Nebraska is off to the first 0-6 start in the 129-year history they’ve played football.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Sure, there were growing pains to be expected but none of the most optimistic Nebraska football fans could have seen this coming. Nebraska lost on Saturday just when it looked like they would get their first win of the season and the first in the Scott Frost era.
Just when they had it all sewn up, Northwestern snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to send the Huskers back to Lincoln wondering when they’re ever gonna get a win.
Of the previous five losses for Nebraska this season, none will sting as much as this one. The Huskers led by 10 with 2:30 remaining in the game and had a 98 percent chance to win according to ESPN’s win probability metric. Nebraska had Northwestern right where they wanted them after a punt set up Northwestern at the 1-yard line needing a touchdown to tie and force overtime. The odds were stacked against them and the Nebraska fans who made the trip to Evanston were ready to celebrate.
But then disaster struck and Clayton Thorson led the Cats to the game-tying touchdown and the extra point was good. In overtime, Nebraska went for it on 4th-and-1 but a low snap forced Adrian Martinez to try to scramble and make something happen. He ended up heaving the ball in the end zone where it was intercepted. Northwestern kicked the game-winning field goal four plays later.
Yikes!
That really hurts and Nebraska football fans don’t deserve this. They are among the best in college football, if not all sports. They’ve sold out every home game since 1962, a sellout streak that will never come close to being broken. They back the stadium for the annual spring game and they travel as well as any team in the country as shown by the red crown in Northwestern.
Sometimes bad things happen to good fans and this is what is happening here. This is as bad as it gets for Nebraska fans, but the good thing, and there is a silver lining and reason for hope, is that it’s Scott Frost on the sidelines and not Bill Callahan or Mike Riley or some other coach who wouldn’t be able to dig his way out of this hole.
It’s going to get better for Nebraska and their great fans, but it might get worse before it gets better. This season is already a wash and they won’t be in a bowl game, and recruiting might take a few hits because of the on-field product, but don’t give up the hope that Frost will turn it around.
As bad as things are right now, don’t be surprised if Nebraska wins their first game of the year next Saturday at home against Minnesota.
Don’t give up the hope because better days are coming for Nebraska.