Can Nebraska Win a National Title in the 2010 Decade?

An interesting question to say the least.

For many a Husker fan, they are asking themselves this very question coming into the 2010 season alone.  However, this question is whether it can happen in the next decade.

Before Husker fans are so sure in their convictions that it is very likley to happen, we also need to look at some reality.

I'll break down this entry into why they can't, and why they can.

I'll start with the negative, and then bring on the positive.

CAN'T:

I'll break it down into five reasons why the Huskers can't be National Champions in the next decade.

1.  Tom Osborne:   Since his departure, the happenings in Lincoln, NE haven't been all that much to talk about regarding football.

Sure, we played in the National Title game under Frank Solich's watch in 2001, but in all reality, that team simply wasn't good enough.  Heck, we couldn't even win the Big 12 much less get drummed by 26 points by Colorado.

Back in 1973, Tom Osborne took over the reins as the head coach at Nebraska in similar fashion to that of Frank Solich.  Bob Devaney had guided the Husker's to back-to-back National Titles in the 1970 and 1971 seasons with the 1971 team still being regarded as one of the nation's very best teams of all-time.

From 1973 to 1993, Tom Osborne held the program in good regard, but never good enough to ever get the ulitmate goal done. 

During his early tenure, he simply could not beat Oklahoma.  It became such a problem, that even the grand old Tom Osborne was held to the fire of actually being done away with many a time.  So much so, that even TO himself thought of leaving Nebraska to coach Colorado in the '70s because he felt they were a state and program begging for a winner.

How right he was. 

During his tenure, he witnessed the rise of Colorado to not only come from being second thoughts on the Husker schedule, to becoming National Champions before his very own Huskers ever held such a title under his guidance.

While Tom was close so many times before (1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983), it wasn't until the 1994 season (22 years after his hire) that he put all those close chances into becoming reality.

A very simple truth is that if the 1970s were the 2010s, Tom Osborne would likely not have had the chance of having 22 years to complete his goal. 

2. Recruiting:   Laugh at all the 4 star's and 5 star's that dominate recruiting talk all you want, but over the past decade there has not been a team that has won a National Title without a Top 10 recruiting class somewhere to be found amongst their team when they won it all.

Not only that, but you cannot find a National Title holder (other than Oklahoma in 2000), that did not have a Top 3 recruiting class to their name amongst the last 10 National Title holders.

You can't.

Nebraska is in a unique position in which they do not neighbor any hotbed of recruiting states  whatsover.  Even during the mid-90s stretch of National Title teams, the Huskers were predominantly efforted with homegrown talent. 

The undeniable current trend is that you need not only Top 20 classes in regards to recruiting, but you also need a sprinkling of some Top 5 or Top 3 recruiting classes as well.

Nebraska will likely never be able to hold up to those standards.  We may be able to pull Top 15 and maybe a Top 10 class here or there, but a Top 5 or Top 3 class looks to be very far-fetched to say the least. 

And from what we have seen over the past 10 years, TOP recruiting classes are what is needed to ultimately get it done.

3.  Big 12:   The conference realignment with the Big 8 becoming the Big 12 has been a complete disaster for Nebraska football.

Go back through the annals of decisions made in the conference and you'll see a number of 11-1 decisions made directly in disregard for Nebraska's best interests.

Face it, Texas is the flagship program in the Big 12.  As much as it hurts to type those words, it is pure reality.

The state that feeds the entire conference the highest number of recruits and players is Texas.

The entire reality of the Big 12 is to benefit Texas.  No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I'm not being facetious; I'm just speaking the absolute truth as painful as it may be. 

4.  Big 12 North:   Who can step up to a National level and give Nebraska respect for beating them? 

Missouri?  Kansas?  Kansas State?  Colorado?  Iowa State?

