Week 9: Nebraska at Texas

Do you think Texas defensive tackle Frank Okam is exaggerating a tad bit when he talks about the Nebraska game?

“With the tradition that Nebraska has, you have to get excited for these kind of games,” Okam said. “To me, this is a fall classic.”

Is Okam alone in his belief?

This, however, could be considered a classic — classic as in classic example of two teams heading opposite directions.

Texas has won its last two, a nice recovery after losing back-to-back games to K-State and Oklahoma.

Nebraska, on the other hand, has lost three in a row. The Huskers sank to another low in a season already loaded with lows when they fell at home to Texas A&M 36-14. That marked the third home loss in 2007 for them. The last time that happened: 1968.

Coach Bill Callahan, whose hot seat must be burned to a crisp by now, publicly is keeping his chin up at a time heads have to be hanging pretty low throughout most of the Husker Nation.

“You can’t go in the tank mentally, you can’t give up, you can’t point fingers,” Callahan said. “You’ve got to rally your kids and help them through it. I mean, it’s a tough time. We’re struggling. We realize that. We can be a better football team.

“We’re doing everything we can to try and get these kids to play better. They’re receptive in that regard. And we just try to hang together, stay tight, and try to put the best product out there we possibly can for Nebraska.”

If the Huskers want to improve, they might start with their rushing defense. Nebraska allowed 359 yards on the ground to Texas A&M, and now rank 115th nationally.

Texas offensive tackle Tony Hills says the Longhorns are intent on not allowing Nebraska’s woes affect their mindset.

“Every week you have to ignore that stuff, especially the way college football is going right now,” Hills said.

The Longhorns hope to keep at least this streak alive: They’ve never lost in the regular season to Nebraska since the inception of the Big 12. Texas is 5-0.

BOTTOM LINE: Nebraska can’t stop anybody right now, and Texas may not exactly be the solution to the Huskers’ problems. Maybe getting out of Lincoln, where the heat is on, will benefit Nebraska. Or, maybe not.

Texas by 25