The average amount of plays in a given college football game is 180. Each snap brings an opportunity, but each one is not held equal. One snap every game creates one play made by one or a slew of players, affecting the rest of the contest. This play is the turning point. The turning point makes or breaks a team’s game and sometimes their season.
This week’s turning point sparked Nebraska’s giant 35-11 win against Northern Illinois and eliminated any possibility of a major letdown in Matt Rhule’s first home game as Husker Head Coach.
Saturday night’s turning point was different from one play. It was one drive. With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Nebraska went 76 yards down the field on 14 plays for a touchdown, scoring 21-3. The drive was a beautiful mix of bruising runs and pretty skill plays.
The best was a twenty-yard pass from Heinrich Haarberg to Thomas on 3rd and 15. Haarberg flushed out of the pocket, moving toward the Nebraska sideline, and looked dead to rights. With three defenders in front of him, he floated a ball to Fidone, who corralled the perfect pass and kept a toe in bounds.
Proceeding that play, Nebraska from Alex Bullock, who picked up a short pass and wheeled his way for a 33-yard gain. During the play, Ben Scott picked up a personal foul that put the Huskers at the Huskie 30. Haarberg almost gained that penalty back on the next snap with a 14-yard rush.
A couple of plays later, Gabe Ervin Jr. punched the ball for a NU touchdown.
For where the score was, Northern Illinois was one big play away from flipping momentum. They were one pick-six or a turnover that put them in prime field possession from making it a four-point game with a nervous Memorial Stadium.
This drive eliminated that possibility.
Despite two penalties we’ve seen in the past kill Husker drives, Haarberg and the offense persevered. This drive was a culmination of everything that the Nebraska coaching staff wanted to see. It was long, it was gritty, it was pretty, and it ended in seven points.
From that point on, Nebraska never looked back. NU scored touchdowns on their next two drives, one of which came off a Blackshirts takeaway. The defense kept their excellent performance rolling, and Husker fans never went quiet.
This drive was the turning point that caused a fun-filled night in Lincoln.