If ever there was a year for a rebuilding team like Nebraska to face a killer schedule, this would certainly qualify as the year.
Nebraska's 52-17 loss to Missouri on Saturday was a real letdown for Husker fans hoping for a quick turnaround from last year's 5-7 debacle. It was clearly obvious, though, that such a turnaround is going to be difficult, especially considering the strength of the Big 12 conference at this point.
The latest AP and USA Today ratings show that the Big 12 has clearly defined itself as the best conference in major college football. Four conference teams are ranked in the top seven in each poll this week, with Oklahoma and Missouri holding down the top two spots in the USA Today coaches poll.
Texas is ranked fifth in both polls and Texas Tech is sitting at No. 7 in each poll. Nebraska has three of those four teams on its schedule this year, with Texas the exception. And the Huskers face one of those teams this week with a road trip to Texas Tech for a 2 p.m. matchup Saturday in Lubbock.
And it doesn't stop there for the Big 12, as two more teams are ranked further down the list this week. Kansas is 15th in the USA Today poll and 16th in the AP poll, while Oklahoma State is ranked 17th in both polls.
This week's polls are as follows:
Associated Press
1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Missouri
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. USC
9. BYU
10. Georgia
11. Florida
12. Ohio State
13. Vanderbilt
14. Utah
15. Boise State
16. Kansas
17. Oklahoma State
18. Virginia Tech
19. South Florida
20. Auburn
21. Wake Forest
22. North Carolina
23. Michigan State
24. Pittsburgh
25. Ball State
USA Today
1. Oklahoma
2. Missouri
3. LSU
4. Alabama
5. Texas
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. BYU
9. USC
10. Georgia
11. Ohio State
12. Florida
13. Utah
14. Vanderbilt
15. Kansas
16. Boise State
17. Oklahoma State
18. Virginia Tech
19. Michigan State
20. South Florida
21. Wake Forest
22. Northwestern
23. Auburn
24. Wisconsin
25. California
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