LINCOLN, Neb. — Life is sweet for the Nebraska Huskers at 7-0. It would be for any team. It may have come with its fair share of criticism for Nebraska but that doesn’t make the Huskers any less 7-0.
Just how sweet is it? Well, it’s the first time Nebraska has started 4-0 in conference play since 2001. Head coach Mike Riley has also never started a college year at 7-0 in his career. Yes, you could call the Huskers’ current record a bit sweet if you wanted.
The Huskers won’t relish the record for too long, though. Wisconsin and Ohio State loom ahead, both providing an opportunity for Nebraska to show just where it belongs in the national conversation.
“We want to prove something and this is the time to prove it,” wide receiver Stanley Morgan Jr. said. “I have no… I don’t care what other people are saying. It’s a test that we need.”
Morgan is not alone in that thought process. His teammates echo his sentiments, hammering home the point that they don’t want to look too far ahead.
“We’re very excited, we’re very confident, but you don’t want to jump the gun a little bit, you want to take it one day at a time,” wide receiver De’Mornay Pierson-El said. “First, let’s get to Monday, then after Monday, let’s get to Tuesday, and just continue what we built to build our success, so just take it one day at a time, one play at a time.”
For safety Kieron Williams, taking it one day at a time also means approaching every week the same, regardless of opponent.
“We just try to approach it like we approach this week,” Williams said. “We just are getting ready to see the weapons that they have and do our best to try and extinguish those weapons and make plays on the ball. I know our offense will do well. We will just do our best to be 8-0 by this time next week.”
Wisconsin and Ohio State both provide an entirely different challenge for Nebraska. Both are ranked teams, with the Buckeyes at No. 2 and Wisconsin hovering right around Nebraska. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. sees it as an opportunity.
“We’re ready for anything,” Armstrong said. “You’ve got Wisconsin and Ohio State. And playing more teams after that. We have to treat it like any other week and look at it as being a big game as any other game. We prepare each week to win. We are going to prepare as much as we can and go out and try to get a win.”
Plus, the Huskers aren’t going to think about being 7-0 for too long. For players like Morgan, Nebraska might as well be starting over each and every week.
“It’s good but I go into every week again 0-0,” Morgan said. “Records don’t really mean anything to me.”
With the next big tests ahead, the Huskers have plenty of work to do. What specifically needs preparation before Wisconsin?
“Everything,” Armstrong said.
Yes, it’s sweet to be 7-0. For Nebraska, it’s even sweeter to just keep winning which means once again, it’s time to get back to work.
Erin is the Deputy Editor and Digital Marketing Strategist for Hail Varsity. She has covered Nebraska athletics since 2012, which has included stops at Bleacher Report, Cox Media Group’s Land of 10, and even Hail Varsity (previously from 2012-2017). She has also been featured on the Big Ten Network, NET’s Big Red Wrap-Up, and a varsity of radio shows nationwide. When not covering the Huskers, Erin is probably at Chipotle.
