Having been born, raised, and resided there for 26 years, I tend to pay close attention to Nebraska football. There aren't any pro teams in the cornfield state. There may be an arena football team, college basketball, etc., but if you ask 100 random people in the state what one sport/team they pay closest attention to, I imagine 99 will say the Nebraska Cornhuskers' football team.
Going into last night's primetime game against Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium, the Huskers were 4-0 and ranked 8th in the country. The Badgers greeted the Huskers into Big Ten play with a 48-17 thrashing of the Cornhuskers. After getting out to a 14-7 lead, Nebraska was outscored 41-3 the rest of the way through.
Now, I don't think Nebraska could have won this game. However, I don't understand their strategy and play-calling. They abandoned their strength, the ground game, WAY too early. That is what vaulted them to a 14-7 lead. But, after Wisconsin scored a touchdown and had an extra-point blocked to close the gap to 14-13 Nebraska resorted to throwing the football and on the very next two possessions, Taylor Martinez got picked off and both turnovers resulted in Badgers' touchdowns to give Wisconsin a 27-14 lead at halftime.
Nebraska was to receive the ball to start the second half. I'm sure they wouldn't panic, would go back to what worked early in the game, re-establish a ground game and try to pull within one score with a touchdown. What did they do? First play from scrimmage in the third quarter, a play-action pass was called and it resulted in Martinez's third interception. Like the other two, this turnover resulted in another touchdown for the opposition and vaulted the Bah-gers to a 34-14 lead and it just got worse from there.
It was kind of funny to have lived in Nebraska for so long and to watch this game. Wisconsin, with their massive and effective offensive line and their studs at tailback, looked a great deal like the Nebraska teams from the '90s, who would wear teams out in the 3rd and 4th quarters in rout to a blow-out. Who'd Nebraska look like? Eh, I don't know. Army?
It will be interesting to see how these Huskers react to this humiliating loss next week when they come back home to play against Ohio State, who will also be playing with something to prove, having lost to Michigan State 10-7 yesterday. With how pitiful the Buckeyes' offense has looked to this point in the season and how porous the Huskers' defense has played, it should make for an interesting match-up.
Going into last night's primetime game against Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium, the Huskers were 4-0 and ranked 8th in the country. The Badgers greeted the Huskers into Big Ten play with a 48-17 thrashing of the Cornhuskers. After getting out to a 14-7 lead, Nebraska was outscored 41-3 the rest of the way through.
Now, I don't think Nebraska could have won this game. However, I don't understand their strategy and play-calling. They abandoned their strength, the ground game, WAY too early. That is what vaulted them to a 14-7 lead. But, after Wisconsin scored a touchdown and had an extra-point blocked to close the gap to 14-13 Nebraska resorted to throwing the football and on the very next two possessions, Taylor Martinez got picked off and both turnovers resulted in Badgers' touchdowns to give Wisconsin a 27-14 lead at halftime.
Nebraska was to receive the ball to start the second half. I'm sure they wouldn't panic, would go back to what worked early in the game, re-establish a ground game and try to pull within one score with a touchdown. What did they do? First play from scrimmage in the third quarter, a play-action pass was called and it resulted in Martinez's third interception. Like the other two, this turnover resulted in another touchdown for the opposition and vaulted the Bah-gers to a 34-14 lead and it just got worse from there.
It was kind of funny to have lived in Nebraska for so long and to watch this game. Wisconsin, with their massive and effective offensive line and their studs at tailback, looked a great deal like the Nebraska teams from the '90s, who would wear teams out in the 3rd and 4th quarters in rout to a blow-out. Who'd Nebraska look like? Eh, I don't know. Army?
It will be interesting to see how these Huskers react to this humiliating loss next week when they come back home to play against Ohio State, who will also be playing with something to prove, having lost to Michigan State 10-7 yesterday. With how pitiful the Buckeyes' offense has looked to this point in the season and how porous the Huskers' defense has played, it should make for an interesting match-up.
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