(MUSIC) >> THE FIRST TEST OF THE FALL HAS BEEN PASSED AND WILL BREAK IT ALL DOWN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL.

NOW THE HUSKERS COME BACK TO MEMORIAL STADIUM LOOKING FOR A BIG TIME WIN OVER AKRON.

TIME TO TALK SOME HUSKER FOOTBALL ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) >> MIKE'L SEVERE.

WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

A LOT TO GET TO TONIGHT.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, THE VIEWER.

YOU CAN CONNECT WITH US SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.

FACEBOOK, X, ON OUR BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGE.

OF COURSE, WITH YOUR QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL OR TEXT US AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG AND OUR PHONES ARE ALSO STANDING BY READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS.

AT THE END OF THE SHOW, WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR LAST WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FIRST LOSS NEBRASKA WOULD HAVE IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOSS?

AS YOU SEE, MICHIGAN 33% IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE PICKED, 27%.

HAVE YOU GONE ALL THE WAY TO PENN STATE WITHOUT A LOSS?

AND THEN THE NEXT HIGHEST ONE WOULD BE MINNESOTA AT 12%.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION.

SO AFTER SEEING THE FIRST WEEK OF GAMES, WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE?

OHIO STATE, PENN STATE.

OHIO STATE 70.

PENN STATE'S WINNING THIS 77%, PENN STATE 9%.

THIS IS REGENCY BIAS.

>> I THINK MICK MIGHT HAVE >> I THINK MICK MIGHT HAVE MESSED WITH THIS FOR 77%.

WE ARE NOW JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND HUSKER SEAN CALLAHAN.

THAT'S 77%.

THAT'S A LOT.

>> A THAT'S SHOCKING.

>> THAT'S A LOT.

SO WHAT DO YOU FEEL FIRST TIME THAT MATT RHULE'S ONE OF THREE POINT GAMES LOST A BUNCH OF THEM.

YOUR FEELINGS AFTER WEEK ONE?

>> YEAH I TELL YOU WHAT A LOT OF TEMPERED EXPECTATIONS.

TAKING EVERYTHING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAIN OF SALT.

THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSISTENT ON THE REST OF THE YEAR.

THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.

AND I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WHAT WAS BAD WILL NECESSARILY BE BAD THE REST OF THE YEAR.

I TAKE A LOOK AT FROM THIS.

NEBRASKA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.

THEY FIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY GOT THE WIN.

AND YOU'RE IT'S AN UNSATISFYING WIN.

AND THAT'S HASN'T HAPPENED AGAINST A POWER FOUR CONFERENCE TEAM IN A LONG TIME.

THE LAST TIME NEBRASKA BEAT CONFERENCE WAS 2003 AT OKLAHOMA STATE.

SO VERY VERY HAPPY.

THERE'S THINGS THAT NEED TO GET FIXED.

THERE'S THINGS THAT THAT WERE GOOD.

BIGGEST THING FOR ME, THINGS THAT GET FIXED THE MOST IS ON DEFENSE AND THAT FRONT SEVEN.

THEY WILL I FEEL CONFIDENT THEY WILL GET CLEANED UP, BUT OVERALL I'M HAPPY THAT HOW THEY CAME OUT, THE OFFENSE DID SOME GOOD THINGS.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS PERFORMED THE WAY THEY NEEDED TO PERFORM AND WE'RE 1-0 HEADING INTO AKRON.

>> THE LAST TIME NEBRASKA'S COMING HOME AFTER NOT PLAYING AT HOME 1-0.

1999 WAS THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED.

BE HAPPY.

THIS IS A HUGE WIN.

>> YES, IT IS.

>> NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY, THIS IS A HUGE WIN.

>> THAT WAS IOWA.

>> YES, THAT WAS ERIC CROUCH RUNNING OVER THE GUY ON THE SIDELINE.

>> NO, I THOUGHT THE SETTING THE DAY WAS PRETTY SPECIAL TO SEE CLOSE TO 74,000 NEBRASKA FANS IN ARROWHEAD STADIUM.

IT LOOKED LIKE A SELLOUT TO ME FROM JUST EYEBALL TEST.

THE DAY WAS SPECIAL BECAUSE THERE AREN'T A LOT OF FAN BASES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT NEBRASKA FANS, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT THE LAST TEN, 15 YEARS HAVE LOOKED LIKE AND THAT FAN BASE MATTERED IN THE GAME.

I MEAN, THEY CAUSED FOUR FALSE START PENALTIES ON THIRD DOWN PLAYS.

THREE OF THEM RESULTED IN PUNTS.

AFTER THE FALSE START PENALTY.

SO I THOUGHT THERE WERE A LOT OF INTANGIBLES.

AND YOU HEARD TROY DANNEN SAY THAT, HEY, WE MIGHT BE BACK IN KANSAS CITY NOW SOONER RATHER THAN LATER FOR ANOTHER ONE OF THESE GAMES.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, THE ARROWHEAD FOLKS ARE GOING TO WANT NEBRASKA BACK.

THEY'RE NOW HOW THEY CAN GET THAT WORKED OUT IN THE FUTURE.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE OF THOSE DAYS FOR A LOT OF HUSKER FANS WHO REMEMBER THIS, THAT TRIP AND OBVIOUSLY GETTING THE WIN HELPS.

>> YEAH.

KNOW THIS 3.5 HOURS BEFORE THE GAME, THERE WERE 3000 PEOPLE INSIDE OF KAUFFMAN STADIUM WHO PAID $30 EACH TO GO INSIDE OF THERE FOR A TAILGATE, TO WAIT 3.5 HOURS TO GO ACROSS THE PARKING LOT TO GO WATCH A FOOTBALL.

>> GAME IN A BASEBALL.

>> THIS FAN BASE IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN FIND FIVE OTHER FAN BASES THAT WOULD DO THAT.

>> IN THE WORLD.

>> IN ANY PART OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

>> WITHOUT WITH REGENCY BIAS.

RIGHT?

>> OH YEAH.

>> WITH >> THE WAY NEBRASKA.

>> THEY'VE BEEN DOWN FOR 10, 15 YEARS.

100% I MEAN I THINK WE COULD ALL AGREE OHIO STATE THERE'S MICHIGAN FANS MAYBE WOULD TRAVEL THAT.

BUT YOU TIP YOUR CAP TO THEM I MEAN I DID NOT GO TO THE GAME BUT I HAD 15, 20 TEXT MESSAGES.

>> EVERYBODY I KNOW.

>> WONDERING, HEY, WHERE ARE YOU TAILGATING AT?

I SAID, WELL, I'M NOT DOWN THERE.

>> YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T GO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BLACKSHIRTS, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT SOME OF THE NUMBERS SAY WITH THE QUARTERBACK RUSHING, BUT THEY ACTUALLY PLAYED VERY WELL.

THEY FORCED FOUR THREE AND OUTS.

REALLY?

ONLY 22 YARDS IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

AND THEY PLAYED A GOOD GAME.

>> THEY DID.

YOU LOOK AT THE STATS HOLDING A BIG 12 OPPONENTS OFFENSE TO UNDER 300 TOTAL YARDS IN LESS THAN IN 17 POINTS AND CAUSING TWO TURNOVERS, THREE OF TEN ON THIRD DOWN.

YEP.

I MEAN, FROM AFAR YOU LOOK AT LIKE HOW WAS THAT GAME AS CLOSE AS IT WAS I AGREE.

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THEY THE QB THE RUN GAME.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE HOW THEY'RE PLAYING UP FRONT.

I'M NOT AS CONCERNED IT WASN'T I DON'T THINK I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE D-LINE NECESSARILY HAS GOT DOMINATE BLOW OFF THE BALL.

NEBRASKA'S DEFENSIVE FRONT MOVES AROUND A LOT, QUITE A BIT.

I JUST DON'T THINK THEY'RE VERY DISCIPLINED AND CLEAN ON THEIR EXECUTION ON SOME OF THOSE RUN GAME STUNTS, SO THEY GOT GASHED A LITTLE BIT.

SO I THAT WILL GET FIXED.

BUT YEAH THAT'S A NEW GROUP.

I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF NEW PLAYERS THAT ARE THAT ARE PLAYING IN DIFFERENT ROLES.

THE LINEBACKER CREW IS OTHER THAN RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN WITH BULLOCK BEING GONE, I MEAN THAT'S A HUGE HOLE TO FILL.

AND IT MEANS REFILLING NASH AND TY.

BUT OVERALL VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR WHEN PLAYS NEED TO GET MADE.

THEY MADE THE PLAYS.

SO YES, THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET FIXED AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THEY WILL GET FIXED THIS WEEK AGAINST AKRON.

A GREAT TIME TO GET THEM FIXED AND GET THINGS CLEANED UP.

BUT OVERALL, YOU LOOK AT HOW THEY STARTED AND HOW THEY FINISHED.

I'M NOT ECSTATIC, BUT I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME.

>> TWO THINGS THESE TWO WEEKS.

NOW THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO CLEAN UP.

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, IS WHO'S PLAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT DEFENSE?

BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE WATSON-TRENT COMING BACK OFF OF MISSING SOME TIME, HE LOOKED A LITTLE SLOW.

IS IT SHAVERS?

IS IT WRIGHT?

IS IT DAWSON MERRITT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE?

>> YEAH, AND EVEN ON THE INTERIOR LINE TOO.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE LINEBACKER POSITION GROUP.

I THOUGHT VINCENT SHAVERS IN THE GRADE SHOW THAT PLAYED PLAYED THE BEST.

JAVIN WRIGHT HAD SOME PLAYS IN THE GAME HERE AND THERE.

BUT IT WAS A QUIET DAY FOR MARQUES WATSON-TRENT.

I THINK WE HAD HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR HIM AND EVEN ON THE EDGE, SOME OF THOSE GUYS DIDN'T HAVE THEIR BEST DAYS.

