LINCOLN — Nebraska had just defeated Kansas on a chilly afternoon in Lawrence, and as the last of the NU players disappeared into the locker room where they would savor a hard-fought victory, a vocal Husker fan, likely speaking for many in red outside the locker room, was focused on something else altogether.

Before the Huskers had even hit the showers, the fan was working hard to whip some fellow Husker-backers into a lather as if a bigger game were only minutes away.

“Bring on Texas!”

The middle-aged man pumped his fist.

“Bring on Texas!”

And soon came the report of a small band of Husker fans.

“BRING ON TEXAS!”

Yes, some Husker fans were already focused on the presumed Big 12 championship opponent, conveniently forgetting that about 30 minutes earlier, their team was losing to Kansas by a point in the fourth quarter.

There was also the matter of a full game yet to be played against a quickly improving Kansas State team and coaching legend Bill Snyder, not to mention a game at potential roll-killer Colorado.

Yawn ...

“Bring on Texas!” went the chant.

Well, Texas likely will be waiting for someone. Whether it's people in red or purple remains to be seen.

And despite all of the presumptions outside the locker room (witness Vegas' double-digit point spread favoring NU on Saturday night), inside the NU locker room there appears to be an appropriate amount of focus on what (barely) got Nebraska to this point.

Here's what NU running backs coach Tim Beck told a group of Husker boosters on Friday morning about today's game: “You've just got to come out swinging and keep swinging. And in the end, the last guy standing, he's the winner. We've talked with our guys about going in with that mentality.”

Didn't sound like a coach who had already started looking at Texas film.

In fact, there is a sense of urgency that surrounds the NU camp. Despite all of the things seemingly in the Huskers' favor — home game at night honoring the seniors on a national stage — there's a realization that NU has yet to show it knows how to deal with expectations.

Which begs the question: How are the Huskers handling the expectations brought to bear by the fan base?

According to Zac Lee, they are ignoring all of the hubbub.

Getting caught up in the distractions, Lee said, would only aid the perceived underdogs, who, he points out, happen to be playing for the same North trophy.

“Really the thing that worries me is that (Kansas State's) in the same situation we are,” the junior starting quarterback said. “It's one game for the season, for your main goal to win the North. Just when you're in that situation, I think you're a dangerous team.”

Lee and his teammates have forgotten about the preseason skepticism (the media picked KSU fifth in the North back in July). And they're not blinded by the Wildcats' inauspicious start, when they sandwiched two road losses at Louisiana-Lafayette and UCLA between two lower-division wins.

Lee said Kansas State's four conference wins and a never-say-die effort at Oklahoma validate the Wildcats.

“It's not who you were at the beginning of the season, it's who you are now and who you are through all of Big 12 play,” Lee said. “They're in the same situation we are, so it's obviously for a reason.”

Still, the pressure seemingly is on Nebraska.

No matter what happens Saturday night, most believe that the Wildcats took a step forward this year. Snyder may have already wrapped up the conference coach of the year award for his turnaround effort.

On the other hand, NU's up-and-down 2009 might be defined Saturday.

Just ask defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh how much this game means. He refused to explore the possibility of having his senior night spoiled with a loss.

Would it ruin the season?

“I don't even want to think about losing that game,” Suh said.

According to senior safety Matt O'Hanlon, coach Bo Pelini has been telling his players that Saturday night's game is “for all the marbles.”

Pelini himself wouldn't say at his press conference on Tuesday whether a loss to Kansas State would make him look back on the season with regret, but it's obvious to him that outsiders believe what happens Saturday will make or break NU's season.

“Believe me, in the fans' mind and the media's mind, I'm sure it will. It can and possibly will,” he said. “That isn't quite the way I look at it. Either way, I don't get too high or too low no matter what happens. The success or failure of the season is going to be on a full body of work, and that's not quite done yet.”

With Pelini in charge, there's little big-picture talk in the Husker camp. The focus is on Kansas State, which Pelini expects will provide a big challenge.

Bring on Texas?

Let the fans chant. Inside the NU locker room, there's a lot of lifting to be done.

Lee says this week's practices were “very focused.” O'Hanlon said his teammates were making extra efforts to stay tuned in mentally.

Any lapses on Saturday night, O'Hanlon said, could be costly against an opportunistic and well-coached K-State team.

“They're a good team,” O'Hanlon said. “They're going to come in here ready to play, and they're going to play hard. We have to out-match their intensity.”

And if they can do that, then maybe they can start their own Texas chant.

Contact the writer: 402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com

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