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>> “Why is Bo Pelini out of a job and Kirk Ferentz isn't?” The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel asks the question and comes up with a rather bizarre answer:

The Huskers still have a great fan base (so does Iowa, by the way) and a huge stadium and lots of money and great expectations. But Nebraska has lost its recruiting base, has lost its national cachet and has lost its status. Playing Nebraska once meant playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now it's playing the Cincinnati Bengals. Not a bad team. Capable of beating you. But nothing to be scared of.

If you know that's what you are, you're not firing a coach going 9-4 or 10-4 every season. If you still think you're the Tom Osborne Huskers, you go looking for the next Osborne.

Meanwhile, Iowa knows it's Iowa. The Hawkeyes make a major bowl about every 7-10 years. The 2009 Hawkeyes made the Orange Bowl. The 2002 Hawkeyes made the Orange Bowl. The 1990 Hawkeyes made the Rose Bowl. The 1985 Hawkeyes made the Rose Bowl. The 1981 Hawkeyes made the Rose Bowl.

Hawkeye Nation realizes that. Iowa doesn't think Ferentz ought to be 11-1 when he goes 8-4. Doesn't think Ferentz should coach the Hawkeyes past Wisconsin on a regular basis.