Groin Kick Chronicles: 20-11

The game: Michigan State 20-17 – 2023 – East Lansing, Michigan

What happened? After three wins in a row, Nebraska entered November 5-3, one win away from their first bowl berth since the Obama administration. Michigan State was 2-6, losers of six in a row after the firing of Mel Tucker. This was it. This was Nebraska’s chance. They’d pick up a win, get to 6-3, and continue the rebuilding process in year one under Matt Rhule!

No, no they wouldn’t.

A back-and-forth first half had the game tied at 10-10 going into the final 30 minutes. A lone field goal by the Spartans gave them a 13-10 lead going into the fourth quarter. Nebraska, however, couldn’t find any rhythm on offense. They started the day with a three-and-out and in the second half, put up three consecutive drives without a first down. The last one came just as the fourth quarter began, before a 30-yard punt gave Michigan State the ball at Nebraska’s 38. Four plays later, it was 20-10.

Nebraska’s defense had so often saved the day for Nebraska, but with little help from their offense, they broke down at the worst time. And when Nebraska finally got within three points and forced a three-and-out of their own, the offense let the defense down.

What did it mean? This game would be the hallmark of the final month of the 2023 season. Nebraska had 18 first downs to only 11 by Michigan State. They held the ball for 31:31. But, two INTs and a fumble by Heinrich Haarberg gave Michigan State the football constantly. They didn’t turn any of those takeaways into points, but the damage was done.

We didn’t know it at the time, but this somehow wouldn’t be the most horrifying loss th at month. Hell, it wouldn’t even be second or third. Bad, bad times were coming.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The final sack and fumble of the day.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Iowa 27-24 – 2019 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? With 2:32 left in the game, Nebraska had the ball. They had just forced and recovered an Iowa fumble. The Hawkeyes had one timeout left.

Two plays later, Nebraska had a first down under the belt and the ball at their own 44-yard line. At the very least, this could have – should have – been the last drive of regulation. Nebraska could sit on the ball, perhaps move into field goal range, and try to walk off the Hawkeyes.

Which made it all the more confusing when they ran out of bounds on each of their first two plays of the drive, and snapped the ball with 24 seconds left on the play clock.

On first down, with 1:59 left on the game clock and 17 seconds on the play clock, Adrian Martinez snapped the football. 

Martinez then raced off the field as Scott Frost sent Luke McCaffrey in at quarterback, for some reason. The offense was confused, as players struggled in getting lined up. One Husker even ran over to the bench.

Finally, mercifully, with 1:14 on the game clock and three seconds on the play clock, McCaffrey took the snap. The freshman QB picked up four yards on a wild scramble, only for Mike Williams to get called for a blindside block, a questionable flag given the contact wasn’t much. 

That said, Williams didn’t even need to do anything; the play was basically o ver.

It was now second and 20, but the clock was still ticking. With 51 seconds left, and 17 on the play clock, Martinez – back on the field – took the snap and was eventually forced out of bounds by the Hawkeye defense. 

There were 45 seconds left as Nebraska ran the ball up the gut before the final timeout by the Hawkeyes.

Iowa was going to get the ball back. Six plays later, they were in field goal range. Iowa’s Keith Duncan lined up for the game-winning field goal. You know what happened next.

What did it mean? For the third straight season, Nebraska wasn’t going bowling. That’s the most obvious.

Even worse, the Scott Frost era was now off to a 9-15 start, the worst two-year record for a coach since Bill Jennings led the way in the late 1950s.

To top it all off, the final drive of the game by Nebraska’s offense was marred by mistakes and downright perplexing decisions by players and coaches alike. Why was Luke McCaffrey on the field? Why were they snapping the ball with so much time on the play clock? Why did they keep running out of bounds?

In 2018, Nebraska lost to Iowa in heartbreaking fashion but fans left with a renewed sense of optimism; they wanted 2019 to start ASAP. The feeling was not reciprocated one year later.

