First downs and second guesses:
Just when you thought the Big Ten had enough traditions and navy blazers, the league announced a “Rivalry Series” for football and men’s and women’s basketball.
The series is sponsored by Venmo, but not because of the league’s penchant for making money. Venmo has signed NIL deals with college football players (including Penn State quarterback Drew Allar) and has partnered with the NCAA in protect athletes from online harassment.
Bully for Venmo. Now, what exactly is a rivalry series?
Better question: how many rivalries can get played every year in a league with 18 teams?
First things first. The marketing concept is a series of designated “rivalry” games that wind through the season, beginning with last Saturday’s Oregon-Penn State game.
Of course. That “rivalry” goes all the way back to the 1995 Rose Bowl.
Some of the games are actual rivals, like the games for the pig, bucket and victory bell (UCLA-USC) trophies. But then there’s Purdue-Northwestern and Michigan-Maryland. Really?
NU has one game in the series, the one with the Heroes Trophy that nobody in the state of Nebraska has ever actually seen.
Iowa is fine. But I would argue that Nebraska has more meaningful history with Penn State and UCLA.
What about Michigan State?
This game on Saturday isn’t on any Big Ten radar, but it’s a renewal of a series with plenty of moments, good games and connections between the schools.
There’s Bob Devaney, the former MSU assistant and friend of Spartan legend Duffy Daugherty. Devaney modeled his Nebraska program after Michigan State and the Big Ten.
There was the Husker landslide in 1995, where Tom Osborne told Nick Saban “You’re not as bad as you think you are.” Not sure if you can fit that on a trophy, though.
Since NU joined the Big Ten, there was the Taylor Martinez comeback in East Lansing in 2012, the 27-22 Spartan win in 2014, the Brandon Reilly game in Lincoln in 2015, the 9-6 snow bowl in 2018 and a pair of three-point losses at MSU in 2021 and 2023.
Of course, there is the connection with Sam Foltz and Mike Sadler, the Nebraska and Michigan State punters and friends who perished in a car accident in July 2016.
There had already been a feeling of respect and camaraderie between the two schools, but they leaned on each other that year to get through the tragedy.
The Big Ten doesn’t need another trophy, but I’ve proposed a punter trophy for the Michigan State-Nebraska series. No, the schools don’t play every year. But in the Big Ten, once in a while seems to constitute a “rivalry.” Hand out the “Punter” when they do play.
This week’s game in Lincoln fits right in, shaping up as a duel between two of the top punters in the league in Michigan State’s Ryan Eckley and NU’s Archie Wilson.
It may not fit the definition of the rivalry series, but for Husker and Spartan fans, the game always entertains.
I can’t wait to see what they come up with for rivals for Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball.
Reshuffling on Nebraska’s O-line
Though the depth chart doesn’t show any changes, Matt Rhule hinted that there could be shuffling at offensive tackle this Saturday.
The hunch here is, Teddy Prochazka and Gunnar Gottula will get the opportunity to atone for the Michigan game but big Elijah Pritchett will be available as a quick insert.
Rhule has shown a willingness to make changes if necessary.
Big Ten and SEC dominate rankings
The College Football Playoff committee will do its own thing.
But it’s worth noting that 12 of the top 15 teams in this week’s Associated Press top 25 are from the Big Ten and SEC — for those wondering why either of those leagues would need four automatic bids to the College Football Playoff.
Meanwhile, Florida State fell from No. 8 to No. 18 after losing to No. 24 Virginia in overtime.
Would any SEC or Big Ten team fall that far in a conference loss on the road?
Reaction to high school column
Heard plenty of reaction on my Class A high school football column, including some fired-up local coaches and administrators who don’t agree with Steve Warren’s idea to have some high schools drop football.
A lot of folks want the NSSA to create new rules that put a restraint on or control the number of transfers in Nebraska high school sports. But I’m sure the NSSA has seen the NCAA’s inability to put “guardrails” on the transfer portal, mainly from legal threats and setbacks in court.
I have to think any attempt to do the same to local high school athletes would be met with the same legal pushback.
No reason for NFL ties
I don’t like ties in the National Football League.
The Dallas-Green Bay game deserved a winner.
Surely they can come up with a way to decide games that go beyond one overtime. A field goal contest. A two-point conversion duel. Jerry Jones vs. Micah Parsons.
Thoughts on Ryder Cup
The next U.S. Ryder Cup captain needs to sign on for four years.
The team needs new structure and continuity. A plan. Or a better plan.
When you have a U.S. Open venue like Bethpage, set it up like a U.S. Open. That would have suited more of the USA players’ games.
Is it just me or does it take away from the Ryder Cup rivalry that some of the European players live in Florida and play on the PGA Tour?
One more and I’m outta here
A big salute to Henry Cordes, legend of the World-Herald and local hockey rinks, who is moving on to new challenges and stories.
And, Cordes says, maybe a book.
I’ll buy it.