In the end, the result was the same. Nebraska lost on the road to a ranked team and remains one win short of bowl eligibility. But the performance, the feel afterward and the trajectory of the season are all very different than last week.
Nebraska (5-3, 2-3) lost to No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1), 21-17, one week after losing at No. 16 Indiana, 56-7. But for four quarters, the Huskers put an industrial-sized scare into one of the most talented teams in college football, a 25.5-point favorite and one of the frontrunners for the national championship. It drove the Buckeyes’ fans to booing their team on their homefield, tossing garbage on the field amid a disputed call and wondering if their season was about to enter freefall in the wake of a second straight loss.
In short, the performance was a big step forward for Nebraska, after a week of pointed questions and harsh examination after the blowout loss in Bloomington left the direction of the program in doubt.
Not that it started that way. Kwinten Ives fumbled the opening kickoff, starting the Huskers at their nine. The first play saw Dylan Raiola and Dante Dowdell run into each other, causing a fumble that Dowdell covered up two yards into the backfield. As the drive sputtered to a three-and-out, Brian Buschini trotted out onto the field and prompted shanked a punt for just 31 yards, handing over the ball to Ohio State’s high-powered offense at the NU 36. After gaining eight yards on first down, Ohio State sent Will Howard back to pass on 2nd and 2. Jimari Butler nailed Howard for a sack and an eight-yard loss. After a pass brought up 4th and 1, TreVeyon Henderson was stuffed in the backfield by MJ Sherman and Nebraska took over at its 28.
The teams traded punts, then the Buckeyes forced another Huskers punt. This time, Buschini hammered a 52-yard punt to the OSU nine. But Ohio State quickly moved down the field to the Nebraska 40, where Howard lofted a 40-yard pass to Carnell Tate for a touchdown to get the Buckeyes on the board with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Nebraska started its ensuing drive at the 25-yard line and picked up a first down. On the next series of downs, facing 3rd and 10 at the NU 47, Raiola scrambled for a career-long 38-yard run to the Ohio State 15. The drive sputtered on the next series of downs, but John Hohl trotted onto the field and nailed a 39-yard field goal to cut OSU’s lead to 7-3 with 10:21 to go until halftime.
The Buckeyes wasted no time answering. Four plays later, Howard hit talented freshman Jeremiah Smith for a 60-yard touchdown, pushing Ohio State’s lead to 14-3 with 8:21 remaining in the second quarter. After the Huskers punted back to the Buckeyes, Ohio State drove to the NU 24 and attempted a 42-yard field goal. But the kick went wide right and Nebraska took over at its 24 with 2:02 remaining until halftime. After a pass interference penalty by the Buckeyes, Emmett Johnson broke off a 14-yard run to cross into OSU territory. The Huskers’ drive continued to the Ohio State 36, and Hohl closed the half with a 54-yard field goal to shrink the Buckeyes lead to 14-6 heading into half.
Ohio State began the second half with the ball, but went three-and-out to punt back to Nebraska. The Huskers took over at their 13. Two plays later, Jacory Barney, Jr., took a jet sweep around the the left for 14 yards. Two plays later, Dowdell ran 14 and 12 yards on back-to-back plays. Raiola hit Jahmal Banks for a 12-yard gain to take it to the Buckeyes 33. After a penalty gave Nebraska one more first down, Hohl hit his third field goal of the day, a 47-yarder to make it Ohio State 14-9 midway through the third quarter.
The door opened for Nebraska to take the lead on the next play from scrimmage, as Howard threw an interception to Malcolm Hartzog, Jr., and Hartzog returned it to the OSU 7. But four straight runs gained just six yards and left NU one yard short of taking the lead.
The Buckeyes went three-and-out on the next drive and a short punt gave the Huskers the ball at the OSU 42. After one first down, two incomplete passes and a sack finished off the drive and a Buschini punt landed at the two, but skipped into the end zone for a touchback, giving the Buckeyes the ball at their 20. Ohio State went three-and-out as the final seconds of the fourth quarter ticked away and boos rained down from the displeased faithful at the Horseshoe.
A punt gave Nebraska the ball at its 26, and the Huskers quickly moved into Ohio State territory. Dowdell ran for 19 yards to the 45. Raiola hit Thomas Fidone for a 33-yard gain to the Buckeyes’ 22. Facing 3rd and 7 from the OSU 19, Raiola found Fidone again for an eight-yard gain to the 11. Nebraska faced another 3rd and 7, this time from the eight, but Raiola connected with Isaiah Neyor for what initially appeared to be a touchdown. After video review, Neyor was ruled to have gone down at the one, but Dowdell charged into the end zone to give Nebraska the lead. Raiola’s shovel pass to Nate Boerkircher for a two-point conversion gave the Huskers a 17-14 lead with 10:47 to play in regulation.
But on the first play after the kickoff, Howard found Carnell Tate for a 37-yard gain to the NU 38. Ohio State needed to convert a 4th and 1 on the next series, but did so to take it to the Nebraska 26. Then the Buckeyes’ high-powered run game took over: Quinshon Judkins for seven yards, then Howard for 10 to the NU nine. On 1st and goal, Howard found Judkins for a touchdown to give Ohio State the lead with 6:04 to play.
Nebraska went three-and-out on its next drive. After forcing an OSU punt, the Huskers drove to its 46, aided by a targeting penalty and then an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on Ohio State coach Ryan Day. But a Justin Evans false start dropped the ball back to the 41, two failed screen passes lost four yards and Raiola threw an interception to OSU’s Jordan Hancock to ice the game for Ohio State.
Still, the game was a step forward for Nebraska. After being thoroughly dominated by Indiana, the Huskers were narrowly outgained by the Buckeyes, 285-273. Nebraska converted five-of-10 third downs while holding Ohio State to 1-for-10 on third down. The Huskers ran 66 plays to Ohio State’s 47. The turnovers were even at one interception each. Even Nebraska’s much-maligned special teams saw Hohl convert three field goals. Raiola was 21-for-34 through the air for 152 yards with one interception while also running nine times for 31 yards. Dowdell led NU in rushing with 60 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. Barney was Nebraska’s top receiver by catches with seven for 49 yards, while Fidone led the Huskers in receiving yards for the second straight week with 55 yards on four catches. Howard was 13-for-16 through the air for 221 yards, three touchdowns with one interception. The Huskers choked off Ohio State’s prolific run game for just 64 yards on 31 carries, but Tate had four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
DeShon Singleton was NU’s top tackler with 10 tackles, while Butler caused havoc in the OSU backfield with three tackles for loss and a sack among his five tackles. Sherman added three tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. Cody Simon led Ohio State’s defense with eight tackles and three tackles for loss.
Nebraska now prepares to face UCLA (2-5, 1-4) in Lincoln next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Bruins had an idle week after winning at Rutgers last week, 35-32. It’s the third straight week the Huskers will face a team coming off an idle week.