Nebraska 30 Penn State 23: Recap and Post-Game Thread

Pregame

Gotta love Kenny

Speculation on the starting quarterback for the Huskers is rampant. Based on pre-game warmups, it is Luke taking snaps from Cam Jurgens and Adrian taking snaps from Farniok. Normally that could be very telling, but we aren’t sure if Jurgens is going to play after missing last weekend’s game. UPDATE – Luke will start.

***BREAKING NEWS***

The Huskers are on the West sideline. No one knows why. Apparently past Husker head coaches have wanted to do that, but it was never done until today.

Something, something…sun in their eyes….something…COVID protocols and teams not crossing paths…something…easier for coaches in the box…something…

Pick your reason.

First Quarter

The first few plays were exciting for the Huskers as they moved past midfield quickly behind Dedrick Mills, a Luke McCaffrey scramble where he found Austin Allen, and Wan’Dale Robinson.

False start. Drink.

The Huskers moved into the red zone and on third and six Luke found Kade Warner who stretched the ball over the goal line but it came out and Penn State recovered. On replays, it looked like he was down near the one before the fumble.

Replay overturned the fumble call and he was down at the one yard line.

Quarterback sneak – TOUCHDOWN!!!

Conner Culp made the extra point.

Nebraska 7 Penn State 0

These opening scripted drives for the Husker offense always look so good. But when Nebraska goes off script…I hope the next drive looks just as good.

The Blackshirts forced a third and five early in the Nittany Lion possession, but a Sean Clifford scramble picked up the first down. He chose to keep on another play to get across midfield.

CAM TAYLOR-BRITT INTERCEPTION and helluva return to the Penn State 15 yard line. Wooooo!

Remember that criticism about needing to get Wan’Dale more involved in the offense? They went to him several plays to try and punch it in. All for naught as Nebraska had to settle for the field goal.

Nebraska 10 Penn State 0

Niko Cooper lit up the Penn State returner and the Lions started around their own 20. Colin Miller stuck his nose in a couple of plays, but the Penn State run game ground yardage out to get past midfield. A hold on Dicaprio Bootle gave the Lions a first down in Husker territory. Between Clifford scrambles and Keyvone Lee runs, the Lions continued to push the ball down the field. Will Honas and JoJo Domann were swarming to the ball, but Penn State continued to move down the field.

Inside the red zone, JoJo chased down Clifford for a loss and then Marquel Dismuke (and Domann again) stuffed the next play. JoJo is having himself a quarter. Also Pheldarius Payne is in the game (yes I wanted an excuse to type that).

Second Quarter

The Blackshirts forced a red zone field goal.

Nebraska 10 Penn State 3

Sean Clifford takes his eye black application very seriously, doesn’t he?

Alante Brown is back to receive the kickoff. The kick went out of bounds, drawing the penalty and Nebraska got the ball on the 35.

Nebraska has featured a rotation at offensive lineman with Brendan Jaimes, Boe Wilson, Ethan Piper, Cameron Jurgens, Bryce Benhart, Turner Corcoran, and Matt Farniok all having playing time. I’m not sure who has all played yet today, but need to give a shoutout to the big boys.

Dedrick is spelled by Marvin Scott III. Penn State was called for an unnecessary roughness play when a Penn State player threw Wan’Dale down. That penalty pushed the Huskers past midfield and THEN….

ZAVIER BETTS ON THE JET SWEEP FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!!!!!

(I totally assume that my shoutout to the big guys up front a few sentences ago is why they opened up the big holes for Zavier.)

We can haz jet sweeps!

Nebraska 17 Penn State 3

DEONTAI WILLIAMS WE SEE YOU!!!

After some nice tackling on earlier plays, the safety got to Clifford, forced the fumble, scooped and scored.

Way to pad the stats dude.

Memo to B1G office. When you suspend our DBs for marginal targeting calls, they get angry and do things like intercept the ball (Taylor-Britt) and scoop and score (Williams).

Nebraska 24 Penn State 3

And just as I get snarky about targeting calls, Marquel Dismuke was called for targeting. He led with the shoulder, and it was overturned on review.

Fourth and one at the Penn State 30-something…he found a big hole and ran for 36 yards.

Will Levis has come in for quarterback for Penn State as they convert another fourth and one and move into the red zone. Nebraska defensive lineman Deontre Thomas was injured on a play that was marginal in its ethical value.

First and goal Penn State. The Blackshirt front seven played hard. Damion Daniels, Ty Robinson and others deserve shoutouts. Penn State’s offense was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct which pushed them back fifteen yards making the field goal attempt harder. They did make the 40 yarder.

This gif has no real purpose other than the world needs to see it.

Penn State is a talented, winless team starting to take cheap shots. Nebraska needs to keep their crap together and play this game in a way that they only worry about themselves. Don’t worry about the Lions, just do your jobs.

Nebraska 24 Penn State 6

Luke threw the ball at three Nittany Lions, but they fortunately refused to intercept it.

Levi Falck sighting!! Nice work young man.

