Some games just feel a little different— like there’s a chord waiting to be struck; a play waiting to light Memorial Stadium into a firestorm. That chord was struck on the very opening kickoff when Jacorey Barney Jr. returned the ball all the way to midfield. It was a “We’re not here to mess around” kind of attitude that can inject itself into the veins of a team. There was an electricity to this one that felt unflappable, and Wisconsin had no choice but to take it on the chin.
Eight years is a long time, and it feels surreal to say, but, finally, after nearly a decade long drought, Nebraska is going bowling.
It’s been a hectic last few weeks for the Nebraska football program. From switching Offensive Coordinators to losing its 4th straight game, chaos has ensued. It’s tough to acknowledge the hard truths, but Matt Rhule did just that when he brought in Dana Hologrosen to help the offense. It was a move that was both exciting and controversial. Could bringing in an outside influence really benefit a team this late into a season?
Yes, it can, and did.
There were question marks about the wide receiver position, their blocking specifically. They answered against USC. There were questions about whether or not the running backs could hit the holes. Emmett Johnson and Dante Dowdell answered that against Wisconsin. The offense looked better against the Badgers than they have all season, and that absolutely cannot be ignored. Holgorsen found a way to give the players the opportunities to make plays they haven’t seen before.
It would feel wrong to end the segment about Emmet Johnson there. That was one heck of a game from a guy Nebraska fans have been begging to see more of. On the ground, Johnson finished with 113 yards on 16 carries, and he was just as effective in the passing game, leading the Huskers with 6 catches for 85 yards. It was refreshing to see a Nebraska Running Back make people miss and pick up extra yardage. His performance is not meant to overshadow the 3 touchdowns that Dante Dowdell so silently racked up in the midst of the onslaught, but I think it’s a good problem when good games are camouflaged by great ones.
Dylan Raiola played one of, if not his most, complete games in a Husker uniform. Last week, he looked more comfortable than he had in previous games, and this week, he looked in complete control. Raiola finished 28/38 with 293 yards and a touchdown. In the beginning of the season, the potential greatness from the young quarterback was on display, but when the offense began to flutter, so did Raiola. It was a tumultuous beginning to his career, but if Nebraska can retain Dana Holgorsen as Offensive Coordinator moving forward, all signs point to the kind of offensive success that Husker fans envisioned when Raiola made his commitment.
This win is a massive weight lifted off the shoulders of Nebraska Football, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Being able to head to Iowa City to face off against the Hawkeyes with no pressure to make the 6 win mark is a godsend. Nebraska has a chance to finish the regular season with wins against both Wisconsin and Iowa, something that felt incredibly unattainable just a few short weeks ago.
Cheers, Husker fans. We deserve it. We’re going to a bowl game.
