Nebraska's recent slip in the rankings has fans buzzing, but there's plenty to be optimistic about as the Huskers look to regain their footing. After spending a solid seven weeks in the top 10, Nebraska finds itself at No. 12 in the latest AP rankings, following a split week that included a tough 57-52 loss at Iowa. Despite the drop from ninth, Nebraska is still in a strong position, nestled between Virginia and Michigan State.
The Huskers' record shows resilience, with three of their four losses coming against top-tier teams: Michigan (ranked 3rd), Purdue (8th), and Illinois (10th). Meanwhile, in the USA Today Coaches Poll, Nebraska holds the 10th spot, just a notch down from last week.
Here's how the AP Top 12 shakes out:
- Duke
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Iowa State
- Houston
- UConn
- Florida
- Purdue
- Gonzaga
- Illinois
- Virginia
- Nebraska
Saturday's committee reveal placed Nebraska at 11th in the Top 16, securing a spot on the 3 seed line. This is a promising sign as they continue their season.
Nebraska bounced back in style with a dominant 87-64 victory at home, showcasing their ability to handle adversity. With Kansas, ranked just ahead by the committee, dropping their game, Nebraska is poised for upward movement. Sitting at 23-4 overall and 12-4 in the Big Ten, the Huskers have a chance to keep climbing with an upcoming home matchup against Maryland before heading west to take on USC and UCLA.
The win against Penn State was a testament to Nebraska's focus and determination. Building a lead as large as 28 points early in the second half, the Huskers showed they could reset and execute their game plan effectively.
As Sam Hoiberg wisely noted, "When you have a few rough games, you can start to panic and then go away from what worked in the first place. We just had to get back to what got us to this point.
We had pace. We didn't change our game plan; we just ran it better."
With this mindset, Nebraska looks ready to tackle the challenges ahead and continue their journey in the rankings.