The mythical overlords of college football finally teed one up for the Huskers, and they in turn took care of business emphatically enough to perhaps allow a day or two of grace and maybe even enjoyment.
Of course, the grumblers will begin loading their chambers for Ohio State and Iowa weekends quickly enough. And if we’re honest, there were still moments of jaws dropping and muttered curses. Pre-snap penalties in each of the first two drives. Glenn Thomas not being heard because his mouth wasn’t
close enough to the headset mic. A timeout burned early. A dropped TD pass. And a couple of questionable 4th down calls on the coaching end.
Just wanted to get that out of the way early as the players seemed to clean up their act early. The offense blazed through Rutgers for a pair of 90+ yard drives as well as 237 yards rushing, 103 by true freshman Jamal Rule who got a lot of them physically – which could be witnessed by Rutgers defenders on the field.
The defense exceeded expectations with a donut on the board as they held Rutgers to 143 total yards. Not much was expected – the Scarlet Knights started their 3rd string QB and had to return to their gametime-decision backup signal caller after QB3 was knocked out of the game. Best player and WR KJ Duff had season-ending surgery earlier in the week.
With these circumstances, the Blackshirts were able to focus on shutting down the running game, and for the most part, they did. They also came up with picks the two times Rutgers threatened. Thank you Caleb Benning and Jeremiah Charles.
The final was 31-0. Along with Rule, there was Anthony Colandrea running things smoothly by throwing for 188 yards and a pair of scores while rushing for 68 and another on the ground. Carter Nelson, whose name keeps popping up more and more, had a pair of TD grabs as well as a 40-yarder which set up another. On the defensive side, it was Vincent Shavers covering for the injured Own Chambliss with 10 tackles.
(MORE TO COME)
1st Quarter
RU – 3&out. 4&1 4yd run 1st. 12yd run 1st. 1&10 -3 run Caleb. 3&out. 40yd pnt, dwnd on 5
– NU – 2&6 NU ill proc 5yds. 2&11 Rule 15yd run 1st. 1&10 AC 18yd run 1st. 1&10 JB 11yd run 1st. 3&2 Rule 4yd run 1st. 1&10 AC 38yd TD pass JB – rvw – overturned inc. TO NU. 4&1 Rule 1yd run 1st. 2&8 AC 10yd pass CN 1st. 3&9 AC 15yd TD pass LL!! 16-94 9:17 – HUSKERS 7 Rutgers 0
– RU – 1&10 21 yd run 1st. 3&7 -2 sack Ochoa 4th. 45yd pnt
– NU – AC 21yd pass LL 1st. 1&10 JR 11yd run 1st. 1&10 FS NU 5yds. 3&9 NU Ill shift pen 5 yds. 4th pnt 31 yds
– RU – -5 sack Whitt. 3&out 48 pnt
– NU – 2&8 def hld RU 10yds 1st. Rule 3yd run 1st. 2&10 JR -4 run. AC 13yd run 1st. AC 40yd pass CN 1st. AC 6yd TD run!! 10-90 4:57 – HUSKERS 14 Rutgers 0
– RU – FS RU 5yds. 3&out. 46yd pnt
– NU – AC 12 yd pass Mozee 1st. AC 13 pass Mozee.
3rd Quarter NU – 4&1 Rule 0yds. TOD
– RU – 17yd run 1st. 18yd run 1st. Caleb INT 39yd ret!
– NU – 2&1 6yds 1st. 2&6 Mekhi 11yd run 1st – targeting review – upheld 15yd RU targeting 1st. Mekhi 10yd TD run!! 4-51 2:17 – HUSKERS 21 Rutgers 0
– RU – 1st dwn. -1 run Donny. -1 pass Dex. 4th 21yd pnt OB
– NU – 3&out. Failed fake punt
– RU – 4&out. TOD
– NU – JR 15yd run 1st. AC 16yd pass LL 1st. 4th quarter. AC 13yd TD pass CN!! 5-57 1:31 – HUSKERS 28 Rutgers 0
– RU – 3&out. 45yd pnt. 5yd RU pen added to end of kick
– NU – 1st dwn. AC 10yd pass JB 1st. Rule 9rd run, def hld RU 10yds+ 1st. AC -5yd pass NH. 4th Hohl 41FG. 8-43 3:16 – HUSKERS 31 Rutgers 0
– RU – rough pssr NU 15yds 1st. 10yd def hld NU 1st. Int Charles 23yd ret.
– NU – 3&out
– RU – SHOTS in Foot:
FS on own 11
Barney drops 38yd TD pass
TO burned, Mozee apprd not to know play
Let’s make it one – Barney takes 2 punts on the 5
2nd FS pen
Ill shift penalty kills 8yd comp
TO burned clock running down
Revealed headset problems were Thomas not having his mouth close enough to the receiver. Why does that take more than one play to figure out??
Open 2nd half by going on 4th & getting stuffed
FAke punt on 4th up 21-0 & another chance to bury Rutgers
