An emotional Marques Buford Jr. spoke to the media following Nebraska’s 31-24 overtime loss to Illinois Friday night. Buford, a defensive back, was the first Husker to follow Matt Rhule to the podium.
Asked if he was disappointed, Buford replied: “Extremely.”
But, he continued, “not really because we lost, I would say how we lost. It felt like we weren’t playing up to our standard of play as a whole defense.”
He seemed to place blame, if there was any, on that side of the ball.
“As a defense, we gotta be way better,” Buford said.
Buford didn’t hide his disappointment, or frustration.
He was followed by wide receiver Jahmal Banks, who also seemed emotional as he answered questions. The loss “felt like something special was taken from you,” he said.
Three victories and a No. 22 ranking seemed evidence of something special, something that caused those in Memorial Stadium’s 400th consecutive-sellout as well as those watching on FOX television or listening to Bill Doleman — filling in for Greg Sharpe — on the Husker Radio Network to anticipate a potential seven-game winning streak before playing at Ohio State in late October.
Fans can look ahead that way. Coaches and players cannot. And that wasn’t the case.
“We predicted they would come out and be spread, no huddle, like they were,” said Rhule.
The Illini offense was no surprise. Neither was their defense.
“They were loading up the box,” Rhule said.
That affected Nebraska’s ability to run the ball. The Huskers finished with a net of 48 yards rushing, though that included 46 yards in losses from Dylan Raiola being sacked five times, including two of the final three plays in overtime. Nebraska’s last play was fourth-and-29 from the Illinois 44.
“I’ll take this game on my back,” Raiola said. “I have to get better and be better for our team.”
Regardless of what he claimed, the loss wasn’t on Raiola’s back, said Rhule. Raiola went 24-of-35 for 297 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception.
There was some controversy regarding the interception. It appeared Isaiah Neyor might have caught a 36-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter, but officials reviewed the play and concluded that Illinois defensive back Torrie Cox Jr. had control of the ball last.
On the Huskers’ next possession, Raiola hooked up with Neyor on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds remaining in the first half, to give Nebraska a 17-10 lead.
The touchdown capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive.
Neyor scored the Huskers’ first touchdown on a 6-yard reception, Janiran Bonner scored the third on a 1-yard pass play three seconds into the fourth quarter.
John Hohl scored Nebraska’s first points on a 21-yard field goal late in the first quarter. But Hohl missed a 39-yard field goal that might have given the Huskers the victory with 2:59 remaining in regulation. On the play before, a Raiola pass just out of the reach of tight end Luke Lindenmeyer could have been a touchdown and given Nebraska the victory as well.
“It just comes down to execution,” said Raiola.
Illinois rushed for 166 yards, including 21 by running back Kaden Feagin on the first play in overtime. The second play was a 4-yard touchdown pass to an open wide receiver in Pat Bryant.
Additional Husker frustration during the loss included injuries to defensive back Tommi Hill and offensive left tackle Turner Corcoran; redshirt freshman Gunnar Gottula replaced Corcoran, who stepped in as the starter when Teddy Prochazka was lost for the season before the opener.
It appeared Corcoran “got hurt pretty severely,” Rhule said.
Friday night was disappointing, said Rhule. “It’s something we certainly have to learn from.”
“It hurts because we really kind of beat ourselves, especially on defense,” Ty Robinson said.
Robinson echoed Buford. As a defense “we have to be way better than we were tonight,” he said. “I feel like if the offense scores 24 points, we need to win the game.”
The offense might have scored more than 24, if not for two or three calls.
But that’s an observation not necessarily a fact.
Rhule had “no comment on the officiating.”
