Football is near. Can you smell it? Well, we can see it through our crystal ball. And we're kind enough to share with you our visions for 2015 in the Big Ten, revisiting one of most enjoyable projects on the calendar: the best case/worst case scenarios.

Please remember, these are not predictions. We're trying to have fun. These are meant to offer a reasonable ceiling and floor for each team. Don't take it too seriously.

Next up are the Nebraska Cornhuskers:

Best case

A new era at Nebraska is officially here.

Twenty years ago, the Huskers marched into Miami, memories still fresh of three Orange Bowl losses in 11 years to the Hurricanes, and redefined a generation of Nebraska football. On New Year's Night 1995, the Huskers overcame an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win Tom Osborne's first national title as Cory Schlesinger scored twice in the final minutes on the fullback trap -- a play symbolic of the power and precision that fueled Nebraska's greatness.

This time around, the Huskers do it with the jet sweep, a staple in the offense of Mike Riley in his years at Oregon State and now the key to victory in Nebraska's first trip back to visit the Hurricanes since that historic Orange Bowl. Jamal Turner scores twice in the fourth quarter on the same play call as the Huskers rally to win by a familiar score, 24-17, the high moment of a 4-0 non-conference finish.

Nebraska improves to 6-0 with a statement victory over Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium as the Blackshirts hold Corey Clement to 8 yards rushing, a mere 400 fewer than Melvin Gordon gained a year ago in Madison against Nebraska. A week later in Minneapolis, quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. throws four touchdowns, and De'Mornay Pierson-El celebrates his return from a foot injury with a game-winning catch over All-Big Ten cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who robbed the receiver a year ago in Lincoln.

Firmly in command of the West Division and ranked 12th nationally at 9-0, the Huskers attract “College GameDay” to Lincoln on Nov. 7 for the first time since USC visited in 2007. Nebraska leads Michigan State early, but Connor Cook directs the Spartans to victory on the road. Nebraska bounces back to win at Rutgers, playing for the 11th time in 11 weeks, and punishes Iowa on the game after.

It caps a 4-8 season for the Hawkeyes. Meanwhile, the Huskers are headed to Indianapolis for a rematch with the Spartans.

Worst case

Remember that talk about how Riley, at age 62, felt like a much younger man?

It takes just one tough year in the fishbowl environment to change everything.

The Huskers, stung by the August injury to Pierson-El -- a versatile offensive and special teams weapon -- open with a loss to Brigham Young, snapping the program's national-best 29-year winning streak in home openers. Nebraska falls again at Miami as Brad Kaaya torches the secondary for 380 yards and four touchdowns. The 78-year-old Osborne, watching at home in Lincoln, falls asleep in the second quarter. He awakens at 4:45 p.m. to eat dinner but does not watch the second half.

The Huskers lose to Wisconsin for the fourth time in five Big Ten meetings as Riley falls to his former pupil, Paul Chryst. On the same day, Youngstown State, led by former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, upsets FCS power Illinois State.

Nebraska loses at Minnesota; no one celebrates in Minneapolis. Northwestern beats the Huskers on a Hail Mary. Discontent mounts during an ugly showing against Michigan State. The home losing streak reaches four games as Iowa rolls to victory on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium to earn the Hawkeyes a trip to the Big Ten championship game and likely secure league coach-of-the-year honors for Kirk Ferentz.

It all amounts to a five-win season in his first year at Nebraska for Riley. The coach finally feels his age and contemplates retirement back in Oregon, where life seems much simpler.