YOU KNOW, MCGAHEE HAD A COUPLE MISFIRES ON THE EDGE THERE, BUT JEUDY WAS THE ONE THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME THAT YOU GOT TO LOOK AT CLOSER AND HOW YOU MANAGE THAT.

AND MAYBE IT WAS JUST A GAME.

ONE THING AND THEY CAN IMPROVE IN GAME TWO.

AND WITH THESE GAMES THEY NEED ELIJAH JEUDY TO GIVE THEM A BETTER DAY OF WORK THAN WHAT HE DID ON SATURDAY.

>> CAN THEY SURVIVE NOT HAVING A TRUE 300 POUNDER IN BIG TEN PLAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT DEFENSE?

>> I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN.

THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW GOOD NASH WAS AT THAT SPOT AND HIS ABILITY TO TAKE ON THE NOSE AND TAKE ON OR TO TAKE ON THE CENTER AND JUST KIND OF CLOG THINGS UP AND LET EVERYONE ELSE PLAY OFF OF THAT.

I THINK SO, I MEAN, RILEY VAN POPPEL, I THINK HIS, HIS WE DIDN'T SEE A TON FROM HIM.

THERE'S NEBRASKA IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE UP THERE.

I MEAN, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THESE RUN GAME STUNTS.

RIGHT THERE ON THAT PLAY.

THAT NEBRASKA KIND OF WRAPPED THE GUY OUT THERE.

SO THERE'S JUST.

>> IT'S A BIG ONE.

>> YEAH.

AND THAT'S THIS IS MORE PASS RUSH LANES THINGS.

AND YOU GET SOME GUYS TURNED IN MAN COVERAGE.

THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT THE RUN GAME STUFF AND JUST AGAIN IT'S JUST EYES AND VISION WITH ON THAT BACK END THERE.

I MEAN IT'S NOT AN EFFORT THING.

THE EFFORT IS THERE.

BUT IT'S JUST AN EXECUTION AND PLAYING WITH BETTER EYES.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE FIRST GAME CINCINNATI IMPLEMENTED SOME TEMPO IN THIS AND THAT HURT.

I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, EVERY DEFENSE IS GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH TEMPO, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR FIRST GAME WHERE YOU'RE YOUR WIND IS NOT QUITE YOUR CONDITIONING IS NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

BUT NO, I THINK THEY CAN AND I THINK THEY WILL.

I THINK NEBRASKA CAN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TRUE NOSE LIKE A LIKE A NASH, BRING ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LINEMAN THERE.

MAKE IT A FOUR MAN FRONT.

YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT WITHIN 335.

OTHERWISE YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE AND EXPECT IF YOU'RE GOING TO EXECUTE LIKE THAT, SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE, ESPECIALLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN MICHIGAN COMES TO TOWN.

>> YEAH, THEY WENT 22 SECONDS PER PLAY, WHICH IS THE 16TH FASTEST IN THE COUNTRY.

SO THEY WERE GOING AND WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED.

LET'S SWITCH OVER TO THE OFFENSIVE SIDE.

WHAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO YOU SEAN?

>> WELL, I THOUGHT THE SCHEME THAT CINCINNATI CAME OUT WITH REALLY TESTED THE PATIENCE OF NEBRASKA, TESTED THE PATIENCE OF DYLAN RAIOLA.

YOU COULD SEE IT FROM THE PRESS BOX.

I MEAN, THOSE THREE SAFETIES ALMOST LOOK LIKE THEY WERE BACK IN PUNT FORMATION AT TIMES.

AND THEN, AS YOU MENTIONED, OFF AIR, THE CORNERS WERE EVEN DIVING BACK, BAILING.

DYLAN RAIOLA REFERRED TO IT ALMOST AS A PREVENT DEFENSE THAT THEY WERE RUNNING AT TIMES, AND THEY WERE ADAMANT TO NOT LET THE ARM OF DYLAN RAIOLA TAKE OVER THE FOOTBALL GAME WITH BIG THROWS DOWN THE FIELD, AND IT ALMOST BECAME A GAME OF DARTS.

IT WAS LIKE A GAME OF CRICKET.

HE WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND THE LITTLE SPOTS ON THE BOARD AND HIT HIM, AND IT WAS A LOT OF SIX YARD, SEVEN YARD TYPE THROWS THAT WERE THERE, BUT IT REQUIRED GREAT DISCIPLINE AND GREAT TEMPO.

AND LUCKILY FOR NEBRASKA, THEY DID NOT TURN IT OVER.

THERE WERE A COUPLE, 2 OR 3 OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TURNOVERS.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF BIG PLAYS WAS THE OTHER THING.

YOU JUST DIDN'T SEE THE EXPLOSIVE RUN YOU WANTED TO SEE, OR EVEN SOME OF THE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS IN THE PASSING GAME WHERE GUYS BROKE TACKLES AND MADE A BIG TIME PLAY DOWN THE FIELD.

>> YEAH, JUST ONE PLAY OVER 20 YARDS.

SO YOU'RE IN THAT THEY'RE IN THAT SHELL.

YOU GOT TO RUN THE BALL RIGHT.

THAT'S HOW YOU GET THEM OUT OF THAT.

YOU JUST GOT TO RUN THE BALL DOWN THEIR THROAT.

IT'S SIX.

IT'S 6 OR 7 SOMETIMES ON SIX.

>> YEAH YEAH.

AND THAT SHOULD FAVOR THE OFFENSE IN THAT SCENARIO.

YEAH.

WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING OFF AND YOU KNOW FOUR GUYS BEHIND MAYBE IN FIVE GUYS AT TIMES.

YEAH.

YOU'D THINK YOU'D BE ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE NOT HUGELY CONCERNING BECAUSE I MEAN LISTEN THAT'S NEBRASKA'S GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT AS WELL TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT BACKUP RUNNING BACK'S POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE.

I MEAN EMMETT JOHNSON HAD 30 PLUS TOUCHES IN A GAME THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR 11 MORE FOOTBALL GAMES.

HOPEFULLY YOU KNOW 12 MORE RIGHT.

SO THEY GOT TO START FIGURING THAT OUT.

BUT AGAIN THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS OFFENSIVE LINE SITUATION.

WHO'S A LEFT TACKLE GOING TO BE.

THERE'S A LOT OF DEPTH.

AND THAT'S A GREAT THING.

BUT ALSO YOU CAN HAVE TOO MANY OPTIONS.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE AS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BECAUSE YOU PLAY HAVE TO PLAY SO WELL ACROSS THE LINE AS A GROUP AND COMMUNICATE WHEN GUYS ARE KIND OF COMING IN, IN AND OUT, BUT THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FILL THIS WHOLE THING OUT.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THEIR RUSHING NUMBERS BE HIGHER, MORE ATTEMPTS.

I KNOW NEBRASKA DID HAVE TO THROW THE BALL MORE, BUT SOMETIMES, I MEAN, LET'S BE HONEST, WHO WAS THE BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER RIGHT NOW?

IT'S PROBABLY DYLAN RAIOLA, SO LET'S GET THE BALL IN HIS HANDS AND UTILIZE HIS TALENT AND HIS ABILITIES.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S AGAIN, WHAT WAS GOOD OR WHAT WAS DONE THIS GAME.

I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT'S GOING TO BE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.

SO I THINK IT'S MORE OF A ONE GUY, ONE GAME SCENARIO.

BUT YEAH, I THINK THIS OFFENSE IS CAN BE VERY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL.

>> BEFORE WE GET TO THAT LEFT TACKLE SPOT.

SO TO START OFF THE SEASON LAST YEAR AGAINST UTEP, BOTH THE TRANSFER WIDE RECEIVERS HAD GOOD DAYS.

BUT THIS IS AGAINST CINCINNATI.

YOU SEE A GOOD FUTURE FOR NYZIAH HUNTER AND DANE KEY GOING FORWARD.

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT JUMPED OUT FROM THE COMMENTS AFTER THE GAME WAS THEIR ABILITY TO BEAT MAN COVERAGE.

AND I BELIEVE DYLAN OR DANA OR SOMEBODY SAID THIS AFTER THE GAME WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T DO THIS LAST YEAR, WHERE THE RECEIVERS WERE ABLE TO RUN THAT FADE ROUTE AND BEAT THE MAN COVERAGE.

THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE GOOD MAN BEATERS IN THE OFFENSE.

SO I THINK RIGHT AWAY WHAT JUMPED OUT WAS DYLAN RAIOLA IS GOING TO HAVE BETTER OPTIONS AGAINST MAN TO MAN THAT WILL GET SEPARATION, THAT WILL GET OPEN, AND THERE ARE GUYS THAT GO UP AND GET THE FOOTBALL.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS ENCOURAGING WITH WHAT BOTH DANE AND NYZIAH DID.

YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF CORTEZ MILLS AS THINGS ROLL ALONG.

JACORY BARNEY GOT TWISTED UP ON ONE OF HIS EARLY PLAYS, SO HE WASN'T ALL THE WAY AT 100%.

I WONDER WHAT HE'LL LOOK LIKE THIS WEEK AND IF THEY'LL TRY TO LIMIT HIS LOAD, SO TO SPEAK.

OR IF HE'S BACK TO BEING THE JACORY, WE KNOW.

BUT I DID LOVE WHAT THEY DID AGAINST MAN TO MAN AND WHAT THAT SHOWED MAYBE POTENTIALLY HERE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SEASON.

>> WHO DO YOU LIKE AT LEFT TACKLE?

SO GUNNAR GOTTULA, TURNER CORCORAN OR ELIJAH PRITCHETT KIND OF MIX THEM ALL UP.

BUT PRITCHETT HAD THE MOST STEPS.

