Nebraska will miss a bowl game for the third year in a row after failing to take advantage of a few breaks in their loss to Iowa.
Keith Duncan drilled a 48-yard game-winning field goal to give Iowa a 27-24 win over Nebraska, their fifth straight win vs. the Huskers, to end their seasons without a bowl game. The fourth quarter was a barrage of punts before the late turnover that gave Nebraska a flicker of hope to get to a bowl game that would have provided a few extra weeks of valuable practice time. Instead, their season ends short of expectations and with a potential quarterback controversy.
Nebraska had their chances to extend their season with a bowl game if they got their sixth win. Nebraska recovered a fumble by Iowa running back Mekhi Sargent late in the fourth quarter. Collin Miller forced the fumble on Sargent, one play after he ran for 30 yards to get Iowa in field goal range, and was recovered by Cam Taylor-Britt at the Nebraska 33 with the game tied at 24.
But the football gods were not shining on Nebraska on a very questionable illegal block penalty that killed a potential game-winning drive. Instead of potentially kicking a field goal, Nebraska had to punt to Iowa. Moments later, an apparent Iowa catch with 26 seconds by Nico Ragaini was reviewed and ruled incomplete. Nebraska caught another break but was unable to do anything with it in overtime.
Duncan drilled the game-winner moments after Scott Frost called a timeout to freeze him. Duncan drilled the first attempt that didn’t count and the record-setting kicker didn’t let the moment affect him on the one that mattered.
It didn’t look like it would have the dramatic ending that it produced.
Iowa got off to a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter and later led 24-10 at halftime. Nebraska got 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. Luke McCaffrey threw a 39-yard touchdown to JD Spielman and Wyatt Mazour had a nine-yard run to tie the game and give the Huskers a chance in the fourth. McCaffrey, the younger brother of Christian McCaffrey, seems to have some momentum behind him to take the job from Martinez if Frost loses patience.
McCaffrey had the biggest play of the day for the Huskers offense and relieved Martinez on the final offensive possession. Martinez came to Lincoln with the weight of being the savior on his shoulders as a true freshman starter.
After injuries and some flashes of that potential, McCaffrey will be given every opportunity to win the starting job in the spring. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these two in the transfer portal at some point to explore their options if they don’t win the job. Martinez is the player to beat but much like Nebraska football overall, he’s fallen short of expectations after one metaphorical false start after another.
The offseason is starting sooner than Nebraska football fans would like. This marks the first time they’ll miss a bowl game for the third year in a row since 1959-1961. Those were the dark ages of Nebraska football under William Jennings in the old Big 7 days. Nebraska only made one bowl game from 1941-1961 and they were 6-5 the year they went to the Orange Bowl.
It’s too soon to give up on Frost as a head coach. It’s clear the rebuilding effort will take more time than hoped, but Nebraska has to settle on a quarterback and get to a bowl next year.
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