First off, I want to congratulate the players and coaches on the win over Michigan State. The coaches, even perhaps in their error, deserve to feel good about something. This season has been tumultuous to say the least, for fans, players, coaches.
But I'm of the opinion this win couldn't be any more fundamentally worthless and detrimental to the Nebraska program. Wins like the one we witnessed last night are exactly what kept Mike Riley around Oregon State for 14 years.
Humor me for a moment:
1998 (5-6): Oregon State 44 #15 Oregon 41 - OT
2005 (5-6): Oregon State 23 #18 Cal 20
2006 (10-4): Oregon State 33 #2 USC 31
*beat #2 team in country, but lost to unranked Washington State (13-6) and Cal (41-13)
2007 (9-4): Oregon State has wins over #2 Cal (31-28) and # 20 Oregon (38-31 in double OT), but lopsided losses to unranked Cincinnati (3-34), Arizona State, UCLA (14-40), and #15 USC (3-24).
2008 (9-4): Oregon State upsets #1 USC, but has losses against unranked Stanford (28-36), #19 Penn State (14-45), #15 Utah State (28-31), #19 Oregon (38-65)
*2009 Quality losses, if there is such a thing, and an overall good season.
2009 (8-5): Oregon State has wins over #24 UNLV (23-21) and #23 Cal (31-14).
*Riley seems to own Cal of all teams, so it's a shame Nebraska can't play them every game.
*Quality win over #20 Washington State - Mike Leach's eventual home
2010 (5-7): Oregon State has wins over #25 Louisville (35-28) #20 USC (36-7), and #9 Arizona (29-27)
*Loss(es) also come from unranked Washington State.
*Quality losses against #6 TCU (21-30), #3 Boise State (24-37), #24 Washington (34-35 2OT), #7 Stanford (0-38), and #1 Oregon (20-37).
2011 (3-9): Oregon State has wins over unranked Arizona (37-27), Washington State (44-21), and Washington (38-21)
*Losses to Sacramento State (29-29 OT), #8 Wisconsin (0-35), UCLA (19-27), #Arizona State (20-35), BYU (28-38), Utah (8-27), #4 Stanford (13-38), Cal (6-23), and #9 Oregon (21-49).
2012 (9-4): Beat #19 UCLA (27-20)
2013 (7-6): Beat no ranked team this year.
*Losses to: Eastern Washington, #6 Stanford (6-20), USC (14-31), #21 Arizona State (17-30), Washington (27-69), and #12 Oregon (35-36).
2014 (5-7): Quality wins over Portland State (what?), Hawaii, San Diego State, Colorado (they're all high), and there it is: #7 Arizona State (35-27). This is what saves Mike Riley.
*Lost to unranked Washington State and Cal. Among others.
Look at the body of work, people, and continue to come back here and tell everyone how Mike Riley "is the guy for the job."
But I'm of the opinion this win couldn't be any more fundamentally worthless and detrimental to the Nebraska program. Wins like the one we witnessed last night are exactly what kept Mike Riley around Oregon State for 14 years.
Humor me for a moment:
1998 (5-6): Oregon State 44 #15 Oregon 41 - OT
2005 (5-6): Oregon State 23 #18 Cal 20
2006 (10-4): Oregon State 33 #2 USC 31
*beat #2 team in country, but lost to unranked Washington State (13-6) and Cal (41-13)
2007 (9-4): Oregon State has wins over #2 Cal (31-28) and # 20 Oregon (38-31 in double OT), but lopsided losses to unranked Cincinnati (3-34), Arizona State, UCLA (14-40), and #15 USC (3-24).
2008 (9-4): Oregon State upsets #1 USC, but has losses against unranked Stanford (28-36), #19 Penn State (14-45), #15 Utah State (28-31), #19 Oregon (38-65)
*2009 Quality losses, if there is such a thing, and an overall good season.
2009 (8-5): Oregon State has wins over #24 UNLV (23-21) and #23 Cal (31-14).
*Riley seems to own Cal of all teams, so it's a shame Nebraska can't play them every game.
*Quality win over #20 Washington State - Mike Leach's eventual home
2010 (5-7): Oregon State has wins over #25 Louisville (35-28) #20 USC (36-7), and #9 Arizona (29-27)
*Loss(es) also come from unranked Washington State.
*Quality losses against #6 TCU (21-30), #3 Boise State (24-37), #24 Washington (34-35 2OT), #7 Stanford (0-38), and #1 Oregon (20-37).
2011 (3-9): Oregon State has wins over unranked Arizona (37-27), Washington State (44-21), and Washington (38-21)
*Losses to Sacramento State (29-29 OT), #8 Wisconsin (0-35), UCLA (19-27), #Arizona State (20-35), BYU (28-38), Utah (8-27), #4 Stanford (13-38), Cal (6-23), and #9 Oregon (21-49).
2012 (9-4): Beat #19 UCLA (27-20)
2013 (7-6): Beat no ranked team this year.
*Losses to: Eastern Washington, #6 Stanford (6-20), USC (14-31), #21 Arizona State (17-30), Washington (27-69), and #12 Oregon (35-36).
2014 (5-7): Quality wins over Portland State (what?), Hawaii, San Diego State, Colorado (they're all high), and there it is: #7 Arizona State (35-27). This is what saves Mike Riley.
*Lost to unranked Washington State and Cal. Among others.
Look at the body of work, people, and continue to come back here and tell everyone how Mike Riley "is the guy for the job."
