So tell me what you want, what you really, really want.

A trip to Dallas? (Arlington for our Nat Geo types.) A date with the biggest jumbotron this side of a Japanese arcade in JerryWorld? Two weeks of contemplating vengeance against Texas for 1996?

Then finish it Saturday, in a game that won't test Nebraska's talent as much it will its patience.

Let's be blunt: Kansas State, 6-5 and clawing for its postseason life, is a shade more talented than Iowa State. The Wildcats remain, 11 games into their season, a work in progress. It's Ron Prince's parting gift to leave behind an undersized-if-energetic defense. The offense has two key playmakers – Brandon Banks and Daniel Thomas – who have to account for the lion's share of KSU's yards and points. Quarterback Grant Gregory is a better story – sixth-year transfer from South Florida makes good – than he is player.

Bill Snyder's 2009 team is not terribly unlike his last one in 2005. Fairly stingy at home. Weaker on the road. Run-heavy. Patient. Opportunistic on the special teams. But not a great team - and not one that should, with everything that's at stake Saturday, beat Nebraska, on Senior Day.

A loss for the Cornhuskers on national TV – with a berth to the Big 12 Championship on the line – wouldn't be a casual thing. This is, again, one of those defining moments. Good coaches – good teams – find ways to close out these games. Pundits talk about comparing the 2009 defense to 1999. Well, that 1999 bunch stoned top 20 teams – Texas A&M (37-0) and Kansas State (41-15) – in back-to-back weeks to help secure a Big 12 crown. KSU was still undefeated, in fact, at the time of its game with NU.

All the 2009 version has to do to is overcome a thoroughly mediocre Snyder club.

Just a little perspective – before the pressure sets in.

On to the keys:

To the Banks: KSU receiver Brandon Banks is the Wildcats' one true home run hitter. He's the punt and kick returner, for one – and he's dangerous enough in that arena. But his speed makes him sneaky tough to cover on deep routes, and his shiftiness makes him a pain to tackle in the flat. Kansas State tries to get him five-ten touches per game in a variety of ways – screens, sweeps, deep shots, quick slants. Nebraska needs to know where he is, successfully mark him and then – tackle, tackle, tackle.

Power Play: Both teams will line up in heavy formations, try to put “hat on hat,” and grind out clock and yards. And both teams will try to use their playaction passing game off of the power game. And both teams will do so out of a variety of formations, motions and personnel groupings. In short, plan to see two offense with the same goals, equally good running backs, and equally iffy quarterback. The difference?

Front Four: We're about to find out just how good Nebraska's much-praised defensive line really is at accepting the challenge of a straight-ahead running game with a big, talented, physical running back in Daniel Thomas. This isn't going to be a “flash” game for Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick so much as a test of guts, strength, pad level and sheer technique. Again – great defenses eat one-dimensional teams like KSU for lunch. Behind the front four, NU's linebackers – expect plenty of Phillip Dillard, Sean Fisher and Will Compton, and maybe even Eric Martin – need to wrap Thomas and drive with their legs.

Zac Attack: Nebraska fans better hope Zac Lee's strong play at Kansas wasn't a one-week wonder. Not only does Lee need to keep NU in down-positive situations with timely scrambles and smart throws, he needs to continue on an improvement curve toward that game in Dallas, where Texas promises its own brand of nasty.

The Snyder Factor: Snyder is a major storyline in the game. But his best strengths are, in truth, minor, understated touches on gameday.

The man prepares well and gets his assistants to do the same. His offenses usually take care of the ball and rely on field position for points. His defenses aren't flashy from a sacks/tackles for loss perspective, but they tend to have guys in the right place against the run, relying on the athleticism of the secondary against the pass. The special teams are across-the-board strong. KSU conservatively clings like a leech to a small lead.

The Wildcats aim to win the hidden details, all while giving up yards, sacks and style points. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and his staff may be tested by this mindset. Or, the Huskers could jump out in front and run away with a three-touchdown win.

It may depends on which team can taste Dallas the most.

Is Nebraska as good as we remember? Saturday night - two contenders become one.

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[url][/url]Water under the bridge.

That's how Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder characterized a tense post-game meeting between he and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini after KSU's 38-9 win over NU in 2003, when Snyder was on his way to his only Big 12 Championship, and Pelini was the Cornhuskers' defensive coordinator.

Pelini had strong words after the game for Snyder, who kept his starters in despite enjoying a comfortable lead. The extent of the loss was considered by most the final nail in Frank Solich's coaching coffin; Solich was fired shortly thereafter. This past summer, Pelini said he “regretted” the incident.

“We haven't talked about it,” Snyder said during Monday's Big 12 Coaches Teleconference. “I don't think it's an issue. On my part it's not. I hope it's not with Bo. Kind of a heat-of-the-moment thing. Competitive people respond competitively. I'd like to think it's beyond us.”

Snyder spent a good chunk of his time during the teleconference praising Nebraska's defense, which ranks tenth in total defense and third in scoring defense.

“They're every bit what people say about them – and perhaps more,” Snyder said. “They play hard. All 11. They pursue well. They've got speed and quickness to compliment the effort.”

Snyder said Bo Pelini, his brother Carl and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler – who played for Snyder at KSU – have enough shared history together to create a solid, cohesive defensive mindset in a short amount of time.

“They're well ahead structure-wise and implementation-wise and schematically and fundamentally than most teams would be with a staff's that come in,” Snyder said.

Pelini returned the praise to Snyder, who employed Carl Pelini was as a graduate assistant, along with long-time friends Bob and Mike Stoops and Brent Venables.

“I was pretty familiar of what was going on at the time and how far he took that program,” Pelini said. “Really he's done it again. Just goes to show how good of a coach Coach Snyder is. He does a great job; he works hard at it. He gets the kids to be committed, and they play tough, very sound, fundamental football. That's a pretty good equation.”

Pelini singled our KSU running back Daniel Thomas, who leads the Big 12 with 1,166 yards.

“They use him really well,” Pelini said. “They do a good job of getting him the football in places where he can make plays. He's very athletic. He's also very physical and tough. He has nice size. He's a load.”

NU-KSU tickets - for free!

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