College Football Week Six Recap: Is the Big Red Dead?

By Nostradamus

With a heavy heart, and my tail between my legs, I bring you Week Six’s recap in College Football.

So, what did we learn? 

The Big Red might be officially dead. Mizzou is legit. USC is still USC. Ohio State isn't done yet. Vanderbilt is the best story in the country this year, and the distance between the "haves" and the "have-nots" in the Big 12 is bigger than the Grand Canyon.

Nebraska

On Saturday, my beloved Huskers got their proverbial heads handed to them early and often. No less than 59 seconds into the game, I witnessed Jeremy Maclin (above) streaking down the sideline untouched for a 58-yard touchdown reception.  Less than a minute into the game, and it was over.

By halftime the humbled Huskers were down 31-10, and the 30-year Missouri drought in Lincoln, NE was all but done.   

This one hurts badly. Last year it could be dealt with. This season we were going to restart our proud tradition by bringing in our savior in Bo Pelini. Sadly, it is a new guy but the same results. Husker fans at least expected us to compete this year.

We can handle a loss, but this wasn't just a loss. It was a beating like none we have ever seen at home in over 50 years, and that included a last second TD to make the score a "respectable" 52-17.  

Is the Big Red officially dead?  Maybe. I hate to cry for such dire results after the fifth game of the new regime, but the coaching isn't any better than it was last year. Will it improve? Hard to say.

However, as a lifelong Husker fan, this loss felt different. It felt like it very well could be the final dagger in our collective hearts for a very long time. After 11 years of obscurity, it very much looks like we are looking forward to 11 years of the same, or sadly even more.

And if the actions of players spitting on Chase Daniel and chucking balls at them before the game are true, we might well deserve it.

Missouri

I doff my cap to the Tigers. They are a very good football team and deserve every ounce of credit for dismantling Nebraska on Saturday.

Chase Daniel, Derrick Washington, Jeremy Maclin, Jared Perry, Danario Alexander, Tommy Saunders, Jimmy Jackson, and Chase Coffman form one of the deadliest offenses in all of college football. They made it look easy on Saturday. Too easy.  They may be just that good.

With upcoming games against Oklahoma State and a visit to Texas, they'll get to show if they are the "real deal" or not. I expect them to show very well.

USC

The 600-pound gorilla got up off the turf and delivered Oregon a humbling 44-10 defeat. Many still consider this team the best of the best in college football.  Can they keep from stubbing their toe again for the rest of the year? Keep your focus, Trojans—you are still alive in the national championship hunt.

Ohio State

Do you still hate the Buckeyes? Well, they aren't going anywhere, and they are still the team to beat in the Big Ten—Penn State included. Terrelle Pryor is the freak that many expected him to be, and with Beanie Wells alongside, they form the best backfield in the entire Big Ten.

But it won't come easy. Road trips to Michigan State, Northwestern, and Illinois loom, along with home games against Penn State and rival Michigan.

Don't count the Bucks out just yet. They will keep getting better as the season rolls along. With the Golden Child at QB, they should be able to make a run at the national title game yet again—whether we like it or not. 

Vanderbilt

Every year we have a team that rises to the challenge even though the deck seems to be stacked against them. The Commodores are that team in 2008.

On Saturday, they found themselves down 13-0 against preseason SEC West favorite Auburn. Then their star QB Chris Nickson went down with an injury. Obviously, it was time to panic in Nashville.

Not so fast. Backup Mackenzi Adams came in to lead two TD drives to put the 'Dores in the lead, and then they relied on their stingy defense to shut out the Tigers over the final 48 minutes of the game.  They aren't winning pretty, but they’re winning.  

With an offense that is ranked 114th in the nation, Vanderbilt sits atop the SEC East with a 3-0 conference record.  Can they keep this miraculous season going?  With upcoming games @ Georgia, vs. Florida, @ Kentucky, vs. Tennessee, and @ Wake Forest, it doesn't seem likely.

Nevertheless, stranger things have happened, and this team is dialing up all the right buttons so far. Hand the Coach of the Year trophy to Bobby Johnson right now.

Big 12

In 2008 it is simply a story of the "haves" and the "have-nots." Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech, and maybe even Oklahoma State look to be head and shoulders above their other seven Big 12 brethren.

Last week these teams beat conference foes by the following scores: 52-17, 49-17, 58-28, 56-28, and 38-14.  The sad reality is that all but one of those games was on the road.

Give the four heavyweights their credit, and maybe even Oklahoma State, but the bottom seven are leaps and bounds away from making this conference the best in the country.

Tulsa

Time to give the Golden Hurricane some...

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