Nebraska is poised for a very special 2010 season. You’ve heard this from everyone: newspapers, ESPN, college football magazines, even your friends and neighbors. But how do the virtual Huskers fare in the new “NCAA Football 11”?
The following are the results of a simulated season on an Xbox 360, with All-American difficulty and the game’s default roster. And the results might not make many Husker fans happy. Let’s just say “NCAA 11” predicts this season will be a lot like the last one for Nebraska.
NEBRASKA 24, WESTERN KENTUCKY 7: The Huskers came out a bit rusty in the home opener, went into halftime tied 7-7 and didn’t really pull way until late in the third quarter, when P.J. Smith picked off a pass and took it back 49 yards for a score to put the Huskers ahead 17-7. Niles Paul’s 17-yard touchdown catch with just over 11 minutes left in the fourth sealed the win.
NEBRASKA 37, IDAHO 7: Helu rushed for 114 yards and scored all three of his touchdowns in the second quarter to lead Nebraska in a game it dominated throughout. Lee and Cody Green combined for three interceptions, but NU’s stout defense made things far tougher for Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle – he also threw three picks (two to Rickey Thenarse) and was sacked four times.
WASHINGTON 27, NEBRASKA 23: Jake Locker threw two touchdowns and ran for another to lead a Huskies offense that produced 368 total yards and dominated the time of possession. It was Washington’s defense, though, that mattered most in the end when it held No. 6 Nebraska scoreless in the fourth quarter. Burkhead led Nebraska with 34 rushing yards while a hip injury kept Helu on the sidelines for most of the game.
NEBRASKA 63, FCS WEST 7: Because South Dakota State isn’t on “NCAA 11,” No. 13 Nebraska played an equally weak FCS squad and got its offense back on track. Lee threw for three scores and Helu earned player of the game honors by rushing for 148 yards and two scores and adding a three-yard touchdown catch. Prince Amukamara picked off his first pass of the year and took it 42 yards to the house in NU’s 29-point second quarter.
NEBRASKA 37, KANSAS STATE 27: With just over four minutes left in a game tied 27-27, Helu caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Lee to push NU ahead in a back-and-forth battle with the 3-1 Wildcats. The real star of the game, though, was Nebraska tight end Ben Cotton – he exploded for 195 receiving yards on just six catches.
NEBRASKA 16, TEXAS 10: Nebraska gets its revenge, and once again it’s all thanks to the Blackshirts. NU’s defense knocked Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert out of the game with a concussion, and Jared Crick put up his best game of the season: six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks. Alex Henery hit two fourth-quarter field goals to push the Huskers ahead late, and he nailed a 53-yarder in the first quarter.
NEBRASKA 34, OKLAHOMA STATE 3: Helu, the Big 12’s leading rusher, runs for 138 yards on two scores on 33 carries to power a Nebraska offense that broke open a 10-3 game with a 17-point third quarter. Brandon Kinnie added five catches for 141 yards and Young pulled in both of Lee’s touchdown tosses to lead Nebraska, but the No. 7 Huskers suffered a huge setback in the win: Niles Paul broke his elbow in the game, ending his season and his Husker career.
MISSOURI 40, NEBRASKA 21: Wow. Did not see this one coming. Missouri scored 21 in the first quarter and led 34-7 at the half in a game that was never close. MU running back Derrick Washington rushed for 158 yards on 18 carries and Blaine Gabbert threw two touchdowns and ran for another as the Tigers battered NU’s defense to the tune of 494 total yards. The Huskers fall to the No. 15 spot in the national rankings and now trail Missouri in the Big 12 North race.
NEBRASKA 37, IOWA STATE 3: Young goes for 145 receiving yards on five catches and Helu adds 139 rushing yards and a score to lead Nebraska to a 30-0 halftime lead and an easy bounce-back win. Nebraska regained the North lead following Missouri’s 51-39 loss at Texas Tech, and better yet, it landed verbal commitments from the nation’s top defensive end prospect as well as a five-star quarterback from Vancouver.