>> HE DID, OTHER THAN I THINK HE LOOKED REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

OTHER THAN THE FALSE START, YOU KNOW, EARLY IN THE GAME THAT KIND OF KILLED THAT DRIVE OF NEBRASKA'S ONLY GOT THREE POINTS.

I TELL YOU WHAT, I GOT TO TIP MY HAT TO TEDDY PROCHAZKA.

JUST THE BATTLE BACK AND INCREDIBLE TO WHAT HE'S GONE THROUGH.

AGAIN THEY HAVE GREAT OPTIONS.

I THINK ELIJAH, IF HE CAN GET HIS MIND RIGHT AND HE THEY CAN BE TRUSTED WITH THE X'S AND O'S.

AND I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUMP OFF SIDES.

YOU JUST CAN'T HAVE THEM.

AGAIN, IT'S FIRST GAME.

I UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS.

BUT TO ME, GOING FORWARD, I THINK ELIJAH PRITCHETT THE MOST TALENTED GUY.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE THE GUY YOU CAN TRUST.

AND GUNNAR WAS THROWN IN THE MIX EARLY LAST YEAR, BUT I AGAIN, THE CUPBOARD IS FULL OF OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

BUT I THINK GOING FORWARD ELIJAH PRITCHETT YOUR IS YOUR BEST OPTION.

>> I KNOW, I KNOW PRITCHETT PROBABLY BEAT HIMSELF UP FOR IT.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FORMATION ANYWAY BECAUSE HE HAD FIVE GUYS IN THE BACKFIELD, SO AT LEAST WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT ANYWAY.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO OBVIOUSLY HOLD YOUR WATER, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOWN THERE IN THAT POSITION, ESPECIALLY WITH NEBRASKA, WHO STRUGGLED SO MUCH ON FINISHING DRIVE RATE, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR A TEAM LIKE NEBRASKA.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, ONLY TO HAVE 20 POINTS.

I MEAN, YOU'RE RARELY GOING TO WIN A GAME.

SO LIKE THAT'S WHY THAT SITUATION MATTERED.

THEY GOT BAILED OUT BECAUSE OF THE SHAVERS FUMBLE LATER IN THE QUARTER BEFORE HALFTIME.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF THAT GAME IS NOT 13 TO 3 AT HALFTIME BECAUSE OF THE SHAVERS PLAY, YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK ON THAT FALSE START EVEN MORE.

BUT I FELT LIKE THE SHAVERS PLAY KIND OF AT LEAST CHANGED THE GAME WHERE YOU WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT MOMENT NEAR AS MUCH AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT.

>> AND REALLY, THAT'S KIND OF A COACHING MISTAKE.

SATTERFIELD, IN THAT SITUATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY'D HAD TWO LONG DRIVES NEBRASKA HAD, YOU WANT TO GET TO HALFTIME I THINK THERE.

AND THEY KIND OF GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FOOL'S GOAL ON THAT FIRST DOWN PLAY, WHICH GOT THEM THE SECOND AND ONE.

THEN THEY TRIED TO RUN A SCREEN ON SECOND AND ONE.

AND I JUST THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHERE THEY WERE AS A TEAM AND JUST TRY TO GET OUT OF THERE.

>> I AGREE.

AND SOMETIMES COACHES, THIS IS THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE YEAR TOO EASILY.

OVERTHINK YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE TO GAME PLAN.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS GAME PLAN, YOU CAN OVERTHINK IT AND I GUARANTEE YOU HOLGORSEN AND RHULE AND THE REST OF THE OFFENSIVE STAFF ARE PROBABLY THINKING, DAMN, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS I'D RATHER DONE.

AND EVERY EVERY COACH IN THIS AFTER GAME ONE IS LIKE, MAN, I WISH I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS INSTEAD OF THAT.

AND THOSE THOSE GET FIXED.

EVERYONE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, WORKING OUT THE COBWEBS.

BUT YEAH, YOU GOT TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT SITUATIONS YOU'RE IN, WHERE YOU'RE AT TIME AND WHAT YOUR OFFENSE IS REALLY CAPABLE OF DOING AND WHERE IT MATTERS MOST.

AND THAT'S RIGHT AT THE GOAL LINE.

>> BONNER GOES DOWN FOR THE SEASON WHO KIND OF I KNOW YOU CAN'T FILL EVERY JOB HE DID WITH ONE GUY, BUT WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO STEP UP.

>> YEAH IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION.

I MEAN WHETHER IT'S HEINRICH HAARBERG CARTER NELSON, QUINN CLARK, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A WHOLE HOST OF BIGGER BODIED ATHLETES TAKE ON SOME OF THOSE DUTIES BECAUSE JANIRAN WAS SO UNIQUE.

HE PLAYED FULLBACK AT ONE TIME, HE'S PLAYED TIGHT END AND NOW HE PLAYED RECEIVER AGAIN.

SO HE HAD A LOT OF VERSATILITY FOR DANA HOLGORSEN AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS IN THAT ROTATION.

YOU KNOW, HE'S A GUY THAT SUFFERED A MAJOR INJURY IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO BROKE HIS FEMUR BONE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

WAS EJECTED FROM A VEHICLE.

THOUGHT HE MIGHT NEVER WALK AGAIN.

>> MIGHT LOSE HIS LEG.

>> OVERCAME THAT INJURY TO GET TO WHERE HE'S AT NOW YEARS LATER.

AND YOU FEEL FOR HIM BECAUSE HE'S GONE THROUGH A LOT IN HIS CAREER AND HE'S ABOUT AS HUMBLE OF A GUY AS YOU'LL MEET IN THAT LOCKER ROOM, AND YOU JUST HOPE HE CAN RECOVER NOW.

>> YEAH, HE'S A TRUE TEAM PLAYER AS WELL.

LIKE YOU SAID, DID EVERYTHING THEY ASKED HIM TO DO.

LET'S GO TO THE FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS.

AS THE SONG SAYS.

OH, WHAT A NIGHT IN KANSAS CITY TURNED OUT TO BE A HOME CROWD FOR THE HUSKERS.

NOT SURPRISING.

WE ALL KIND OF EXPECTED THAT.

WE START OFF WITH A.

IT'S A SHORT RUN BY EMMETT JOHNSON, ONE OF MANY, BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACKGROUND.

OH, LUTOVSKY.

A LITTLE PUSH, A LITTLE TOO FAR, A LITTLE PAST THE WHISTLE JAY.

>> A LITTLE.

BUT THAT'S, THAT WAS A LITTLE FLOPPING GOING ON THERE.

YEAH.

CINCINNATI YOU GOT TO BE SMARTER THAN THAT.

>> HE WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO AND YOU HAVE SORSBY HERE WHO PICKS UP SEVEN ON THAT THIRD DOWN WHICH GETS HIM CLOSE ENOUGH FOR A FIELD GOAL.

MAKE THE FIELD GOAL INSTEAD.

IT GOES UP THREE TO NOTHING.

BACK COMES EMMETT JOHNSON.

WHAT A NIGHT FOR HIM.

AS WE TALKED ABOUT, HE WAS SERIOUSLY THE WORKHORSE OUT THERE WITH ALL THOSE PLAYS AS SEAN SAID EARLIER.

AND HERE'S ONE OF DYLAN'S PASSES RIGHT HERE WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT LOW.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION, IT SETS UP ONE OF THE LONGER FIELD GOALS FOR A FIRST TIME KICKER IN NEBRASKA HISTORY.

SEAN.

>> YEAH, 52 YARDS FOR KYLE CUNANAN PRESSURE.

YOU GO INTO ARROWHEAD STADIUM AND MAKE THAT KICK ON THAT STAGE.

>> NAILED IT.

IT WAS PLENTY HIGH.

IT WAS A LITTLE CLOSE TO THE RIGHT UPRIGHT, BUT MAN, IT WAS WAY UP THE UPRIGHT.

HERE'S A BIG CATCH DOWN THE SIDELINE.

KEEP YOUR FEET THERE.

AS YOU SAID BEFORE MILLS SCORES.

PROBABLY IF HE KEEPS HIS FEET THERE.

AND THEN THAT'S A NICE RPO.

>> LOVE THAT PLAY.

>> AND HE GOT A STRONG.

>> WISH HE COULD HAVE GOT IN THERE.

BUT THAT LOVE THAT PLAY CALL.

YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS UTILIZE A LITTLE BIT MORE AS DYLAN'S SHED A FEW POUNDS, GOT A LITTLE MORE ATHLETIC AND GOT TO UTILIZE HIM A LITTLE BIT IN THE RUN GAME TO BE A THREAT.

>> SO FIRST AND GOAL FROM THE ONE AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT JUMPS OFFSIDES.

BUT YOU SEE THAT THE WIDE RECEIVER INSIDE IS OFF THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIVE MEN IN THE BACKFIELD BUT STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SCORE.

GOOD PRESSURE HERE.

UP THE MIDDLE DYLAN TRIES TO MAKE A THROW TO HEINRICH HAARBERG GETS KNOCKED AWAY.

NEBRASKA HAS TO SETTLE FOR A FIELD GOAL, A SHORT ONE THIS TIME MAKING IT 6 TO 3.

SORSBY COMES BACK FOR CINCINNATI MAKING SOME PLAYS, BUT A BIG SHOT BY VINCENT SHAVERS.

FIVE GUYS COULD HAVE PICKED THAT UP.

>> EASILY.

>> RUNNING TO THE BALL.

>> YEAH, I SAID THE EFFORTS THERE, THE HUSTLE IS THERE.

BUT THIS WAS AFTER A BAD SPOT THAT CINCINNATI WAS SHORT ON THE PREVIOUS PLAY.

BUT A GOOD HELM ON THE BALL.

AGAIN THIS WAS CAUSED THIS WAS INCOMPLETE.

>> AND INCOMPLETE.

>> THAT WAS.

>> A BAD CALL.

