Dave Matter nicely describes what the Big XII North teams are looking forward to this year.
Nebraska is the sexy pick by the media to win the Big XII North this year. I just don't see it. They may have the best DL in Ndamukong Suh, but their defense was anything but dominant last year. The Huskers gave up 24 points to CU (7 of CU's 31 points came on a botched fake field goal, not the D's fault) in the final regular season game and had to get a late field goal by Alex Henery to win that game against the horrible Buffs. They gave up 45 against Mizzou at home (the final was 52-17, but 7 Tiger points came on an interception return by Brock Christopher in the second quarter, hardly the fault of the Husker D).
It's pretty clear to me that the media's infatuation with the Huskers is nothing more than infatuation with Husker tradition. Just like opposing teams used to be enamored with the crimson and cream of the Husker uniforms, so apparently are the media. But Coach Bo Pelini has to actually show me that he has the horses to compete before I can accept they are anything more than a pest on the way to the north title.
My picks in the North for 2009
- KU
- MU
- NU
- CU
- KSU
- ISU