ESPN.com's Big Ten blog covers the last two weeks of banner recruiting for the Huskers.  The jump from 2 to 9 commitments for the 2014 class were highlighted by a "winner" and "true dual-threat", Zack Darlington.  As a Junior, he led Apopka to a State Championship in Florida's 8A division.  The largest division in Florida is also one of the toughest in the country.  Darlington has plenty of footage on his abilities, but the fact that he is the son of a coach could mean he has the solid thought process needed to lead a complex offense.

Offensive Tackle/Center
The Huskers entered this recruiting season having to replace essentially their entire offensive line.  Brent Qvale, Jeremiah Sirles, Andrew Rodriguez, Spencer Long, and Cole Pensick all depart along with walk-on Brandon Chapek who saw the field in some lopsided games early last season.  Tanner Farmer and D.J. Foster provide the Huskers with some good replacements at guard.  Now the Huskers must find a pair of tackles and another interior lineman.  Mick Stoltenberg could potentially grow into one of the tackle spots.  There are at least 22 offers out to uncommitted linemen, and all of them appear highly sought after.

Fullback/Tight End
Nebraska will lose two scholarship fullbacks and their top tight end in C.J. Zimmerer, Mike Marrow, and Jake Long after this season.  The Huskers have made offers to about a dozen tight ends, but many have been snapped up by other schools.  At least four uncommitted tight ends still hold offers from Nebraska, all of them hold multiple offers from top programs.  This is a position where walk-ons (like Long) can make big contributions.  Still, it would make sense for Nebraska to offer worthy players at these positions.  Stoltenberg could also end up contributing here.  

Linebacker
Despite losing just one walk-on (who may not crack the two-deep) after this season, the Huskers appear poised to continue bolstering their linebacking corps since joining the Big Ten.  At least fourteen uncommitted linebackers hold offers from Nebraska.  Just about all of them hold multiple offers from top programs.  Since it's not a screaming need (based on who's departing), the Huskers can afford to be selective.

Running Back
At least a dozen offers have been made to uncommitted running backs by the Husker coaches, nearly all of whom hold multiple offers from top schools.  NU could conceivably return in 2014 with everyone from 2013, but adding a fifth or even sixth scholarship back would hardly be too many.  Ameer Abdullah might think about going pro, and you have to be wary of injuries and transfers for the younger backs.  

Defensive Line
Even after a nice haul a year ago, the Huskers could use at least one more tackle and one more end to replace Thad Randle and Jason Ankrah.  At least five uncommitted tackles hold offers from Nebraska, each has an extremely full dance card of suitors.  More than a dozen defensive ends hold offers from Nebraska, most of whom are hot commodities as well.  Stoltenberg could  end up landing here as well.

Defensive Back/Wide Receiver
Despite the three defensive backs who have already committed, the Huskers could use at least three more.  NU could be considered done at wide receiver with the commitment by Demornay Pierson-El, but given how similar the position is to d-back, the Huskers could just focus on landing the right athletes and let the offense/defense decision sort itself out later.  More than 20 uncommitted receivers still have offers from Nebraska, as well as 10 safeties, and 10 cornerbacks.  In about every case, these kids have a lot of quality offers to choose from, so things are very competitive.

So another three offensive linemen,  another one or two tight ends/fullbacks, a linebacker or two, a running back or two, a defensive tackle and end, and a trio of defensive backs/receivers would get the Huskers to signing day with all of their needs met.  There's still much to be done, but thankfully a good amount of time to sort it all out.

It began Friday when the Huskers secured a commitment from Florida dual-threat quarterback Zack Darlington.  Darlington chose Nebraska over Ohio State (among others) and appears out of the Scott Frost mold.  Raised by a Husker fan, he's familiar with past greats like Tommie Frazier, Frost, and Eric Crouch.  

Soon after, Texas cornerback Trai Mosley came aboard.  He was a bit under the radar but after seeing him in camp and timing him in the 40, the Huskers extended the offer.  He's listed at 5'10" and 171 lbs., which is about where Ciante Evans was out of high school.

Then a pair of Nebraskans came aboard in guard prospect D.J. Foster, who was given a four-star rating by ESPN and holds offered from Florida, Georgia, and UCLA (among others).  Gretna tight end/defensive end/offensive tackle prospect Mick Stoltenberg also made his pledge after impressing coaches at NU's football camp.  The 6'5" 250-pounder has the type of frame, speed, and strength to make him an option for a number of positions.  

Finally, Virginia wideout/return man Demornay Pierson-El also chose Nebraska over North Carolina and Boston College.  He's a smaller receiver than NU has had in recent years, built more like a Corey Dixon, Riley Washington, Brendan Holbein, or Abdul-Muhammad from the 1990's.  Having played running back in high school, the Ameer Abdullah-sized player could also potentially give the Huskers some Percy-Harvin type versatility.   

There are those who might grouse about star ratings.  But the great Husker teams of the past were seldom built on that.  The best teams often featured players with Nebraska ties who were worthy of scholarships.  They bring a level of commitment that is hard for players not raised on NU football to match and contribute to the culture of the program.

For example, the class of 1990 that became seniors in 1994 and 1995 featured in-state products turned starters in Terry Connealy, Calvin Jones, Cory Schlesinger, Zach Wiegert, and Rob Zatechka (with walk-on Joel Wilks in the mix as well).  That group was followed in 1991 with a class that included Nebraskans in Phil Ellis, Clester Johnson, Tony Veland, and Reggie Baul.  The 2014 class can claim family ties for Drew Brown and Darlington as well as home-state pride for Foster, Stoltenberg, and Luke Gifford.  

Finding worthy kids who love your program is how champions are built.  The Huskers took a huge step in doing that over the last few days.

The Ron Dayne Factor
In 1999, Heisman voters chose Ron Dayne over LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Vick, Drew Brees and a host of other worthy candidates.  Tomlinson put up similar numbers to Dayne over the season but was edged out in carries.  Had Tomlinson gotten Dayne's workload, it would have pushed LT over the 2,000 yard mark which would surely have gotten him more national attention.  But few programs will give a back 28 carries per game as was the case with Dayne.  You can bet Abdullah won't see that many carries.  It's doubtful that Mark or Hyde will either, though.

