Nightmare on Elm Street, you say? Not exactly.
Try Nightmare on One Memorial Stadium Drive, Nebraska’s “Blackout” game, on Halloween night, a difficult-to-process, 17-10 loss to Washington.
And let me interject an opinion, a Washington team the Huskers should’ve beaten, soundly, an opinion that’s up for debate given Nebraska’s last three games.
No insight here. We’ve seen this game now, three consecutive times, twice at Memorial Stadium, the other in Eugene, Oregon, two weeks ago.
Is it worth recounting the fourth quarters of the previous games? Indiana scored 14 unanswered points after the Huskers had taken a 17-6 lead with 7 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then Dylan Raiola came off the bench to direct an 11-0 fourth quarter for the Ducks, including a touchdown with 28 seconds remaining. Indiana won 20-17, Oregon 17-14.
This time, it appeared Nebraska would make a 7-3 score hold up for a victory, only to see Washington score two touchdowns in 15 seconds of clock time in the fourth quarter for a 17-10 victory.
The first score came on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Demond Williams Jr. to Chris Lawson with 1:15 remaining, the second on a 48-yard interception return by Alex McLaughlin. The interception of Anthony Colandrea was Washington’s third.
The drama of Washington’s finish was highlighted, and made possible, by a 24-yard Williams-to-Lawson pass on fourth-and-18 from the Husker 49-yard line two plays before. Not only that, the play had to be reviewed to make sure Lawson completed the catch in bounds.
One other element of the unlikely finish: with 10:01 remaining in the fourth quarter, Kyle Cunanan missed a 36-yard field goal, after Nebraska began first-and-goal at the Huskies’ 5-yard line. A delay-of-game penalty, two incomplete passes and an 8-yard sack forced the field goal attempt.
John Hohl kicked a 42-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining, but the Huskers were unable to recover an onside kick to set up a possible tying possession with 22 seconds left.
Why recount details that anyone who watched the game knows? Because what else can be said? It was a head-shaking loss, so similar to those against Indiana and Oregon.
Oh yes, recall that Raiola didn’t enter the Oregon game until the fourth quarter, right? Saturday night, Williams didn’t replace starter Elijah Brown at quarterback until 10:01 remained.
The Blackshirts held Washington to a net of 32 yards rushing. Williams had carries of 19 and 17 yards. Anyway, 32 yards rushing (and 267 total yards). How does a team win with 32 yards rushing?
Nebraska’s defense held up until the 12-play, 81-yard touchdown drive ending with Williams’ pass. But three turnovers (interceptions) and a missed field goal were the Huskers’ undoing, according to Rhule. Colandrea completed 24-of-44 passes, including a 24-yarder to tight end Carter Nelson for the Huskers’ lone touchdown, capping a 10-play, 95-yard drive late in the first quarter.
Why five question marks to this point (now six)? Because it’s difficult to identify answers.
Nebraska’s post-game news conference was relatively brief, understandably so. In addition to Matt Rhule, center Justin Evans, defensive linemen Cameron Lenhardt and Riley Van Poppel and tight end Luke Lindenmeyer answered questions.
An emotional Lindenmeyer, who caught five passes for 61 yards, took responsibility for the deciding touchdown on the interception return. “’Ant (Colandrea) trusted me to make a play and I just stopped and the pick-six happened,” he said. “I have to live with the fact that I just watched it happened.
“Being a single-digit (jersey number) leader on the team supposedly would make that play, but I have to live with the fact I didn’t.”
He was relying on his Christian faith to carry him through.
But it wasn’t one player, or one play, that cost the Huskers in the “Blackout” game.
“It’s on all of us at the end of the day,” said Evans.
“In the locker room, everyone’s pointing at themselves,” Van Poppel said.
Trick or treat? Tricks for Nebraska, a treat for Washington.
Such was the Nightmare on One Memorial Stadium Drive.