Penn State offsides. Not a Nebraska penalty, but drink anyway.

WANDALE jukes and jives his way into the secondary.

All for naught as Nebraska has to punt for the first time this game.

Penn State punts right back (their first punt too)

Cam Taylor-Britt returns the punt past midfield, setting the Huskers up in great position to grab some points before half.

One thing I have noticed is that Nebraska’s offense is playing with much more tempo this game.

Of course, as soon as I type that, Nebraska’s offense faces an immediate fourth down WHICH WANDLAE CONVERTS!!

We haven’t seen Dedrick at running back for a while and way too much of Wan’dale there. I suspect Dedrick is injured and we don’t know it yet?

WUT?!? Left-handed Patrick Mahomes-like pass by Luke to Marvin Scott…I think Luke has cemented his place as the starter with that one.

MOAR SCOTT! (which only reinforces my belief that Dedrick is hurt).

With three seconds left in the half Connor Culp adds three more points.

Nebraska 27 Penn State 6

Nebraska fans everywhere are telling their friends…”no wait, we still have an entire half of football to play”

Halftime

Is this what is feels like to enjoy watching your football team?

Because I like watching this football team!

Third Quarter

Penn State received the football to start the second half.

Sean Clifford stays on the sidelines while Will Levis remains the Lion QB. It is not just Nebraska that has been evaluating their QB situation.

Penn State quickly moved out to midfield. They do not look like a defeated team in body language or playcalling. They are in this to win this.

Garrett Nelson sighting! Penn State attempts the field goal but misses and Cam Taylor-Britt returns it to the 35ish yard line. The score remains Nebraska 27 Penn St 6.

The Huskers moved past midfield quickly, but the Nittany Lions put up the stop sign and forced a William Przystup punt.

Damien Jackson sighting!

Myles Farmer pass interference.

The Nittany Lions moved past midfield, but the Blackshirts are making them work for their yards.

Until the easy scamper to the end zone for Keyvone Lee. Touchdown Penn St.

Nebraska 27 Penn State 13

Alante Brown to receive the kickoff. Touchback.

Nebraska loses lots of yards on the first down. No Husker fans are feeling content right now. None.

Three-and-out. Punt.

You know this feeling Husker fans. You. Know.

Big return by Penn State (near midfield).

Sigh.

You know this feeling Husker fans. You. Know.

Will these Blackshirts step up and kick their offense in the ass?

Because the offense looks like it needs a kick in the ass right now.

So does the defense. Penn State is in the red zone.

The switch has been flipped. The Nittany Lions are feeling it and Nebraska is not.

• First and goal for Penn State. Tannor stuff.
• Second and goal. JoJo stuff.
• Third and goal. Marquel Dismuke!

Penn State field goal was good.

(Much better than a touchdown, but the Huskers need to score points on this possession)

Nebraska 27 Penn State 16

“Out-of-sorts Nebraska offense”

Improvising with Wan’dale and Luke seems to be the second half game plan.

Seriously. I don’t feel good about this.

pFpth Quaslethat

(4th quarter)

Nebraska is past midfield with an empty backfield…and they find Zavier Betts for a first down. Tempo.

MOAR Tempo.

Wan’dale runs…and almost gets his head cut off…oh my, the B1G refs actually called the facemask penalty.

Red zone.

The Husker coaches had no idea how this game would go and are now improvising the shit out of their playbooks. They also recognize that a two touchdown lead is not safe with the penalty and mistake-prone team they have created.

Husker Nation is holding onto their asses.

Fourth quarter 11:30-ish

Fourth and goal-ish.

Connor Culp time.

Delay of game Nebraska (they missed the kick, so good?)

GOOOOOODD!!

Nebraska 30 Penn State 16

10:34 left in the game.

Penn State worked their way down the field to a first and goal…

Penn State touchdown.

Nebraska 30 Penn state 23

Hold on to your asses folks. This game is going down to the wire.

INTERCEPTION – SHIT.

Luke underthrew a ball and it was picked off. Penn State gets the ball at midfield.

LOTS OF STRESS

Penn State is in the red zone…first and goal (first and 11, but that is essentially the same as first and goal)

Bootle defends the pass! Third and 10 (goal).

Deontai Williams almost picked the pass. Fourth and goal.

Incomplete. (Dismuke)

Whew. The Blackshirts come up big.

With 3:22 left in the game, Nebraska decides to run Wan’dale and burn time.

Tick. Tick.

Penn State timeouts.

Luke throws into a terribly dangerous situation and Nebraska punts.

Penn State ball on the 31 yard line.

2:34 left in the game.

Soft defense…you can guess that Penn state quickly approaches midfield with two minutes left.

First down over midfield…Husker fans are hyperventilating…complete to Penn St with 90 seconds left…Cam Taylor-Britt is awesome…

Third down…shitballs…caught by Penn State at the nine yard line…

First and goal

Second and goal

Third and goal…SACK (Luke Reimer I think) !!!

Fourth and goal. The Blackshirts hold.

Nebraska wins.

A win is a win is a win.