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Huskers Can’t Shake Their Hard Times in Overtime

Abysmal numbers on offense have defined Nebraska football's long OT drought

Joe Hudson

© Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
In this story:

Firing blanks in overtime has been an unfortunate Husker habit since 2015, and the trend continued in Saturday night's 24-17 loss to Wisconsin.

For the seventh consecutive time, Nebraska failed to pull off an overtime win. Failed to score. Failed to pick up so much as a first down. 

All this was documented two years ago after the Huskers' OT loss at Michigan State, but now there are some numbers to update, and they don't get any easier to swallow.

The Huskers have now run 23 plays in overtime during this stretch for a grand total of 14 net yards. They've thrown nearly as many interceptions (4) as completions (5). No run has gone for more than three yards.

More composite numbers:

  • Anemic running game. Officially, the Huskers have run the ball eight times for minus-13 yards. Exclude quarterback sacks and it's still meager: six rushes for four yards.
  • Trouble stopping the run. Nebraska's opponents have amassed 110 rushing yards on 26 carries. Their average rushing gain (4.2) is 40% better than Nebraska's longest rushing gain (3).
  • Disastrous passing game. Husker quarterbacks have completed five of 15 passes for 27 yards and have had four intercepted. On two other called passing plays that count officially as runs, Nebraska suffered quarterback sacks for losses totaling 17 yards. That means 17 called passing plays netted just 10 yards and four turnovers.
  • Add it all up. That's 14 yards of total offense, zero points, zero first downs and four turnovers in 23 plays.

Before the current seven-game skid, Nebraska was 8-1 in overtime games, but now the ledger stands at 8-8. The Huskers' last win in OT came in 2014 at Iowa in Bo Pelini's final game as head coach.

Below are composite stats from the seven-game streak of overtime futility. Scroll down further for Nebraska's game-by-game plays on offense.

NEB

OPP

Points

0

32

First Downs

0

8

Rushes-Yards

8-(-13)

26-110

   Average Gain

-1.6

4.2

   Longest Gain 

3

23

   Excl. Sacks (Rushes-Yds-Avg)

6 - 4 - 0.67

26 - 110 - 4.23

Passing Yards 

27

12

   Comp-Att-Int 

5-15-4

3-6-0

   Longest Gain  

8

9

   NCAA Pass. Rating 

2.78

66.80

Total Offense Plays-Yds

23-14

32-122

   Yards Per Play 

0.6

3.8

Penalized-Yards 

3-23

2-10

3rd Down Conv.

0/6

1/6

4th Down Conv. 

0/3

1/1

Sacks by-Yards  

0-0

2-17

Fumbles-Lost 

0-0

0-0

Game-by-game offense

2023 at Wisconsin (L 24-17)
Wisconsin had first possession, scored 7
 • 1-10 WIS 25: Anthony Grant rush for loss of 1 yard.
 • 2-11 WIS 26: Chubba Purdy pass incomplete.
 • 3-11 WIS 26: PENALTY NEB false start (Nouredin Nouili) -5 yards.
 • 3-16 WIS 31: Purdy pass incomplete.
 • 4-16 WIS 31: Purdy pass intercepted by Preston Zachman.
    (4 plays, -1 yards, -5 penalty, INT)

2021 at Michigan State (L 23-20)
Nebraska had first possession
 • 1-10 MS 25: Adrian Martinez pass to Rahmir Johnson for 2 yards.
 • 2-8 MS 23: Martinez pass to Omar Manning for 5 yards.
 • 3-3 MS 18: Martinez pass intercepted by Chester Kimbrough.
    (3 plays, 7 yards, INT)

2019 at Colorado (L 34-31)
Colorado had first possession, scored 3
 • 1-10 CU 25: Maurice Washington rush for no gain.
 • 2-10 CU 25: Washington rush for 1 yard.
 • 3-9 CU 24: Adrian Martinez sacked for loss of 7 yards.
 • 4-16 CU 31: Isaac Armstrong field goal attempt wide right.
    (3 plays, -6 yards, missed FG)

2018 at Northwestern (L 34-31)
Nebraska had first possession
 • 1-10 NW 25: Devine Ozigbo rush for 2 yards.
 • 2-8 NW 23: Adrian Martinez pass to Ozigbo for 7 yards.
 • 3-1 NW 16: PENALTY NEB false start (Boe Wilson) -5 yards.
 • 3-6 NW 21: Martinez pass to JD Spielman for 5 yards.
 • 4-1 NW 16: Martinez pass intercepted by JR Pace in end zone.
    (4 plays, 14 yards, -5 penalty, INT)

2017 vs. Northwestern (L 31-24)
Northwestern had first possession, scored 7
 • 1-10 NW 25: Tanner Lee pass incomplete.
 • 2-10 NW 25: Lee sacked for loss of 10 yards.
 • 3-20 NW 35: Lee pass complete to Tyler Hoppes for 8 yards.
 • 4-12 NW 27: Lee pass incomplete.
    (4 plays, -2 yards)

2016 at Wisconsin (L 23-17)
Wisconsin had first possession, scored 6
 • 1-10 WIS 25: Terrell Newby rush for 3 yards.
 • 2-7 WIS 22: Newby rush for loss of 1 yard.
 • 3-8 WIS 23: Tommy Armstrong Jr. pass incomplete.
 • 4-8 WIS 23: Armstrong pass incomplete.
    (4 plays, 2 yards)

2015 at Miami (L 36-33)
Nebraska had first possession
 • 1-10 UM 25 Tommy Armstrong Jr. pass intercepted by Corn Elder.
    (1 play, 0 yards, INT)

Husker overtime games

Click to see the HuskerMax game page. Wins are in bold.

Coaches’ OT records at Nebraska

  • Tom Osborne 1-0
  • Frank Solich 2-0
  • Bill Callahan 2-0
  • Bo Pelini 3-1
  • Mike Riley 0-3
  • Scott Frost 0-3
  • Matt Rhule 0-1

Game Photos: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Football

Published
Joe Hudson
JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.

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