Western Michigan - Forecast

This is how I see the game unrolling.

Memorial Stadium will be a mad-house, but it will be a short-lived madhouse unless the huskers supply some fuel the crowd's fire.  The fans, like the team has forgotten how to stay in a game for 3 1/2 hours.

NU will win most all aspects of the kicking game, but WM will pull off an unsettling punt return for some big yards.  Mimimal on kick returns becuase Ali will generate touchbacks and good coverage.

WM has a passing game - big QB, a TE that would start for us and a good recieving core.  Their line is not as experienced as ours.

NU will do every thing possible to generate a rushing game - we'll hear after the game that team goal was 300+.  Our tackles will be playing against the strength of their somewhat weak defense.  Look for Ganz to take a sack and a good number of hurries.  It won't be a Zach Taylor beat down, but he'll get hit.  We'll see if this generates happy feet and if Watson has to keep in the TE and backs for protection.

WM has a good set of starters, but lacks our depth.  We'll use a lot of bodies - partly to keep fresh, but mostly because we aren't sure who our starters really are at virtually EVERY position.  QB, Center and maybe 3 of the 4 D-line are definitely our best, but after that - it's some toss ups.

Expect to see a lot of Lucky.  He'll be used most because he can be on the field for virtually any formation - including ones where he's split out.  Expect to see multiple I-backs on the field at the same time.

As mentioned earlier - our special teams are going to look very good.  WM doesn't have depth and depth drives special teams.  Do expect a screw up on a punt return but also expect a bust out kick return.  They do not have a great kicker and will either gimmick kick a lot or we'll be set for big returns.

Predictions:

Either a special teams or defense score (at minimum a set up for an offensive "gimme")

Lucky well over 100 rushing/recieving combined.

Other I-backs will combine for 100+

Ganz has 10 rushes

The game will start off with WM giving us a few fits on Defense - generating some yards, maybe even a score on a missed assignment.  If WM is smart, they will gimmick play us a few times to catch our safeties in run support.  WM will run more play action than expected.  It's all about getting us to mess up so they can bust a big score early.  They will try very hard to jump to an early lead.  WM has success in BCS games by building a lead - this won't be a conservative "hang in there" effort.

In the first half we'll get a fumble or a pick and the crowd will go nuts.  This will lead to a score and cause WM to start looking at the crowd and wondering about their safety. 

First Quarter score NU 7 WM 7

NU on offense will rush the ball and do spread option with Ganz for some success, but will be rusty and self-implode a time or two until the defense or special teams gives them a gimme and the crowd blows out the WM defense for a series.

WM offensively keeps coming with a disturbingly successful balance to the attack and drives down the field repeatedly but settling for field goals and loss on downs in the red zone.

Half time score

NU 21 WM13

NU comes out fired up, but mistake prone and gives up a couple big plays in the third quarter while the offense begins a systematic steam rolling with fresh linemen, fresh I backs, and an endless supply of hard blocking receivers. 

Score NU 35 WM 23

The fourth quarter turns nebraska's way when the turnovers come NU's way.  The score doesn't reflect the physical dominence because of an NU turnover and mass substitutions as Ganz exits with 15-22 and 157 passing (2 scores) and 67 rushing.  WM gets a trash score at the end to cover the 14 spread but in a "never say die" statement goes for two and generates another turnover for the almost blackshirts.

Final NU 42 WM 29

Comments

[PG]

I think Bo will have the team pretty well stoked up and the defense shuts them down and gives our offense opportunities. This will be like an old-fashioned home opener. 49-14 with the game over by late 2nd quarter.

[PG]

>

I think Bo will have the team pretty well stoked. The defense shuts them down and gives the offense opportunites. It will be an old-fashioned home opener blow out and be over by the 2nd quarter. 49-14

[ronznotes]

I sure hope so. It depends on when momentum jumps on our side because of a turnover. If we make the mistakes and leave them in it, we'll win, but it will take a while to wear them down. But as you say, if things go right - we'll roll 'em like a burrito.

[PG]

We almost rolled them like a burrito, but the burrito flopped open and we spilled stuff on our laps in the second half, alhtough the spill was not too bad.