Luckily, the 2020 season would take longer-than-expected to start.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The entire final drive by Nebraska’s offense should only be viewed if your eyes are being held open like in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. So, the game-winning field goal, I guess?

Neither option is very good.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

Bonus:

The game: Maryland 13-10 – 2023 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? For the second game in a row, Nebraska had a chance to lock up bowl eligibility. For the second game in a row, Nebraska lost, though this one was somehow even worse than the road L in East Lansing.

Where Michigan State entered their win over Nebraska losers of six straight, Maryland wasn’t a whole lot better. After moving to 5-0 on the final day of September, Maryland proceeded to go 0-3 in October before one more loss – 51-15 to Penn State – on the first Saturday in November. They seemed ripe for the picking for Nebraska, struggling as 2023 came to a close under fifth-year coach Mike Locksley.

It was a mostly forgettable first half, with Heinrich Haarberg being picked off on Nebraska’s first drive, and Jeff Sims, in for an injured Haarberg, throwing one of his own on Nebraska’s final drive of the first 30 minutes. Both turnovers happ ened in Maryland territory and the Huskers entered the second half down 7-0.

The Blackshirts, as they often did throughout 2023, rose to the occasion, taking the ball away on a fumble early in the second half, before the offense punched in a touchdown to tie it up at 7-a-piece. One drive later, Nebraska would get their second takeaway in a row, this time on an INT that led to a field goal. Nebraska was up 10-7 with 23 minutes left.

The Terps answered with a long drive of their own, before Nebraska’s defense again got a massive stop, this time on a fourth and one from the Nebraska 17. If they could just hold on for the next 15+ minutes, they’d finally pick up their sixth win of the season.

You know what happened next.

Four pla ys later, it was all tied at 10. One drive later, Sims turned it over again.

It was his third turnover of the game and would ultimately lead to his benching.

It seemed like this would be the moment when Maryland finally took back the lead and won the game. But wouldn’t you know it, the Blackshirts again made the play the team needed.

Did either team want to win?

Over the course of the next ten plays, Chubba Purdy, now in at QB, led Nebraska 90 yards. He converted a third and six on a 24-yard pass to Billy Kemp. A 29-yard Emmett Johnson run had Nebraska in the red zone before Purdy scampered for 11 of his own to make it first and goal with a handful of minutes left. At the very least, Nebraska would get to kick a field goal. At the most, they could go up by a full touchdown.

Then, the 11th play of the drive happened.

Nebraska’s defense did not rise to the occasion. Maryland converted two third downs on their way down to the Nebraska six-yard line. They chewed up clock and had a 23-yarder to win the game at the buzzer.

Of course.

What did it mean? Conversations about game management most certainly were had. Why was Sims on the field, when he was clearly a turnover machine? Why did Nebraska throw the ball twice on goal-to-go downs, when they could have ran out the clock and kicked a field goal with a couple minutes to go? Why did Chubba Purdy throw that ball?

Not only had the virus of the Scott Frost era carried over, it was mutating, as Nebraska found stranger and stranger ways to lose these games. They were 5-5, losers of two in a row. No worries, it was only Wisconsin on the docket next!

Was there an (un)memorable play? Nebraska turned it over five times, but none hurt more than Purdy’s INT late.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Northwestern 31-28 – 2022 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland

What happened? Oh, nothing much, just Nebraska traveling over an entire ocean for a season-opening loss that features one of the most infamous plays on this entire list.

With a retooled offensive coaching staff, including Mark Whipple calling plays (much to the chagrin of Scott Frost), Nebraska made their way overseas for a Big Ten West clash vs. Northwestern. Frost had a second life with Nebraska, and if things were going to get better, it would start in the opener.

And they actually were better. For a bit, at least.

Not even 2.5 minutes into the game and Nebraska was up 7-0, doing so on a 32-yard pass from Casey Thompson to Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda.

Transfer-to-transfer and things were humming. Nebraska would go up 14-3 in the second quarter before Northwestern finished the half with two touchdowns of their own to take their first lead of the game, 17-14.

