Don't start. Just don't, O.K.

Nebraska is soooo big and soooo strong and there's no hope. Nebraska's No. 8 in the nation. Nebraska's won three games already. Nebraska's this big and mighty football team. Ooohh.

Let it go already will ya? Does anyone realize how silly this all sounds? Anybody out there?

Sure, Nebraska won three games, two of them decidedly, but look who those wins were against -- cupcakes. Arizona State, Troy State, Utah State, all of them worthy of a Tastykake factory. Two of those opponents, Troy State and Utah State, aren't even established enough to play in conferences.

Oooohh, so they play in the scary Big 12 conference with Texas and Colorado. Yeah, well so do Butler and Kansas.

And this Cornhusker standard of playing the weakest of the weak extends beyond the opening weeks. Oct. 5 this same No. 8 team in the nation will be staring down the always dangerous, straight from Div. I-AA's Southland conference, McNeese State.

This schedule makes Penn State's standard punching bags, like Akron, look downright respectable. But what about the argument it's not the opponent, but the performance (not that it did anything for Tulane last year)? Well, have you seen the games?

First and foremost, the team needed a pair of punts returned for scores in order to pull away from Troy State in a game that saw Nebraska enter halftime with a two-point lead. The numbers of I-back Dahrran Diedrick, the Big 12's leading rusher last season, are down from this point last season. These defenses have all the toughness of Cool Whip and he's not keeping up with last season's numbers. Sounds like a reason for Penn State fans to panic to me.

Oh, but the defense, the defense, won't somebody please show the 'Huskers' poor opponents some mercy. Yes, the Blackshirts have allowed a total of 39 points, but the teams they've played, aside from being just as pathetic as previously stated, all run one type of offense: the spread.

Yeah, yeah, the spread has been the "in" thing for a couple of years now (by the way, shouldn't some new offensive trend be starting soon?), but do you think opponents the quality of Nebraska's really have the precision passers and receivers necessary to properly execute the offense?

I don't, but maybe I'm just stupid.

And by the way, that spread offense, it means an empty backfield on a lot of plays. When was the last time Penn State had an empty backfield? This is the place where the shotgun is revolutionary, the place where the three-receiver set is groundbreaking. Going with an empty backfield. Please.

Hopefully, all the supposed pessimists out there saying the Lions need to play the perfect game if they want to win are still reading. Let me tell you something -- they don't.

Perfect is a pretty high standard. Sugar Ray Leonard needed to fight the perfect fight to beat Roberto Duran; Colorado didn't need to play the perfect football game to beat the Cornhuskers last season.

In fact, playing a game with a couple of flaws, the Buffaloes still ran through Nebraska in easy fashion. Whether Penn State is as good as last year's Colorado team, you can debate among your friends, but regardless of your answer, the Lions don't need to be infallible to win.

So what do the Blue and White have to do if they want to win?

Cut tailback Larry Johnson loose by giving him the ball 30 times while fullback Sean McHugh punches big holes in the line. Have Zack Mills hit a big play downfield every now and then to keep the 'Huskers from stacking up defenders in the box.

On defense, the Lions just have to stop the run, especially quarterback Jammal Lord, until he proves he can throw the ball.

Does that mean Penn State will win? Well, no.