Close, but (not much) success: Huskers are 5-15 in one-score games under Scott Frost. Here’s why | Football

Nebraska’s 21-13 loss to Northwestern a year ago stands as likely the least dramatic of the three one-score games between these two teams since Scott Frost became the head coach.

On that day, Nov. 7, 2020, the Huskers threw two interceptions in the end zone — one each from Adrian Martinez and Luke McCaffrey — and lost despite having twice as many first downs as the Wildcats. They scored on only three of six trips total into the red zone, committed four offensive line penalties in the first quarter alone, missed a field goal, gave up a big punt return that set up a fourth-quarter touchdown that extended Northwestern’s lead to eight and saw Martinez get benched late in the third quarter.

That’s a recipe for losing a close game, but it pales in comparison to 2018, when NU dominated most of the game and looked almost sure to give Frost his first win as the head coach of his alma mater.

Northwestern, though, scored 10 points in the final 2 minutes, 27 seconds of regulation, including an eight-play, 99-yard drive that culminated with JJ Jefferson’s tying touchdown catch with 12 seconds left.

Then Nebraska turned the ball over in overtime and Northwestern won it on a field goal.

In between those games, the Huskers staged an improbable victory of their own in 2019 at Memorial Stadium when a Lamar Jackson interception set up a big play from Noah Vedral to Wan’Dale Robinson to get the home team into field-goal range in the waning minutes. Walk-on defensive back Lane McCallum, pushed into emergency place-kicking duties, somehow squeezed a low kick through about three different sets of Northwestern arms and over the crossbar for a walk-off, 13-10 win.