YEAH IT WAS A BAD CALL A COUPLE BAD CALLS.

>> THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.

HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH ARE SIDELINE MAKING A NICE PLAY.

WOULD WE SAY HUNTER'S THE NUMBER ONE RECEIVER.

>> IT'S ONE.

1A, 1B TO ME I MEAN I DON'T THINK THERE IS A TRUE NUMBER ONE OF THOSE TWO RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT WAS A BIG PLAY RIGHT THERE.

>> THIS IS THE DEFENDER COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING BETTER.

HE DRIVES HIS HANDS THROUGH THE RECEIVER WHERE THE BALL IS KNOCKS IT AWAY.

BUT HUNTER GETS THAT TOE DOWN AND MAKES THE CATCH.

>> THAT RIGHT TOE WAS JUST DOWN BEFORE THAT RIGHT KNEE AND HE HAD.

>> TERRIBLE PLAY BY HIM.

AND I FEEL BAD THE DEFENSIVE BACK COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING BETTER THAN THIS.

HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD.

BUT THE WIDE RECEIVER MAKES.

>> THE STRONG HANDS BY HUNTER.

>> THAT'S A QUINCY ENUNWA TYPE.

>> THAT IS A QUINCY ENUNWA, ONE OF THE STRONGEST WIDE RECEIVERS IN THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

NICE PASS ACROSS THE MIDDLE THERE.

ANOTHER FIRST DOWN DID THIS SITUATION RIGHT HERE WHERE HE MISSES DANE KEY.

THAT'S A FOURTH DOWN AND TWO DANE KEY COMES OPEN.

HE TRIES TO GET BACK TO HIM.

AND JOHNSON COULD HAVE BEEN A PICK SIX.

HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF OVERCOMMITMENT RIGHT.

SOME OF THOSE GUYS ON THE OUTSIDE LOSING BACKSIDE CONTAIN.

>> YEAH A LITTLE BIT AGAIN IT'S JUST HERE.

YEAH I MEAN BAD EYES.

YOU GOT TO SEE THIS.

THOSE GUYS ON THE BACK SIDE.

IT WAS EFFORT.

YOU GOT TO SEE THAT GUY COMING AROUND AND.

>> COMING AROUND FOR A REASON.

>> YES.

CORRECT.

SO AGAIN VISION, VISION ON DEFENSE GAME ONE YOU EXPECT SOME OF THOSE MISTAKES.

>> HERE'S SORSBY SHOWING HIS 230 POUND FRAME GOING THROUGH TWO GUYS TO SCORE THERE MAKING IT 13 TO 10.

BUT BACK COMES NEBRASKA.

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TOUCHDOWN.

BARNEY GETS THROUGH HIM.

HE GETS HIT ON THE LEG.

HE KEEPS HIS FEET THERE.

HE RUNS IN FOR A TOUCHDOWN.

THAT'S A BIG ONE FOR BARNEY.

COULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS THAT NEBRASKA NEEDED.

AND HERE'S A BIG RUN.

THE QUESTION WAS OVER ONE AND A HALF CARRIES.

IT WENT OVER ONE AND A HALF CARRIES FOR OUR MAN RAIOLA.

NICE RUN RIGHT THERE FOR THE FIRST DOWN.

NOW THE FIRST PLAY OF THE FOURTH QUARTER.

LINDENMEYER WITH A NICE PLAY.

GETTING DOWN THE SIDELINE, TIPTOEING DOWN THE SIDELINE THERE.

>> WE'RE GOING TO GET A LUKE THIS WEEK.

THAT'S MY PREDICTION.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF LUKE CHANTS WHEN HE GETS THE BALL.

>> LOOK AT HIM.

LOOK AT THAT BIG GUY BEING FLEXIBLE AND GETTING DOWN THE SIDELINE THERE.

IT'S A GREAT PLAY BY HIM GETTING THE FIRST DOWN.

AND NOW FROM THE GOAL LINE YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT LATER JAKE.

>> YEAH IT'S A GREAT CALL A LITTLE RPO ACTION AGAIN JUST HOLDING THOSE BACKSIDE LINEBACKERS JUST ENOUGH AND FIND THAT POCKET BAM.

>> AND RAN THE SAME PLAY BEFORE THAT.

SET THAT UP PERFECT.

>> GREAT EXECUTION.

>> AND GOOD EYES BY DYLAN RAIOLA AS WELL.

BACK COMES SORSBY.

NOW THIS IS THE POINT WHERE HE SAID I'M JUST GOING TO RUN.

YEAH, IF ANYBODY UP.

>> TEMPO IS GOING HERE.

BAD RUSH LANES AND BY THE DEFENSIVE LINE, NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT.

>> 29 YARDS ON THAT RUN.

AND THEN ON THIS ONE SEVEN MORE YARDS TO GET ANOTHER FIRST DOWN.

SORSBY'S AT A POINT NOW WHERE HE'S JUST LIKE LOOK MAN I GOT GUYS OPEN.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS ON THEIR OFFENSE.

I WAS SURPRISED HE DIDN'T TOUCH THE BALL MORE DOWN TO THE HALF YARD LINE.

AND YOU KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO.

THE BIG QUARTERBACK UP THE MIDDLE.

>> INSIDE ZONE THERE WITH THE QB KEEPER MAN IT'S JUST QB POWER.

>> LITTLE FOLLOW PLAY 20 TO 17.

THIS IS WHERE NEBRASKA GOES INTO THEIR SIX MINUTE OFFENSE AS OPPOSED TO FOUR MINUTE OFFENSE, AND REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO PUT IT AWAY.

THIS WAS THE PLAY THAT PROBABLY STOPPED THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO PUT IT AWAY.

TWO YARD LOSS AFTER THE TWO YARD LOSS.

THEN YOU HAVE THE SACK, A GOOD SACK TAKEN BY YOU DON'T WANT TO THROW.

THE BALL.

>> NO, YOU WANT TO KEEP THE CLOCK GOING.

YOU WANT THEM TO BURN THEIR TIMEOUTS, WHICH THEY DID.

BUT THAT WAS GOOD.

YOU KNOW THAT WAS VERY SMART VETERAN PLAY BY THE BY THE YOUNG QUARTERBACK.

>> WE'RE GOING TO SKIP ONE OF THE PLAYS OF THE GAME WHICH WAS THE PUNT DOWN TO THE NINE YARD LINE WHICH IS GREAT.

BACK COMES CINCINNATI AS THEY'RE TRYING TO GET DOWN THERE TO TRY TO TIE IT OR WIN THE GAME.

THIS IS THE POINT IN THE GAME WHERE ALLEN, THE WIDE RECEIVER FOR CINCINNATI, TOOK OVER.

HE HAD FIVE CATCHES FOR 41 YARDS, THREE OF THEM ON THIS DRIVE.

THAT WAS ON FOURTH AND SEVEN.

HARTZOG GETS BEAT ON THAT ONE.

NEXT PLAY THEY CALL HOLDING ON MALCOLM HARTZOG.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ALWAYS SAY HEY YOU GOT TO HAVE THE MEMORY OF A GOLDFISH.

>> YEP.

NEXT PLAY.

>> MEMORY OF A GOLDFISH.

AND THIS IS THE NEXT PLAY.

THIS IS WHY NEBRASKA DIDN'T THROW THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD.

EVERYBODY COMPLAINING BECAUSE THEY WERE PLAYING DEEP COVERAGE.

YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THIS ONE DOWN AS WELL.

>> YEAH IT WAS JUST A GREAT JOB OF EXECUTION FROM THAT VERY VETERAN SECONDARY.

RIGHT.

THEY SHOWED COVER FOR COVER TWO A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE QUARTER QUARTER HALF.

THEY PLAY QUARTERS COVERAGE TOWARDS THE FIELD.

NOT THE CASE NEBRASKA WAS IN A HALF QUARTER QUARTER ESSENTIALLY IN THAT SITUATION.

SO THAT WAS THEY TRICKED HIM.

AND IT WAS MEAN.

WHAT A PLAY BY HARTZOG TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER GETTING BEAT TWICE.

>> THE BRASS TAKES A KNEE GETS THE WIN.

YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.

OVERALL IT WAS REALLY A MESSY GAME, LIKE A LOT OF GAMES WERE IN WEEK ONE.

BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT WEEK TWO.

WEEK THREE, THAT'S WHERE YOU MAKE YOUR BIGGEST JUMPS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME NOW.

NOT SURPRISING ON OFFENSE.

EMMETT JOHNSON, WHO HAD A MARVELOUS DAY, 25 RUSHES FOR 110 YARDS AND SEVEN RECEPTIONS FOR 27 YARDS.

HE HAD TEN TOTAL TARGETS AND WILLIAMS NWANERI DEFENSIVE LINEMEN.

NO ONE EXPECTED THIS COMING OUT OF THE SPRING.

FOR HIM TO HAVE THIS KIND OF GAME.

SIX TACKLES, A TACKLE FOR LOSS, HAD A HURRY AS WELL, PLAYING VERY, VERY WELL.

AND NOW TO BREAK DOWN A COUPLE OF BIG PLAYS WITH JAY TELLING US MORE ABOUT ON THE FIELD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELCOME IN TWO PLAYS TO LOOK AT TONIGHT.

WE GOT THE TOUCHDOWN PASS TO DANE KEY IN THE FOURTH DOWN PLAY EARLY IN THE FOURTH QUARTER I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE.

GOT SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY FEATURE FOR YOU GUYS TONIGHT.

LOOK AT DYLAN'S EYES RIGHT.

HE WANTS TO GO HERE WITH THE BALL.

SO EYES LOOKING HERE HE WANTS TO SEE WHAT THE SECONDARY LINEBACKER IS DOING.

BUT THE UNIQUE THING NEBRASKA DOES HERE IS THEY PUT HAARBERG IN MOTION.