After Nebraska forced a Northwestern punt to start the second half, Nebraska went 88 yards in eight plays, Anthony Grant rushing in from three yards to retake the lead. One offensive play later, Nebraska had the ball again, Caleb Tannor recovering a Northwestern fumble. Two plays later, Nebraska was back up by 11 points.

And then… the onside kick.

Why?

WHY?!

Northwestern would drive 44 yards in five plays to make it 28-24 Nebraska, but it’s not like it began some barrage of points for the Wildcats. After scoring, Northwestern would go three and out and then drive down the field only to miss field goal that would have made it 28-27 Nebraska. But a Casey Thompson INT early in the fourth quarter gave Northwestern the ball 42 yards away from the endzone, and they’d take the lead six plays later.

However, 11.5 minutes still remained! The two teams traded punts on each of their next two drives before Thompson and the offense took over with 2:07 to go. Could Nebraska exorcise the demons? Would they finally win a one-score game?

Come on, seriously?

Nebraska was 0-1 for the fourth time in five years under Scott Frost. 

What did it mean? All the changes in the offseason – new coordinator on offense, a coordinator on special teams, new players including at QB and WR – were supposed to mean a new Nebraska. Instead, they lost in the same way they always did.

To make matters worse, stories would come out about the trip overseas and how unserious Scott Frost took it. That he called the onside kick was one thing. That he did so after reportedly missing meetings in Ireland was another. The countdown to his firing was officially on.

 Was there an (un)memorable play? Yes. Yes of course.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Northwestern 31-24 (OT) – 2017 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? Nebraska’s overtime futility dating back to the win against Iowa in 2014 continued, as Nebraska allowed a 24-17 fourth quarter lead to evaporate when Tanner Lee threw his third INT of the game right before Northwestern went down the field to tie the game. And when OT arrived, Northwestern easily moved 25 yards to go up 31-24. On the Huskers’ first possession, not only did they fail to score, they failed to gain any yards. In fact, they moved backwards.

Tanner Lee’s final pass of the day fell to the turf and Nebraska moved to 4-5 on the season.

What did it mean? The cries for change at the top would only grow louder. Take a peek at excerpts from that day and you’ll see the story is less about the game and more about the bigger picture.

Steve Sipple: “The onset of apathy is especially troubling. That's when you think change is probably necessary.”

Brandon Vogel: “It is harder now than ever to see this season as anything other than Riley’s last in Lincoln.”

Tom Shatel: “There are no surprises anymore with Nebraska football. The only surprise left would be if Mike Riley is back as head coach next season.”

With three games left in the regular season, the question wasn’t “if” Mike Riley would return but rather “when” he’d be fired.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Yes, but this one is much more memorable for what Bob Diaco said after the game!

“There’s no reasonable reason — considering where the defensive program was at — to believe that they should be able to do everything that needs to be done in the game, to win the game,” he said. “The strain was spectacular, right? So, we could just go back and look at the game.”

Yeah, that’ll do.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Miami 36-33 (OT) – 2015 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida

What happened? Well, let’s see. After picking up a win in week two, Nebraska went on the road for the first time during the Mike Riley era and proceeded to trail 17-0 at the end of the first quarter and 20-3 going into the second half. Early in the third, Miami tacked on another touchdown. Barely ten quarters into the Mike Riley era and people were having a bad time.

Thus began the comeback.

It was 33-10 entering the final ten minutes. Alonzo Moore’s touchdown and a Cethan Carter two-point conversion made it 33-18. Five minutes later, it was suddenly 33-25. With 33 seconds left, Tommy Armstrong hit Stanley Morgan for a touchdown, and then tied it up at 33-all with a two-point conversion to Jordan Westerkamp (did you know they were roommates?).

They had done it! They fought hard for their new coach, coming back from 23, to tie it and force OT. They had all the momentum!

Until they didn’t.

