I said new level. I didn’t say high level.

Instead of wondering about whether Nebraska’s defense can stop Iowa State’s Seneca Wallace or if the Cornhuskers can move the ball on the Cyclones, we’re now playing "The Newspaper Headline Game," "The Bulletin Board Game" and "The I-Wish-My-Senior-Center-Had-Kept-His-Big-Mouth-Shut Game."

That became obvious today when the Omaha World-Herald carried a story on its website that was headlined "News media’s presentation of comment angers Solich’’

After covering Nebraska Coach Frank Solich’s appearance at the Big Red Breakfast in Omaha, reporter Elizabeth Merrill wrote that "It has been a long two weeks since (Nebraska’s) 40-7 loss to Penn State, two weeks of questions about the Huskers’ heart and the direction of the program.

"In the early morning forum that is usually reserved for the typical chatter of the depth chart and quarterback Jammal Lord’s progress, Solich spent a good deal of time Thursday talking about problems with the news media and downplaying a bulletin-board comment from one of his captains about this weekend’s game with Iowa State.

"In Wednesday’s editions of The World-Herald, John Garrison, a senior center, said, "We’re not going to lose this game.’’ Solich took exception to the headline that ran with the story that said, ‘NU center guarantees victory’

"In Thursday morning’s online edition of the Des Moines Register, a similar headline ran – ‘We’re not going to lose,’ Nebraska captain guarantees’

"Local television and radio stations also used the phrase ‘guaranteed’ victory.

"Garrison made the comment at Nebraska’s weekly press conference Tuesday.

"’It was heard from a lot of people,’ Solich said, ‘and it wasn’t something that, when he made the remark he made, that everybody’s hair stood straight up. People just accepted that in the flow of the total remarks of his that this team will do whatever it has to do to win: ‘We will win.’

"’And he was coming from the standpoint that he has confidence every time he lines up on the football field that we’re going to win. I don’t want a player that doesn’t feel that way. I don’t think any coach does.’

"Some are saying Saturday’s 2:37 p.m. game in Ames is the most important one in Solich’s five years as Nebraska’s coach. Iowa State, which has been on the wrong end of nine straight Husker beatings in the series, is ranked higher in the Associated Press poll than Nebraska and is a one-point favorite.

"Obviously, the last thing the 3-1 Huskers need going into Ames is bulletin-board material.

"’Now you understand a little bit why as coaches we’re very leery and don’t jump up and down to be interviewed,’’’ Solich said. ‘It’s also why we’re not jumping up and down to have our players be interviewed.’

"Meanwhile, back in Ames, ISU Coach Dan McCarney and the Cyclones aren’t saying much about Garrison’s comments.

"I’ll give you Dan McCarney’s response – ‘No comment’ said Tom Kroeschell, Iowa State’s sports information director.

"Kroeschell also said that no player would comment on the matter. But do they have Garrison’s quotes hanging on the bulletin board?

"’I don’t know what they have in the locker room,’ Kroeschell said.’’

Kroeschell handled that well.

I have no idea if the newspaper clipping of Garrison’s quotes is on any of Iowa State’s bulletin boards either, but count on it that any Cyclone who is interested in such things has seen what Garrison said.

All of them can buy or borrow newspapers. All of them can read.

"But....

"’We’re not going to lose this game,’ Nebraska’s senior center and tri-captain said Tuesday. ‘Iowa Sate is excited, and they should be excited. It would be a big step for them to win. I just can’t see it....’’’

A number of readers responded to the World-Herald about what Garrison said.

"Just what NU needs: Someone opening his mouth instead of just going out and performing on Saturday,’’ one reader wrote.

Interesting, isn’t it, that it’s a Nebraska coach who is suddenly telling reporters how to do their jobs and what one of his players meant when he said something?

Rarely has Nebraska had to resort to such things in the week of a big game. When Bob Devaney and Tom Orborne coached the Huskers, the Big Red pulverized opponents week after week, regardless of what the players said.

But these are different times for the Nebraska program. The Huskers closed the 2001 season with a 62-36 loss to Colorado and a 34-17 loss to Miami (Fla.) Then came the 33-point clobbering at Penn State on Sept. 14.

Suddenly, it’s Solich who is on the defensive.

Suddenly, people are wondering if he knows how to coach.

Suddenly, playing Iowa State isn’t as much fun as it used to be.

You may recall that Fred Barr, a 242-pound Hawkeye middle linebacker who evidently doesn’t care what he says about the next opponent, said, "I hate them’’ when asked about Iowa State.

The Cyclones wound up beating Iowa, 36-31, for their fifth consecutive victory in the series.

However, with the game having been played nearly two weeks ago, Ferentz reacted totally different to what Barr said than what Solich said about Garrison’s comments four days before the Iowa State-Nebraska game.

Ferentz said he’s not running a "total dictatorship’’ in Iowa City.

"I’m not going to censor our players,’’ he said. "I give advice to players, then they take it where they want.’’

However, Ferentz added that he "always thought actions speak louder than words.’’

Ferentz said he feels what players say about the other team is often overplayed.

"It still comes down to playing the game,’’ he said.

"But if you say you don’t like the opposition, well....why would you (like the opposition)? That’s stating the obvious.’’

Ferentz said he "didn’t wince’’ when he learned of Barr’s comments.

"I think it’s a reflection of the world we’re living in right now,’’ he said. "I’m surprised more players don’t say things that I’d probably say would be better left unsaid.’’