We discuss the impact last year’s Minnesota loss had on the 2020 season and more in this week’s 3-2-1 column.

It’s hard to forget the impact the 2020 loss to Minnesota had on Nebraska’s season. We discuss that and more in this week’s 3-2-1 column.

1 – It’s hard to forget the impact the 2020 Minnesota loss had

When I think back to Nebraska’s up and down 2020 football season, a lot may have been different if the Huskers just could have taken care of Minnesota on Senior Day.

The Huskers were coming off of their most complete performance of the season at Purdue and were a 10.5 point favorite against the undermanned Gophers, who were fresh off a COVID-19 shutdown.

It was all set up to get a win on Senior Day and then host a Week 9 flex game in Lincoln and head to a bowl for the first time since 2016. Then the game happened.

Minnesota came into Memorial Stadium and punched the Huskers in the mouth. The offense was flat. It was a cold snowy Dec. 12 day and the Gophers left Lincoln with a 24-17 victory, holding the football for nearly 36 minutes and 73 plays. Mohamed Ibrahim ran for 108 yards and Cam Wiley 81 yards on a combined 27 carries.

Minnesota was down around 20 players for that game and they came into Memorial Stadium and wanted it more. That game effectively ended the 2020 season. Yes, the Huskers went out and won at Rutgers the following Friday night, but many players had a foot out the door by that point.

Quarterback Luke McCaffrey opted out of the Rutgers game, as did offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes. Several players also purchased plane tickets Sunday after the Rutgers game to go home for the holidays, making it very difficult to get the team on the same page for a bowl trip.

A lot of guys considered the Minnesota game the end of 2020. Going to Rutgers for a Friday night game with over 10 inches of snow on the ground and no family allowed was just punishment.

Hopefully, Nebraska’s players remember how low things felt after the Minnesota losses in both 2019 and 2020 and they start faster this time around.

2 – The Gage Stenger offer has a Cole Payton feel to it

The offer and commitment of Millard South’s Gage Stenger feels like Cole Payton all over again. Like Payton, Stenger is the top athlete on the best football team in the state. He plays quarterback, but projects at multiple different positions at the next level.

As Stenger starts to do more on the statewide playoff stage his stock is only going to increase, just like Payton a year ago.

The difference is the Huskers called on Payton too late. They waited until after the state championship game ended, which was less than a month from signing day. Payton was a man of his word and said “no” to all Power Five suiters that came calling about him playing outside linebacker or tight end. He wanted to play quarterback at NDSU.

Credit the Husker staff for not walking away from Stenger and keeping tabs on his senior year. Too much of recruiting now is based on junior film or pressuring kids that aren’t ready to commit to filling Power Five spots in June.

Stenger always wanted to go to Nebraska, but K-State was the only Power Five offer he had in June. He had no choice but to take the spot at that time. KSU was upset, but that’s recruiting. To my knowledge, the last local player that turned down Nebraska for K-State was Allan Evridge in 2004.

3 – Nebraska ranked No. 22 in ESPN’s FPI poll despite record

I think a lot of people were surprised to see Nebraska come in at No. 22 on the ESPN Football Power Index poll.

Their 3-4 record obviously would put them nowhere near the top 25, but the metrics of their schedule and losses show they are at that level according to the FPI.

What’s interesting is the Huskers are ranked ahead of three of their final five opponents in the current ESPN FPI. Here’s the full breakdown.

1 – How do you see the Big Ten race shaking out?

The Big Ten race is very interesting now, as the league has five different teams ranked inside the AP top 25, with four coming from the East Division. There are only two total losses in that group and only Iowa and Penn State have played each other. It’s the perfect storm for the league and their television partners to win the Saturday rating wars down the stretch.

Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State all play each other still. Iowa does not play another eastern power from that group.

Realistically, I think you could see an 11-0 Michigan vs. a 10-1 Ohio State at the end of the year. Iowa is going to win the West, and they may have it wrapped up with two weeks to go. I don’t see any way they can be unseated with their 3-0 record in crossover games. They will be favored in their remaining games as well, but I still think they will have a loss in there.

OSU still remains my pick to win the Big Ten. They are getting better each week and, if they win out, they will play themselves back into the playoff picture. The Big Ten also should for sure have three teams in the New Year’s Six, with a very good chance of four. That means a lot of 6 and 7 win type teams will be playing in much better bowl games in 2021.

2 – What does the Stenger commit do to Nebraska’s numbers?

With the Stenger commitment, what does it do to the overall numbers? He is more of a defensive athlete addition right now, and I think you are still going to see Travis Fisher add at least two defensive backs and one to two more offensive linemen from Greg Austin.

The traditional class number still remains around 13. I believe you are also going to see a big push to add a few veteran transfers at key positions of need to help balance out the numbers that currently include 49 players on scholarship with freshman eligibility.

I like this match-up for Nebraska’s passing offense. The Gophers have struggled in the back end.

I predict a 100+ yard game for wide receiver Samori Toure on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Sean Callahan can be reached at sean@huskeronline.com and he can be heard each day at 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall and each week he appears on NET’s Big Red Wrap-Tuesday’s at 7 pm.