On the first play of OT, Tommy Armstrong threw a pick. Alex Lewis picked up a personal foul. Miami ran three plays, kicked the field goal, and that was that. Miami 36, Nebraska 33.

What did it mean? Well, Nebraska now sat 1-2 on the season, their worst record through three games since 1981! Friends, the vibes were bad. Rumors abounded about players not following their curfew on Friday night. The Mike Riley/Danny Langsdorf/Tommy Armstrong fit seemed to be anything but.

Again, they were 1-2!

Was there an (un)memorable play? Well, you be the judge.

Everything about that last play was absolutely horrid. Throw in the personal foul penalty after and Nebraska did everything in their power to lose the game before Miami could even get the ball on offense.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Illinois 14-13 – 2015 – Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

What happened? For the third time in 2015, Nebraska lost. Only five games into Mike Riley’s era, the Huskers were again under .500, this time sitting at 2-3. After losing on the final play against BYU and Miami, Nebraska decided they’d make it three-for-three, but somehow in even more horrifying fashion.

Oh boy.

An entirely forgettable game for much of the first three quarters, Nebraska led 13-0 before Illinois made it 13-7 with 13:21 to go. After the teams traded multiple punts, Nebraska finally did what they hadn’t been able to do vs. BYU in the opener: Chew clock up and put Illinois in a position where they’d have no chance to win.

Or so we thought.

With 1:01 to go, and no timeouts for Illinois, Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong took the snap from the Illinois 28-yard line, rolled right, and unfathomably, threw the football! Instead of being able to take the clock all the way down to 15 seconds, the clock stopped with 55 seconds left. Mike Riley was in shambles.

Rather than opt for a 45-yard Drew Brown field goal to go up by nine, Nebraska went for it. Illinois blitzed, Armstrong’s pass to Andy Janovich wasn’t caught, and Illinois was suddenly back in business.

A 15-yard pass moved Illinois to their own 43-yard line before this happened.

25 seconds later, Illinois scored on a on e-yard TD. Nebraska had one play on offense and, of course, didn’t score.

In the blink of an eye, Nebraska lost it all and fell to 2-3 on the season.

What did it mean? A decade removed, I am still blown away that they gave this game away. How?! How on earth?!

What did it mean, you ask? Well, all trust in Mike Riley and clock management was out the window after this one. In the days that followed, many a fan and media member would dive into the Mike Riley Oregon State era, in search of clues to explain what the hell happened in Illinois. The story? His clock management wasn’t something to celebrate.

On top of that, at 2-3, suddenly every game would be a referendum on the first-year coach for the rest of 2015.

The Groin Kick Era was in full force.

Was there an (un)memorable play? I can think of one.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Wisconsin 23-21 – 2015 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? Looking for their first win over Wisconsin in three years, the Huskers and Badgers went back and forth in front of a loud Memorial Stadium crowd in early October. After their backbreaking loss the week prior at Illinois, Nebraska fought back, leading 14-7 at the half and 14-10 entering the fourth quarter. A touchdown and field goal by Wisconsin gave the Badgers a 20-14 lead with six minutes and change left on the clock.

Then, Jano happened.

Andy Janovich’s 55-yard touchdown run had Memorial Stadium howling like it hadn’t at any point in the early Mike Riley era. A fullback touchdown? In this economy?! With 3.5 minutes left, Riley’s group was finally going to do it. Wisconsin moved the ball well into field goal range, but Rafael Gaglianone missed from 38 yards out with under 90 seconds to go.

Seriously, it was definitely happening now. Who cared about Wisconsin’s three timeouts. They couldn’t get a stop and a score in 90 seconds!

Imani Cross rushed up the middle for three yards. 1:22 left.

His next carry went for zero yards. 1:18 left.

The offense learned from their Illinois mistake the week prior, choosing to go with Janovich up the middle for two more.

With 1:14 left, Nebraska would be punting.

A handful of plays later and Rafael Gaglianone lined up for another field goal, this one from 46 yards.

