HUSKERS RECAP – Wind, Ugly Football, Dirty Refs..and a ONE-SCORE WIN!: NEBRASKA 14 RUTGERS 7 Matt Rhule Dylan Raiola

We won a damn one-score game!

Granted, we had to completely shut down the offense in the second half again, much like in the first three games. But this time we were playing with a much smaller lead on the bingo card. Thankfully, when Rutgers took over on their 11 with 2:17 to go and plenty of time to make the Huskers’ ultra-conservative strategy bite them in the cheeks, they did so with Athan Kaliakmanis tasked with slinging it.

The ineffectual way he had been doing that all day (15-37 186 1 TD 2 INTs) coupled with the harassment the Blackshirts were unleashing on him (four sacks and seven more hits), gave fans a little comfort as Rutgers began their final drive.

And when he was hit for the last time and fired the ball into the turf, they could finally exhale into a relieved group roar.

The first half – detailed further here – was a solid one for the Huskers if not as efficient as desired. My keys to victory, outlined in Thursday’s 24 Hour Rule column, were to contain star running back Kyle Monangai and try to get Rutgers off the field a few times each half.

Monangai was held well below his 147 ypg and 6.1 ypc averages carrying 19 times for 78 yards at a 4.1 clip. However, that doing seemed to be as much Greg Schiano and his offensive coordinator as the Blackshirts. Monangai came out on fire carrying 8 times for 63 yards in the first quarter.

And at that point, Rutgers coaches apparently forgot he was on the team, or eligible to carry the ball or something because when the 2nd quarter got under way, he was ignored as Rutgers took to the air. They finally started working him back in in the third quarter, but by then, his window had closed and the Huskers held him to 15 yards on 11 carries after the opening frame.

As far as quick exits, the defense only got one three & out, BUT! They never allowed a drive to reach the four minute mark either. They bent a little, never broke and stayed fresh when the offense started getting their own three and outs and punted six straight times. They allowed one paydirt on a short field drive but also had amazing goal-line stand even after the refs tried to restart it with a ridiculous defensive holding call.

When it was time to end things for good, the Blackshirts were the fresher unit and Rutgers had no chance.

Ah yes, the refs again. In this contest, it seemed at times they weren’t even bothering to hide it. The ridiculous defensive holding calls to keep Rutgers drives alive. They broke out their Illinois trick of turning a false start into a time out. (Hint: You probably don’t want the guy who threw the flag to also be the guy who has to claim he heard the timeout.)

But most disgusting was allowing three blatant head-to-head targetings by Rutgers – one flagged but then ordered picked up, and the others overturned on review.

This is the kind of thing which needs to directed to the league offices and other avenues explored if those concerns fall on blind eyes and deaf ears.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

Dylan Raiola had the worst game of his young career, but if we’re fair to him and Kaliakmanis., there was a mean wind for most of the game and even when it died down some in the second half, they were probably already frazzled some. Also, the Husker offensive line, which gave him time in the first half, began springing leaks resulting in multiple 2nd half sacks.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

The odd twist was more towards 50/50 Nebraska going 70/30 on their run/pass ratio and Rutgers who normally operates at a 65/35 clip deciding to throw it just over half the time on a day which begged them to stick with their strength.

And it wasn’t a come from behind strategy, they began leaning on it in the 2nd quarter. Not sure what was going on there, but thanks, Rutgers.

The final words are saved for Brian Buschini who started off by getting clobbered on one of his two blocked punts and then took a delay of game which had many just wanting to put Husker special teams on a raft without paddles and pushed to the middle of a big lake.

Then Buschini just began to just rain hell on the Scarlet Knights.

After an impressive job of just getting away a 37 yard punt from the back of the end zone, on a 4th & 7 on the next possession, they went with a fake and Buschini tossed a rainbow in stride to Jaylen Lloyd which went for 30 yards.

When that drive fizzled, he dropped 41-yard punt inside the Rutgers 5. Called on again deep in his own territory after another sack, he popped a 43-yarder out to the 50, a nice kick even though Rutgers did turn it into a TD.

But he saved his best for last and took his final bow after launching one from the Husker 20, over the returner’s head. When it finally stopped rolling at the Rutgers 11, the crowd let out an insane roar in appreciation for the 69 yard dagger.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

In two weeks, the Huskers will get a chance to kill two birds with one stone when they face now 6-0 and 23rd ranked Indiana (they’ll move up).

The one-score game losing streak fell today. If they can slap the Hoosiers with their first loss, the ranked-team losing streak and, more importantly, the bowl game drought will both fall.

And don’t any of you dare start talking about the amazing other things which could happen until we have that sixth W.

I’m serious.

Go Big Red.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

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