The Dual-Threat Quarterback
One thing Dayne had, as did Montee Ball when he was the Big Ten's top rusher a year ago was a fairly pedestrian quarterback behind him.  Three of the candidates to lead the conference in rushing are on teams with rushing quarterbacks.  While that can create opportunities for big games with the read option, it also means the quarterback will steal carries.  OSU QB Braxton Miller carried the ball 19 times a game last year.  Husker signal caller Taylor Martinez had 13 carries per game as did Northwestern quarterback/all-purpose back Kain Colter.  Michigan QB Devin Gardner is good for about ten carries a game as well.  One advantage for players like Penn State's Zach Zwinak or Iowa's Mark Weisman is that they won't have to yield many carries to quarterbacks.    

Size/Health
The big question for Abdullah will be his own durability.  He averaged more yards in the six games that Rex Burkhead didn't play than any returning running back did over the season a year ago.  But the difference between six games and thirteen or fourteen is pretty substantial.  Carrying the ball an additional 100+ times will take a toll.  There's a reason rushing titles are often won by bigger backs.  They are built to take the punishment.  At 5'9", 185 lbs., 330 carries may be too much to ask.  

Not Alone
Beyond Taylor Martinez stealing carries, there's also Imani Cross and the two true freshman running backs that were star recruits to contend with.  Cross averaged almost a full yard more per carry than Abdullah in 2012.  Much of that was racked up versus the weakest competition, but Cross still brings a compelling dimension with his 225 lbs. frame that is difficult to overlook.  Freshman Terrell Newby may hit the ground running after thriving in an offense that looked a lot like Nebraska's.  Freshman Adam Taylor brings some size at 210 lbs.

In a lot of years, you'd think the combination of factors working against Abdullah would take him completely out of the race.  The fact that no other team has a clear Ron Dayne or Montee Ball type player coming into the season partnered with a pocket passer leaves the door open.  A bruiser like Carlos Hyde may have an edge in durability, then again he missed two games a year ago.  Abdullah should be in the mix provided he stays healthy.  Most Husker fans certainly wouldn't trade him.  

Buying Opportunity?
Phil Steele looks at a number of indicators before making his season forecasts.  One of them is what he calls his "Stock Market Indicator".  He compares last year's win-loss record to the two seasons that preceded it.  When last year's record is very different from the prior two seasons, that can be an indication that things may be about to change.  Statisticians often refer to this phenomenon as "regression to the mean".  Iowa's decline of 3.5 games in 2012 from the 7.5 win average in the 2010-2011 seasons would suggest a strong likelihood that the Hawkeyes win at least five games this year.  

Healthy Running Backs?
One of the funnier college football memes that's arisen in recent years is the "Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God" or AIRBHG coined by the Black Heart Gold Pants Blog heading into the 2010 season.    Iowa responded to a particularly painful beating at the hands of the rushing deity in 2012 by signing three running backs to last season's recruiting class.  None of these guys were that highly rated, but considering how thin they became at the position, it still beats walk-ons.

But That Schedule
They open at home against a Northern Illinois team that went 12-2 a year ago, that brings back a star quarterback (though the Hawkeyes did eke out a victory over the Huskies at Soldier Field a year ago).  They travel to Iowa State to face a team that beat them in Iowa City a year ago with a rising star at quarterback.  Their easiest conference games are at Minnesota and at Purdue, two teams they split with a year ago.  Iowa will probably be the underdog hosting Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin and at Ohio State and Nebraska.  They did score an upset in East Lansing against the Spartans a year ago.  Then again, Phil Steele's Stock Market Indicator points more strongly to a MSU improvement than an Iowa one.

It's hard to see dramatic improvement for the Hawkeyes in 2013.  But one or two well-placed upsets could get them to five wins or even allow them to sneak into a bowl.  Topping the two-win mark in the conference will be a challenge though.  Steele's Stock Market Indicator isn't fullproof.  Three or fewer total wins wouldn't be entirely shocking either.

Offensive line positions are so demanding.  There's so much to know in terms of assignments, hand placement, and footwork.  Guards at NU also need to be able to pull and block guys in space.  So perhaps it's unfair to suggest that Farmer could just walk in and claim a spot on the two-deep.  But he was the offensive line MVP at a recent Rivals camp that featured a number of standout linemen.  

It's hard to imagine a stronger guard prospect, regardless of whatever star rating is assigned.  He's been a bit under the radar, drawing offers from programs like Illinois and Missouri.  Nebraska may just be the first ten-win BCS program to offer Farmer.  Others may follow.  He's a player that NU should work hard to hold until signing day.

He's just the kind of prospect NU needs as they are about to be hit by mass graduations on the offensive line after this season.  Whether he's the next Toniu Fonoti (true freshman starter and eventual All-American), the next Rob Zatechka (redshirted, then four year starter and Academic All-American), or the next Wes Cody (redshirted, four-year contributor, and eventual starter) remains to be seen.  In any case, he's one guy you expect to see on the field by 2015.     

Obviously, playing in State College is an advantage for Penn State.   Running back Zach Zwinak returns after rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown against NU in 2012.  Standout guard John Urschel also returns as does virtually every pass catcher from a year ago.  

Penn State enters 2013 without an experienced quarterback.  Junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson (a two-star recruit) and five-star true freshman Christian Hackenberg are the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.  Only Ferguson had the opportunity to practice in the Spring.  While Hackenberg may indeed develop into an outstanding quarterback, how good are most true freshmen pro-style passers, regardless of their recruiting ranking?  

Notre Dame went from 10-3 in 2006 with senior Brady Quinn to 3-9 with true freshman (and five start recruit) Jimmy Clausen under center.  Both schools had head coaches that had coached the offense in New England.  So many of these other young phenoms couldn't even get on or stay on the field (see Gunner Kiel or Wes Lunt).  Even with a veteran like the departed Matt McGloin, the Nittany Lions haven't beaten the Huskers in their last three tries.

