Nebraska Football: Good, Bad and Other of Nebraska's 34-27 Win over Ohio State

When they said it would be a memorable night, they weren’t kidding.

Nebraska beat Ohio State 34-27 on Saturday, erasing a 21-point deficit in the second half and setting a school record for the biggest comeback in history. An injury to Braxton Miller, Ohio State’s freshman quarterback and a resurgence of the NU offense keyed the amazing come-from-behind victory.

So how did it all happen? Let’s take a look at the good and the bad of Saturday’s amazing game and see what we can learn.

The Good: Adjustments Can Work

Going into halftime, Nebraska looked ragged, confused and lost. An anemic Ohio State offense that nearly was shut out at home the week before had put up 246 yards and 20 points on Nebraska’s defense. Nebraska’s offense had only managed 117 yards of total offense and was only on the scoreboard as a result of good field position from the kick return game and Ohio State penalties.

But then adjustments were made on defense to help corral the suddenly-dangerous Ohio State offense. More wrinkles were added offensively, and offensive coordinator Tim Beck stayed with the run long enough to wear out a thin Ohio State defensive squad and find success late.

The Good: Poise under Pressure

In the loss to Wisconsin, one of the concerns was where the leadership on the team was to pull them through. We found that out in spades on Saturday. Lavonte David started the comeback with his strip of Braxton Miller that led to Nebraska’s first touchdown. And the offense, led by Taylor Martinez and keyed by dominant offensive line play and a superior effort from Rex Burkhead, completed the epic comeback for Nebraska

The Good: T-Redemption

Even in the first half, when things were falling apart for NU, Taylor Martinez was having a different game than he did against Wisconsin. He responded to all the post-Madison criticism with a performance that showed more poise and leadership than he had demonstrated in his Nebraska career.

Does he have a ways to go still? Sure. Did he make mistakes? Absolutely. But a 16-of-22 passing performance, including a picturesque long strike and (relatively) consistent short and intermediate throws went a long way in showing why Bo Pelini and his staff have such faith in Martinez.

The Bad: The Need for the Comeback

It was awesome, wasn’t it? Memorial Stadium had the kind of electricity and excitement the Grey Lady hasn’t seen in many years. NU’s B1G home opener has become the stuff of legend.

But the euphoria surrounding that historic comeback can shroud the reason for the comeback in the first place. In the first half—and some in the second—the same ghosts that haunted the Blackshirts returned to stalk the sidelines.

Missed tackles. Blown assignments in the secondary. Inability to contain on the backside. Insufficient pass rush, with or without a blitz. While the comeback was wonderful and could be a starting point, it shouldn’t hide the problems that created the deficit in the first place.

The Bad: Getting Greedy

Look, I get it. There’s less than a minute left in the half. You’re losing. So you take a shot downfield, thinking that even a worst-case scenario wouldn’t hurt you.

Sound familiar? It’s the same line of thinking at the end of the first half against Wisconsin, and it led to a back-breaking touchdown. If a team is coming off that shot to the gut, why do you even put yourself in a circumstance where that could be repeated?

The Bad: The Boo Birds Come Out

Look, I get it. In the first six quarters of B1G play, Nebraska was outscored 68-23. And Nebraska ended the first half the same way it did against Wisconsin, with a jump-ball Taylor Martinez interception converted into an opposing score.

But you don’t boo, Nebraska fans. You just don’t. Complain all you want on the talk shows and the message board. Grumble and gripe on the way down to get a hot dog. Take your frustration out on a popcorn box, if you have to.

But you don’t boo. Not college kids. Not in Memorial Stadium. Not ever. Period.

And the Fine, Fine Line

Revel in it, Nebraska fans. You just saw a win for the ages, a game that will go down with Alex Henery’s 57-yard bomb against Colorado for one of the most exciting events in Memorial Stadium.

But think of how close things were to going the other way. What happens if Lavonte David isn’t able to make that unbelievable strip? What if Stanley Jean-Baptiste—a kid who started the season at wide receiver and got his first real playing time at corner on Saturday—isn’t able to make an acrobatic interception, allowing Ohio State to balloon the lead back and taking the air out of Memorial Stadium?

Of such margins are games—and perhaps seasons—decided.

The Big Picture

We’ve been saying it all year—Nebraska is a team with a lot of youth. But at some point, youth grows up. Was the second half against Ohio State that moment? Look at the underclassmen that sparked the comeback. Look at the youth that who are becoming regular contributors, displacing established veterans. Look at the veterans, like Lavonte David, who are emerging as team leaders.

Nebraska’s comeback turned disaster into a huge opportunity. Instead of going into a bye week 0-2 and having things feel a lot like 2007, Nebraska now gets a week off to prepare for a reeling Minnesota team full of confidence. More importantly, it perhaps goes into the bye week having clearly defined some leaders on both sides of the ball.

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