Gator Bowl 2014 Nebraska vs. Georgia: Live Game Grades, Analysis for Cornhuskers

Nebraska 24, Georgia 19—Final

The Nebraska Cornhuskers edged the Georgia Bulldogs 24-19 in the 2013 Gator Bowl.

Bleacher Report provided game grades and analysis for the Huskers close win. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Positional Unit	1st Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	B	B+
Run Offense	A-	A
Pass Defense	B-	B
Run Defense	A	A+
Special Teams	C+	B-
Coaching	B+	A-

Final Analysis for Nebraska Cornhuskers

Pass Offense: Tommy Armstrong had a mediocre day, completing six of 14 passes for 163 yards. Quincy Enunwa caught two touchdowns, including a 99-yard score on a superbly thrown ball from Armstrong. Though Armstrong’s interception allowed Georgia to cut the deficit to five points, Nebraska survived his lone miscue.

Run Offense: The Huskers offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, and running back Ameer Abdullah racked up 122 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, three of the team’s four third-down conversions came on the ground.

Pass Defense: Nebraska made Hutson Mason uncomfortable in the pocket, but his safety outlets, Todd Gurley and Arthur Lynch, wrecked the Cornhuskers linebackers. Josh Mitchell’s interception led to an early second-half touchdown, which was key in the Nebraska win.

Run Defense: Entering the game, the Bulldogs averaged 4.8 yards per attempt. However, a stout Nebraska defense dominated the Georgia rushing attack, restricting Gurley and Co. to 97 yards on 43 carries.

Special Teams: Two first-half mistakes hurt, but Nebraska’s special teams unit was decent. Pat Smith nailed a field goal, Mitchell recovered a muffed punt and the kickoff team nearly caused a turnover.

Coaching: Facing 3rd-and-10 on his own eight-inch line, offensive coordinator Tim Beck called a passing play. Quincy Enunwa proceeded to score a 99-yard touchdown. Need any more be said?

Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

First-Half Analysis for Nebraska Cornhuskers

Pass Offense: Tommy Armstrong did not look completely comfortable in the pocket, but he tossed a couple of accurate passes and went 4-of-7 for 46 yards. Jamal Turner dropped a wide-open touchdown, so Quincy Enunwa caught the Huskers’ lone score.

Run Offense: Ameer Abdullah was his usual productive self, tallying 64 yards during the first half. The offensive line is winning battles at the line of scrimmage, and Nebraska should run more often during the second frame.

Pass Defense: The Huskers constantly hurried Hutson Mason, and Randy Gregory made Kenarious Gates look silly, swimming past him and sacking Mason. However, they need to find tight end Arthur Lynch, who exploited soft coverage and caught five passes for 58 yards.

Run Defense: Nebraska’s front seven contained Todd Gurley, limiting the physical back to a 3.2 per-carry average. Overall, the Cornhuskers owned the Bulldogs running game, ceding 38 yards on 24 attempts.

Special Teams: Sam Foltz shanked a punt, and Georgia ripped off a 48-yard return. But Pat Smith and Josh Mitchell balanced the unit’s performance, drilling a 46-yard field goal and recovering a muffed punt, respectively.

Coaching: The Nebraska coaches simply want Armstrong to manage the game, calling runs or passing plays with easy reads. The Huskers blitzed occasionally, but the defensive linemen applied pressure by themselves.