Holiday Bowl 2014: Game Grades, Analysis for Nebraska vs. USC
Steve Sarkisian and No. 24 USC withstood a furious rally from interim head coach Barney Cotton and Nebraska Saturday night, winning a 45-42 shootout in the Holiday Bowl.
Defense was optional as the Trojans (9-4) piled up 515 total yards, while the Cornhuskers (9-4) accounted for 525. Nebraska was able to whittle USC's 18-point second-half lead down to three, but the Trojans defense stood strong in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
| Pass Offense | B | A |
| Run Offense | F | C |
| Pass Defense | C | B- |
| Run Defense | C | F |
| Special Teams | A | A |
| Coaching | B | B- |
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Nebraska Cornhuskers Grade Analysis
Pass Offense: The Cornhuskers came out with guns blazing as Tommy Armstrong and the passing game set the tone early. Nebraska threw the ball 27 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone as De'Mornay Pierson-El and Kenny Bell had no problem getting open against the USC secondary.
Nebraska didn't slow down in the second half. Armstrong finished with a career-high 381 passing yards, completing 63.3 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and an interception.
Run Offense: Ameer Abdullah had a hard time finding lanes against USC’s incredible front seven, especially in the first half. The standout running back gained just 32 yards on 13 carries through two quarters, averaging 2.5 yards per carry.
Things picked up in the third quarter when Armstrong got involved in the zone-read and option game. That opened lanes for Abdullah, who finished with 88 rushing yards, but the team finished with just 144 rushing yards on 43 carries.
Pass Defense: Nebraska faced a stiff challenge in defending Cody Kessler and the high-flying USC Trojans, but it held up well on Saturday night.
The secondary did some good things in the first half, limiting Kessler to 169 passing yards and a touchdown (with one interception). The back end broke down big time in the third quarter, when the Trojans torched the Cornhuskers for 148 yards and two touchdowns through the air. They tightened up in the fourth quarter, though, forcing USC's defense into three consecutive three-and-outs to spark Nebraska's rally.
Run Defense: The Cornhuskers' run defense got off to a great start, limiting USC’s ground game to just six yards in the first quarter. Those fortunes changed in a big way in the second quarter, though, when USC running backs Javorius Allen and Justin Davis got going.
The Trojans ran for 101 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry in the second quarter. That set Kessler up for big things in the passing game because play action was so effective. The Trojans finished with 194 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per rush.
Special Teams: Nebraska's one firm advantage against USC came in the special teams department. Abdullah torched the Trojans with a trio of big kickoff returns in the first half, averaging 40 yards per return. Sam Foltz averaged 44.7 yards per punt, and Drew Brown was perfect on his two field goal attempts.
Nebraska even broke free to block a USC punt late in the third quarter, which helped the Cornhuskers stay close as the Trojans threatened to take control of the game.
Coaching: It appeared as though the Nebraska coaching staff was outsmarting itself with its offensive game plan in the first half. Instead of featuring Abdullah and the running game, the Cornhuskers threw at a much higher rate than they typically do. That strategy helped build a 17-10 lead, but Nebraska’s offense bogged down, going three-and-out on three consecutive possessions in the second half.
Barney Cotton mixed things up and called a few effective trick plays that caught USC off guard. But late in the fourth quarter, a questionable call to go for it on fourth down instead of attempting a game-tying field goal cost Nebraska a chance at overtime.
| Pass Offense | B | B- |
| Run Offense | B+ | A |
| Pass Defense | C+ | D- |
| Run Defense | A+ | B |
| Special Teams | C | D+ |
| Coaching | B | C |
USC Trojans Grade Analysis
Pass Offense: Kessler and Nelson Agholor turned in solid performances against Nebraska’s 26th-ranked pass defense. Kessler only completed 58.9 percent of his passes, but he threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Agholor led the team with seven receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. But Kessler spread the wealth around as eight different receivers caught passes against the Cornhuskers.
Run Offense: After a slow start, USC's rushing attack had its way with Nebraska's defense. Allen and Davis found big lanes against the Cornhuskers' defensive front, combining for 197 yards on just 30 carries. Allen finished with a game-high 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 44-yard touchdown jaunt midway through the third quarter.
Pass Defense: USC’s secondary struggled in the first half, dropping a number of interceptions while allowing numerous big plays to Armstrong and the Nebraska offense. Su’a Cravens came up with a redeeming play in the closing moments of the second quarter, though, when he halted a Nebraska drive that had reached the red zone with an interception.
The Cornhuskers' first-half success translated to the second half as USC surrendered 381 passing yards to a quarterback whose previous career high was 273.
Run Defense: USC’s front seven did an outstanding job of bottling up Nebraska’s dangerous rushing attack in the first half.
Abdullah and Co. managed just 27 yards on 18 attempts through two quarters, averaging a meager 1.5 yards per carry. Armstrong got more involved in the run game in the second half, which opened things up for the Cornhuskers down the stretch. Still, USC was able to limit Nebraska's explosive backfield to just 3.3 yards per carry.
Special Teams: Adoree' Jackson got things going early for USC’s special teams when he took a first-quarter kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. But that play was countered by some horrific punting from Kris Albarado.
His first two punts set Nebraska up inside USC’s territory, which the Cornhuskers cashed in for touchdowns on both occasions. He averaged just 31.2 yards on seven punts, one of which was blocked by the Cornhuskers late in the third quarter. If not for Jackson's touchdown, USC's special teams could have cost the team a victory.
Coaching: It was clear that USC was unprepared for Nebraska's pass-heavy strategy to start the game, which helped the Cornhuskers build a seven-point first-quarter lead. The Trojans adjusted in the second quarter, though, scoring 14 unanswered points to close out the half.
But Nebraska got creative in the second half, keeping USC off balance with its play-calling that freed Abdullah up on a number of big plays. That's when the Trojans' inability to close out games almost cost them. Fortunately for Sarkisian, the Cornhuskers had dug themselves in too deep a hole to recover from.
All stats via NCAA.com.
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