Stukenholtz: The Unbelievable Made Extremely Believable

Two crucial plays decided the result against Maryland, and you'd never believe them if it weren't Nebraska

Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Have you ever summarized a crazy game for someone who had not watched it? Sometimes an explanation is straightforward: this team won by 24 points, this long pass play was fun, that turnover was cool, etc.

I was texting updates to someone on Saturday as the game unfolded, and I thought to myself while sending messages at least three or four times, “You cannot make this stuff up.”

Then again, with Nebraska football, you could make up just about anything and I’d probably believe it.

As tantalizingly close as a bowl game felt after three straight wins, the Huskers lost their second straight November contest, this time to Maryland, 13-10.

The defense was stellar again. On a windy day, they did their part and then some against a worthy adversary in Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.

Over on the other side of the ball, it was more of the same. But in a bad way.

Three quarterbacks. Five turnovers. One injury and one benching. Twenty-one pass attempts, but at least one too many. This is where it gets unbelievable … but only if you haven’t been following this program for a while.

With the game tied at 10 apiece and less than four minutes remaining, Nebraska’s offense faced 3rd & goal from the 7-yard line. Even against the wind, certainly within range for rising freshman kicker Tristan Alvano. NU was down to its third-string quarterback, Chubba Purdy. The first two QBs had combined for a fumble and three INTs. Purdy completed one pass on 3rd & 6, otherwise they made it all the way to the red zone on the ground.

Clearly the stage is set for NU to run the ball and either score the go-ahead touchdown or kick the go-ahead field goal on fourth down. In spite of everything, you could put yourself into the lead with precious little time remaining for the Terps.

Game Photos: Nebraska vs. Maryland Football

I’ll say it again. Tie game, 3:44 remaining, 3rd down, ball at the 7, the #3 QB behind center.

How can you justify throwing the ball??

You know what happened. Purdy’s pass was nabbed in the end zone by a Terrapin defender, and Maryland never gave the Husker offense another snap.

This is not about confidence. You do not have to call a pass play there in order to instill confidence in Chubba Purdy. You can instill just as much confidence in your offensive line and run game by calling a run play. It’s also not about what pass defense you believe they’re setting up. Man, zone, I don’t care. Your offense does not yet operate at that level. Situational football screams for the run play. Maryland wants you to put the ball in the air. Take your points. You’re not trailing by seven. Hell, you aren’t trailing at all!

That Nebraska wasn’t trailing at that point was in and of itself pretty remarkable. After the Blackshirts focused in the halftime locker room on finding some takeaways, they got a pair on back-to-back drives to open the second half. Those led to Nebraska's only 10 points of the game on the ensuing possessions. The third turnover a few drives later was even more incredible. Maryland, after picking off Jeff Sims at midfield, drove inside the 10 and threatened to take a fourth-quarter lead. Then linebacker Javin Wright, the man who produced an interception earlier in the half, forced a fumble at the 3, which defensive end Ty Robinson recovered.

Incredibly, the defense held. Even more incredibly, the Purdy-led offense drove 90 yards – 90 yards! – in ten plays before the fateful INT.

Two plays. Two crucial turnovers to tell the story. One Husker takeaway credited to the coaches and players on defense. One Husker giveaway laying squarely at the feet of head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. The third-down pass play call was inexcusable, and Matt Rhule didn’t really have an excuse or an answer after the game. The coaches have a responsibility to put their players in positions to succeed. A pass play in that situation is the opposite.

Game number ten of the Matt Rhule era came down to two plays. Now we’re down to two games.

You have just two more opportunities to watch this incredible defense shut down another Big Ten offense. Subpar offenses or not, the Blackshirts have now held five straight opponents to 20 or fewer points. In those same five games, they have not allowed a single rushing touchdown, either. It would be a travesty for this unit to miss out on the reward of postseason.

On the other side, there are two more games to survive on offense. There are no feet left to shoot off. I have absolutely no idea who will start at quarterback at Wisconsin next Saturday. Maybe the offensive staff can figure out a way to pare down the pass game to include only the basics. Perhaps the QBs can accept that when the play isn’t unfolding the way they want, eat the ball or throw it into the fifth row, and live for another down.

What will happen these next two weeks? All I know is that it would defy belief for any other program.

Not Nebraska.

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