ANY GIVEN SATURDAY.

Part of the play value of college football is that, with some regularity, the unusual happens.

Even when some of us expect the unusual.

Northern Illinois beat West Point, West Point just beat Northwestern, Northwestern always gives Wisconsin fits at Evanston, you get the picture.

That was seven weeks ago. Wisconsin, at the time in the hunt for the national title, is now just another inconsistent Big Ten team.  But that's part of the play value.  Wisconsin doesn't play Northwestern this season.  Northwestern had to play Nebraska at Lincoln.

Northwestern's 28-25 triumph over No. 9 Nebraska in its first visit here in 37 years marked the program's first over a top-10 opponent since the Wildcats beat No. 8 Iowa on Nov. 7, 2009.

I like the picture. Never mind the wrangling over whether there's a true national champion in college football, enjoy it for the play value.

Did Nebraska really expect to waltz into the Big Te(12)n and walk away with all the honors?