In some ways, Nebraska’s opening game in 1997 is similar to 2021. When they take the field in Champaign on Saturday, college football fans across the country will be keeping an eye on Scott Frost and the Huskers.

The reason why so many eyes will be on the game is what has changed.

Back in 1997, Nebraska was asserting its dominance over everyone that stepped onto the same grass. Frost was running over defenders on his way to a national championship. The Huskers were college football’s premier program.

Saturday is a much different story. Rather than tuning in to see whether or not the Huskers roll up 70 points against Illinois to kickstart a national title run, the country is going to be wondering if it’s Frost’s last first game wearing the “Block N” logo on his collared shirt.

Nobody needs a reminder of the situation at Nebraska, but here it is anyway: Frost is 12-20 in 3 seasons. His team has yet to make a bowl game. The Huskers have a winning record against just 1 B1G West program, Illinois, during Frost’s tenure.

It’s no mystery why Saturday’s game against the Fighting Illini is labeled as the most important of Frost’s career. The result of one game has the chance to dictate the entirety of a season.

No pressure, right?

If Nebraska goes on the road and beats Illinois to start the season, then it’s almost a guarantee it’ll win the next 2 games, against Fordham and Buffalo, and enter the showdown against No. 2 Oklahoma with a perfect 3-0 record. The entire week leading up to the 50th anniversary of “The Game of the Century” will have similar vibes as it did five decades ago.

Whether the Huskers win or lose to the Sooners is almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. If they get through the first 4 games with a 3-1 record, hitting the critical 6-win mark seems almost unavoidable with games against Michigan State, Northwestern, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue over the next 5 weeks.

As unlikely as it may seem based on past performances, it’s within the realm of possibility that Nebraska is 8-1 entering the month of November before a brutal 3-game stretch against No. 4 Ohio State, No. 12 Wisconsin and No. 18 Iowa.

How about that for Frost’s 4th season?

Suddenly, new athletic director Trev Alberts is working on a contract extension for Frost, pounding away at the keyboard faster than the popular Kermit the Frog GIF. It would end all hot-seat conversations.

That’s if Nebraska wins on Saturday. What happens if the Huskers lose to Illinois?

If Nebraska drops its season opener to an Illinois team in transition, you might as well drop Frost off in a sauna in the middle of the desert. His job security is going to be in question for the next month, only intensifying with each tally that gets chalked up in the “L” column.

One loss isn’t necessarily the end of the world for the Huskers, but if they can’t beat the Illini, it’s fair to question where they’ll find those 6 wins to get to bowl eligibility. And if Frost can’t reach the postseason in Year 4, his time in Lincoln is probably ending.

Suddenly, that 5-game stretch against Michigan State, Northwestern, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue seems a bit more challenging. Nebraska is 4-7 against those 5 teams in the last 3 seasons. The Huskers are 0-8 against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa.

It’s fair to wonder if a loss on Saturday is the first indication of history repeating itself. That is, the Huskers falling short of expectations and a bowl berth.

The 2021 version of the Huskers is Frost’s most talented and most experienced team. He’s raved about this team being his favorite to be around. He’s talked about improving on the “little things” that have cost Nebraska so many one-possession games — 12 to be exact — over the past 3 seasons.

Frost and the Huskers are back at the center of the college football world this weekend, but for a very different reason.

Nebraska needs to prove it’s making progress. It will have it’s opportunity, with everyone watching, on Saturday.