By 
Spring practices are already in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it, which means you’ll have an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you understand what to expect this coming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 college football preview.
#22 – Nebraska Cornhuskers 8-4 SU; 6-5 ATS
Fargo’s Take This will be the third year of Bill Callahan’s West Coast offensive experiment, and it will be a big one. The Huskers finished a disappointing 96th in total offense last year after finishing 69th the year before. Offenses are supposed to improve in the second year of a new system and not regress, so a big upgrade is necessary or Callahan could be out sooner than expected. It is said that it takes three years for a West Coast crime to click, so time is up. Nebraska has been to a bowl two of the last three years and both were to the Alamo Bowl, so it’s up to Callahan to get the Huskers back to a big bowl game. He’ll have a solid defense to work with and if the offense improves as it should, Nebraska could be on its way back to the glory days. Playing in the Big XII Championship is a goal that cannot be shot down.
Returning starters on offense – 7 Quarterback Zac Taylor excelled last season, passing for a school-record 2,653 yards and throwing for 19 touchdowns. The offense obviously depends on him and he will have no problem executing it. The problem is up front as Nebraska has just one starter returning to the offensive line that allowed 38 sacks last season. Possibly even worse is that the running game has to replace Cory Ross with a running back who has little to no experience. The Huskers finished 107th in the country in running game and for the West Coast attack to flourish, a running game must be established. Sophomores Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn need to step up immediately. Taylor has five of the top six back pass receivers, but getting them the ball starts early.
Returning starters in defense – 7 The Blackshirts improved from 56th in total defense in 2004 to 26th last season and that ranking could improve even more. The defense is listed as the third-best in the Big XII behind Texas and Oklahoma and has arguably the best front seven in the conference. The linebackers are the best unit in the conference with Corey McKeon leading the way. Bo Rudd, Steve Octavian and Stewart Bradley have returned from injury and this unit rivals Penn St. as one of the best in the country. The defensive line is led by wingers Adam Carriker and Jay Moore and in total there are six players who have been placed on all-conference watch lists, which is pretty impressive considering some aren’t even starters. The secondary one, namely safety, is the most important question as both starter motors need to be replaced. The Blackshirts are back.
Schedule Nebraska is fortunate to play in the Big XII North, the weaker of the two divisions. Because of that, the Huskers only have to face three of the teams from the South and this season, two of the three that are off the list are Oklahoma and Texas Tech. Those two handed Nebraska two of their four losses last year. . Another bonus is that Texas has to come to Memorial Stadium. Four of the first five games are at home this season, but that road game is a bear at USC. Nebraska should be 6-1 heading into that game against the Longhorns with a game at Iowa St. being the only other hurdle. After Texas, three of the last four games are wins with a game at Texas A&M the only question. Nebraska doesn’t get a bye week until the final game of the season against Colorado.
You can bet on… The Huskers’ success and whether they can top their eight wins from a season ago is on offense. The offensive line is a big question mark, but at least the first part of the schedule is easy, without USC, which may provide time for the unit to come together. The defense will carry the Huskers from the start. Nebraska is just 3-6 ATS as an underdog on the road since 2002 and will certainly pick up points in Pasadena. To make matters worse, they will be coming off a win against Troy and have only covered 10 of their last 26 games following a straight win. Beating USC isn’t as impossible as it used to be, but it will take a lot of effort to defeat the Trojans who have won 27 straight at home.