Nebraska Football: Defense Betrays Cornhuskers in Win over Fresno State

(An artistic representation of the Fresno State post-game meeting between Bo and Carl Pelini. Image originally located here.)

Welcome to another edition of the Husker Hotwire, the sometimes-weekly, sometimes-funny look at Husker athletics!

The staffers at the Husker Hotwire love the opportunity to reference Shakespeare. That love does not come from any great inherent interest in literature, of course, although regular Hotwire readers have probably already figured that out. Instead, Shakesperian references can be used to make an otherwise obvious and pedantic argument sound erudite.

So, what to make of a Nebraska performance where the offense scores 42 points and has to sweat out a victory over a mid-table WAC team like Fresno State? What to make of a game where that mid-table WAC team gouged the Blackshirts for 444 yards of total offense? Where Robbie Rouse established himself as fourth on this list of opposing ball carriers gaining yards in Memorial Stadium?

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Nebraska's defense, especially its run defense, was supposed to be unquestionably good. It was a given that a Bo Pelini defense would be rock-solid and could carry an offense with a rookie coordinator and a scheme based on a feast-or-famine quarterback in Taylor Martinez.

Against Fresno State, things didn't exactly go according to plan. The offense (eventually) put up enough points to win the game, but was put into a position where it had to because the defense kept surrendering yards and points to a mid-table WAC team. Over the last two years, Nebraska fans became uncomfortably familiar with being disappointed by the offense. But being disappointed by the defense? That was a pain no one saw coming.

Et tu, Blackshirts?

Does that failure to meet expectations rise to the level of Brutus' betrayal and murder of Julius Caesar? Well, probably not. But it's close enough to give the Hotwire an excuse for a Shakesperian reference and to take another shot at fooling readers into thinking the staff is far better educated and well-read than it actually is.

Forsooth. Verily. Anyone buying it yet?

BeeOneGee Conference Update

We at the Husker Hotwire are committed to provide you with ongoing coverage of Nebraska's new opponents in the B1G Conference. Hawkeye Hotwire reports a surprising amount of relief after Iowa's 44-41 triple overtime defeat at the hands of in-state rival Iowa State. Not for losing the game, of course, but for the realization that Iowa will not have to display the autograph ball passed off as an "interim trophy" after the first new trophy didn't go over so well. Given what the Cyclones did to the trophy after their win, apparently, they hold the same opinion of the autograph ball interim trophy.

Around the Hotwire Network

Sooner Hotwire has heard reports that it's a done deal about Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the Pac-12, and have heard reports that Oklahoma is "nowhere near a move" to the Pac-12. One of those reports is from a media outlet with significant ties to Texas, a school that could be hurt by Oklahoma leaving the Big 12. But that wouldn't affect said media outlet's coverage of the Oklahoma-leaving-the-conference story, right?

Buckeye Hotwire reports that the owner of the tattoo parlor that triggered a scandal which got Jim Tressel fired and Terrelle Pryor off the team is set to be sentenced for unrelated money laundering charges. Because given how Ohio State is playing to start the season, it appears Buckeye Hotwire can continue it's summer plan of not reporting on football.

Bronco Hotwire reports that Boise State has been put on three years probation and scholarship reduction by the NCAA for numerous violations and a lack of institutional control. Which sounds terrible, but still doesn't rise to the level of the Mountain West Conference's decision to prevent the Broncos from being the Blue Man Group on their blue home field.

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