Nebraska Weathers the Storm in Missouri

The following is a live journal composed during the Nebraska/Missouri game. All times listed are Pacific Standard Time.

PREGAME

5:55 – Wow. It is POURING in Columbia.

5:55 – Missouri is going for its third win in a row against Nebraska—the Huskers won 24 straight at one point—and has outscored them 93-23 in the last two games overall; the Huskers so-called “improved defense” will be a major factor in changing things.

FIRST QUARTER

6:03 – Since the play clock on the big scoreboard is not functioning due to an earlier power outage, it makes one wonder how many delay of game penalties will be called in this game.

6:04 – Missouri is doing a smart thing with this first drive—lots of ball fakes. In this kind of weather, throwing the defense off balance on a slick field is even more advantageous.

6:08 – That offensive pass interference call was a killer because it forced Missouri to go for longer passes; thus, the drive stalls with the lower percentage plays.

6:11 – After a good first run by Nebraska, their drive stalls as well. Obviously, both teams are trying to get their respective run games going; if this weather keeps up, whichever team gains the most yards on the ground is likely going to have an even bigger advantage than normal.

6:16 – If conditions were more ideal, not even Bo Jackson could have turned the corner on that play; Missouri running back Derrick Washington took about four seconds to work his way to the sidelines and push forward.

6:18 – There’s the first of what could be many fumbles (a running count will be kept); Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert had all the time in the world to get rid of that ball. It looks like he hurt his ankle too.

6:25 – It’s raining flags as well; both teams keep forcing themselves into these 1st and long situations that require more passing.

6:26 – Fumble count: 2. Although Nebraska QB Zac Lee had the ball swatted out of his hand as he was bringing his arm back to throw, so the conditions didn’t play a major factor in that one; also, an alert play by Lee to find the ball and fall on it.

6:32 – Fumble count: 3. Isn’t the return man supposed to yell “Peter! Peter! Peter!”? That was a horrible miscue by the Nebraska special teams.

6:38 – Missouri began that drive deep in Nebraska territory and ended it in their own due to a holding penalty and sack; if the rain and penalties keep up, we could very well be looking at a final score of 3-0.

6:39 – END FIRST QUARTER, TIED 0-0

SECOND QUARTER

6:45 – A safety to begin the scoring—fitting.

2-0 Missouri.

6:50 – Fumble count: 4. Two muffed punts and a high snap that led to a safety—Nebraska’s special teams are anything but special right now. Luckily, they didn’t pay for that mistake.

7:00 – Gabbert is still hobbling from that sack in the first quarter and the offense is suffering for it; either he needs to heal up fast or his line needs to give him more time.

7:14 – Missouri needs to get away from option plays where Gabbert has to run; that ankle does not make him a threat when keeping the ball.

7:17 – Fumble count: 5. A third mishandled punt by Nebraska; they’ve dodged the bullet twice, but they’re not getting any return yardage.

7:24 – Unbelievable. Missouri takes a punt back deep into Nebraska territory, but a late hit pushes them back. The conditions have made the lack of scoring and execution understandable, but there is no excuse for a play that boneheaded.

7:26 – It was only a matter of time before a defensive player slipped and fell and a big play came of it. Neither team has played well, but Nebraska has committed far more errors.

7:34 – A quarterback with a bum ankle, on 4th and Goal, just barely gets the ball past the goal line (according to the officials) as time expires—it’s been that kind of game.

9-0 Missouri.

7:36 – HALFTIME. MISSOURI LEADS 9-0.

7:38 – That was a gutsy call at the end of the half by Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel and it changes the entire complexion of this game. Nebraska has to score twice to have a chance and, based on their offensive (both pronunciations of that word are appropriate in this sentence) performance in the first half, that looks like a tall task.

THIRD QUARTER

7:56 – A sloppy game like this wouldn’t be complete without a kickoff going out of bounds. Hopefully the Nebraska offense has made adjustments that will help them take advantage of this.

7:57 – Fumble count: 6. So much for taking advantage of the field position; another bad snap leads to a turnover.

8:00 – Missouri misses a field goal; now we know why Pinkel went for it at the end of the first half.

8:17 – Defensive end Barry Turner dropped a sure interception that could have revived Nebraska; it’s turning into that kind of night for them.

8:32 – The Nebraska defense has, in fact, been a major factor; despite that facemask penalty earlier, they are the sole reason the Huskers are still within two touchdowns.

12-0 Missouri.

8:35 – END THIRD QUARTER. MISSOURI LEADS 12-0.

FOURTH QUARTER

8:41 – Nebraska finally gets on the board with, of all things, a long touchdown pass; that was an incredible throw by Lee in that weather.

12-7 Missouri.

8:46 – Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh finally holds onto a ball for a Nebraska interception; what a turn of events.

8:47 – Nebraska’s total points through the first three quarters: 0. Nebraska’s total points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter: 13.

13-12 Nebraska.

8:56 – Gabbert hadn’t thrown an interception in his career coming into this game; he has now thrown two in as many passes and Nebraska is knocking on the door again.

8:58 – The Missouri defense let Lee buy enough time to find tight end Mike McNeill standing wide open at the goal line; the Tigers have crumbled in these last five minutes.

20-12 Nebraska.

9:06 – Missouri is moving the ball by finally going back to the draw plays and quarterback runs that were working earlier; better late than never.

9:14 – Safety Larry Asante is called for pass interference on 4th and 6; that was a bad time for the Nebraska defense to make a mistake.

9:15 – A holding call on Missouri puts both teams over one hundred penalty yards; it doesn’t matter who ends up winning—they’ll have won ugly.

9:18 – The holding penalty allows Nebraska to turn Missouri away on downs; if the Huskers hang on, this loss will be on the Missouri offense.

9:23 – Running back Roy Helu Jr. breaks one down the right side for first and goal; one play later, he ices the game with a touchdown run.

27-12 Nebraska.

9:28 – GAME OVER. NEBRASKA WINS 27-12.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This was an ugly, sloppy, train wreck of a game. The hard rain was definitely a factor in the lack of ball control, but over two hundred combined penalty yards loom far larger than any storm. Neither of these teams will stand a chance against the likes of Texas or Oklahoma if they continue to cross the century mark in penalty yardage.

It looked like Missouri had this game well in hand due to them being the team playing less horribly. Unfortunately, their inability to approach playing somewhat well eventually caught up with them. The Nebraska special teams provided countless opportunities for the Tigers, but they hardly took advantage of any of them.

In the end, this game was all about the Huskers defense. For three quarters, despite an anemic offense and a special teams group that thought the ball was a hot potato, they hung tough and made the plays that allowed Nebraska to take control.

The game ball and, possibly, a new set of Blackshirts, go to them.