NEBRASKA 20, KANSAS 3: The Jayhawks shut down Helu, limiting him to 47 rushing yards on only nine carries, but Burkhead produced 131 total yards and Lee threw for 293 yards on an absurd 53 pass attempts. Despite his off day, Helu eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second year in a row.
TEXAS A&M 21, NEBRASKA 16: A&M pulled ahead with seven minutes left in the game on Ryan Tannehill’s 19-yard touchdown catch – his second of the game – to give the unranked Aggies the upset win. Smith picked off two passes, but his performance wasn’t enough to slow down Jerrod Johnson, who completed 28 of 41 passes for 339 yards. The loss drops NU to No. 25 in the polls, and Missouri takes the North lead with one game to go.
NEBRASKA 23, COLORADO 6: Helu got back on track on his Senior Night with 99 rushing yards and Young earned player of the game honors after catching six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. In his final career game at Memorial Stadium, Henery hits on three of his four field goal attempts. Two days later, unranked Kansas stunned Missouri 26-25 to give Nebraska the Big 12 North title. The No. 21 Huskers return to Cowboys Stadium for one final matchup with Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA 35, NEBRASKA 21: The undefeated No. 3 Sooners got a huge game from Landry Jones – 37-for-54, 383 yards, three scores, no picks – and held Helu to a measly 36 yards on eight carries. Nebraska held close for three quarters and sacked Jones six times, but NU’s defense had no answer for big performances by Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray. A week later, Jones finished third in the Heisman Trophy vote. Houston’s Case Keenum easily beats out defending Heisman winner Mark Ingram of Alabama for the honor.
After dreaming all year of making a BCS bowl game, Nebraska (9-4) must settle for an Insight Bowl matchup with 7-5 Michigan on New Year’s Eve. Helu finished fourth in the Doak Walker Award vote, which goes to the nation’s best running back. Helu, Crick, Smith, Jermarcus Hardrick, Pierre Allen and Will Compton earn spots on the All-Big 12 team.
NEBRASKA 27, MICHIGAN 18: Nebraska ended its final year in the Big 12 by knocking off one of its new Big Ten foes convincingly. The Wolverines rallied for 15 in the fourth quarter but had to settle for field goals three times. Young fittingly ended his ridiculous senior season with a 60-yard, two-touchdown performance that earns him game MVP honors. Alabama defeats Ohio State in the BCS title game, and Washington capped its 12-1 year with a 47-13 blowout win over Boise State in the Sugar Bowl.
Following the season, Smith and Hardrick elected to enter the NFL Draft while Crick opted to return for his senior year. Several Husker backups considered transferring but only one left – running back Lester Ward opted to take his talents to New Mexico. Nebraska signed 21 newcomers for its 11th-ranked 2011 recruiting class.
So, what do we take away from all of this?
– Nebraska finished with a 10-4 record and a loss in the Big 12 title game – exactly the same as last year. Were that to happen in real life, it would likely be a disappointing year in the eyes of Nebraska players, coaches and fans.
– Virtual Zac Lee held onto his starting job for the entire year and finished in the top 20 in passing yards nationally. Roy Helu stayed healthy for almost the entire season and finished fifth in the nation with 1,314 rushing yards.
– The surprise of the season was clearly Dreu Young, who ended the year with a team-high 774 receiving yards and nine scores.
– Sean Fisher enjoyed a breakout year with 100 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions, and Pierre Allen had the big senior season he’d been hoping for: 83 tackles (27 for loss) and 9.5 sacks. Prince Amukamara and P.J. Smith tied for the team lead with five picks.
The Huskers finished No. 24 in the postseason rankings on “NCAA 11,” but remember, this was only a video game simulation. Not happy with the results? Feel free to grab a controller and lead Nebraska to that national title you’ve been fantasizing about all summer.