On a pleasantly cool fall evening in Memorial Stadium the Georgia Southern Eagles outlasted the Nebraska Cornhuskers 45-42 in a game that featured five ties, five lead changes and 1,217 yards of total offense. It was the second time a Scott Frost-led team lost to a Sun Belt foe, after losing to Troy in 2019. On a day in which Sun Belt teams knocked off No. 8 Notre Dame (Marshall) and No. 6 Texas A&M (Appalachian State), if the Big Ten doesn’t work out for the Huskers, moving to the Sun Belt doesn’t look like a good option either.
Every week we repeat the same old litany as ten of the Husker’s last 11 losses have now come by one score or less and Frost’s record in one-score games is now 5-22. But the embarrassment continues as Nebraska lost for the first time in 215 games when scoring 35 or more points at Memorial Stadium. That happens when your defense (and I use that word advisedly) gives up 642 total yards, only 14 shy of the all-time high allowed by a Nebraska defense (656, Oklahoma in 1956) and the third most yards EVER given up by a Husker team. EVER!!
During the fourth quarter, the “Fire Frost” chants began to resonate around the stadium. Again, because of the buyout clause negotiated in the off-season, it won’t happen before October 1, but it is all but a certainty at this point as Frost is approaching a Bill Jennings level of futility. Widely considered the worst coach in Husker history, Jennings compiled a 15-34-1 record (.310) in five seasons between 1957-61. Frost is now 16-31 (.340) in his fifth season and is just five more losses from eclipsing Jennings woeful record. I’m not sure he will get the chance. I applauded his hire and was joined by nearly all the Husker faithful in hoping that he would be the answer to turn around the struggling program. It was not to be.
All respect to Georgia Southern who as Frost said in his presser “out-schemed Nebraska on one side of the ball.” No kidding. The first-year coach and first-year quarterback executed nearly flawlessly as they spread out the defense and found all the holes available. The Air-Raid offense ran for 233 yards on just 30 carries (a 7.8 yd average) and had runs of 67, 47 and 26-yards in the first half alone. The Nebraska defense stubbornly stayed in a dime package with one middle linebacker who could not successfully stop the running back play after play.
I’m not a defensive coach, but I have to wonder what Eric Chinander was thinking (or perhaps he wasn’t). Eagles QB Kyle Vantrease used a quick release and a myriad of receivers who made several highlight worthy catches to move up and down the field. The couple of times when he was significantly pressured, he threw two balls that were picked off by Marques Buford. Tackling continues to be an issue and in the Eagles game-winning drive, the Huskers had at least two or three chances at interceptions but could not seal the deal. Tommi Hill, in particular had a great shot near the endzone if he would have played the ball and kept his hands off the receiver. And what was Brandon Moore doing reaching across the line and slapping the receiver on a 3rd and 5 before the snap?
I usually highlight the defensive standouts, but after tonight’s performance, it would be a waste of ink. The defense had no sacks, no three and outs, and despite the two picks, were dominated physically by a team from Statesboro, Georgia.
Offensively, Nebraska piled up 575 yards with 257 yards on the ground and 318 in the air. They were 5 for 5 in the red zone and scored on six of eleven possessions. On their penultimate drive, they went 98 yards in 15 plays and took 5:58 off the clock to score and lead 42-38 with 3:05 remaining. In hindsight, they probably scored too fast, and the 27-yard catch by Marcus Washington at the 1-yd line may have been better to not have been reversed. With the way the defense was playing, the Huskers needed to spend more the remaining three minutes to go.
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Washington totaled six catches for a career-high 123 receiving yards, his second career 100- yard receiving game and first at Nebraska. Washington also totaled 45 of his receiving yards after the catch. He looks like he may be that necessary second go-to option to complement Trey Palmer who had six catches for 81 yards. This was Palmer’s his third straight game with at least four receptions. In all, nine different Husker receivers had receptions with Brody Belt (2 catches for 24 yards) nabbing a 21-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for his first career TD reception. What has happened to Isaiah Garcia-Castenada? After catching 4 passes for 120 yards in Ireland, he has been shut out since, even though he was targeted twice tonight.
Quarterback Casey Thompson went 23-34 passing for 318 yards and rushed for 31 yards scoring a career high three times on the ground. He threw the ball well all night and scrambled at the right times to pick up necessary yards. I’m concerned about his health, however and wonder if he will be able to survive the season as we get into Big Ten play. Logan Smothers was incredibly fortunate to have a fumble reversed on his 10-yard carry in the fourth.
It looks like we may have a decent one-two punch at running back with Anthony Grant and Ajay Allen. Grant rushed 27 times for 138 yards and a touchdown. It was his third straight game to open the season with more than 100 rushing yards and he is the first Husker with three straight 100-yard rushing games since Devine Ozigbo in 2018. He is also the first Husker running back to rush for 100 yards in the first three games since Dan Alexander in 2000. The last time a Husker running back topped 100 yards in each of the first three games of his career was Bobby Reynolds in 1950. Freshman running back Ajay Allen rushed eight times for 76 yards and a touchdown averaging 9.5 yards a carry. His 76 yards bettered the 58 yards last week against North Dakota.
Special teams played decently tonight and had Timmy Bleekrode converted on the 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired, they would have been much more noteworthy. Punter Brian Buschini had a 65-yard punt on his first punt of the evening, the longest of his collegiate career, and averaged 50.5 yards on four boots. Brendan Franke continued his fine work on kickoffs with 5 touchbacks out of 7 attempts. Why our kickoff receivers insist on returning the ball when the rules give a team a free start at the 25-yard line baffles me.
The season is only three games old and is already a dumpster fire. It was expected by most pundits that this squad would be 3-0 at this point and have a decent shot and upsetting Oklahoma. Instead, it is almost impossible to find a path to six wins and bowl eligibility unless we start witnessing multiple miracles at Memorial stadium. It’s frightening to think about this Husker defense against the Oklahoma offense, but that’s why college football is so intriguing. You just never know what may happen. After all, Georgia Southern just upset Nebraska in Lincoln. Despite the consternation being experienced among the Husker faithful, let’s not turn on each other. Most of us still love the scarlet and cream and want to see the team succeed (even if it seems most unlikely). Go Big Red!!
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