Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Texas Longhorns: A Critical View of the Game

I am going to hack on the Huskers, the Longhorns, the officiating and a few other unlucky souls.  Read on if you can take it.

There could have not been a more perfect day in October for a game of Husker football.  A bit breezy but the temperature was nothing short of ideal.  Huskers get the ball to start, first play from scrimmage and the first cheap shot by Texas No. 32 with a punch to the back of the head of the Nebraska receiver.  Classy!  I am not going to dignify the player by giving his name. I know he is just a second-rate player trying to cause trouble.  Longhorn fans should see this and be ashamed.

Not to be outdone by the Longhorns, on the next play the officials throw the flag on Martinez for intentional grounding.  He was obviously down, and the ball should have been dead.  No review.  Result is a 3-and-out.

I noted earlier in the week that the only player on offense for the Texas longhorns that truly impressed me was Gilbert.  I question why the Huskers seem unprepared for Gilbert running the ball.  The only player that has been producing consistent play for the Longhorns has been Gilbert.  Drive stalls but produces an easy field goal...3-0 Texas.

Huskers get the ball back...why not fumble on the first play?  I guess there's nothing that the coaching staff could have done about this problem. (Note the heavy sarcasm)  When the number of fumbles is in the 20’s this early in the season, you have problems.  Texas ball.  

Texas drives about 20 yards for the score, Nebraska looks confused on defense, the crowd is clueless and I am perplexed.  GILBERT!!! WHO IS COVERING GILBERT?...10-0 Texas.

I watched the Red River Rivalry game. Oklahoma confused Texas with a toss to the right, a toss to the left, fast strike run up the middle and then a deep shot to a receiver that knew how to catch.

Nebraska’s approach appears to be run up the middle, run up the middle then pass to a receiver that has hands of stone.   Punt.  Pathetic.

The line judge gets into the action on the next series for Texas, gives the Longhorns the first down on a spot that is next to amazing.  Nebraska still forces the punt three plays later.

Niles Paul drops a pass that could have been huge but redeems himself moving the huskers inside the 30.  Proud Texas Longhorn fans will note that the last play of the first quarter has No. 32 hitting Martinez after the play.  No call by the officials.  Clearly the officials didn’t miss seeing that, why no flag?

Touchdown! Dropped by Burkhead.  Field goal is the result...10-3.

At this point I can’t understand why the Huskers are still only attacking the center of the Longhorns Defense.  It's their strength and the Huskers attacked it again and again and failed.

The game tightens up at this point, and it goes back and forth.  Nebraska is punting again, and the ball goes out of bounds at the 10 according to everyone that I have talked to that was there.  Even the announcers thought that it was the 10.  Line judge therefore marks it at the 22. You have to wonder…

Delay of game or was it.  From what I see is the flag, then a whistle.  I can’t see the sidelines so I can’t say for sure.  Texas continues with their drive.  A personal foul on Nebraska, a long pitch and catch and a quarterback dive and it's…17-3

The drive that follows includes the missed open receiver and the dropped ball.  Husker fans are seriously upset by the failed pass interference call that would have extended the drive.  It's clear the receiver was being molested by the Longhorn cornerback on the play, amazingly nothing is called.  The line judge was there watching the cheerleaders.

The end of the first half finds me, and a large number of others, questioning a few things.  Are the Texas Longhorns now working better as a team?  They have always had great players, but now, it looks like they are getting a whole team effort. 

Why didn’t the Husker coaching staff attack the perimeter in order to loosen up the middle?  They attacked the middle, and all the plays appeared to originate in the same location in the backfield.  The result is the Texas defense has one place to key their attack.  A predictable game plan, can you win with one?   

Who are the officials?  Clearly they had missed calls. Is the balance of their judgment level? 

And finally, who wears an alligator hat to a Husker game.  Your friends should fill your car with dead fish and let it sit through a hot Nebraska summer's day.  At the very least, you need to buy the beer.

Are things beginning to move in the favor of the Huskers?  Martinez fumble, a punt that includes the late hit out of bounds, Texas ball for the second time in the half on the Nebraska 32-yard line.  Everybody knows that Texas needs a pass interference penalty on a phantom play.  And they get it, nice.

Huskers are impressive on defense and hold Texas to a field goal.  Lucky that the Longhorns receiver drops the ball in the end zone, will the offense play now?  Bo is ripping the officiating crew between possessions. Huskers are still in the game.

Tight end Reed catches a beautiful ball on the sidelines for the 1st down.  The line judge misses the call again!  Out of bounds.  No replay, Huskers are left to punt. 

Texas goes three and out.  A rolling short punt that the Longhorns Williams stops from going into the end zone, is downed on the 6-yard line.  Television replay shows that Williams was on the goal line.  Shameful exhibition of officiating with no backup from the replay booth.

Lee is in the game at quarterback. Not much better on the result, Niles Paul is interfered with on the sidelines during a deep pass.  Same official misses the call.   Next play, a classless display of unsportsmanlike conduct No. 4 Texas, gives the Huskers a first down.  Another dropped touchdown pass, drive stalls, results in a field goal...20- 6.

The end of the third quarter.

Huskers defense does a good job and gets the ball back at midfield.  The drive has another fumble, WHO GREASED THE PIG? What helps is the late hit out of bounds.  A holding penalty on the same play, Huskers get no yardage but have the first down.  Another fumble, enough is enough. 4th-and-18, a pass down the middle for a TOUCHDOWN, sorry he dropped it.  Turnover on downs. 

Now it gets interesting.  The Longhorns are able to move the ball within long field goal range.  Mack Brown makes a fool out of himself and his team by faking the kick and punts to the 5-yard line.  Catching the ball and returning it with his convoy is Hagg.  Huskers are in the game again!

Onside kick!  Everyone that knows anything about football sees this coming.  The kick is awesome and the Huskers find a way to get nobody anywhere near the ball.  Texas has the ball and three minutes left in the game.  The final three minutes result in two events that drive me nuts.  The review of the spot that is confirmed, wrong call and the announcers were dumbfounded.  The result is an illegal substitution on Nebraska.  A fitting end to the ballgame, what else can I say?