MafiaMan

Well, how about this? From 1983 to 1993, Nebraska went 6-5 against Oklahoma. Lost national title game to Miami in 1983, lost to Michigan in bowl game in 1985. Beat LSU in 1984 and 1986 bowl games. Then, Nebraska lost SEVEN straight bowl games (1987-1993), going 0-4 against Florida State, 0-2 against Miami, and 0-1 against Georgia Tech. I'm not ripping on Tom Osborne at all, but was there ANY reason to think that he would wind up winning 3 of the next 4 national championships based on the 11-year span that preceded it? Would Tom Osborne even be coaching in today's environment after losing seven straight bowl games?

1973: 9-2-1 (4-2-1 Big 8), #11 coaches, #7 AP - lost 13-12 at unranked Missouri, lost 27-0 at Oklahoma, beat Texas in Cotton Bowl 19-3 1974: 9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #8 coaches, #9 AP - lost 21-10 at home to unranked Missouri, lost 28-14 to Oklahoma, beat Florida in Sugar Bowl 13-10 1975: 10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS WITH OKLAHOMA), #9 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into final game of season, lost 35-10 at Oklahoma, lost Fiesta Bowl to Arizona State 17-14 1976: 9-3-1 (4-3-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - lost at home to Missouri 34-24, lost 20-17 to Oklahoma, beat Texas Tech 27-24 in BlueBonnet Bowl 1977: 9-3-0 (5-2-0 Big 8), #10 coaches, #12 AP - lost 38-7 at Oklahoma, beat North Carolina in Liberty Bowl 21-17 1978: 9-3-0 (6-1-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CO-CHAMPIONS), #8 coaches, #8 AP - beat Oklahoma 17-14, then lost the next week at home to unranked Missouri 35-31, and lost to Oklahoma in Orange Bowl re-match 31-24 1979: 10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), #7 coaches, #9 AP - undefeated going into last regular season game, lost 17-14 at Oklahoma, then lost Cotton Bowl to Houston 17-14 1980: 10-2-0 (6-1-0 Big 8), ##7 coaches, #7 AP - lost to Oklahoma 21-17 in last game of season that decided Big 8 title, beat Mississippi State 31-17 in Sun Bowl 1981: 9-3-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #9 coaches, #11 AP - 37-14 win at Oklahoma, lost Orange Bowl to Clemson 22-15 1982: 12-1-0 (7-0 Big 8, BIG 8 CHAMPIONS), #3 coaches, #3 AP - beat Oklahoma 28-14, beat LSU in Orange Bowl 21-20 That's the first 10 seasons under Tom Osborne. 3-7 against Oklahoma in the regular season, 0-1 against Oklahoma in bowl games. 6-4 against a Missouri team that upset the Cornhuskers several times when Nebraska was highly ranked. 2 conference co-championships, 2 outright conference championships. 6-4 bowl record, 0 national championship game appearances. Good enough to keep Tom around for 1983? Dare I say that Tom Osborne might actually be fired in today's college coaching climate due to some big game losses and no national championships?

Tennessee ran Phil Fulmer out of town...and I bet many fans in Knoxville today dream of the glory days of the Volunteers under his leadership.

Sure, when you count the three titles. I'm asking you to look at 1973 to 1993 pre-title run. You're telling me you'd openly back keeping a coach that long with no national championships, right?

Given the close proximity to Canada and the number of Canadians playing college hockey, I think a nice tribute would be the singing of "O Canada" at all UND home games. Yes, I'm serious...

They didn't win 3 consecutive titles, but you're openly giving a pass to Osborne for 20 years of national title failure...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHSaHRd4Q48 Kudos to Toronto Maple Leaf fans for lending their help - and voices - at a recent game during a microphone malfunction. It's one thing to hear a crowd sing our national anthem...quite another to hear a crowd FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY sing in. Gives me goose bumps...

So you have no problem with the 24 year gap between national championships as long as the team is winning conference titles? Florida's a different story...

I concede that point. Would you be in favor of keeping Pelini as head coach had that incident not happened?

R-E-L-A-X. After about week 2, the Packers were left for dead and the Patriots were done. Neither of those teams make the Super Bowl. You heard it here first.

Nebraska won titles under Bob Devaney in 1970 and 1971. Tom Osborne became head coach in 1973. He won his first national championship in 1994. How long was Bobby Bowden at FSU before winning it all in 1993? Same situation. Neither of those guys would last five years at those schools today without a national title. I'm no Cornhusker fan, in fact, I'm probably a hater of their football team on a level with Notre Dame. I just think it's a shame that the game has evolved to the point of make-us-a national-champion-or-you're gone.

How long did it take Osborne to win his first national championship?

Legendary Tom Osborne was 12-13 in bowl games...

Ve're here to...BUMP! You up.

I'm gonna play devil's advocate, darell...we're now in the day and age of canning coaches for going 9-3 in the regular season?

I'm going to add another coach to the hot seat list: Al Golden of Miami

If I was king, no NFL team would raise a division championship banner for anything worse than a 9-7 record.

I vaguely recall that...what was the story again? Wasn't it an OT loss?

LOL! I thought Rockhurst was clearly the better team as well.

It's usually a good day for your team when you return not one but TWO blocked punts for TD's.

Duly noted. You're right, Kill will generate some interest from other programs.

Ummmmm...one of his teams did (2011).

Who cares? I am more curious about your perspective on Missouri high school football...

That scoop was leaked to me yesterday by YaneA. gfhockey is losing his touch.

No way. I think Jerry Kill is happy in Minneapolis and likes what he sees in his Gopher program.