Nebraska Keeps Defying the Big Ten, Responding to Adversity With Petulance - Sports Illustrated

Nebraska is in its 10th season as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

It has played 78 league games since relocating from the Big 12 (losing 38 of them).

The petulance: Some fans said the Wisconsin game should be a forfeit instead of declared “no contest,” because (by the thinnest of technicalities), the Badgers could have tried to play.

“If the roles were reversed and the Huskers had (six) players and (six) staff members sitting out with positive tests, would the game be played Saturday?” This, of course, follows the thinking that the Big Ten office stuck it to Nebraska by giving it a tough early schedule.

Only after setting up a deal to pay the FCS school a reported $200,000-250,000 for the game did the Huskers get around to asking the Big Ten if, ya know, anyone would mind changing the previously agreed upon 2020 rules against non-conference games.

That request was put before the league presidents and commissioners on a previously scheduled conference call Thursday.

This led to another in a series of statements from the school attempting to justify a decision that left the rest of the league wondering what Nebraska’s deal is?

And there is this: “We believe the flexibility to play non-conference games could have been beneficial not only for Nebraska, but other Big Ten teams who may be in a similar position as the season progresses.

The ability for all Big Ten members to play a non-conference game if needed could provide another data point for possible College Football Playoff and bowl consideration.” Ah, here Nebraska is trying to sell this as looking out for the best interests of the league.

It was the first school to openly say it would look for ways to play outside the league.

Then, after the conference changed course, Nebraska moaned about the schedule.

Look, it stinks that the Wisconsin game can’t be played.

Within the college football world, Nebraska can find examples of how to be a good league member.

Maybe, Nebraska, if a school has a second conference relationship issue in ten years, it’s a You Problem.