If you are one to plan way ahead, and briefly allow yourself to peer as far into the distance as next autumn, the eye is naturally drawn first to how the race course ends.
When it comes to the Nebraska football schedule next season, basically miles 16 through 26 of the marathon look like they’re straight uphill with no water breaks. From Oct. 31 to Nov. 27 next year, the Huskers will take this on: at Ohio State, Penn State, at Iowa, at Wisconsin, Minnesota.
You don’t need a full roster rundown of who’s coming back from those teams, or next summer’s Phil Steele magazine, to recognize that’s tough stuff.
But as this championship Saturday in college football unfolds, you might also notice something else. All the non-conference teams on the front of Nebraska’s schedule ahead are still playing football.
After a season-opening Big Ten home game against a Purdue team that should bring in a fresh and healed Rondale Moore and Big Ten Freshman of the Year David Bell, the Huskers will host Central Michigan, South Dakota State and Cincinnati for their September challenges.
Maybe that list reads as a shoulder shrug in some years past, but nothing is such after Nebraska just finished 5-7, 4-8 and 4-8 the past three seasons. And all those teams will be coming off successful 2019 campaigns, as evidenced by this Saturday.
Central Michigan is 8-4 and playing in the MAC Championship today against Miami (Ohio). South Dakota State is 8-4 and playing today