Some things never change for Nebraska football

It may be unfair of me, or you, or anyone else, to lump this year’s Huskers in with the Nebraska teams of the last decade. Maybe we shouldn’t blame the current team for its past flaws, even if those flaws are quite similar. This is a completely different group of players and coaches, after all.

And yet, fans of this program remember the sins of the past all too well, and they certainly resurfaced late in NU’s 31-24 overtime loss to Illinois on Friday night.

As everyone celebrated a remarkable feat of 400 consecutive sold-out games, the prevailing wisdom was that the Big Red were on track for a 4-0 start to the season. Until the ghosts of American football past returned.

Critical penalties.

Inability to perform at critical moments.

Wasting opportunities to win.

The worst part is that the way the Huskers played in the first half, anything seemed possible. While Illinois had some success with two kills, it seemed like they needed to go deeper to move the ball down the stretch. The Blackshirts forced a turnover And A turnover on downs. John Bullock forced a fumble and tackled everything in sight. Meanwhile, star quarterback Dylan Raiola put on a show, finding targets all over the field and making NFL throws. The red-clad No. 15 threw a touchdown pass in the final minute before halftime for the third time in four career games.

The complementary formula worked. It seemed easier for Nebraska, and you could feel the program’s trajectory moving upward. that defense and that For the quarterback, anything was possible. Even with a questionable review that turned a Huskers touchdown into an Illinois interception, NU still led 17-10 at halftime. More of the same in the final 30 minutes would result in a hugely satisfying victory.

Alas, this is not yet the case.

Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer dominated Raiola in the second half, finishing 21 of 27 for 215 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime. Altmyer had a complementary running game to the tune of 129 rushing yards in the second half and overtime. It was a different story for the Huskers. Even Raiola couldn’t overcome a one-dimensional attack, as Illinois held NU to just seven rushing yards in the third and fourth quarters. Yes, seven.

The Blackshirts were not only complicit in their defensive defense, but they also committed most of NU’s nine penalties. It was an unusually sloppy performance.

The problem even infected Dylan Raiola, who dropped the ball in the pocket on a fourth-quarter drive. He was decapitated two plays later. The real kick in the butt came when he missed a wide-open Luke Lindenmeyer in the end zone with just 3:07 left. It could have been the game-winning throw on one of the easiest opportunities of the night. Instead, NU missed the field goal and lost the game in overtime.

Raiola made some incredible plays. He’ll make a few in every game. But the fact is, he failed when it came time to win a close game. Fair or unfair, that’s the same fate that befell Jeff Sims, Heinrich Haarberg, Chubba Purdy, Casey Thompson, Adrian Martinez, Logan Smothers, Luke McCaffrey, Andrew Bunch, Tanner Lee… you get the idea.

People will make comparisons to Mahomes (and rightly so) throughout his career. But can Raiola win close games? Until he can, the answer will remain “no.”

It’s inevitable adversity — Raiola knows by now that he’s not invincible. If he can’t touch the open man in the end zone in the final four minutes, his team can lose. His destiny is in his own hands, and he has more control over any other player in the program to guide NU to a comeback. His maturity and leadership will be tested.

That also applies to a seasoned defense that collapsed. Despite forcing another turnover, the Illini offense managed multiple first downs on its other four possessions in the second half. NU lost control of the game because they lost control of both lines of scrimmage. The loss of Turner Corcoran early in the game might explain the offense’s struggles, but why did Ty, Nash, Jimari and company fail? Defenses featuring Cam Taylor-Britt, Garrett Nelson, JoJo Domann and others also failed.

Special teams also continue to be a costly liability. Second-choice kicker John Hohl’s missed field goal will be remembered, but so will poor punt coverage.

Matt Rhule may have a more effective public message, but no matter how much you admire the foundation he seems to be building, he is 1-6 in one-point games at NU. That’s not as bad as Scott Frost, but it’s close!

Now, with Nebraska at 3-1 and their first road trip coming up, I believe we’ll see them take a step forward this season. Don’t feel bad if you’re skeptical. After all, it’s still been eight years since Nebraska last beat a ranked team. It’s also been eight scoreless overtimes since a 2014 win at Iowa. NU still hasn’t beaten a ranked team while ranked in 13 seasons.

Since 1962, people dressed in red have filled Memorial Stadium. Four hundred fans have sold out stadiums, which is an incredible testament to the loyalty of this fan base. Huskers football has been played at Memorial Stadium for over 100 years. The history is undeniable. Past glory is what has led the program to what it is today.

But one day – and soon – it will have to be about herenot the past. Victories, not hope. But for today, hope will have to do.

Some things never change.

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