Sipple: This won't cut it against USC

Lincoln Journal Star:

Sam Keller called it a “character win.”

Nebraska no doubt showed toughness in holding off Wake Forest.

It was a nice win for the Huskers. A good win. It’s difficult to complain too loudly after you beat the defending ACC champions on their home field. It’s easy to feel good about a Husker program that has won four of its last five true road games.

So why were all of those Big Red fans gnashing their teeth after Nebraska’s 20-17 triumph Saturday?

The answer, at least in part, is that Nebraska probably doesn’t win the game if injured Demon Deacons quarterback Riley Skinner is playing.

Another part of the answer sits next to my computer: It’s the 2007 Southern Cal football media guide. It shows a handful of the Trojans’ top players with their arms folded and sleeves rolled up. They’re staring at you as if you had just degraded their mothers. They already look like NFL players.

USC’s defense features a mere 10 returning starters and the best linebacker crew in the nation. Trojan quarterback John David Booty someday will be slinging lasers on Monday Night Football. Five — yes, five — of USC’s running backs could go down with injury, and the Trojans’ depth is such that coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t wince.

Is Nebraska ready for all this? Are the Huskers ready to bring down the great beasts of the West? Is Big Red ready for a resounding Saturday night in prime time?

Let’s go to the latest evidence. There’s a resounding 52-10 win against Nevada on Sept. 1 followed by the hard-fought, back-alley brawl against Wake Forest. Yes, those were good wins for Nebraska, nice wins.

Trouble is, “good” and “nice” typically don’t cut it against top-ranked USC. The No. 16 Huskers need to discover a quick way to transform into “great” and “nasty.” They were neither against Wake Forest. They looked like, well, a 9-3 team or maybe even an 8-4 outfit, hence the teeth gnashing by all those Husker fans outside Groves Stadium.

These ultra-devoted Husker backers obviously have lofty expectations in Year Four of the Bill Callahan era.

Indeed, this season is about Callahan’s program taking the proverbial “next step.” In large part, that means picking up a breakthrough victory or two against highly ranked teams. The Huskers came oh, so close last season. That’s why Husker fans now are licking their chops. They’ve been eyeing this USC game for months.

Indeed, here comes Nebraska’s first big chance to break through in 2007. Here comes the ESPN “GameDay” crew. These moments are fleeting. Husker fans are smart enough to understand the magnitude and urgency. They’re smart enough to understand that this is one of the biggest games to be played in the big house on Stadium Drive. Grown men this week will fantasize about a Big Red victory.

If Nebraska plays like it did against Wake Forest, beating USC will remain only a fantasy.

After producing 2 rushing yards in a loss last week at Boston College, Wake Forest gained 236 on the ground against Nebraska. The Demon Deacons dazzled with end-around plays. Their speed was troublesome for NU. The Huskers struggled to get off of blocks.

What’s more, Wake Forest twice burned Nebraska with deep passes — though speedy wide receiver Kevin Marion dropped one of them.

Nebraska’s offense produced 373 yards, but had three turnovers. At one point in the game, the Huskers had fallen short on four straight third-and-2 plays. Ouch. Sam Keller finished with two interceptions and lost a fumble on a botched exchange with center Brett Byford. Double ouch.

“Our offense has not played totally in sync like we’ve seen in practice,” Keller said. “We’ll just go back to the drawing board and watch film. We’ll learn from it and be humble. But at the same time, we’re going to enjoy this game.”

Yes, Nebraska did a lot of nice (there’s that word again) things on both sides of the ball. Zackary Bowman came up with a huge interception. The defensive line — regarded as a question mark entering the season — made big plays in the red zone. The Huskers snuffed out Wake’s last-gasp try for glory in the final two minutes.

What’s more, Keller was masterly operating the two-minute drill that led to a crucial touchdown just before halftime.

“I was proud of all the guys,” Keller said of the drive. “The protection was great. The guys were in the right spots. The holes in the defense — we always had someone in them. It’s just a matter of finding those holes and being in rhythm.”

Keller has yet to find his rhythm consistently through eight quarters. But credit him for resiliency. He’s a gamer.

Make no mistake, this was a good “character” win for Nebraska. Winning on the road requires a certain toughness, especially against a BCS squad. The Huskers’ recent road prowess clearly marks a sign of progress in Callahan’s program.

“This was a game where problems happened and we all just said, ‘We’re going to win it,’” Keller said. “We came out of it with a ‘W’ and that’s all that matters.”

Well, not quite. This game in many ways was about the next game — the one ABC is showing in prime time.

Ready or not, here come the Trojans.