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Still not ready: Nebraska crumbles under bright lights of Big Ten opener

Posted on by angelo
Still not ready: Nebraska crumbles under bright lights of Big Ten opener

LINCOLN, Neb. — Pain is alive.

No freshman quarterback phenom, no veteran-led defense, no sense of rejuvenation under second-year coach Matt Rhule, not even the historic vibes provided by the 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium could carry Nebraska to victory Friday night in its Big Ten opener.

Illinois beat the Huskers 31-24 in overtime. The game ended disastrously for Nebraska, with the Illini scoring twice in overtime and then tackling QB Dylan Raiola three times.

Raiola, the new starter in his fourth game, carried the Huskers for much of Friday night, throwing for 297 yards and three touchdowns. But on a fourth-and-29 in overtime, Raiola hit the turf hard as Illinois linebacker Dylan Rosiek put the final nail in Nebraska’s loss.

“We had to make one more play in the fourth quarter,” Rhule said. “I know you’ve heard that a lot. But that’s where we’re at.”

Nebraska finished 40 yards from the first down in overtime. It was outgained 79 yards to 1 in the fourth quarter. Illinois imposed its physicality on the Huskers after halftime. Nebraska’s kicking game let it down. The Huskers’ defensive intensity waned as the night wore on.

Nebraska looked tired.

We were led to believe that this team had exceeded many of these objectives.

An opportunity presented itself Friday. With a national audience captivated on Fox and Rhule’s rebuild seemingly in full swing at a third school over the past decade, Nebraska missed the chance to announce its return as a contender.

The wait continues. Nebraska (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) has yet to score in overtime since 2014, a stretch of eight games. It has yet to beat an AP-ranked team since 2016, a streak of 25 consecutive losses.

The 24th-ranked Illini gave 22nd-ranked Nebraska what seemed like the right opponent at the right time to make a leap forward. Before the Huskers could challenge Ohio State or USC, they had to clear that hurdle.

It seemed manageable.

At the end?

“I felt the same as usual,” junior defensive back Marques Buford said.

As 86,936 fans filed out of Memorial Stadium, they felt the same sadness that has filled the stadium many times during a seven-game losing streak. The fans, on a night of celebration, played a prominent role Friday.

Rhule said this week that he and the Huskers felt a responsibility to “do our part.”

Well, the fans were there again, as they have been for 62 years. The drones and light show at the start of the fourth quarter never looked better.

And the Huskers fell flat. The offensive line collapsed in overtime.

It’s hard, yes.

Nebraska played without its starting left tackle, Turner Corcoran, who was injured in the first quarter and did not return. Freshman Gunnar Gottula took his place and jumped early before the first snap of overtime. It marked the beginning of the Huskers’ final retreat.

Their top cornerback, Tommi Hill, was injured in the first half. Newcomer Ceyair Wright took Hill’s place and played a role in Nebraska’s soft coverage that allowed Illinois – converting 40 percent of its third downs in three games – to go 9 of 16 on third and fourth downs.

The defense allowed Luke Altmyer to complete 21 of 27 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns. He threw a 6-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to 335-pound offensive lineman Brandon Henderson on a fourth-and-2. Henderson checked himself into the officials’ hands several times before making the reception. The score was tied at 24 with 10 minutes left in regulation.

The Huskers can’t let him run free. Someone on defense didn’t do their job.

Is it hard? It’s real. It happened.

“It hurts, because we really beat ourselves up,” senior defensive end Ty Robinson said.

Four times in three Illinois offensive drives that produced 17 points, Nebraska defenders committed 15-yard penalties: face masks by Robinson and Buford, a head-butting penalty on defensive lineman Vincent Jackson and unnecessary roughness on linebacker MJ Sherman.

Special teams also failed. Nebraska allowed a 37-yard punt return that set up Illinois for a touchdown in the third quarter. Brian Buschini kicked the ball across the field, away from his coverage.

This can’t happen.

And when the defense made a big push in the fourth quarter, mistakes on offense and kicking proved costly. The complementary style of football that served Nebraska well and signaled a program on the right track abandoned the Huskers in their moment of need against Illinois.

Case in point: After Wright and linebacker Mikai Gbayor teamed up to strip Altmyer and recover his fumble at the Nebraska 38-yard line with eight minutes left in a tied game, Raiola drove the Huskers to the Illinois 21-yard line.

On third-and-3 against a crowded penalty box, Luke Lindenmeyer broke free behind the Illinois defense. Raiola found him, but his throw went just over the diving tight end’s arms.

“I missed my pass,” said Raiola, who finished the first half shooting 24 of 35 and led a masterful two-minute drill. “I’m going to take this game on my shoulders. I have to be better. I have to do better for our team and give us a chance to win.”

Backup kicker John Hohl then missed his 39-yard field goal attempt to the left, an attempt that would have given Nebraska the lead with three minutes left. Maybe a successful field goal would have avoided overtime. Maybe it would have won the game after all.

Maybe it was that close. But after a terrible overtime, it didn’t feel like Nebraska was that close.

Nothing is certain as Nebraska travels to Purdue next week, then hosts Rutgers at home and Indiana on the road before a daunting final stretch.

“I know we can overcome adversity,” senior receiver Isaiah Neyor said. “It’s a tough loss, but I believe in these guys that we’re going to forget about it.”

Neyor, a transfer from Texas, caught two touchdown passes.

Wake Forest transfer Jahmal Banks caught eight passes for 94 yards. Oregon transfer Dante Dowdell led the Huskers in rushing with 72 yards. The future of Raiola, the former five-star prospect, looks as bright as it did Friday.

Before the momentum turned against him late in the game, Raiola diagnosed Illinois’ defense well and took it apart at times.

“We’re not a bad football team,” Rhule said.

But despite the promise and hope of a long offseason and three wins to start the season, they are not yet a winning football team.

(Photo of Illinois offensive lineman Brandon Henderson scoring as an eligible receiver against Nebraska: Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)