PSU could be sitting at 8-2 when the Huskers come to town, with the only losses to Michigan and at Ohio State.  If that's the case, then an even point spread might make sense.  With the cupboard so bare at the most important position, losses to Syracuse, Central Florida, or even Kent State could be possible.  Indiana, Minnesota, or Purdue could also be poised to play spoiler roles.

If Hackenberg (or Ferguson) can explode out of the gate or at least find their footing by week 11, the game might indeed by a toss-up.  But I wouldn't bet on that right now.  At this point, it  looks like easy money for those who'd pick the Huskers. 

Brown was offered a scholarship out of high school (which isn't the case for all Husker kickers).  He proved himself well worth it as he twice earned second-team all-conference recognition and ended his college career as NU's all-time leading scorer. He went on to a 12-year NFL career.  Josh Brown was also offered a scholarship as part of Frank Solich's initial recruiting class.  He ascended to first-team all-conference status and remains in the NFL on the NY Giants roster.  Jordon Congdon was ranked as the nation's top kicking prospect as part of Bill Callahan's ballyhooed 2005 recruiting class.  He earned 2nd team all-conference status and kicked a game-winning 40-yard field goal to beat Kansas State as a freshman.  Somewhere Callahan lost confidence in Congdon, twice passing up long field goal attempts in the Cotton Bowl loss to Auburn that could have tied or won the game.  Congdon transferred and won USC's starting kicking job.  

Nebraska next hit the jackpot on a pair of walk-on kickers.  Alex Henery became an All-American in his time at Nebraska and is the school's all-time leading scorer.  His 57-yarder to save the day against Colorado in 2009 is the longest field goal ever made by a Husker.  He holds NCAA records for field goal accuracy and is one of three players to have had six games with at least four field goals made.  He set a record for field goal accuracy by rookie NFL kickers and holds the Philadelphia Eagles record for consecutive made field goals (22).  Brett Maher also walked on and was twice named a first-team all-conference player.  He appears likely to win the kicking job with the New York Jets.

The Huskers spent a scholarship on Mauro Bondi.  His only real appearance has been in the spring game so far where he hit a 50-yard field goal and had plenty of leg on a 58-yard miss.  Two of his kickoffs went for touchbacks and he's pushing walk-on Sam Foltz for punting duties.

Now Drew Brown, the younger brother of Kris Brown has become the third player to commit to NU's recruiting class of 2014.  He's been outstanding in both field goal accuracy and with kickoffs.  He also could contribute to Nebraska baseball, where he'd play for another former Husker kicker in Darin Erstad.    

 
The younger Brown certainly looks like the kind of player that could keep NU's recent NFL kicker factory churning.  This is one scholarship that history should be kind to.

An 11 am kickoff may subdue the crowd, but just imagine what that does to a college kid living in the Pacific time zone.  For a UCLA kid, that's a 9 am kickoff.  And it's not as though they show up at the stadium right at kickoff.  They're sure to be awake hours beforehand, probably something that will feel like 5 or 6 am to their body clock.  Unless Jim Mora is routinely waking kids up this early, that's going to be pretty far out of alignment with their normal rhythms.  

That could allow a relatively more rested NU squad to pounce on the Bruins while they're half asleep.  Since the Huskers generally wins game in which they take an early lead, this would only be a good thing.  

That's not to say it's better than a 6 or 7 pm kick might be.  The extra noise that night games bring would seem like a pretty big benefit for Nebraska.  But the early kick certainly could provide an advantage over say a 3:30 kickoff.  With at least two other 11 am games slated in 2013 for NU, if nothing else it will get Nebraska more accustomed to these early kickoffs headed into conference play.   

Last year, Utah State was ranked sixteenth by the Associated Press at 11-2 while the coaches had Northwestern there at 10-3.  The Aggies were WAC champions and won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, losing only two nonconference road games at Wisconsin and at BYU.  Northwestern went 10-3 with three conference losses and a Gator Bowl victory over Mississippi State.  They ended up ranked ahead of the teams that beat them (Nebraska, Michigan, and Penn State) and the Big Ten champ.  

Would that be better than the four-loss seasons the Huskers have had the past five years?  On the one hand, if you play only 13 games, it means you didn't win the division.  On the other hand, wouldn't you like to be ranked ahead of the other teams in your division?  Wouldn't you like to lose fewer games than you had in 10 years?

It's hard to call a 10-3 year a great success, but anything that breaks the streak of four or more losses seems at least somewhat welcome.

Kinder Schedule
Like the Huskers, the Spartans had to face both Ohio State and Wisconsin in 2012.  The new league schedule swaps out those teams for Purdue and Illinois.  The Notre Dame game will be in South Bend, but the absence of quarterback Everett Golson who had a hand in both Irish touchowns against Michigan State a year ago could make the game more competitive.   If MSU can navigate road trips to Iowa and Illinois and handle home games against Indiana, Purdue, and Minnesota, that would give them a winning Big Ten record.  They get Michigan at home but must face Nebraska and Northwestern on the road.  So 8 wins seems completely reasonable and 9 not out of the question.  

Returning Talent
Michigan State brings back all-conference defenders in linebacker Max Bullough and Darqueze Dennard.  Bullough led the team in tackles against Nebraska a year ago and Dennard had two interceptions in that game.  Linebacker Denicos Allen was honorable mention all-Big Ten and had a sack against NU a year ago.  The same was true on both counts for defensive end Marcus Rush.  Safety Isaiah Lewis was also honorable mention all-Big Ten and tallied 8 stops against the Huskers in 2012.   Mike Sadler was a second-team all-conference punter as well.  

What About the Offense?
While the returners on defense are impressive, there's very little to be impressed by offensively.  The Spartans return their quarterback, starting receivers and 80% of their starting offensive line.  But given their lackluster output a year ago, is that a good thing?  They have a pair of new co-offensive coordinators in Jim Bollman and Dave Warner.  Their resumes aren't exactly on par with former Oregon coach Chip Kelly.  Bollman's offenses in Ohio State were usually ranked outside the top 40 nationally.  This team has a lot to prove when it comes to moving the ball.  They may have a championship quality defense, but another subpar offense could submarine this team's divisional hopes in 2013.     