These are five of the most unrespected programs in a current BCS conference in the entire nation.  Missouri has made great strides towards becoming credible, but they still aren't a Tennesse or Georgia.  Kansas State had a nice run for a while, but nobody gives them much respect now.

While Colorado has won a National Title, there is not a single other program in the Big 12 North that has ever done anything of note on the National scene. 

Most experts/people across the country look at the Big 12 North as being the weakest division in all of BCS football. 

Can you doubt them?

If the Huskers can be thought of as a National power, it cannot come at the expense of five programs in their division that nobody respects.  Just ask Boise State and the WAC.

5.  Bo Pelini:   Is he a great coach, or is he a great defensive coordinator?  Is he the second coming of Tom Osborne, or will he just simply make us good but not great?

In his first stint as a head coach amongst the college football coaching land, he has done some great things.  However, in his first two years, all he has really done is turn a very poor defense into one of the most respected.

While Nebraska has won eight and nine games in our regular season the past two years, who have we actually beat?  Middling teams in Clemson and Arizona?  Missouri?  A five-loss Oklahoma team at home?

Offense?  A completely different story. 

In order to win it all, you need to have a team that is cohesive.  A defense and offense that compliment one another.  That has yet to be done at Nebraska under Bo's guidance.

Now for the positive. 

1.  Tradition :  There is not a single program in the entire Big 12 with more tradition than Nebraska other than...maybe Oklahoma.

With five National Championships, three Heisman Trophy winners, and the winningest program in the country over the past 50 years, Nebraska has a lot of bold statements that it can make.

The current record of 304 consecutive home sellouts along with the second most consensus All-Americans in the Big 12, Nebraska is as good a story to tell as anybody in the country.

2.  Been There Done That:   Yep, as stated before, it isn't like this would be the first time Nebraska won an actual National Title. 

While the history of these championships may be 13 years removed, it wasn't like LSU, Alabama, Texas, or Oklahoma, had great success before they rose again.  The 'latest' championship that any of these teams saw before the 2000s was Alabama back in 1992, which was before Nebraska's five year run of greatness.

Over the past 30 years of college football, only one team has won more National Titles than Nebraska. 

Miami.

During that stretch from 1992 to 2010, we have undoubtedly seen LSU, Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma have some 'bad' years as well, yet to rise again as being National powers. 

Is Nebraska as it is now, completely devoid of having the resources to make it happen? 

3.  Bo Pelini:   Yes, he was mentioned as a negative, and now a positive. 

He has brought about a strong defensive attitude that Nebraska fans haven't seen since the glory run in the mid-90s. 

Can he also make the offense click? 

Absolutely. 

Tom Osborne was an offensive genius, but he was also respectful that his defense had to be great as well.  While Tom led and courted his staffs towards those that would lead them well, I can only expect Bo to do the same with the Husker offense.

4.  Big 12:   Find another conference with more National Championship entrants during the BCS alignment of college football? 

You can't. 

The Big 12 has had seven with the mighty SEC only gaining six.  No other conference can claim more than three.

While it may seem to be unjustified, it is reality. Win the Big 12, and you have a 7/12ths chance of playing for it all.  

Win the Big 12, and you have a legit shot at winning it all.  Can you do it when you get there?  Another story.  But at least you have a realistic chance.

5.  10 Years/Cycles:   While we are in a current 'SEC' cycle of dominance, that will likely change over the next decade. 

The one constant over the past 50 years has been Nebraska football. 

During the past 50 years, there has not been a program more ready to compete for National Titles year in and year out other than Nebraska.

Even during a decade of futility, Nebraska only saw two seasons in which they had a losing record, and only three seasons in which they did not gain at least nine wins.

During this decade of futility, there were only 11 other BCS teams that earned nine wins or more for seven of the 10 years this decade:  Florida, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, and USC.

Not bad company. 

As "bad" as it got, did it really get that bad?  109 other FBS schools would likely argue, including the entire Big 12 North.

Can Nebraska win a National Title in the next decade?