Hey friends, before I get started. We need to get comfortable with the fact that it is hard to win in the Big Ten. Penn State loses to UCLA yesterday and UCLA is a team that I would have bet would not
have won a game the rest of the season. Enjoy the wins.
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Mitch Sherman tweeted out after Nebraska’s 11 point win over Michigan State that he heard from a veteran coach that the game yesterday was “the weirdest game he/she has ever seen”
It started off fast for Nebraska as they took a 14 point lead after a blocked punt. It looked like they were on the way to an easy 20 point win. But football has a way to flip a game like a coin at a moment’s notice. Michigan State goes on a SEVENTEEN PLAY DRIVE, 75 yard drive for a touchdown. It was helped by a pass interference penalty at the goal line but Michigan State flipped the game.
Then Nebraska was fighting the wind for the next two quarters. In the meantime, Michigan State takes a 21-14 lead and it was “Hello, darkness my old friend. I’ve come to talk to you again.” Except this time, that is not what happened.
Luckily for Nebraska they had the wind at their back in the fourth quarter and Nebraska scored 24 unanswered points (7 from the third quarter).
Nebraska went from looking like choking in a game in which they were a 11.5 point favorite to winning by 17 points (before a last minute touchdown to bring it to 11).
If you want proof that this program is taking steps forward, then I suggest rewatching the game again. Nebraska had a fast start. Things turned for the worse. Nebraska makes plays and pulls away in the fourth quarter for a relatively comfortable win. Oh, and the quarterback for Michigan State is picked by some to go in the first round of the NFL draft.
Progress.
Here is what Matt Rhule had to say:
I think this is a game in previous years we might have lost, or not went the way it went, but we end up with a 17-point lead and then we give up a touchdown and they’re mad afterwards. I like the mindset and where it’s headed. There’s a ton of things we have to clean up, there’s a ton of things we have to get better at. We are not a perfect team, we have to play around all of our things. I also say we show up every week, even when it’s not perfect, our guys show up, even the Iowa game last year you can’t say we didn’t show up, so our guys show up every week, since that UCLA game last year. This is that first game that kind of felt sneaky, even at half time the coaches kept saying come on defense, come on, we need pep talks? I mean, they scored seven points, what are we talking about here? It’s just growing, I thought John Butler was awesome today, like on the headset he was fiery, he was scary almost, like the Philly in him came out. I thought a lot of our guys hunted and played well. Like I said, this team (Michigan St.) scored a bunch of points last week against USC, they’re a good team.”
Now, next week is going to be a bear. Maryland was up 20-0 on a real good Washington team ready to start 5-0 before they gave up 24 straight points and lost. Nebraska goes to Maryland this coming week against a good quarterback. This is an opportunity for another great win. These next four games is when Nebraska proves itself.
And after UCLA beat Penn State yesterday that game all of the sudden looks more winnable.
After Cincinnati dominates #15 Iowa State yesterday, that win looks more and more impressive.
This football program is looking more confident by the week. Which reminds me of a quote I heard from Chris Williamson, “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.”
I’m thinking (and hoping) that Nebraska is beginning to stack that undeniable proof.
THE MORNING AFTER
Steven Sipple: Get used to this type of win, Nebraska fans, because more are coming
Get used to this type of Big Ten game, Nebraska football fans.
That’s my read at the moment.
Get used to wins that might not look exactly like you want.
Get used to winning in ways that aren’t particularly, well, clean and tidy.
Nebraska — at least right now — doesn’t seem to possess the sort of offensive line to hammer away at defenses on the ground and use play-action passes to consistently stretch the field. Remember a few years ago when Husker head coach Matt Rhule told us that’s how he likes his offenses to play.
Nebraska-Michigan State postgame press conference nuggets
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule and a handful of players met with the media following Saturday’s 38-27 win over Michigan State at Memorial Stadium.
Here is a full recap of what they had to say…
Three stars and other key performers: Huskers survive mistakes against Michigan State
It was a strange, ugly game in a lot of ways for Nebraska, but the Huskers still left with a win and a number of Huskers played excellent amid the mistakes and slop.
Those are the players we’re celebrating here and here’s three that stood out for Nebraska:
Fast Takes: Huskers 38, Michigan State 27
Strange game, useful Nebraska football result.
The wind was whipping and Husker fans were rightly kind of surly.
After a fun party to start, with 14 Nebraska points off the jump and guys blocking punts below their belt, Michigan State had scored 21 in a row and scored on a 4-yard quarterback sneak. Ugh.
Nebraska-Michigan State takeaways: Huskers use late surge to bounce back for first Big Ten win
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska scored 24 consecutive late points to beat Michigan State 38-27 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, surviving a scare in a game marred by inefficient offensive play.
Sputtering badly for two full quarters, the Huskers and sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola appeared without answers when the Spartans took their first lead at 21-14 with 1:11 to play in the third quarter.
Michigan State beats itself, falls to Nebraska 38-27
Michigan State won the toss and elected to get the ball. After a touchback, a 4-yard run by Makhi Frazier set up the Spartans in a favorable position, but a dropped pass by Elijah Tau-Tolliver which would have most likely resulted in a first down brought up a 3rd & 6. I will label that as the first crucial play of the game. And on 3rd, Nebraska got home on the blitz to force the early punt by MSU.