THEY WANT TO KIND OF SEE WHAT COVERAGE ARE THEY IN.

THEY WANT TO BE IN MAN OR THEY BE IN ZONE.

SO YOU GET A BACK AND FORTH MOTION HERE FOR HAARBERG TO KIND OF SEE AND ALERT HIM.

BUT YOU CAN SEE DYLAN'S EYES RIGHT HERE.

BUT PAY ATTENTION TO THIS GUY RIGHT HERE AND THE LINEBACKER RIGHT HERE.

THEY HAVE TO HONOR THE RPO.

READ BY RAIOLA.

SO AS I HIT CLEAR THIS OFF, WE RUN THE PLAY.

YOU CAN SEE BRINGS IN MOTION NOT A LOT OF MOVEMENT.

BOOM KEEPS THEM IN THEIR EYES RIGHT THERE BAM.

JUST HOLDS 11 THERE.

THE LINEBACKER IS JUST AN EXTRA SECOND.

SO GOOD PLAY FAKE GOOD VISION BY DYLAN.

EXCELLENT EXECUTION ON THE BACK END BY DANE KEY.

SO AGAIN WE CAN SEE THIS PLAY.

HARPER GOES IN MOTION.

BOOM NINE.

LOOK COMMUNICATION.

HE'S TELLING THE SQUEEZE DOWN.

HE CAN'T WRITE.

HE HAS TO HONOR THAT.

JUST ENOUGH WINDOW FOR DANE KEY TO GET BEHIND.

SO THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAY OF THE GAME RIGHT HERE IS THE NEXT ONE UP.

THIS IS A MALCOLM HARTZOG INTERCEPTION ON THE FOURTH DOWN PLAY.

SO AS WE SEE HARTZOG RIGHT HERE IN THE SLOT CEYAIR WRIGHTS DOWN HERE.

SINGLETON'S UP TOP.

THIS LOOKS TO ME LIKE IT'S A QUARTER QUARTER QUARTER HALF INTO THE INTO THE FIELD HALF OVER HERE QUARTER OVER HERE.

BUT AS WE KIND OF RUN THIS HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

IT'S QUICKLY GOING TO GO TO COVER TWO WITH CEYAIR BAILING OFF MALCOLM COMING OVER TOP MAKES A FANTASTIC PLAY.

THE GUY JUST GOT CALLED FOR A FLAG JUST A FEW PLAYS BEFORE BOOM BOUNCES BACK.

BUT YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE.

WATCH HIS EYES.

WE CAN SEE HIM.

HE'S LOOKING.

VISION.

BUT WATCH CEYAIR WRIGHT'S EYES INITIALLY.

HE'S GOING TO LOOK INSIDE.

HE KNOWS HE'S LOOKING IN THAT FLAT.

SO RIGHT AWAY HE'S NO LOOK AT HIS EYES.

BOOM BAM CAN SIT OFF OF HIM.

NO.

NOBODY IN THE FLAT WAS ABLE TO COME OVER THE TOP.

MAKE A GREAT PLAY IN THE GAME.

WINNER FOR THE BIG RED.

>> THANKS, JAY.

NEXT UP ROBIN WASHUT FROM HUSKER ONLINE JOINS US IN STUDIO.

BEFORE THAT THOUGH, WE TAKE A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW THE HUSKERS PERFORMED OVERALL AGAINST CINCINNATI AS WE GO TO THE BREAK WITH GREAT PICTURES FROM HUSKER SPORTS HURRDAT SPORTS BACK IN TWO.

(MUSIC) WELCOME BACK.

THIS WEEK'S HUSKER HISTORY TAKES US BACK TO TOM OSBORNE'S FIRST HOME OPENER IN 1973 AGAINST THE 10TH RANKED UCLA BRUINS, WHO HAD UPSET NEBRASKA IN THE ROSE BOWL THE YEAR BEFORE.

TONY DAVIS TOUGH TONY DAVIS LED THE RUSHING ATTACK WITH TWO TOUCHDOWNS.

SPECIAL TEAMS CHIPPED IN WITH A 77 YARD PUNT RETURN ON THE WAY TO A 40 TO 13 WIN OVER QUARTERBACK MARK HARMON AND THE BRUINS.

THAT WAS A BIG ONE.

>> THAT'S A HUGE ONE.

>> THAT WAS A HUGE ONE.

YEAH, GETTING THAT ONE NOW.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA.

2018 HOME OPENER AGAINST AKRON WAS CANCELED DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE THAT, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A NEBRASKA GAME WAS CANCELED?

AND WHO WERE THE HUSKERS SCHEDULED TO PLAY TO ANSWER?

GO TO BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGES ON FACEBOOK OR X, YOU HAVE UNTIL 8 P.M. TONIGHT TO ANSWER IT.

IF YOU WIN, WE WILL SEND YOU A COPY OF OUR OWN, SEAN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS.

THE PROGRAM NEBRASKA CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK'S SHOW.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWER AND WINNER WAS TERRY ROTH.

1994 PUNTER DARIN ERSTAD WON THE WORLD SERIES RING WITH THE ANAHEIM ANGELS IN 2002.

GET YOUR PICKS IN THERE SO YOU CAN WIN THE BOOK NOW.

JOINING US, ROBIN WASHUT, EMPLOYEE ON HUSKER ONLINE OF SEAN CALLAHAN.

>> I JUST WITH THIS GUY ALL DAY.

>> HAS IT BEEN.

>> TOGETHER A LOT.

>> ROBIN HOW ARE YOU FEELING.

WHAT WAS UP?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DOWN THERE IN KANSAS CITY?

>> IT WAS CRAZY GETTING DOWN THERE.

YEAH, USUALLY A 3.5 HOUR DRIVE TOOK US.

I RODE WITH BILL AND ABBY.

>> BARAJAS ON CIVIL DUTY.

>> YEAH.

>> I HAD TO CHAUFFEUR STEVEN SIPPLE AROUND.

SO THAT'S A TASK IN ITSELF.

YES, BUT THEN IT TOOK US ABOUT 4.5 HOURS WITH CONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC.

WE GOT TO THE HOTEL, GOT A QUICK LUNCH, HEAD OVER TO THE STADIUM, TRY TO GET THERE EARLY.

THEY OPENED UP THE TAILGATE LOT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO.

>> THEY HAD TO.

>> A FULL FIVE HOURS BEFORE KICKOFF.

THAT PLACE WAS ROCKING, SO IT WAS EVERYTHING THAT I EXPECTED AND MORE.

>> ROBIN LOOKING AT THIS GAME GOING INTO GAME ONE, I'M SURE YOU HAD CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS FOR CERTAIN POSITION GROUPS.

WHAT ONES LIVED UP TO THOSE EXPECTATIONS?

WHAT ONES?

MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.

AND WHAT ONES ARE YOU KIND OF LIKE?

IT'S GAME ONE.

LET'S WAIT TO SEE HOW TWO, THREE AND FOUR GO.

>> THE HIGHLIGHT WAS THE SECONDARY FOR SURE.

I MEAN WITH THE WAY THAT THEY COVERED.

AND OBVIOUSLY CINCINNATI DIDN'T PRESSURE HIM TOO MUCH WITH A LOT OF DOWNFIELD SHOTS.

BUT ANY TIME THEY DID, THOSE CORNERS ESPECIALLY ANSWERED THE CALL.

THEY WON ALL THE ONE ON ONE MATCHUPS.

THEY TESTED ANDREW MARSHALL RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.

HE GETS THE PBU ON THE VERY FIRST PLAY, AND THEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO THROW TO CEYAIR WRIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD.

AND THEN DESHON SINGLETON WAS ACTIVE FROM THE VERY FIRST SNAP, HAD THREE TACKLES ON THE FIRST SERIES.

AND SO THAT SECONDARY AND THEN OBVIOUSLY MALCOLM HARTZOG FINISHING THE DEAL WITH HIS PICK.

I MEAN, YOU JUST GO ACROSS THE BOARD, EVERY ONE OF THOSE STARTING SECONDARIES AND DONOVAN JONES AS WELL PLAYED AS WELL AS YOU COULD HAVE HOPED.

AND SO THAT WAS THE CLEAR HIGHLIGHT FOR ME.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, DYLAN WAS REALLY EFFICIENT, DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIM SHOW OFF THE ARM VERY MUCH, BUT I THOUGHT HE MADE THE PLAYS WHEN HE NEEDED TO.

THE MOST.

FOURTH DOWN TOUCHDOWN, SCRAMBLING FOR FIRST DOWNS, USING HIS LEGS, MOBILITY A LITTLE BIT AND THEN EMMETT JOHNSON BEING THE WORKHORSE THAT WE ALL THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD BE.

WE'LL SEE HOW SUSTAINABLE THAT IS GOING FORWARD.

BUT YOU KNOW THAT WAS DEFINITELY NICE TO SEE YOUR TOP GUYS STEP UP IN THOSE BIG MOMENTS.

AND THEN AS FAR AS POSITION GROUPS THAT MAYBE UNDERWHELMED, YOU KNOW, WE STILL NEED TO SEE MORE FROM THAT DEFENSIVE LINE.

AND THAT'S NOT A SECRET.

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE NARRATIVE ALL OFFSEASON ABOUT WHAT THAT GROUP WAS GOING TO BE, HOW THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD UP AGAINST THE RUN AND RUSH THE PASSER.

IT'S STILL VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS.

I THINK YOU SAW SOME HIGHLIGHTS, LIKE WILLIAMS NWANERI PLAYING 38 SNAPS, LEADING THE DEFENSIVE LINE.

SO THERE'S SOME THINGS TO LIKE BUT CERTAINLY A LOT TO CLEAN UP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

REALLY.

>> YEAH.

BACK TO THAT D LINE.

