Bill Callahan said Nebraska was on the verge of exploding Saturday night against Kansas.

How many of you thought he really meant "imploding?"

I appreciate Callahan's positive spin on an ugly game. And rest assured, it was an ugly game.

But even if the Huskers were a fumble and a missed open receiver away from making a 14-8 game a more aesthetic 28-8 score, does it make you feel any more comfortable about going on the road to face the West Texas Offense?

This game reminds me greatly of 2002, when the struggling Huskers, fresh off a loss at Oklahoma State, headed to College Station. No way, no how could this team beat Texas A&M on the road in that environment.

Of course, Nebraska came from behind to win. Go figure.

And you thought that team was tough to predict.

Prediction? Nebraska's going to need a stellar defensive effort and a low-turnover game from Joe Dailey to stand a chance against Texas Tech. (I'm going to copy and paste that sentence from week to week).

Yes, playing on the road in a hostile environment in a Big 12 Conference game is a concern. A pretty big one, given this turnover-prone offense.

But remember, Dailey's lowest-turnover outing this season — and perhaps his best game overall — came at Pittsburgh. Not exactly a Death Valley-type atmosphere, but a positive sign, nonetheless.

And we're all about finding the positives, right?

Not so Ruud

Barrett Ruud needs eight tackles to break  Jerry Murtaugh's 34-year-old career Nebraska tackle record.

Murtaugh, who coaches linebackers — what else — at Omaha Creighton Prep High School, met Ruud for the first time four weeks ago. He said Ruud's a classy, intelligent young man and a great football player who deserves to hold the tackle record.

During their meeting, Murtaugh found only one flaw in Ruud.

"He kept calling me, ‘Sir,' and that makes me (feel) really old," Murtaugh said. "I had to tell him to stop calling me ‘Sir.'

"He looked at me and laughed and said, ‘Yes, sir.'"

Big 12 North, anybody?

For a conference division that began the season touting two Heisman Trophy candidates, the Big 12 North is sure in shambles.

You'd think that either Brad Smith or Darren Sproles would put his team on his back and help Missouri or Kansas State take control in this jumbled race.

That's not happening. At least not yet.

For whatever reason, Smith is doing more throwing than running. And while Sproles is running, he can't hang onto the ball.

One of these guys will catch fire. Whoever does first will lead his team to the North title.

Stat of the week

Since 2000, the year Mike Leach took over as head coach, Texas Tech has thrown for 21,002 yards.

By contrast, Nebraska has thrown for 21,519 yards … since 1990.

Going deep

Try taking away the long hair and beard. Now, anybody else think Johnny Damon bears some resemblance to Matt Herian?

Speaking of which, let's hope Herian catches as many balls this week as Damon. If not more.

Call me crazy, but something tells me Nebraska wins one of those games it's not supposed to. Nebraska 21, Texas Tech 20.

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.