LINCOLN — There’s a lot to unpack in this one and it’s hard to know where to start. But I’ll go with this: six points.
You kick the short field goal instead of going for fourth down on the first drive. And the normally sure-footed Kyle Cunanan’s 44-yard attempt goes through in the first quarter, that’s six points.
Nebraska lost by three, 30-27.
Okay. Enough. This isn’t about woulda, coulda or shoulda.
This looked like Nebraska, again, not doing enough or being good enough to win one of these tightrope acts.
A missed opportunity? Yes, you can say that.
This wasn’t a vintage Michigan team, and when the Huskers stole that Hail Mary touchdown at the half, it certainly seemed like this could be the day — in their stadium in front of their people.
But on a sun-splashed day when Terence “Bud” Crawford, the 1995 legends and the weatherman all set the stage for brilliance, the Huskers weren’t up to closing the deal.
Again. Frustrating? You bet.
But looking back, this painful lesson might have served as more of a reset of expectations and reality.
Did they blow the chance? Or, are they good enough yet to beat this kind of opponent?
We know more today than we did yesterday.
And while there were some fans and experts back in August not-so-quietly talking about nine or 10 wins and a playoff run, that optimism was founded more from hope than evidence.
There were too many unanswered questions about Nebraska for that kind of talk. And now some of those questions have answers.
Nebraska has more talent, playmaking and depth. But there are still holes, deficiencies that reared their heads on Saturday.
It’s a better team, but not there yet. It won’t be a great team, but it looks like it’s a good team with a chance to do some damage in the final eight games.
There’s still potential here. But for what exactly is not certain.
There was a lot to like on Saturday. Quarterback Dylan Raiola’s slinging and swinging his way back after an early interception. Jacory Barney’s playmaking (oh for that step out of bounds at the back of the end zone). The defense grabbed a big turnover.
And NU outsmarting Michigan to get the shot at the Hail Mary — and executing it — was good stuff. Blue sky forever.
But the thing that kept hovering over the day like a dark cloud was the offensive line.
The big guys had a tough day. They were pushed around and back by Michigan’s front four. The tackles didn’t look athletic. Time and again, the pocket collapsed on Raiola. Michigan took him down seven times.
Seven sacks. That’s seven times too many to win a game like this.
The quarterback did not help his own cause at times. Raiola needed to get the ball out quicker. And if there was an outlet back or receiver in the area, he needed to see him.
Meanwhile, the Huskers rushed for 43 total yards thanks to a minus-49 yards in sacks.
Before this game, I thought Nebraska could match up with Michigan up front. I thought wrong. Now we know.
The line, Raiola and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen all have to be better. If this is how the pocket is going to go, it won’t go far. I don’t know how many of NU’s Big Ten opponents are as physical as Michigan, but some will be. And some opposing coordinators will watch this tape and act accordingly with pressure and scheme.
Unless the Huskers get this fixed, it could be a long season for the offense. There aren’t many plays that work without blocking.
And yet, they scored 27. And yet, Raiola found ways to move the chains and score points. Emmett Johnson looks good. Luke Lindenmeyer is a playmaker at tight end.
Keeping Raiola upright will be the key to the season. Roll him out of the pocket. More quick hit passes. Holgorsen is a smart man.
Defensively, I thought Nebraska was good. Not nearly good enough.
The Wolverines rushed for 286 yards, which makes it look like the Blackshirts got steamrolled. Not exactly.
Michigan got 166 yards on three rushing touchdowns of 37, 75 and 54 yards. The other 120 yards were hard-earned.
The 166? Not so much. It looked like those were produced by defensive busts, which created an opening or crease and it was off to the races. Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and running back Justice Haynes are fast enough to make you pay.
To be sure, there were plenty of missed tackles, particularly on the edges. But there was plenty of pursuit, too.
Bottom line: this was not expected to be a great defense. A stout secondary? Yes. But the front seven had too many new faces to know.
And now we know more. This defense blinked. It will grow and get better. Hey: they don’t have a choice.
There are opportunities for wins ahead. But these Huskers are going to have to work for everything. And not blink. One blink could mean a loss.
It really doesn’t make any sense to look at the remaining schedule and try to figure out wins and losses. Not every team ahead is equal. But what matters most going forward is Nebraska.
This is a better team with better talent and better execution. But as their biggest stage showed on Saturday, there’s still much work to be done.
This was a different kind of game and yet the same kind of heartache. There were enough positive developments to offer hope and enough of the other kind to make you wonder how far it can go.
A loss is a loss. At some point, Husker fans want to win these games.
Another blown opportunity? It depends on what they do with the other eight games.
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Tom Shatel
Sports columnist
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