I MEAN WHEN YOU LOSE NASH AND TY, I THINK EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A WORK IN PROGRESS.

BUT WAS IT BELOW YOUR EXPECTATION LEVEL OR ABOUT WHAT YOU THOUGHT AS FAR AS THAT THERE WERE GOING TO BE SOME QUESTIONABLE MOMENTS JUST FOR A LOT OF GUYS PLAYING THEIR FIRST REAL BIG SNAPS?

>> YEAH.

AND THAT'S THE THING YOU GOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TOO.

I MEAN, THIS IS A BRAND NEW GROUP WITH A LOT OF GUYS GETTING THEIR FIRST TASTE OF THAT TYPE OF.

>> NEW COACH.

>> AND A NEW COACH.

YEAH.

SO I MEAN, THERE WAS A LOT AGAIN, A LOT OF NEWNESS THAT WITH SOME WRINKLES THAT NEEDED TO GET WORKED OUT.

AND YEAH, THEY GAVE UP 200 YARDS RUSHING.

BUT YOU KNOW HALF OF THOSE CAME TO THE QUARTERBACK.

AND IF YOU ASK JOHN BUTLER THEY WERE RUNNING A HIGH SCHOOL OFFENSE WITH JUST KIND OF QB BACKYARD FOOTBALL RUNNING THE GAME.

SO IT'S HARD TO PUT TOO MUCH ON THEM.

THE YARDS PER CARRY FROM THE RUNNING BACKS, I THINK EVERYBODY WAS WELL OVER FIVE YARDS PER CARRY IN THAT GAME.

THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE.

THEY HAD NINE PRESSURES, NO HITS, NO SACKS AND SO THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE.

BUT YOU KIND OF TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT WITH THE STYLE OF QUARTERBACK THAT THEY WERE PLAYING.

BUT YOU KNOW AGAIN THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CONCERN QUESTION MARK GOING INTO THE OFFSEASON.

IT KIND OF PLAYED OUT THAT WAY.

BUT YOU KNOW AGAIN IT'S GAME ONE.

THEY'RE PLAYING A CINCINNATI TEAM THAT I THINK IS BETTER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GIVING THEM CREDIT FOR.

AND SO MAYBE WE'LL LOOK BACK ON THIS AS THIS WAS A GOOD KIND OF FIRST TASTE OF WHAT IS TO COME FOR THAT DEFENSIVE LINE.

>> YEAH.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAY NEBRASKA PLAYED IN THAT FIRST QUARTER WHERE THEY GAVE UP 40 SOMETHING YARDS RUSHING, MISSED A COUPLE OF GAPS AFTER THE SECOND QUARTER WAS OVER.

NEBRASKA SCORES THIRD QUARTER.

THAT GAME COULD HAVE BEEN OVER.

THEY GO DOWN AND SCORE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE UP 17-3 AND THAT'S IT RIGHT.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE GAME IS OVER AT THAT POINT.

>> YEAH.

AND YOU LOOK BACK ON THAT GAME NEBRASKA HAD SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY BLOW THAT THING OPEN.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE YOU TALK ABOUT CLEANING THINGS UP.

THAT'S A GAME WHERE ESPECIALLY IN THOSE THAT ENVIRONMENT WITH THE CROWD SUPPORT BEHIND YOU, YOU GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE THERE.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF THE ATTENTION WAS ON THE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS OR LACK THEREOF ON OFFENSE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE DEFENSE COULD HAVE GOTTEN STOPS AND ENDED THAT GAME A LONG TIME AGO.

YOU KNOW, SPECIAL TEAMS COULD HAVE MADE SOME MORE GAME CHANGING PLAYS.

I THOUGHT SPECIAL TEAMS WAS GOOD.

BUT AS MATT RHULE HIMSELF SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE GAME REALLY IN ANY WAY.

SO IT'S NOT ALL THREE LEVELS OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THAT GAME PROBABLY WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

BUT AGAIN, YOU GOT TO FLIP IT.

THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS LOST THAT GAME NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND FOR THEM TO FINISH THAT IN WEEK ONE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, TO HAVE THAT MOMENTUM AND POSITIVITY, TO LEARN FROM A WIN AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO DIG YOURSELF OUT OF A HOLE THAT'S RARE TERRITORY FOR THIS PROGRAM THAT IS MUCH WELCOMED.

>> NINE OF 36.

SINCE GOING BACK TO 2016, THEY'VE LOST THAT GAME OR WON THE GAME ONLY NINE TIMES.

>> I MEAN, WE ALL HAD THAT FEELING, RIGHT?

YEAH, THAT LAST DRIVE THIS IS HAPPENING AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH.

BUT I THINK IT'S A WE CAN BE HAPPY WITH THE UNSATISFIED VICTORY.

RIGHT.

BUT ONE AREA WE ALWAYS SEEM TO NEGLECT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SUCH A CATASTROPHE IS THE SPECIAL TEAMS.

BUT I KNOW THEY SAID THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE OFF A KICKOFF RETURN, BLOCK A PUNT, BUT GETTING POINTS WHEN POINTS ARE NEEDED AND PINNING THEM DEEP ON THAT ON THAT LAST DRIVE, I MEAN, THAT WAS THAT'S BIG TIME PLAY BY THE SPECIAL TEAMS UNIT WE HAVEN'T SEEN FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

>> YEAH.

JUST THINK ABOUT THIS.

HOW MANY TIMES DID THE LONG SNAPPER COME UP?

HOW MANY TIMES DID THE HOLD COME UP?

HOW MANY BLOCKED PUNTS DID WE SEE?

HOW MANY SHANKED FIELD GOALS DID WE SEE?

LIKE THE OPERATION OF JUST THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF SPECIAL TEAMS WAS AS CRISP AS WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS, ESPECIALLY RECENTLY GOING BACK TO LAST YEAR.

SO THAT WAS MARKEDLY IMPROVED.

YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T JUST AVERAGE LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, KYLE CUNANAN DRILLS THAT 52 YARDER THAT WAS THEY WON BY THREE GAME CHANGING PLAY.

AND THEN ARCHIE WILSON YOU KNOW MAKING THOSE PUNTS.

YOU KNOW HE DIDN'T SHOW OFF THE BIG BOOMING LEG.

BUT PUTTING WHAT THREE OF HIS FOUR INSIDE THE 22 INSIDE THE TEN, INCLUDING THAT ONE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER THAT MADE CINCINNATI HAVE TO MARCH THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD.

THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T HAPPENING LAST YEAR, AND NEBRASKA HAD TO OVERCOME SPECIAL TEAMS, WHEREAS AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE GAME CHANGING PLAYS, LIKE WITH THE BIG RETURNS OR THE BLOCKS, BUT THEY MADE THE PLAYS THEY NEEDED TO MAKE.

THEY MADE THE LONG FIELD GOALS AND THEY MADE THEIR EXTRA POINTS.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE COSTLY BAD PUNTS OR BREAKDOWNS.

THEY HAD MAYBE ONE BREAKDOWN IN COVERAGE, BUT OVERALL I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY CLEAN GAME.

NOW THE NEXT STEP IS BECOMING A, YOU KNOW, A SATISFACTORY UNIT TO A GAME CHANGING UNIT.

>> WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SEE IN THIS AKRON GAME, ROBIN, TO JUST FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.

AND OBVIOUSLY RUNNING BACK IS ONE OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS GETTING MORE GUYS GOING.

BUT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A FEW THINGS THAT PROBABLY NEED TO HAPPEN TO ADVANCE THIS THING FORWARD.

>> YEAH I MEAN ONE, DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

YOU'RE 35 POINT FAVORITES.

YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THAT GAME AWAY EARLY.

AND THEN THE NEXT STEP TO THAT IS GET YOUR DEPTH SOME EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW I WANT TO SEE THOSE RUNNING BACKS.

I WANT TO SEE MEKHI NELSON AND MOSEY, MAYBE EVEN IVES, GET SOME WORKLOAD AND SHOW WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH IT.

LIKE LAST WEEK HOPEFULLY WAS KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, OUTLIER ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO UTILIZE THAT AND THEY GET THOSE OTHER GUYS INVOLVED, AND THEN YOU WANT TO SEE THEM CONTROL THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE ON BOTH SIDES.

AND THIS IS A BAD AKRON TEAM.

I MEAN, THE SPREAD IS WHAT IT IS.

THEY GOT SHUT OUT BY WYOMING.

THAT DEFENSIVE LINE SHOULD DOMINATE.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE SHOULD DOMINATE.

AND IF THEY DO THOSE THINGS, ALL THE OTHER TWO THINGS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESS AND GETTING YOUR DEPTH, SOME LIVE GAME SNAPS THAT WILL ALL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

SO I WANT TO SEE IT START WITH THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

I WANT TO SEE WRECKING PLAYS FROM THE PASS RUSH AND SHUTTING DOWN THE RUN GAME.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, I WANT TO SEE THAT OFFENSIVE LINE MOVE THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE ON EVERY SNAP TO WHERE WHOEVER IS LINED UP IN THAT BACKFIELD IS GETTING PLENTY OF ROOM TO RUN.

>> YEAH, AND YOUR FRESHMAN, YOUR BACKUP QUARTERBACK AS A FRESHMAN, YOU WANT TO GET HIM OUT THERE AS WELL?

>> YEAH I MEAN ACROSS THE BOARD.

LIKE YOU WANT TO SEE THOSE WIDE RECEIVERS BE ON THE TOP THREE.

YOU KNOW GET MORE INVOLVED.

YOU KNOW CORTEZ MILLS INVOLVED.

>> AND KEELAN SMITH.

>> WANT TO SEE CARTER NELSON YOU KNOW WITH JANIRAN BONNER OUT LIKE HE'S THE NEXT MAN UP THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING OVER A YEAR NOW TO SEE WHAT THAT PICTURE LOOKS LIKE OF CARTER NELSON.