Eight or nine wins in East Lansing is nothing to sneeze at.  Still, this team seems to lack the offensive punch of a true conference contender.  Without Bell (and standout tight end Dion Sims) things could go from bad to worse on that side of the ball.  Keeping pace with Nebraska, Michigan and Northwestern will require a better offense than we saw a year ago.  Defense may win championships, but you can't win if you don't score. 

Some might question whether bye weeks play any role in the outcome of games.  The main argument is that college football is in an era of increased parity and diminished depth.  Playing hard-fought games week after week without a break can wear teams down, increasing the likelihood of losing a game due to lack of energy and focus.  

The 2006 game at Oklahoma State felt like a game where the Huskers wore down.  Nebraska was playing its ninth straight game without a break while OSU had had a bye a few weeks earlier.  The favored NU squad charged out to a 17-0 lead which narrowed to 23-20 entering fourth quarter.  The Cowboys opened the fourth quarter facing a 3rd and 9 on their own side of the field.  They proceeded to amass 187 yards and three touchdowns the rest of the way.  One could dismiss fatigue and remind us that Kevin Cosgrove was Nebraska's defensive coordinator at the time, which would be a fair point.  Watching the game though, it sure seemed like a defense that had played pretty well through three quarters just ran out of gas.  

To mitigate the risk of fatigue in 2015, you'd like to see the Huskers do a lot of substitution to reduce the number of snaps played by starters.  You'd hope that NU can jump on a team like South Alabama in week two, and play the reserves for half the game.  It also might not be a bad idea to abandon the quick snap/high tempo offensive approach except in spots.  Bleeding the clock can reduce the number of snaps and also allow players on both sides of the ball to catch their breath.

The good news is these bye weeks, will at least to some degree be an issue for a number of opposing teams as well.  The main exceptions will be Purdue and Michigan State.  Both teams get a break right before playing Nebraska.  NU will be playing its ninth and tenth straight game, respectively against the Boilermakers and Spartans.

College football is probably always a grind for the players and coaches.  In 2015, that will be particularly true.  If the Huskers survive their eleven week gauntlet, they'll be particularly fresh to close the season with Iowa and potentially take on an opponent for the conference championship.  Avoiding fatigue to that point will be the major challenge.

Some of the early rankings are starting to leak out from the major annual college football publications.  It appears that both Athlon and Lindy's like Michigan to beat the Huskers.  Phil Steele is harder to determine.  Unless he thinks Nebraska is headed for disaster (i.e. a season outside his top 40 rankings), then he'll have NU ranked above the Wolverines.  But the Huskers could still lose in Ann Arbor and find themselves ranked above Michigan by the end of the year.

Obviously, the "Big House" is, well...big.  And loud.  The suspension of the unofficial policy against night games in November could also mean that the game could be played under the lights.  That tends to magnify the home field advantage. 

Michigan brings back a lot offensively including a likely first-round draft pick at tackle, their most productive wideout in Jeremy Gallon, top receiving tight end Devin Funchess, and the efficient and dynamic quarterback Devin Gardner.  Their leading running back Fitzgerald Toussaint is on the mend and should be ready by November.  Their special teams look strong with both place kicker and punter gaining some all-conference notoriety and back for 2013.  Some good experience returns on defense including standout linebacker Jake Ryan.  

That makes UM a very tough out.  Thankfully, the Huskers had success against Gallon a year ago.  At 5'8" he doesn't create matchup problems with his size.  Funchess was shut out in Lincoln, though that also had to do with a crowded depth chart at tight end in Michigan's rotation a year ago.  Toussaint was ineffective in Lincoln as well, but faces a largely new Nebraska defense in 2013.  

Nebraska won the turnover battle in Lincoln in 2012 where Michigan had won it in Ann Arbor the year before.  That often corresponds to victory and could be the determining factor this season as well.  Losing that battle against a quality team in that environment would almost surely doom the Huskers.  And if NU can't steal a win in Ann Arbor this year, it may be many years before we see it happen.  

The Wildcats have proven feisty if not downright painful for Nebraska.  Two years ago, Northwestern scored an upset victory in Lincoln.  Last year, the Huskers needed a late rally to escape Evanston with a one-point win.  

Aside from some offensive linemen, the Wildcats return most of their offense.  The Huskers did a good job of slowing quarterback/runner/receiver Kain Colter a year ago, but were gashed for an 80-yard touchdown by Venric Mark and yielded a pair of touchdown passes to quarterback Trevor Siemian.  The Big Red outgained Northwestern by 240 yards on the day, but three turnovers by Nebraska made the game too close for comfort.  

The Wildcats return most of their defense from a year ago (which may or may not be a good thing).  The major difference for the school in 2013 might be the schedule prior to the game with Nebraska.  Northwestern will open the season at Cal and then hosts Syracuse.  Their conference slate begins with a visit from Ohio State followed by a trip to Wisconsin.  Even with potential victories over Minnesota and Iowa, the Wildcats may not have near the confidence they did sitting at 6-1 when the Huskers came to visit a year ago.

The Wildcats should be a tough out, even if Nebraska is the favorite.  The Huskers had best not look past Northwestern to the game in Ann Arbor.  In many ways, this game will be where the season truly begins.

The game moves from Lincoln to Minneapolis, which doesn't hurt the Golden Gophers' cause.  On paper, Minnesota may not have improved a lot on the scoreboard from 2011 to 2012 but they did improve their record from 3-9 to 6-7.  They yielded 346 rush yards to Nebraska in 2011 but just 133 in 2012.  It was a sharp passing day by Taylor Martinez that was the difference in the rematch.  The Huskers scored defensively in each game, which also made the games more lopsided.

The major question for Minnesota will be how much sophomore quarterback Philip Nelson improves from his freshman year.  His passing numbers were underwhelming.  He ran the ball often but managed fewer than 3 yards per carry.  Donnell Kirkwood was their top running back.  He averaged 4 yards per carry.  They don't have any particularly frightening receiving threats.

They bring back seven-eights of their two-deep on the defensive line, which is why another good day against the run could be in order.  They'll need to be ready since Nebraska will be coming off of a bye week and will have fresh legs.

No one outside Minneapolis will likely pick the Golden Gophers to upset Nebraska, but this year we may not see NU take a five-score lead either.

