T.J. Birkel After the disappointing loss to USC, here are four questions surrounding Nebraska football as the Huskers head into a crucial contest against Wisconsin this week.  What Will it Take for Nebraska Football to Turn the Corner? Once again, it felt like the Huskers were just a couple plays short from getting a big win against a brand name program. Once again, it felt like the other team got all the lucky bounces. Once again, Nebraska lost a one-score game. When you step back and look at it, it’s almost unfathomable what has happened to Nebraska football over the ...

T.J. Birkel Nebraska lost 28-20 to USC at the Coliseum on Saturday, in a game that pretty well summed up the last decade of Husker football. The unlucky bounces, the inability to make crucial stops on defense when needed, the offense not being able to convert key opportunities: every part of that game was all too familiar to the Big Red faithful. After a 5-1 start, the Huskers have now lost four in a row, and fans are left to wonder if we’re staring down the barrel of an eighth straight season without a bowl game.  We’ll try to make ...

T.J. Birkel Nebraska heads to Los Angeles on Saturday for a showdown against USC at the Coliseum. The Huskers are 0-4-1 all time against the Trojans, and will be looking for that crucial sixth win to secure bowl eligibility. USC, who like Nebraska will be coming off a bye week, came into the season as a college football playoff contender. They are currently 4-5, having suffered multiple heartbreaking 4th quarter losses. It should be a fascinating matchup, as both teams are trying to salvage once-promising seasons.  On behalf of the Common Fan podcast, here are three keys to victory for ...

After three consecutive losses, the Husker football team will try to get back on track against USC at the Coliseum on Saturday. The Trojans come into the game at 4-5, having surprisingly struggled in year 3 under head coach Lincoln Riley. USC is currently favored by 8.5 points according to DraftKings.  I talked to Brandon Jones, host of the Light the Torch Podcast, to get the USC perspective on the upcoming game.  Interview with Brandon Jones, Host of the Light the Torch Podcast USC was considered a playoff contender coming into the season, and was up to #11 at one ...

by T.J. Birkel By bringing in Dana Holgorsen to take over as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator with three games left in the 2024 season, head coach Matt Rhule has shown once again he’ll do whatever it takes to build a winner in Lincoln. More on that in a moment.  Coming into this week, I had an idea for a column titled “The Defense is Not the Problem.” The crux was essentially going to be, yes everyone is frustrated with the direction Nebraska’s season has taken, and every part of the operation owns the fact that the team is on a three ...

by T.J. Birkel Nebraska lost 27-20 to UCLA on Saturday, in what amounted to a hugely disappointing performance from the Huskers. The Bruins outplayed and outcoached the Huskers for most of the afternoon, at one point leading 27-7. There’s no other way to say it: in front of a home crowd, with bowl eligibility on the line against a 2-5 team, Nebraska laid a massive egg. Screwed the pooch. Choked the chicken. Dropped the ball. However you want to say it, they didn’t get the job done, and Husker fans are left to wonder how much progress has really been ...