The Nebraska Cornhuskers welcome the Northwestern Wildcats to Lincoln, for the annual NU Bowl. Northwestern has won two of their last three trips to Memorial Stadium, but lost their last three at home to the Huskers. Nebraska is favored by 1.5 in this 2:30 p.m. kickoff.
For the Nebraska Cornhuskers community, looking to edify themselves on the Cats, here’s your dossier.
Also, tune into 1620 The Zone, Omaha, where I’ll be on Sharp and Benning in the Morning, previewing this contest at 10:45 a.m. You can hear the segment at this link.
I. They bare a striking resemblance to the 2015 team
This year’s edition of Northwestern football wasn’t really easily identifiable, up until the Iowa win. Just like last season, the Wildcats found themselves in a win over the hated Iowa Hawkeyes. Last fall, the Cats woke up their offense from their doldrums in an impressive win in Iowa City.
Two days ago NU when a gritty, often painful to watch contest at home against the Hawks, and it was vintage 2015 Northwestern football. Remember that team? They tied the school record for wins, and they did it with defense, defense, defense, some rushing attack, and smoke and mirrors.
They were somewhat similar to 2012 Notre Dame, in that they weren’t really quite as good as their record, and ended the season with a thud in a blow game blowout to an SEC school.
ย Still that was a very good Cats team. Their win over Stanford kept the Cardinal out of the college football playoff.
Paddy Fisher, like former Illini QB Reilly O’Toole, sounds like the name of an establishment on the south side of Chicago near where I grew up, and probably someplace I got very drunk during my some point in my life.
The 6-4, 245 pound redshirt freshman middle linebacker is the reigning Defensive Player of the Week. Fisher had two forced fumbles, 17 tackles (14 solo) last night in the 39-31 triple overtime upset win over #16 Michigan State. The total was one shy of his career high set at Duke.
That total was good enough for the most single game tackles by a first year player, and 10th best overall nationally. Go here for more on him, the next potential Baby Fitz.
Apparently, Fisher got shafted out of four tackles on the stat sheet. I’m guessing quite a few Nebraska Cornhuskers fans do watch the weekly press conferences of the opposing head coach, but ICYMI it’s below. For more on the tackle controversy, watch this very comical segmentย From the 6:40 to 10:40
III. QB Clayton Thorson Has Very High NFL Draft Stock
To see where we have Thorson in our latest NFL mock draft go here.ย For more on Thorson’s NFL Draft stock go here.
IV.ย Theyโll Probably Go Bowling in California
Check out the latest NU bowl projections, the Holiday Bowl seems a likely destination, but the Foster Farms is in contention too. Some have the Cats slotted to the Gator Bowl as well.
V. Pat Fitzgerald wanted to put a dome on Their Home Stadium
Check out the screen grab from the 1995 Northwestern media guide.
Yes, Fitz seriously wanted a dome on Ryan Field/Dyche Stadium. And today…watch this clip from last week’s Monday presser, skip to the 12:20 mark:
Enjoy the game, Nebraska Cornhuskers fans.
Paul M. Banks runsย The Sports Bank.netย and TheBank.News, which is partnered withย News Nowย and Minute Media.ย Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times,ย NBC Chicago.comย andย Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly toย WGN CLTV andย Chicago Now.
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