YOU KNOW, IN NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE, NOW'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY IF THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO GET GUYS LIKE HIM GOING A LITTLE BIT AFTER MAYBE SLOW START.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF JUST LABOR DAY WEEKEND?

IT'S SUCH A GREAT VENUE FOR FOOTBALL.

YOU JUST GOT TO SEE SO MANY GOOD GAMES.

GIVE US YOUR BIG TEN LOOK AROUND.

AND WHAT DID YOU THINK OF JUST THE INITIAL GAMES WE GOT TO SEE THIS WEEKEND?

>> YEAH.

OVERALL I THOUGHT THE TEAMS THAT YOU PROJECT AT THE TOP DID THEIR THING.

YOU KNOW, THE BIG BLOWOUT WINS.

THE OVERALL RECORD OF THE CONFERENCE WAS GOOD.

YOU KNOW NORTHWESTERN AND THOSE LIKES RUTGERS GETTING BY.

SO I THOUGHT THAT YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE NEBRASKA YOU SIT BACK AND WATCH THOSE GAMES.

AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY THAT IMMEDIATE FEELING OF PANIC LIKE, OH NO, LIKE WE BARELY BEAT CINCINNATI.

WELL WITH THE REST OF THE LEAGUE.

DID LIKE NEBRASKA IS NOT THE ONLY TEAM THAT HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO COMING OUT OF WEEK ONE, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FANS NEED TO KIND OF COLLECT THEMSELVES, TAKE A BREATH AND BE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WELL, NEBRASKA IS FAR FROM A FINISHED PRODUCT, BUT SO IS MOST EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE COUNTRY.

I MEAN, TOP TEN TEAMS ARE COMING OUT OF WEEK ONE SAYING, WHOA, WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE A LITTLE BIT WHERE WE KNOW THE BIG TEN IS GOOD.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME ROUGH GAMES FROM UCLA AND NORTHWESTERN A LOT.

BUT YOU KNOW I THINK OVERALL NEBRASKA STACKS UP PRETTY WELL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION THAT THEY PLAYED.

AGAIN, I THINK CINCINNATI IS GOING TO BE A BETTER TEAM.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THIS SEASON THAN MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVING THEM CREDIT FOR.

>> ROBIN, OTHER THAN THE I-29 TRAFFIC, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ANOTHER GAME IN KANSAS CITY MOVING FORWARD WITH NEBRASKA?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK.

>> ON WEDNESDAY, WHAT ARE YOU GOT TO GO ON WEDNESDAY MAN.

>> YEAH.

>> OR LEAVE EARLY I LEFT EARLY HAD NO TRAFFIC.

>> WE LEFT WEDNESDAY EARLY AND THEN WE COME BACK ON FRIDAY.

WE DIDN'T GO BACK UNTIL LIKE 11.

>> YEAH.

SO PLANNING WAS DEFINITELY CHANGED.

IF THEY GO BACK THERE AGAIN WE WILL BE MUCH MORE COGNIZANT OF TRAVEL.

BUT YES I MEAN IT'S A NO BRAINER OPPORTUNITY.

THE FACT THAT ONE YOU CAN GET A PACKED CROWD AND HAVE THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT, YOU GOT TO FIND THE RIGHT OPPONENT THAT'S WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON.

AND SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A MORE LOCAL.

>> THEY MADE $6 MILLION.

>> I KNOW.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

OR YOU GET A SCHOOL THAT YOU.

>> KNOW THAT'S AN INVESTMENT.

>> THAT'S A BIG DEAL COACH >> WHERE THERE'S PROGRAMS THAT.

THEY WOULD HANG THEIR HAT ON THAT KIND OF PAYCHECK.

SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS FOR NEBRASKA SIDE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE WITH BASKETBALL, WHEN THEY PLAY UP IN SIOUX FALLS EVERY YEAR.

LIKE, IT'S A NO BRAINER.

LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A HOME GAME.

YOU GET REWARDED FOR IT BEING A QUOTE UNQUOTE NEUTRAL SITE, AND THEN THE OTHER TEAM MAKES A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY IN THE PROCESS.

>> KANSAS, KANSAS STATE,MISSOURI >> ARKANSAS >> ARKANSAS.

I MEAN, LIKE.

SOME OF THOSE TYPES.

>> IOWA STATE, >> IOWA STATE.

EXACTLY.

>> I THINK YOU HAVE A GROUP OF SCHOOLS THAT WOULD MAKE.

A LOT.

>> OF ROTATING.

>> TO DO THAT.

>> PEOPLE WOULD LOVE THAT.

>> STILL, BIG EIGHT BRING OUT THE BIG EIGHT CONFERENCE, OKLAHOMA STATE, OKLAHOMA.

>> OKLAHOMA STATE IS ON THE SCHEDULE.

MAYBE THEY'LL WANT TO MOVE ONE OF THE GAMES UP THERE.

>> YEAH, THAT'D BE AWESOME.

WE'D LOVE THAT.

I KNOW KANSAS CITY WOULD LOVE THAT.

THEY MADE A TON OF MONEY OFF OF CONCESSIONS, BY THE WAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED.

>> THEY DID.

>> THEY MADE.

>> EVERY BARBECUE PLACE IN TOWN, HAD LIKE RECORD LIKE PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON?

>> IT WAS INCREDIBLE, WAS INCREDIBLE, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

BUT THE NEBRASKA FANS KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

NO DOUBT.

NEXT TIME YOU COME ON, WE'RE TALKING SOME BASKETBALL.

>> ABSOLUTELY I'M READY.

>> ALL RIGHT ROBIN.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

ROBIN WASHUT JOINING US.

WE COME BACK.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.

AND ALSO WE'LL LOOK INTO RECRUITING AND HUSKERS MATCHUP WITH AKRON.

IT'S A GAME THAT'S SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING BACK WITH BIG RED WRAP UP AFTER THIS.

>> I THOUGHT I PLAYED FAIRLY WELL.

GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME.

THERE'S A HANDFUL OF PLAYS I WISH I COULD HAVE HAD BACK, YOU KNOW, THE FOURTH DOWN, TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OTHER PLAYS THROUGHOUT THE GAME.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT I THOUGHT WE PLAYED.

WE PLAYED TO OUR GAME PLAN AND WE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THEY WERE GOING TO TRY AND DO TO STOP US.

SO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE COUNTERACTED THAT AND GOT A WHOLE LOT OF COMPLETIONS AND LET OUR GUYS DO THE THINGS THEY DO WITH THE FOOTBALL.

>> AND I THINK THEY DID A GOOD JOB IN THE RUN GAME.

I THINK THEY DID A GOOD JOB IN PASS PROTECTION.

FOR THE MOST PART.

I GIVE CINCINNATI CREDIT, THOSE GUYS WERE BIG AND PHYSICAL UP FRONT, YOU KNOW, AND PLAYED WITH, PLAYED WITH TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PHYSICALITY, YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS A GOOD TEST FOR US.

GAME ONE I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THE TEST, YOU KNOW, GETTING TESTED LIKE THAT.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR OUR FOOTBALL TEAM MOVING FORWARD.

>> SO CREDIT TO CINCINNATI.

AS I SAID TO OUR GUYS THIS IS POWER FOUR FOOTBALL.

EVERYONE HAS TO GET ADJUSTED TO LIKE THEY HAVE $20.5 MILLION TO PAY THEIR PLAYERS.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

LIKE THE DAYS OF OLD ARE OVER.

LIKE POWER FOUR TEAMS ALL HAVE 20.

EVERY TEAM HAS 20.5 MILLION TO SPEND ON THEIR ATHLETES.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE GOOD GUYS LIKE YOU KNOW, I MEAN LIKE IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE ALL JUST LIKE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, LIKE THE REALLY GOOD PLAYERS ON TEAMS LIKE THAT WOULD JUST LEAVE FOR MONEY AT NIL MONEY.

BUT NOW YOU CAN PAY THEM LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO FACE A LOT OF GOOD PLAYERS.

TO BE BACK AT HOME.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LIGHT SHOW.

THEY'RE DOING THE LIGHT SHOW.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LIGHT SHOW.

I CAN'T BE BETTER, DO I?

THE FIRST YEAR I WAS LIKE THE FIRST YEAR I WAS LIKE, STOP LOOKING AT THE LIGHT SHOW.

AND THE SECOND YEAR I WAS LIKE, JUST LOOK AT THE LIGHT SHOW.

>> IT'S AMAZING.

>> WE ARE HERE IN THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA STUDIO, MIKE'L SEVERE WITH SEAN CALLAHAN TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.

WE START OFF WITH A VISITOR THAT'S A COMMIT THAT'S GOT A NAME THAT WE ALL KNOW PRETTY WELL.

>> YEAH, DAYTON RAIOLA WILL BE ONE OF THE KEY GUYS TO FOCUS ON.

HE'S THE QUARTERBACK COMMIT FOR NEBRASKA IN THE CLASS OF 2026.

QUARTERBACKING THE NUMBER ONE RANKED TEAM RIGHT NOW IN GEORGIA.

THEY'RE OFF TO AN IMPRESSIVE START.

THEY'VE PLAYED TWO HEAVYWEIGHT POWERHOUSE GAMES TO START THE YEAR WINNING BOTH THOSE GAMES.

AND DAYTON HAS BEEN TESTED MULTIPLE YEARS.

HE'S BEATEN OUT OTHER D1 GUYS TO BE THE STARTING QUARTERBACK.

>> I THINK THEY NEED TO FIX THIS BECAUSE HE LOOKS TALLER THAN THAT ON.

>> THE SIDELINE.

>> YEAH, HE IS GROWN.

HE'S GOTTEN BIGGER AND STRONGER.

BUT YOU KNOW ONE OF THE TOP TEN HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY AT BUFORD.

