My goodness! What more can be said about No. 14 Nebraska's 34-27 come-from-behind win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Never mind that Ohio State (now 3-3) is just a shell of its former self. After last Saturday's debacle of a 48-17 loss at Wisconsin, this win was a psychological hurdle for the Huskers. No matter how much Ohio State has become just another program, you don't rally from a 27-6 deficit to win without having some testicular fortitude.
If you thought negativity among the Nebraska fan base and media was bad entering this game, one could only fathom how things would have been with consecutive losses going into a bye week. Head coach Bo Pelini and quarterback Taylor Martinez were the main targets after the Huskers loss in Madison, Wisc.
Not that either one is out of the woods but they bought themselves breathing space for a week. Despite the win, all is not well in Huskerland by a longshot. The Buckeyes ran through Nebraska like Roseanne Barr at an all-you-can-eat buffet to the tune of 246 yards of offense in the first half. OSU freshman quarterback Braxton Miller rushed for 79 and passed for 68. For the second time in as many weeks, the Huskers looked like stumblebumbs on defense. The offense certainly wasn't pulling its weight either.
Sometimes, however, one play can change a game if not the course of a season. Nebraska linebacker LaVonte David's play in the third quarter might be the difference between having a 10-2 season versus a 7-5 season. the Huskers looked more the latter than the former in the first half. The Huskers, as they had the previous week, looked lost on defense, perhaps still reeling from the Wisconsin loss. OSU led 20-6 at halftime. Pelini, who is known as a defensve guru, seemed at a loss for solutions.
David has been a bright spot in a disappointing season for the Blackshirts. Miller made his way through traffic for a 7-yard gain but like a thief in the night, David ripped the ball from the hands of the 6-3, 210-pound quarterback. From there, it was all Huskers. Yes, Nebraska caught a break when the mobile Miller had to leave the game with an ankle injury. His replacement (Joe Bauserman) went 1 for 7 for 13 yards.
However, it should also be pointed out that David made the play with Miller in the game. Also, Miller does not play defense.
With Martinez, you have to look beyond his numbers. Yes, he completed 16 of 22 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He also added a rushing touchdown, 95 yards on 16 carries. However, besides his end-of-the-first-half interception, Martinez bounced back well from last week's performance. He did a better job of checking down to receivers this week, and overall he showed more poise and confidence. Questions can subside about whether he should be Nebraska's starting quarterback. Well, for a week anyhow. ABC color commenator Matt Millen kept harping on how Martinez lacks the ability to stretch the field. It's funny. Last week, Martinez was being criticized for forcing the ball downfield into coverage and not checking down to underneath receivers. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
What more can you say about running back Rex Burkhead? 119 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. Nebraska rushed for 144 yards in the fourth quarter, against the 13th ranked defense in the country.
What does Saturday's win mean in the grand spectrum of things? Well, mathematically it means the Huskers are 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten and they saved the program for another two weeks.
The Blackshirts — if you want to call them that — have inexplicably become fundamentally flawed. They suddenly can't make a tackle and look slow. Is this the kind of win that can awaken a sleeping giant? Sometimes personnel deficiencies can't be overcome but there are enough personnel on that played well last season.
We'll see what the next few games bring. The Huskers looked like such a punchless at halftime. Yes, Miller's injury was a break but you've got to start somewhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment