Same final score from last year, same winner. Nebraska gets beat by Iowa on a last-second field goal, yet again. And to make matters worse, the Huskers held the ball for two thirds of the game.
Here are three takeaways following Nebraska’s 13-10 loss to the Hawkeyes:
Blackshirts play their tail off
Who would’ve thought the team outgained by nearly 200 yards would’ve won? Iowa was 0-10 on third down conversions. They finished the game with five first downs to Nebraska’s 20.
Aside from the Blackshirts’ missed tackles on junior running back Kaleb Johnson’s 72-yard touchdown reception, they played exceptionally well. They held Johnson to 45 yards on the ground, for a 2.6 average.
After the muffed punt at the four-yard line, they forced three. Iowa wasn’t special, they had 164 total yards. They just did what they do best: protecting the football. The defense gave the Huskers every opportunity to go back to Lincoln with the win.
Lost on special teams
Whether the Iowa defender touched the ball or not, — it sure looked like he did during replay — senior wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda can’t make the critical mistake of not waving his teammates off when he’s not going to field a punt.
A team can’t expect to defeat the Hawkeyes being incompetent on special teams. Shanking a punt early. Then, botching a snap completely — leading to a 34-yard field goal miss. The momentum shifted after that.
And finally, a fitting way to lose on a 53-yard field goal. Head coach Matt Rhule needs to let special teams coordinator Ed Foley go.
Raiola still has a lot to improve on
There were points left on the table for NU. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola missed key-potential scoring throws. He held the ball too much at times which led to him getting sacked four times.
Raiola’s throw to sophomore wideout Jaylen Lloyd that would’ve been a touchdown if not overthrown, is just one example. He fumbled the ball three times as well.
Fortunately for Raiola, he will be getting another month of practice. This will be a huge postseason in furthering his development.
Overall take
This Nebraska team might be heading in the right direction, but they have a long way to go. From missing tackles, to missing clutch throws, to sound special teams; improvement is key.
Field position, turnovers and special teams are crucial against Iowa. Nebraska lost all three. The Huskers have the skill, but they don’t have the mental toughness. Every time it’s tight, they panic.
Rhule’s goal for the bowl game should be building a clutch attitude for his players.