Weather
If you don't like standing outside for hours in the cold for a football game, the Purdue road trip seems likely to have the most agreeable weather all season.  In mid-October, temperatures will average around the mid-50's in Lafayette and might climb into the high 60's.  Temps would average in the mid 40's for the Minnesota game, the low 40's for the Michigan game, and high 30's for Penn State.  Tailgating on a crisp fall day can be rather pleasant, but there's a fine line between crisp and cold and some of those games are on the wrong side of it.

Price
The Purdue game will not be the hottest ticket in the Big Ten this year.  Lafayette isn't the easiest place to get to and Purdue is hardly the most exciting opponent.  The Boilermakers will probably be somewhere between 1-4 and 3-2 by the time Nebraska visits.  That should make the ticket one of the more affordable you'll find this year.  Tickets in the South stands are currently available for under $40.  Compare that to the $126 minimum for a seat in Ann Arbor and you might save a pretty penny heading to Lafayette.

Manners
No slight against fans of Michigan or Minnesota (but perhaps against Penn State), but you'd expect the least grief and trash talk in Lafayette.  Kind of like going to Lawrence versus Boulder or Norman in the Big 8/12 days.  That's not to say you won't catch any attitude, but if you have a distaste for hostile behavior from opposing fans, the Purdue game might be the kindest venue for 2013.

Victory
It might be a toss-up which will be the easiest road game for Nebraska, but Purdue has to be a prime candidate.  They return very little standout talent (just an honorable mention punter and safety from the all-conference teams) and haven't recruited too well to begin with.  Last season, they failed to beat a single FBS team that finished with a winning record.  So if you can't stand to pay good money to watch Nebraska lose, or if you don't even like stressful or competitive games, this might be one of the better layup games for NU.  Only Purdue's bye week heading into the game gives any pause.  

Otherwise, this looks like an easy win on a nice day at a nice price (with perhaps some nice people).  Probably one of the more underrated weekends on the schedule.

An early kickoff can provide a little hope for a road team.  The fans are generally less amped up and enthusiastic than they tend to be for later start times.  Of course, this particular game happens to be homecoming for Nebraska and so there might be just a wee bit more enthusiasm than you'd see for your typical early kickoff.  NU head coach Bo Pelini has won four straight homecoming games.  

Like the Huskers, the Illini are replacing most of their defense.  That doesn't bode well against an offense as experienced as Nebraska's.  Illinois gave up 32 points per game a year ago on defense, which ranked them 93rd nationally.  They were an even poorer 119th in scoring offense, ranking below an Iowa squad that NU held to 7 points.  Their turnover margin was worse than Nebraska's as well.  

Somewhere, the Huskers may get upset by a poorer team.  That could even happen at home.  Illinois is probably not the team you'd single out as the likeliest candidate though.  Even with a dual-threat quarterback and an early game, the Illini look far too overmatched.  The 2009 Iowa State football team bounced back from a 2-10 record the prior year to score an early upset in Lincoln, but sadly this Illini squad has a long way to go to even be as good as that Cyclone squad.  They probably can't count on going +8 in turnovers either.

Running back Zach Zenner rushed for over 2,000 yards a year ago, averaging nearly 7 yards per carry.  The workhorse averaged 23 carries per game.  The school returns a veteran quarterback, who was effective though averaged more than an interception per game.  

The real strength of SDSU in 2012 was the defense.  They allowed just 16.4 points per game.  That would have made it a top ten defense in the FBS.  The Jackrabbits forced 25 turnovers (nearly 2 a game) and blocked 3 kicks.  That sick feeling Huskers may be getting could be brought on by flashbacks of the 17-3 final score back in 2010.  

The Big Ten may think that are too good to play FCS competition.  Let's hope that's true because in the FCS, South Dakota State is not a team to overlook.

Most people would pencil home victories over Wyoming, Southern Miss, South Dakota State, Illinois, and Iowa.  The Northwestern and Michigan State games should see the Huskers favored but could be very tough.  Road dates at Purdue and Minnesota aren't particularly daunting and Penn State will probably look as bad as it has in years.  Other than the Michigan game, that leaves UCLA as a place where NU might stumble.

The Bruins are 1-4 in Lincoln, with the only win back in 1948 over a Husker team that finished 2-8.  Last season, UCLA got 266 total yards and the decisive touchdown from running back Johnathan Franklin who will now play pro football.  Tight end Joseph Fauria is similarly off to play football on Sundays.  He had four catches against NU for 42 yards and two touchdowns.  Safety Andrew Abbott, who picked off Taylor Martinez late in the game is gone.  As will be defensive ends Datone Jones, Brandon Tuliaupupu and Owamagbe Odighizuwa.  

Still, most of the defense returns for UCLA as does outstanding dual-threat quarterback Brett Hundley.  Sophomore center Jake Brendel is on the Rimington watch list at center.  Xavier Su'a-Filo is a returning all-conference guard.  Leading receiver Shaquelle Evans is also back.  The Bruins will score some points.

If the Huskers beat the Bruins, they might be on their way to an 11-1 regular season record.  Depending on what happens to Michigan, that could send NU to a BCS bowl even if Nebraska misses out on a conference championship game berth.  The Wolverines and Buckeyes could claim both BCS bowl bids.  That would still set up NU for no worse than an 11-2 record.  

A win over the Bruins could really pave the way to a special season.  Eleven wins and a return to the top ten sounds awfully good.  You'd expect a late afternoon or evening kickoff when the teams face off to allow maximize viewership, particularly out west.  That should put the NU faithful in top form to make it loud and hard for the UCLA defense to communicate.  The Huskers will have to do a lot right to achieve their goals in 2013.  A win against the Blue and Gold could go a long way in propelling Nebraska to their best season in a decade.   

The Golden Eagles had some promising quarterback options heading into 2012.  They won a recruiting face-off with Nebraska for the services of four-star dual-threat prospect Anthony Alford from Mississippi.  Arsenio Favor might have been a bit more under the radar, but by season's end he appeared to have been the best signal caller on USM's roster.

