Welcome to this edition of

                             First Downs and Second Guesses

                          Blog #194 - August 2021

       It's August, so that means NCAA college fall sports are beginning.  Football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, women's volleyball, women's field hockey, and men's water polo.

The most anticipated fall seasons in Nebraska are Husker football, Husker volleyball, and NCAA Division II and NAIA sports.  Nebraska football again shot itself in the foot while losing to Illinois, 30-22, in the opening game of the season for both teams.  Two missed extra points, a safety, and a quarterback fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the second quarter proved too much to overcome.  It was the first game for an Illinois coaching staff that was just hired in the spring, which makes the loss even more prickly.

The Husker volleyball team, loaded with freshmen from the #1 recruiting class in the country, beat Colgate and Kansas State on opening weekend.  The third team invited to play was Tulsa, which had to cancel its trip to Lincoln because of a Covid-19 outbreak within the team.

Midland University volleyball remains unbeaten while beating the #1 ranked NAIA team along the way.  Concordia University and Bellevue University volleyball are also nationally-ranked.  Creighton University and University of Nebraska-Omaha men's soccer teams are slated to contest for league honors.

Covid-19 is still wreaking havoc with teams.  This season, though, leagues have set forfeiture rules for teams not being able to complete because of the pandemic.  Hopefully, that shakes up enough people within athletic departments to get players and staff vaccinated.  

There are also mask mandates to be worn indoors at all college campuses in Nebraska.  Elementary, middle school, and high school students are also being asked to protect themselves and others by getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and social distancing once again.

Fall sport seasons on college campuses are an exciting time.  But there can be no letdown regarding the needed steps to keep physical health protections in place.  If you go onto a college campus this fall, make sure you follow all campus rules.  Wear the masks.  Get vaccinated.  Stay socially distanced.  The fate of the fall sport season rests in your hands.

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