Husker Doc Talk: Positives and Concerns After Nebraska’s Near-Upset of Ohio State

Dr. Rob and Travis dive into the Huskers’ encouraging performance in Columbus, Nebraska’s special teams (still a problem), officiating errors (ditto), and what the Huskers are up against in November in their quest for bowl eligibility.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (7) returns an interception against Ohio State Buckeyes during the third quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium on Oct 26, 2024, in Columbus. / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Doctor Rob upset many fans after Nebraska's close loss to Ohio State. He gave the Nebraska special teams an F+ even though the Huskers found a kicker who can make field goals with some distance.

In this edition of the Husker Doc Talk Podcast, Dr. Rob explains his grade. While the field goals are nice, other aspects of special teams execution leave him with plenty of room for worry.

One thing is for sure: the Huskers looked a lot better against Ohio State. In fact, they looked maybe the best they have looked all year. The defense slowed Ohio State's skill position players. The offense ran the ball against a Buckeye defense that holds teams below 100 yards a game on the ground.

The officiating wasn't the best. It should never be an excuse, but a call or non-call here and there can have a major impact on the game. What can be done to fix officiating errors and make calls more accurate? Travis and Dr. Rob discuss some ideas.

UCLA comes to Lincoln on Saturday. The Bruins have had a brutal schedule, losing to three top-10 teams. They are coming off a bye week and, before that, a win at Rutgers. The Bruins aren't a bad team, but they aren't great, either. On paper, UCLA will be the "easiest" game left on the schedule for Nebraska, and a win against the Bruins would make Nebraska bowl-eligible for the first time since 2016. Dr. Rob and Travis break down the next game and take a high-level look at the remaining games on the schedule.

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