Nebraska's Failure to Make Adjustments Cost Huskers Playoff, Big Ten Title Shot

Football is pretty simple. At least that's what Bo Pelini thinks.

After the University of Wisconsin's 59-24 victory over the University of Nebraska, it felt anything but that. Yet, that's exactly what Pelini said in his postgame press conference.

Maybe football is simple. It hasn't been for the Huskers, though. After what was projected to be a big season for Pelini and his team, Nebraska has now lost its control at winning the Big Ten West and competing for a Big Ten championship title. Instead, Wisconsin holds the honor.

Badgers running back Melvin Gordon played a big part in that. Against Nebraska, he rushed 25 times for a total of 408 yards, which became the most rushing yards in school history against Nebraska.

"Melvin Gordon is a hell of a back, but we played a part in that as well," Pelini said.

And he's right. Gordon is a talented player all on his own. There is no denying that. However, the Nebraska defense did itself no favors in its performance against Gordon.

"I thought it was substandard as the game went on," Pelini said. "That was disappointing."

Most disappointing? Not only did Nebraska lose control of the Big Ten West, but it seems unlikely the Huskers will head to the championship game at this point. Additionally, the outside shot at the College Football Playoffs is gone.

"At the end of the day, I take responsibility for this football team and how we played, and it wasn’t good enough," Pelini confirmed.

It definitely was not good enough. Wisconsin rushed for 581 total yards, which is the most ever against Nebraska. The previous record, believe it or not, belonged to Wisconsin from the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game with 539 yards.

It would seem that Wisconsin has Nebraska's number. Now that the two are on the same side of the Big Ten conference, the Huskers need to adjust. Yet, failure to do so is exactly what plagued Nebraska once again.

In Pelini's seven years as head coach, the Huskers have often failed to adjust as a game went on. Another example of this would be the 2013 UCLA game. While the Huskers led 21-10 in the first half, UCLA ultimately came back to win 41-21. While the Bruins clearly adjusted throughout the game, Nebraska did not.

Against Wisconsin, it happened once again. When asked how exactly Gordon could be allowed to run for so many yards, Pelini didn't have a good answer.

"I have no idea," he said.

That should be alarming. It's the lack of understanding that cost the Huskers a shot at the playoffs and likely a trip to Indianapolis. Failure to adjust was clearly a big part of the overall outcome of this game.

Wisconsin, like UCLA did last year, made the needed adjustments. After all, Gordon only had 49 yards in the first quarter. To go from that to a total of 408 yards proves the Badgers adjusted as the game went on. Nebraska, on the other hand, did not.

If Pelini really has no idea how the Blackshirts could allow that to happen, red flags should be raised. It speaks volumes about the program and the mentality that ultimately goes into each and every game.

Pelini doesn't seem to buy into that idea, though. At least, he didn't during his postgame press conference.

"I don't get into this big picture stuff," he said. "It was one football game. This program has won a lot of games."

It was one football game that meant much more, though. And that ultimately requires getting into the big picture stuff, whether Pelini wants to or not.

All quotes obtained firsthand via the Huskers' postgame press conference, unless otherwise noted.