Since the 2012 season though, both quarterbacks have transferred away.  Alford heads to Ole Miss while Favor opted for Alabama State over moving to tight end.  

That leaves the Southern Miss with only two real returning quarterbacks in senior Chris Campbell and sophomore Ricky Lloyd.  Two two-star pro-style quarterbacks are set to arrive in the fall.  None of these options are the dual-threat type that tend to give Bo Pelini defenses fits.  Lloyd appeared briefly against Nebraska in the 2012 opener rushing for 5 yards on four attempts and misfiring on all three of his pass attempts.  Campbell was slightly more effective as he completed six of eleven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and had five carries for zero yards.

Campbell was the starter a year ago before giving way to Alford and Lloyd against NU.  Neither Campbell nor Lloyd had good years passing or running.  Favor appeared to be USM's best passer and both he and Alford were better runners than the returning quarterbacks.  

That doesn't bode well for a Southern Mississippi team trying to become a winning program again.  After opening with Texas State, the Golden Eagles come to Lincoln for the early evening matchup.  The Huskers should be favored by four touchdowns (if there's any line at all).  Monken may have done some nice things with the Cowboys, but he had a lot more to work with in Stillwater.  Things may not be pretty for his offense when the visit Memorial Stadium.      

The Cowboys bring back junior quarterback Brett Smith who managed just 5 yards per pass attempt against the Huskers in Laramie in 2011 but averaged 8.6 yards per attempt as a sophomore over the 2012 season.  Wyoming averaged about 4 yards per carry against NU in 2011 but just 3 yards per carry in 2012 over the season.  Their top back averaged nearly 5 yards per carry  in 2012, but Smith watered things down with a 2-yards per carry average.  

Assuming the Cowboys could increase the number of plays ran by 17% (which would pull them even with Mountain West plays leader Nevada) and maintain their roughly 50-50 pass-run split.  They might amass another 100 yards a game just by virtue of the increased snaps.  Against NU in 2011, that might have been worth another 52 yards and perhaps another 2-3 points.  Their season numbers would likely have been noticeably better.

If Nebraska showed the same increase, that would have added another 120 yards to the total in the 2011 game and another 8-9 points.  The 38-14 final might have been 47-17 with greater tempo by both teams.      

With veteran quarterbacks, ballcarriers, and receivers for both teams you'd expect more points than we saw two years ago.  If each team ups the tempo, then that should further boost the score.  Nebraska tends to have above-average days at home and particularly in openers.  So a number like 49 for NU would not be surprising.  Night games on the road have been unkind to visiting QB's by contrast.  So a number like 17 might make sense for Wyoming, even with a high tempo.  The early point spread is 21.5 for Nebraska, but even a 27-point outing by the Cowboys could allow the Huskers to cover that number.

In any case, it seems to reasonable to expect at least 60 points between the two teams.  Another 38-14 score just seems too low.

Rutgers

With only two cross-over games, it didn't really seem necessary for any Big Ten East team to draw both Nebraska and Wisconsin.  Yet that's what's happened to Rutgers.  The Scarlet Knights will run a regular season gauntlet that includes those shools as well as division-mates Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State.  Expect them to add another nonconference cream puff (to go with Howard) for 2014.  They may need to beat both Navy and Tulane out of conference to get to bowl eligibility.  Their only in-conference relief comes against Maryland and Indiana.  It's a safe bet Rutgers won't be playing in Indianapolis for the league title in their first two years.

Maryland
Maryland's schedule is only slightly kinder as they swap Nebraska for Iowa.  So far they've scheduled only two nonconference games, both road dates at South Florida and Temple.  You can understand why the league doesn't want schools to come in and dominate immediately, but in the case of the Terrapins, wouldn't you want to prop up a program that's barely had a pulse over the last few years?  Setting them up to fight Indiana for last place won't help their program or the league.

Penn State
Penn State by contrast seemingly got some mercy to perhaps keep their program from plummeting any further.  They get Northwestern and Illinois.  While the Wildcats have been good, they don't overwhelm you with superior talent.  The sanctioned Nittany Lions might still have a fighting chance.  Illinois has operated for decades like a team under sanctions.  

Iowa
Similarly, hopes of keeping Iowa from years of living death under Kirk Ferentz "I can't be fired" contract were improved by giving them Indiana and Maryland to chew on.  

The Big Boys
It also hardly seems a mistake that Wisconsin and Nebraska will completely avoid Michigan and Ohio State.  It's probably occurred to the Big Ten leadership that rematches in the conference championship game aren't necessarily a good thing.  Particularly if one division can clearly demonstrate dominance in the regular season.  If Nebraska looks like they don't belong on the field with Ohio State in October, then it will be much harder to sell tickets (or get TV ratings) for a rematch in Indianapolis in December.  That would have happened without OSU being under penalty.  Now the championship game becomes a bit more of a mystery and a bigger event. 

Minnesota
The biggest victim (beyond the newcomers) of all of this seems to be Minnesota.  In order to achieve so many other goals, they stuck the Golden Gophers to play both Ohio State and Michigan.  With only two crossover games, there's really no reason this had to happen to anyone.  Instead of getting the Iowa treatment, Minnesota will be struggling to get to a bowl and by 2016 they may be shopping for a new head coach.

2016
Having the best teams dodge each other also should some create some chatter (or whining) that they ought to face each other.  Then when the 2016 "parity-based" schedules and beyond are rolled out, the Big Ten can declare that they've addressed these issues.  Minnesota, Rutgers, and Maryland can all cheer as might the fan bases for the big boys. 

Here's how the schedule looks for 2014:

Aug. 30             Florida Atlantic  - The return of Carl Pelini

Sept. 6             McNeese State - Even the school's name is boring

Sept. 13            at Fresno State - Will be breaking in a new quarterback in 2014

Sept. 20            Miami, Fla. - Payback for all of those Orange Bowls, new QB for 'Canes

Sept. 27            Illinois - Will this team ever stop underacheiving?

