Nebraska vs. Iowa: Game Grades, Analysis for the Huskers and Hawkeyes

It was a very wild game in Iowa City, but the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers were able to defeat the University of Iowa Hawkeyes 37-34 in overtime. The final box score can be found here, thanks to NCAA.com.

Both teams made plays on offense, defense and special teams. But Iowa looked as if it was going to run away with the game in the third quarter, leading 24-7. Tommy Armstrong was not going to have any of that, as he threw four touchdown passes in the win.

It was a good win for the Huskers and a tough loss for the Hawkeyes. But everyone in attendance and everyone who was watching on TV got their money’s worth.

Here are game grades and analysis for the Huskers and Hawkeyes.

Positional Unit	First Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	C-	B
Running Offense	C	C+
Passing Defense	C-	C
Running Defense	B	B+
Special Teams	C	A-
Coaching	C	B+

Passing Offense

Armstrong started off slow in the passing game. In fact, he threw two interceptions in the first half, but they did not lead to any points for Iowa. Armstrong picked things up in the second half, throwing two big touchdown passes and the game-winner in overtime. The passing offense was not at its best, but Armstrong and his receivers made plays in key situations.

Running Offense

The Huskers rushed for 161 yards, which is well below their 256 average. They picked things up in the second half when Ameer Abdullah was able to get going. His 106-yard performance was the first time he has rushed for over 100 yards since the beginning of the month. It was not easy to run on the Hawkeyes, but Abullah ran hard all game long, and it paid off in the second half.

Passing Defense

Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock had a strong outing with 230 yards and two touchdowns. The problem for the Huskers was they did not put any pressure on him in the early stages of the game. But once they made the adjustments in the second half, they were able to tighten up the coverage. One of the defensive players of the game was defensive back Nate Gerry, who had 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception in the first half.

Running Defense

The Hawkeyes rushed for 142 yards, but they only averaged 2.8 yards per carry. Ziare Anderson was big for the Huskers, as he tallied 14 tackles and one forced fumble. Middle linebacker Trevor Roach was right behind Anderson with eight tackles. The front seven for the Huskers never let the running backs for Iowa run wild because the Huskers never got beat off the line of scrimmage consistently. They have improved greatly compared to the University of Wisconsin game a few weeks ago.

Special Teams

To say it was a mixed bag for the special teams would be an understatement. The Huskers had a missed field goal in the first quarter, but they also recovered a fumble on a punt return in the same quarter. They had a field goal blocked that was returned for a touchdown, but De’Mornay Pierson-El had two big returns in the fourth quarter—and one was returned for a touchdown to give the Huskers the lead. It was a game where the special teams made big mistakes but also helped the Huskers win the game.

Coaching

Bo Pelini did a good job making second-half adjustments so the Huskers were able to get back in the game. He also did a good job managing the clock at the end of the game so his offense had time to go downfield and hit the game-tying field goal. It has not been the best year for Pelini and his coaching staff, but he has a chance to finish the season with 10 wins, which is always a good accomplishment.

Positional Unit	First Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	B	B-
Running Offense	C	C
Passing Defense	A	C
Running Defense	B	C
Special Teams	A	C-
Coaching	A	C-

Passing Offense

It was a solid day for Rudock when it comes to the passing game. He threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw one interception and was only 19-of-38. Rudock showed toughness all game long. But as the game went on, the coverage for the Huskers got better and the shots downfield weren’t there compared to the first half.

Running Offense

Iowa is not a team that runs the ball well compared to other teams in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes only rushed for 142 yards on 50 carries. The problem with the Hawkeyes is they don’t have a running back that is a game-changer. Mark Weisman and Jordan Canzeri are guys that can grind it out, but they only average about 3.5 yards per carry. If they were able to run the ball more effectively, the Hawkeyes might have won.

Passing Defense

Despite the four touchdown passes given up by the Hawkeyes, they limited Armstrong to 202 yards and picked him off twice in the first half. The coverage was never bad for Iowa; it was Armstrong being able to make good throws to Kenny Bell and Pierson-El. It’s disappointing how Iowa lost the way it did after giving up a touchdown pass from Armstrong to Bell, because the coverage was there. However, Armstong and Bell were able to improvise.

Running Defense

The only problem the Hawkeyes had in the run game was Abdullah. Despite the 106 yards he gained, 53 of those yards came on one play. Nebraska easily averages 250 yards per game on the ground, and it only gained 161. Armstrong only rushed for 31 yards, and Imani Cross only carried the ball three times. Quinton Alston tallied eight tackles and one tackle for loss, while Josey Jewell added seven tackles. Both players were very solid in the run game, as they were able fly to the football.

Special Teams

Like Nebraska, it was a mixed bag for the special teams. The Hawkeyes got a touchdown off special teams, but they had a very hard time containing return man Pierson-El, as he had two big returns—one of them went for a touchdown. The Hawkeyes also had a return that was fumbled in the first half. As good as the special teams played at times, they were just as bad in key moments in the game, which is one of the reasons why the Hawkeyes came up short.

Coaching

Kirk Ferentz always has his players ready to play, and that was the case against Nebraska, as the Hawkeyes were up 24-7 in the third quarter. But the players had issues executing toward the end of the game and let the game slip away in the fourth quarter. That’s not all on Ferentz because the players have to execute better in key situations. When Iowa plays in its bowl game, Ferentz will make sure his players won’t make the same mistakes again.