Early Frost Yielding Bad Corn – The Nebraska Predicto
Scott Frost is looking kind of homeless of late as he weathers the worst beating a Nebraska football team has endured to start a season in many decades. Make no mistake, though, he was the absolute best hire they could have brought to Lincoln. He’s a proven winner, he’s young and he’s a favorite son. As we like to say here at BS, he’s got his statue job.
That said, times are a little tough right now. While there is talent on the Nebraska roster, those players have been through so many systems and coaching staffs that it must be hard to fully buy in, as the coachspeak expression goes. Maybe they’ll spring a few wins on unsuspecting foes this season and in the end their fans will feel about Frost as we felt about Brohm in 2017. Let’s just hope that doesn’t start this week.
Dave:
I have even less idea about this game than I did about the last one. Nebraska's played about .500 ball and is 0-3; Purdue's played more like a 3-1 team than a 1-3 team, partly because Jeff Brohm removed the restrictor plate on the Boiler offense and let it fly around Missouri and BC like Ryan Newman at the Brickyard. (Let's pretend he's not from South Bend.) But they're 1-3 in part because of those nagging mistakes in the first three games, and partly because special teams continues to be an issue - the Good Guys were 90th in S&P+ last season and are 95th so far this season.
But Nebraska is 92nd! And 79th defensively, thanks to Scott Frost's second blowout loss to Michigan in three years. (One would guess there were no comments about outhitting the Wolverines this time.) Those results ought to be meaningless to Husker fans, since Mike Riley didn't leave much in the cupboard for Frost and weather took away what would have probably been a season-opening tuneup for NU. But they should also be an opportunity for Purdue; there's no better time to jump on a division rival like the present, especially with the Huskers coming off their first 0-3 start since 1945 ... when they started 0-5, including an October trip to then-#8 Indiana where they got pummeled 54-14. (That IU team would finish 9-0-1, giving up just 5.6 points per game but going to no bowls because the Big Ten was run by stupid men even in those days. The '45 squad is still the only unbeaten team in school history; Purdue has had 4, but the last was in 1943. World War II football FTW.)
If Adrian Martinez isn't 100% healthy, you'll see more references to 1945. Even if he is healthy, it's unlikely that a team with a weak defense and an inexperienced QB can outscore a full-speed Brohmball team, but if the hosts can keep it close, a special teams miscue could tip the game, assuming it's Purdue that makes a key mistake. I don't think it'll come to that - it'll be HOT TAEK time in Lincoln.
Purdue 37, Nebraska 21.
Neeshdawg:
“We’ve got a chance to get reset next week,” Frost said. “This is a really good (Michigan) team we played. We get a game that we can win next week." -Scott Frost, Nebraska HC
"I think everything that's said is heard, and our team needs to respond and understand that we've got to show up ready to play and this team will be licking their chops trying to get us." -Jeff Brohm
That's all I need. Purdue favored by 3 points, on the road in Lincoln? What a world. Let's get even crazier. THAT'S RIGHT.
Purdue 45 Nebraska 17
Boilerdowd:
Nebraska is one of the worst, if not the single worst defense in the league, in multiple categories...Purdue, especially in the last two weeks, has found tremendous offensive rhythm once again.
This could be a shootout if Purdue’s front doesn’t get push and falls back into their habits from the early season...regardless, since Nebraska is in a bit of a free fall with no identity to speak of, I think the good guys will win.
Nebraska will eventually get better; I don’t think it starts this week.
Purdue 38 Nebraska 27
Michael:
The Boston College game may end up being a turning point, and a visit to a struggling Nebraska team is the perfect follow-on to keep up the momentum.
Purdue 31 Nebraska 17
J:
I was among those who even when we had high hopes at the outset of the season did not think going into Lincoln was going to be an easy task. I still don’t think it’ll be easy, but man, Nebraska looks beaten down, Purdue looks like they’re figuring things out AND Scott Frost gave Purdue some tailor-made motivational fuel.
Purdue 45, Nebraska 32
BS Readers:
BS readers began to show some trepidation during the preseason voting. In fact, those voting on this here website came in with Nebraska as the winner, by a wide margin, 69%-31%.