Oct. 4               at Michigan State - Should be young but salty team

Oct. 11             BYE

Oct. 18             at Northwestern - Quarterback Kain Colter will finally be gone

Oct. 25             Rutgers - Quarterback Gary Nova (who?) will also be gone

Nov. 1              Purdue - You'll need a few boilermakers to get fired up for this one

Nov. 8              BYE

Nov. 15             at Wisconsin - This will decide the division, and the Badgers are tough at home

Nov. 22             Minnesota - The Gophers will be ready to lay down and die by this point

Nov. 28 (Fri.)     at Iowa - Hawkeye fans scream in terror as Kirk Ferentz becomes the living                          embodiment of the Saturday Night Live "The Thing that Wouldn't Leave" sketch

Dec. 6              B1G Championship Game - After being starved for big-time opponents in                                                     Lincoln, fans might actually travel to Indianapolis this time

Despite the overall record, the Huskers are ranked 30th in the RPI.  Not bad when you're trying to make a post-season field of 64 teams that has 30 automatic bids.  The Huskers will be without their most prolific pitcher against the Wolverines.  Christian DeLeon has been an innings-eater as his 84 2/3 innings pitched leads the team by 39 innings.  He has the most wins (6), starts (13), and strikeouts (43) on the team.  

Kyle Kubat has a 4-0 record with 5 starts and has an outstanding 1.99 ERA to lead all starters.  Aaron Bummer just pitched 7 shutout innings against Minnesota on Sunday but should be ready to go tomorrow.  His 2.72 ERA is second only to Kubat's.  NU won Tyler Neiderklein's last start against Creighton and will hope he can win again.  Expect a lot of innings of relief for these three from the bullpen.  Josh Roeder leads the team with a 1.80 ERA and Dylan Vogt has led the team in saves (8) with a 2.96 ERA.   

The bats will need to come up big, but thankfully that's been a team strength.  Michigan has been no slouch in that department either, so this will be no cakewalk for NU.

If you've been sleeping on Nebraska baseball this season, well that's understandable.  Now though as the stakes rise, it's worth following over the coming days and weeks.

Owa was not a starter at defensive end for UCLA when the two teams last played, but he had an impact.  With Nebraska driving to reclaim the lead at 27-27 early in the 4th quarter, the Huskers found themselves with a first down at the Bruin 28-yard line.  On first down, Braylon Heard gained seven yards before being tackled by Odighizuwa who kept him from moving the chains.  Ameer Abdullah gained two yards on the next play to set up 3rd and 1 at the UCLA 19.  Mike Marrow got the next carry which Owa stuffed for a one-yard loss.  That forced NU to settle for a 37-yard field goal attempt which Brett Maher uncharacteristically missed wide left.  Without those plays by Owa, NU may well put the go-ahead points on the board.

The Huskers later found themselves trailing 29-27 with just over three minutes remaining.  On first down from their own 20, Owa batted down a Taylor Martinez pass intended for Quincy Enunwa.  The next play was a Taylor Martinez interception which set up a Bruin touchdown that effectively ended the game.  Maybe with a different down and distance, different field position, and Martinez feeling a little more confident and in rhythm, the pick doesn't happen.  

Beyond that, imagine what Owa might have contributed in that game (and others) as a Husker.  UCLA rolled up more than 600 yards of offense on the day.  Perhaps a blue-chip defensive end could have slowed them down a bit.  

Lost recruiting battles can have a way of coming back to haunt teams.  Losing Owa did a year ago.  Perhaps this year though, it won't hurt so much.  Like Nebraska, UCLA has lost a lot on the defensive line that they'll need to replace.  That now means replacing Owa as well.

Like Peterson, Balke has competed in track.  Balke comes from the third smallest class in Iowa playing for Iowa City's Regina High.  Peterson similarly competed in a small school at Grand Island Central Catholic which was class C-1 at the time.  

Peterson redshirted but then contributed in all four years of his eligibility.  He scored a critical touchdown against Baylor as a freshman and also got some attention with three catches for 54 yards in his first start in the "Restore the Order" drubbing of Colorado in 2005.  He scored a vital touchdown and led NU in receptions at Texas A&M the following year in the game that clinched the Big 12 North for the first time in 7 years.  He also scored a touchdown against Kansas that year in a game NU needed overtime to win.  Peterson's production increased in 2007, though it was hard to notice with the Kevin Cosgrove defense melting down weekly.  Peterson emerged as a regular starter as a senior and caught at least 3 passes in every game.  His touchdown in the waning seconds at Texas Tech forced overtime and his TD grab in the Gator Bowl over Clemson helped trigger the NU comeback win.

Off the field, Peterson was honored for his academic performance and charity work.  Should Balke be another Peterson, Nebraska would have to consider him a huge addition to the team.  Rich Fisher has distinguished himself as a wide receiver coach.  That would surely help Balke's development though it also makes for enormous competition.  Four-star athlete Trevell Dixon and Kevin Gladney (who turned down a Michigan offer to join NU) could be hard to keep off the field.  At 6'1" apiece, neither player in the 2013 cohort comes in with the length of Balke. 

The older players will force all of these youngsters to be patient.  There's a lot of talent at wideout, so nothing will come easy if Balke wants to be the next Peterson.  But remember the name.  You may hear it a lot in the coming years.

The younger Lewis started 12 games for the Buffaloes last season and earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors as well as honorable mention sophomore All-America honors.  He graded as the Buffs' second best lineman, allowing just two sacks in 2012.  

His arrival couldn't be timelier as the Huskers are set to lose most of their top offensive linemen after the 2013 season.  He was overlooked by Nebraska out of high school because he was undersized.  While still a little light at 6'6" and 285 lbs., he's come a long way from 6'4" and 240 lbs. in 2010.  He rated three starts then, but was still given a greyshirt.  After sitting the 2013 season, he'd have two years of eligibility left in Lincoln.  With the departures of Tyler Moore and Ryan Klachko from the class of 2011, he would help make up for the previous recruiting misses by NU.

So far, little details are known about the assault charges except that CU quarterback Jordan Webb has also been charged.  Second degree assault in Colorado can mean a deadly weapon was used, it can also mean drugging someone, or it can mean assaulting an officer or someone else with intent to obstruct an officer.  It can also be used against someone in a detention facility who assaults an employee of the facility - the last one appears to be somehting that you could rule out.  But second degree assault appears to carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years.  That would all but eliminate Lewis as a potential player.  