He made it. Of course he did. Wisconsin went up 23-21 with four seconds left. Ballgame. Again.

What did it mean? After horrifying losses to start 2015, his one was one of those run-of-the-mill brutal losses we’ve all become accustomed to around here. Six games into the Mike Riley era, losing on a last-second field goal was old hat. A decade later, we’re James Franco with a noose around our necks. “First time?”

Still though, 2-4 was 2-4. Through six games, Nebraska had their worst since starting 2-3-1 in 1961, aka the year before Bob Devaney came in and changed the future of Husker football. And if you’re wondering, yes, the last three losses on the list happened over the course of four Saturdays. Thank God they beat Southern Miss in between!

Was there an (un)memorable play? Sure.

Of all the losses on the list, this one might be more famous for Nebraska’s final touchdown than how they actually lost. But still, a guy drilling a kick in your face, on your field, ain’t the way anyone wanted this one to end.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: BYU 33-28 – 2015 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? Oh… oh no.

The Mike Riley era got off to the worst start imaginable as BYU hit a 42-yard Hail Mary as time expired to give Nebraska their first 0-1 start since 1985! After trailing 24-14 at the half, Nebraska ripped off two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 28-24 lead going into the final 15 minutes.

BYU kicked a field goal midway through the final frame, Nebraska missed one with under a minute to go, and then the ultimate pain happened.

Talk about a sign of things to come in the Mike Riley era!

What did it mean? Uh, everything? Nebraska hadn’t lost an opener since 1985 vs. Florida State. You could start there. Oh, don’t forget that Bo Pelini’s firing wasn’t something the entire fanbase got behind after the 2014 Black Friday win over Iowa. How about the defense giving up 511 yards in the process? Or Nebraska rushing for a paltry 3.4 yards per carry.

If anything was the encapsulation of the Mike Riley era at Nebraska, it was starting things off like this. Ten years later, most would argue he never recovered from this game.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Hmmm. I think so?

I watched this play from the north end zone, and the stunned silence as we shuffled our way out of the building will never be forgotten. Nor will the phone call that afternoon on 1620 the Zone’s Big Red Overreaction, as caller Peterson ripped into John Bishop (who was hosting that day), as well as yours truly, for all we had said about Bo Pelini, Mike Riley, and where the program was going. It would not be the last time fans reminded us that we wanted Pelini fired.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

The game: Wisconsin 23-17 (OT) – 2016 – Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

What happened? Nebraska entered Madison, Wisconsin, winners of their first seven games in 2016. The 7-0 start was the program’s best since 2001. They climbed to #7 in the AP poll, much to the chagrin of national media members (and even some Husker fans). And to move to 8-0, they’d need to vanquish the hated Wisconsin Badgers. This was supposed to be the game. 

The so-called soft program in Nebraska battled it out all night. They trailed 7-0 at the end of one and 10-7 at the break. A 17-7 lead at the end of 45 minutes turned into a 17-all game late in the fourth quarter. The game went into OT, with Nebraska winning the toss after calling “Foltzy.” Wisconsin scored a touchdown but missed their field goal. Yes, oh yes, they were going to do it. They got the ball back needing a touchdown and an extra point.

They couldn’t even get a first down.

Tommy Armstrong’s third-down pass to Jordan Westerkamp will long be remembered as one where TJ Watt got away with a pass interference, only for no flag to be thrown. A play later, Stanley Morgan was a tick late, the Wisconsin defender a tick early, and the fourth-down pass fell incomplete. 

Nebraska dropped their first game of 2016.

What did it mean? It’s funny, knowing what we do now, but this game was perhaps the epitome of a moral victory. After the game, the Omaha World-Herald’s Sam McKewon wrote, “Nebraska’s a major player on the college football stage.” He wasn’t alone in thinking that. 

Nebraska gained more plaudits in the loss than they had gained in any win prior.

One week later, they’d lose it all.

 Was there an (un)memorable play?

Bring up Wisconsin 2016 and within a few words, most people will mention the missed PI.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet: