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Memorial Stadium, Lincoln — Outlined against a blue September sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as Bo, Zac, Roy and Ndamukong.
Oh, sorry. That one's already been taken.
OK, how about this: In the land of pickup trucks and cream gravy for breakfast, down where the wind can blow through the walls of a diner and into the grieving lyrics of a country song on a jukebox, they played a football game that was mainly for the folks sipping wine from paper cups in the skyboxes or Husker fans making their first appearance at Memorial Stadium.
I seem to have read that one somewhere before, too.
No matter. Here on Throwback Night, celebrating 300 straight sellouts at Memorial Stadium, I was hoping to channel my inner Dan Jenkins and come up with something that would have made the late, great Wally Provost proud.
But as nostalgic as I feel right now in an Oscar Madison jacket, I'd like to take this time and space to look ahead, not behind.
Like, say, Missouri.
Big game weeks are here, and that's weeks, as in the next 11 days. That should be more than enough time for Bo Pelini and Gary Pinkel to over-scheme, the media to over-hype a Big 12 North game and Husker and Tiger fans to brawl from the comfort and safety of their home computers.
This Oct. 8 clash under the ESPN lights shapes up as big fun and a toss-up game that should come down to who makes plays and handles the pressure and who doesn't.
Who should be favored? Your guess is as good as mine. Big 12 media tabbed NU as the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 North, but that was back in July, before anyone knew that Blaine Gabbert was Ben Roethlisberger's little brother, or ESPN knew Zac Lee's last name. In fact, that vote was certainly more a recognition of who Missouri lost from last season and Kansas' league schedule. And it should be noted that a whopping 32 people voted in the poll, including 25 from Grand Island.
What does it all mean? We start to find out in 11 days.
But I think we've seen several reasons Nebraska can win this game, or at least feel better entering the Tigers' den than it has in years.
1. Virginia Tech 31, Miami 7. The Hokies are a legit ACC favorite and national contender again, and this is a team the Huskers outplayed and should have beaten last weekend. Without question, this is the best nonconference opponent for either NU or MU.
2. Missouri can't stop the run. The Tigers can do a lot. Gabbert looks very good (though not necessarily fast). Pinkel has been stockpiling playmakers. And though Illinois and Nevada don't look good, MU is 4-0. The program has learned how to win the games it should.
Still, watching Nevada run through and around Mizzou on Friday night, it was hard not to imagine Roy Helu and Co. doing more severe damage — on a night when ball control will be a necessity.
3. Nebraska's 55-0 dismissal of Louisiana-Lafayette, which should not be construed as anything but comfort food for the soul. Or, in this case, hangover food.
The Huskers suited up everyone but Dennis Claridge, and almost everyone played. Zac Lee got his pass percentage mojo back, Helu dazzled us, there was a pass interception for a touchdown and the first shutout in three seasons.
There was good news on the injury front, as safety Larry Asante and corner Prince Amukamara had scares but should be OK — though safety Rickey Thenarse may have no such luck.
Nebraska will have to do everything right to leave Faurot Field with a victory for the first time since 2001. But for the Huskers, it was good to know they still could do everything right — even if it was against Louisiana-Lafayette. And on a night when they shot fireworks and showed highlights of glory days, it felt the way most every Nebraska football game used to feel.
“As the game wore on, we found ourselves looking around and saying this is pretty cool,'' Lee said of the 300th celebration. “We're going to be an answer to some trivia questions.''
Whether he was talking about the past or the future, we'll know soon enough.
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