Lewis' attorney has said only that "From my preliminary investigation, my client got involved in a bad situation, justice will play itself out."  You have to wonder what Bo Pelini thinks of all this.  He often talks about how he sees things in black and white, so he may need to be convinced that Lewis is wrongly accused before allowing him to join the team. 

The two particularly painful defensive outings that happened late in the year against Wisconsin and Georgia were also games where defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler did not play.  Steinkuhler led all NU defensive tackles in tackles and was second on the team in tackles for loss.  The bad news for 2013 is that Steinkuhler will not be returning, so the Huskers must seek help elsewhere.  
Defensive end Eric Martin led Nebraska in sacks, tackles for losses, and quarterback hurries.  He led all NU defensive linemen in tackles in 2012.  He also graduated.  So the Huskers have to also replace their best pass-rusher and backfield playmaker.  

Perhaps not on par with Martin as a pass-rushers was the still-productive Cameron Meredith who had the second-most tackles by a defensive lineman and the second-most sacks on the team.  Meredith also graduated and must be replaced.  

Chase Rome was NU's top reserve at defensive tackle, listed as a co-#1 (1b) behind Thad Randle.  Rome wasn't wildly productive but still rose to the top of the depth chart as a sophomore.  Better things might have been expected from Rome, but he departed after the year.  Two-deep defensive end Joseph Carter also graduated, further depleting experienced depth.

In terms of returning players with experience, that leaves often-injured defensive tackle Thad Randle and defensive end Jason Ankrah as returning seniors.  Neither player finished in the top 11 in tackles among defenders a year ago.  Freshman Avery Moss appeared briefly in three games but was able to count 2012 as a redshirt year.  Sophomore defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Aaron Curry also got fairly light work.  The same can be said for junior defensive end Walker Ashburn who is the only other returning lineman to record at least one tackle in 2012.

Judging from the spring game, you might expect junior defensive tackle Jay Guy and junior defensive end Donovan Vestal to be in the mix.  Fans have yet to see big man in the middle freshman Vincent Valentine and freshman end Greg McMullen on the field but much is expected from each player.

They could also look to newcomers in the fall with juco transfer defensive end Randy Gregory or freshmen linemen Dimarya Mixon, A.J. Natter, Maliek Collins, Kevin Maurice, and Ernest Suttles.

There are just enough bodies to have some competition, but there seems a long way to go to replace what was lost let alone surpass it.  Hopefully, some of the issues in 2012 could be attributable to the coaching transitions on defense.  This year, the defensive linemen will need to maximize their abilities in order for the Huskers to achieve their goals.   

The Huskers will lose four scholarship seniors from the defensive backfield (Ciante Evans, Mohammed Seisay, Andrew Green, and Stanley Jean-Baptiste) as well as a letterman walk-on in Wil Richards after the 2013 season.  That makes defensive back a priority in recruiting even in what could be a smallish class.  

Hall joins safety recruit Luke Gifford in the class.  You could see Nebraska add 2-3 more defensive backs by signing day.  The other big priority will be on the offensive line.  NU will see five 2-deep players on the O-line depart after this season.  You'd then expect to see the Huskers add 2-3 defensive linemen to replace Jason Ankrah and Thad Randle (and walk-on Brodrick Nickens).  They'll likely add a quarterback with both Taylor Martinez and Ron Kellogg departing.  At least one fullback would be helpful with C.J. Zimmerer and Mike Marrow playing their last year.  A wide receiver would be helpful with Quincy Enunwa set to graduate.  A tight end to replace Jake Long and perhaps a linebacker to replace walk-on Colby Starkebaum would be welcome.  There's also the potential that a standout junior could depart for the NFL, so a running back behind Ameer Abdullah or a wideout behind Kenny Bell might be needed as well.

The pace of recruiting for Nebraska might not be considered rapid, but considering the number of slots available, it's hardly anything to panic about.  The early night games should help the Huskers bring in visitors so that by the end of September the list of commitments could be half done.  Of course, holding commitments until February is no small challenge. 

For now, the Huskers can put another one in the win column and we can also say that reports of the end of recruiting in Texas have been greatly exagerrated.

McCartney

Former Colorado head coach Bill McCartney will join the class of 2013 after leading the school to 93 wins over 14 years and CU's lone national championship.  McCartney had seemingly gotten the upper hand against Tom Osborne as his squad had gone 2-0-1 in three meetings against Nebraska leading up to his first encounter with Tommie Frazier.  Both teams entered the 1992 game on Halloween (and homecoming) night in Lincoln ranked eighth nationally.  True freshman Tommie Frazier rushed for 86 yards and threw two touchdown passes in a game the Huskers dominated 52-7.  A year later, Frazier would account for 236 total yards with the ultimately decisive touchdown pass to Corey Dixon in a 21-17 NU win over 20th ranked Colorado in Boulder where he garnered player of the game honors.  

Wuerffel
Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel only faced Frazier a single time, but the impression that Frazier left was far greater.  He rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns and passed for another 105 yards and a score.  Frazier's 75-yard touchdown run where seemingly every Gator had a chance to tackle him and failed is a highlight for the ages in college football.  

Other Victims
Past inductees also suffered at the hands of Frazier.  Jonathan Ogden was a member of a UCLA squad that lost twice to Frazier in 1993 and 1994.  Frazier threw the go-ahead touchdown against the Bruins in 1993.  The following year, Frazier passed for two touchdowns, rushed for another and added two rushes for 2-point conversions to beat UCLA in Lincoln.  War hero Pat Tillman was on the losing end of a 77-28 stomping that saw Frazier score two touchdowns, pass for two more and amass 191 yards in the air on just ten passes.  He very nearly victimized Bobby Bowden and Charlie Ward as well, particularly with a 300 yard day that nearly won NU a national championship after the 1993 season.

Down Goes Frazier (in History)
It may well have been Fraziers abuse of so many other Hall of Famers that made it impossible to ignore his candidacy any longer.  We'll likely continue to see other victims of Frazier's make their way into the Hall.  For now, it's good to see things finally made right where Frazier was concerned.  He is an all-timer's all-timer.