Geography plays a huge part in the success of a team in any sport. Homecourt advantage in places like Denver bothers a lot of their opponents. Traveling for away games plays a huge part in the advantages that a squad can get throughout the season. Coach Matt Rhule thinks that his Nebraska football program and the rest of the Cornhuskers' athletes are at a huge advantage. This is after the Big Ten conference expanded its reach at the expense of the Pac-12 conference.

Nebraska football is getting more opponents due to Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten conference. However, Coach Matt Rhule does not think this is a negative aspect of the realignment. He sees it as an opportunity for the Cornhuskers. This is to take advantage of their proximity to other teams, via Barkley Truax of On 3 Sports.

“As the Big Ten has become the national conference with teams from the east and west coasts. We’re in a pretty good spot geographically where teams are going to have to come here and play in cold temperatures and the wind,” he said.

Furthermore, Rhule also adds that these teams that are used to different travel schedules like the Pac-12 conference will have a lot of adjusting to do.

” I think the impact on teams flying from the west coast to the east coast — and more importantly, the east coast flying to the west coast — the research says [jetlag recovery] is a day per timezone,” Rhule concluded.

Will Nebraska football be able to take advantage of its geographical position in the middle of the map?