because we went down there and stole one from their hometown," said Longhorn receiver Nate Jones. "So they're going to come in and put up a great fight, so we have to continue to make sure that we remain in the right direction and try to get another win this weekend."

Expect Nebraska coach Bill Callahan also to bring up last year's game, in which Nebraska was only an Aaron Ross forced-fumble away from winning.

Callahan's livelihood could ride on the outcome. A victory over a ranked team would add some polish to the famous red N on the white helmet.

"We understand we can be a better football team, and we're doing everything we can to get these kids to play better," Callahan said. "They're receptive in that regard, and we try to hang together and stay tight-knit and put out the best product that we can."



- Big 12 Rankings



1) Oklahoma - Has looked pretty ordinary the past few weeks. Shutout by Iowa State in the 1st half? Is parity really that bad?
2) Missouri - Should have beaten Oklahoma a few weeks ago, and will beat them on a neutral field in December, mark it down.
3) Texas - Needs some breaks, but still in the hunt for the South.
4) Kansas - Refuse to put them any higher, let's see how College Station treats them this weekend.
5) Texas A&M - Has a chance in these next 4 weeks to prove they belong. A 3-1 record saves Fran.
6) Oklahoma State - Looks like they're getting things together finally. A 3-1 record in conference play.
7) Texas Tech - Typical stuff, beat up on inferior opponents with gimmick offense, have it shut down against top teams. Tech will always be Tech.
8) Kansas State - Tough team, but overachieves most of the time and is just average.
9) Colorado - Another team that will play you tough, but generally average.
10) Nebraska - I hate this team.
11) Iowa State - If they hadn't of lost to Nebraska, they'd be #10.
12) Baylor - Give it up.


- National Top 10



1) Boston College - I refuse to put Ohio State here. BC has a chance to jump to #1 in the BCS with a road win at Virginia Tech.
2) Arizona State - Next 4 games to prove they belong - home for Cal, at Oregon, at UCLA and home for USC. Win those, and you're in the title game.
3) LSU - What a gutsy, almost brain-dead play Saturday night. In field goal range, time running out, and you use up almost the entire clock and chuck it into the end zone? Wow, one of the craziest play calls of the year.
4) Oregon - An atypical PAC-10 team, they'll pound you with the running game. Big game vs. USC. Give me Oregon -3.
5) Ohio State - They'll get beat, maybe twice before the end of the year. Watch out for the White Out in Penn State this Saturday, should be a cool scene.
6) Oklahoma - Not sold on them anymore, too many lackluster performances. Will lose to Missouri the 2nd time around.
7) Florida - A good team, just a victim of the SEC schedule. Win out and could be 1st 2-loss team to ever play for the title.
8) West Virginia - On upset alert at Rutgers this Saturday. Rutgers has that mojo at home vs. top teams.
9) Missouri - Best team in the conference, I don't care what Oklahoma says.
10) USC - Might lose 2 more games.


On Cusp

- Virginia Tech - Wins ugly, big game vs. BC.
- South Florida - Hate this team. QB is overrated, doesn't know how to throw ball away and avoid sacks, and team as a whole is undisciplined. That Rutgers game should have let everyone know how overrated that coach is. Yes, he's intense, but all that intensity still can't prevent his players from late-hitting and committing penalty after penalty. Glad they lost, they don't deserve a BCS bowl.
- Kansas - Will lose this weeekend to ATM.
- Kentucky - Talented, but not talented enough to withstand the week-to-week beating of an SEC schedule.
- South Carolina - Was waiting for them to get exposed, and it finally happened.