Nebraksa’s Pelini Would Rather Skip FCS Foes

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini says up front that he'd rather not play Idaho State. Cornhuskers fans aren't excited about it either, though out of habit they'll show up 85,000 strong Saturday for Memorial Stadium's 321st straight sellout.

Even the most optimistic Idaho State fan probably doesn't hold out much hope the FCS-level Bengals (1-1) can keep up with the No. 25 Huskers (2-1).

The Bengals will take their lumps and go back to Pocatello with a $600,000 check and memories of playing in one of the bastions of college football.

Idaho State-Nebraska is among more than 100 games this year matching a team from the Football Championship Subdivision against one from the big-boy Football Bowl Subdivision.

In one afternoon the Bengals will earn 5 percent of the $12 million annual budget for their 13-sport athletic department.

Nebraska, for its part, gets a seventh home game. Athletic director Tom Osborne has said that's the number needed to balance the $83 million budget for his 23-sport department.

This is the third straight year Nebraska will play an FCS opponent.

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