FanHouse Nebraska

Last Year: 9-5, Unranked

Fans Are: Sanguine, like every other spring, but anxious to see if the Huskers can take the next step in 2007.

Expectations: Win the Big 12 North. Beat USC or Texas. Contend for a BCS Bowl.

Questions:

1. What's going on at the running back position?

No one really knows right now, and what in the world happened to all of the depth? Brandon Jackson parlayed a strong second half in 2006 into an early exit for the NFL. Marlon Lucky was hospitalized for a curious medical emergency in February and both Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson continue to recover from injuries. Lucky and Glenn should be available for the spring, but it might be August before things really clear up.

Whoever wins the job (and stays healthy) should get a lot of work. Nebraska RBs have combined to account for an average of 403 carries over the past two seasons. If Lucky and Glenn are both available, the Huskers will have a nice 1-2 punch. Without Lucky or Glenn, the picture is less clear. Sophomore Major Culbert, a safety in 2006 will start the spring at RB and early enrollee Marcus Mendoza will also get a look.

Auburn's designation as the road team in this year's Cotton Bowl will go much deeper than the white jerseys they'll be wearing. When Auburn lines up against Nebraska on New Year's Day, it can expect to see a wave of red in the stands.

The Cotton Bowl has sold out for five straight years and is expected to do so again this year - no thanks to Auburn. Nebraska says it will sell nearly 30,000 tickets to the game. Auburn has yet to sell its initial allotment of 12,500. In contrast, last year, the Tigers sold out its first allotment of Capital One Bowl tickets in a few days and had to ask for tickets twice more from the bowl organization.

So why the lack of interest this season? There appears to be a few reasons. Obviously, Dallas can't compare to Orlando when it comes to entertainment. Then again, who really can? The weather has also scared some people away. Dallas has been known to get sub-freezing temperatures on New Year's Day. This year, if the weather trends continue, it could be warmer than Orlando last year.

Another problem with ticket sales is past performance. If you made the trek to Orlando a year ago, you're probably still waiting on your refund from Coach Tuberville. Auburn was simply horrible. A lot of fans spent a lot of money and felt ripped off. Count me among them. Auburn will need to play better before fans return to these games.

Finally, the 10:40 CT start is a little early for some - most notably the Auburn football team. The Tigers are 2-2 in games started before noon this year. Combine that with fans having to get up at the crack of dawn after the biggest party night of the year and it's just too much.

Besides, there's nothing better than sitting laying on the sofa and watching bowl games all day, especially when Auburn is first up.

It seems that UNC quarterback Joe Dailey is not the only North Carolina quarterback with Nebraska ties. The state of North Carolina has quite a unique connection when it comes to quarterbacks and the Cornhusker state. Joe Dailey transferred from Nebraska to UNC and is currently battling for the starting quarterback job. Curt Dukes left the Huskers to join the Duke Blue Devils, and Harrison Beck recently departed Lincoln in search of greener pastures at NC State. Ironically, the quarterback that Beck had trouble unseating at Nebraska was none other than former Wake Forest quarterback Zac Taylor.

Speaking of quarterback battles, it appears that Dailey is neck-and-neck with redshirt freshman Cameron Sexton to be the starter. Dailey will probably get the nod on opening day against Rutgers due to his experience, but don't be surprised if Sexton takes over by mid-season. Sexton has a stronger arm, and Dailey had a history of poor decision-making during his time at Nebraska, so it remains to be seen whether this has improved under a new offensive system.