AND THE COMPETITION HE SEES IS AS GOOD AS ANY OF THE RECRUITS IN THIS RECRUITING CLASS FOR NEBRASKA.

AND HE'S GOT SUCH A HUMBLE DEMEANOR.

I LOVE THAT ABOUT DAYTON.

AND JUST THE WAY HE CARRIES HIMSELF, YOU KNOW, AND HE'S GOT YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT BIG EXPECTATIONS WITH HIS BROTHER AND HIS DAD.

BUT HE HAS THE RIGHT APPROACH.

AND I THINK HE'S THE RIGHT GUY TO HAVE AS THE QUARTERBACK COMMIT FOR NEBRASKA IN THIS 2026 CLASS.

>> AND HE WILL ALWAYS BE PUT IN THE SAME CONVERSATION WITH JETT THOMALLA, BECAUSE JETT'S GOING TO ALABAMA AND THEY GOT.

>> BUT TO BE FAIR, I DON'T KNOW.

JETT WOULD WANT TO COME TO NEBRASKA BECAUSE OF TREY TAYLOR.

TREY TAYLOR IS RANKED HIGHER THAN JETT THOMALLA AND RAIOLA WILL HAVE TWO MORE YEARS POTENTIALLY LEFT.

SO I THINK IT ALL WORKED OUT IN THE END.

I MEAN, YEAH, YOU CAN PLAY AND YOU KNOW, BRAYLON WARREN, OMAHA, WESTSIDE, BUT TREY TAYLOR IS ONE OF THE TOP 2 OR 3 OVERALL QUARTERBACKS IN THE COUNTRY FOR 2027.

DYLAN RAIOLA WAS ONE OF THE TOP 2 OR 3 QUARTERBACKS IN THE COUNTRY FOR 2024.

SO THEY'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD THING GOING, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE OTHER GUYS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE HERE, LIKE TJ LATEEF NOW DAYTON RAIOLA AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE MOVING FORWARD.

>> NOW SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

LET'S LOOK AT THE BIG TEN AND WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND AROUND THE BIG TEN.

OHIO STATE LED THE WAY WITH A 14 TO 7 WIN OVER TOP RANKED TEXAS.

OVERALL CONFERENCE WENT 16 AND TWO.

AND ONCE AGAIN THE CONFERENCE HAD SIX TEAMS IN THE AP TOP 25 OHIO STATE AND PENN STATE ON THE TOP OF THE RANKINGS AT ONE AND TWO, OREGON MOVED UP TO NUMBER SIX.

ILLINOIS IS AT 11, MICHIGAN'S AT 16, AND INDIANA SLIPPED TO 23 AFTER A CLOSE WIN OVER A GAME OLD DOMINION TEAM.

LET'S GO TO AN UPDATED SURVEY RESULTS NOW.

AFTER SEEING THE FIRST WEEK OF GAMES, WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE?

STILL, YOU HAVE OHIO STATE RUNNING AWAY WITH IT AT 62%, PENN STATE AT 13%, AND USC, WHO HAD A WHO SCORED 73 POINTS THIS WEEK AT 12%.

NEBRASKA'S REST OF THEIR SCHEDULE.

THESE NEXT TWO GAMES GET IN THERE, GET AS FEW INJURIES AS POSSIBLE AND GET READY TO BEAT MICHIGAN.

>> YES.

YEAH.

THAT'S GOOD.

YOU STILL GOT TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOCUS ON TASK.

YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE.

YOU CAN'T GET TOO FAR AHEAD OF YOURSELF.

I'VE BEEN A PART OF THESE GAMES.

I MEAN, I REMEMBER PLAYING US GOING TO USC MY SENIOR YEAR.

WE HAD TO PLAY NICHOLLS STATE IN GAME FOUR, AND I WAS JUST LIKE, I JUST WANT.

YES, IT WAS A BRUTAL WEEK OF PRACTICE.

I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE THE TRIPLE OPTION WISHBONE, RIGHT?

AND I REMEMBER AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF PRACTICE, I'M LIKE, OH MY GOD.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN THROUGH TRAINING CAMP AGAIN JUST BECAUSE OF HOW WE HAD TO PLAY ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE TO MAKE SURE THEY COULDN'T GET UP TO THE LINEBACKERS.

BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, RIGHT?

AND YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON AKRON.

THEN YOU HAVE TO GO FOCUS ON HOUSTON CHRISTIAN.

IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO GET SLIP UP, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE GETTING A SCARE AND YOU DON'T YOU DON'T.

NEBRASKA DOES NOT NEED THAT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME MATURITY THAT NEBRASKA STILL IS A YOUNG FOOTBALL TEAM RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK COACH RHULE AND THE STAFF WILL KEEP THEM FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.

GET IN THERE.

YOU GET A GOOD TWO AND A HALF QUARTERS OF WORK FOR YOUR STARTERS AND YOU'RE GONE.

ALL RIGHT, GO OFF, TAKE A KNEE AND LOOSEN THOSE PADS.

LET YOUR BACKUPS GO IN THERE AND GET SOME WORK IN AND GET SOME AND GET SOME MORE DEPTH DEVELOPED.

BUT YEAH, IT'S REALLY EASY RIGHT NOW FOR THIS TEAM TO LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT MICHIGAN HAS SEPTEMBER 20TH.

>> YEAH, THEY HAVE TO GET SOME WORK IN AGAINST AKRON BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WON'T GET MUCH WORK IN AGAINST HOUSTON CHRISTIAN.

>> YEAH, HOUSTON CHRISTIAN OBVIOUSLY AN FCS TEAM.

I'VE BEEN TO THEIR FACILITIES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

IT'S I MEAN IT'S LIKE YOU'RE AT NEBRASKA WESLEYAN.

IT'S A SMALLER.

YEAH.

THERE'S LITERALLY THERE'S ONLY ONE SIDE OF GRANDSTAND TO KIND OF PUT THEM IN PERSPECTIVE.

THE OTHER SIDE, A WALGREENS SITS BEHIND THE SIDELINE.

I MEAN, LIKE YOU COULD HAVE LIKE VIP SEATS ON THE ROOF OF THE WALGREENS THERE.

SO YEAH, YOU'RE PLAYING A LOWER, LOWER LEVEL TEAM.

>> THEY DID PUT UP SOME BIG NUMBERS THIS PAST WEEK.

I WILL TELL YOU, THEY HAVE A QUARTERBACK THAT IS A GOOD DUAL THREAT QUARTERBACK, JUST IN CASE THEY'RE.

>> LOOKING AT JASON BACHTEL'S A GOOD COACH I MEAN HE'S A RESPECTED HIGH SCHOOL FORMER TEXAS I MEAN HE'S A GUY TO WATCH DOWN THE ROAD.

>> THEY WIN 69 TO NOTHING.

>> IT WAS 69 SOMETHING THE TEAM SCORED OR NOT.

BUT THEY PLAYED WELL.

>> THEY DID I WAS LIKE OH OKAY.

YEAH.

GIVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT.

>> YEAH A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT THIS WEEK OF COURSE THE FIGHTING ZIPS WHO SCORED ZIP LAST WEEK COME TO MEMORIAL STADIUM.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THEM?

OBVIOUSLY I LIKE JOE MOORHEAD.

I THINK THE GUY IS A GOOD OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

I KNOW WHAT KIND OF HEAD COACH HE IS.

>> AGAIN, IT'S I DON'T HAVE A FROM WATCHING A LITTLE BIT OF THE WYOMING GAME.

I MEAN THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO SCORE HAD SOME TURNOVERS AND DEEP IN THE RED ZONE.

LISTEN THIS IS A TEAM THAT NEBRASKA SHOULD HANDLE COMFORTABLY.

THE LINE SHOWS IT.

IT'S OPENED UP AT 35.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HOW IT FINISHES AT THE END OF THE WEEK.

IT COULD BE MORE IT COULD BE LESS.

WHO KNOWS.

THIS IS A GAME FOR NEBRASKA TO COME OFF OF.

I GUARANTEE YOU.

THE STAFF IS WORKING WITH THE PLAYERS RIGHT NOW AND CLEANING THIS STUFF UP, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GLARING THINGS THAT NEED TO GET CLEANED UP, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THEY WILL.

IT'S A GOOD TIME TO GET SOME CONFIDENCE GOING, IMPLEMENT DIFFERENT WRINKLES IF THEY WANT, BUT REALLY JUST GO IN AND KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND GO IN AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE CALLING THE SAME PLAYS THAT WE CALLED AGAINST CINCINNATI POTENTIALLY, AND THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO GET THESE RIGHT.

I WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS EXECUTE THEM THE RIGHT WAY ON THE FIELD WHEN IT MATTERS.

NOT IN PRACTICE.

I WANT TO SEE YOU DO IT THE RIGHT WAY ON THE FIELD.

AND THEN LET'S GET OUR WORK IN AND LET'S GET SOME OTHER GUYS SOME REPS.

BUT AGAIN YOU GOT TO GO IN THERE.

THOSE FIRST 30 MINUTES ARE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

>> TOUGH FOR AKRON.

THEY HAVE THEY CAN'T GO TO CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

THEY CAN'T GO TO A BOWL GAME BECAUSE THEY'RE ON APR PUNISHMENT TOUGH SEASON FOR THEM.

>> YEAH.

IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY TEAMS, I THINK IN HISTORY THAT'S BEEN ON AN APRIL BOWL BAN.

IT'S HARD TO DO.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO YEARS OF YOUR ACADEMIC LEVELS NOT BEING WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IN THE PUNISHMENT IS WHAT YOU SAID.

NO BOWL ELIGIBILITY OR CHANCE AT A CONFERENCE TITLE.

SO FOR THEM THIS IS LIKE A BOWL GAME.

I MEAN, THIS IS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT'S GOING TO GET FOR AKRON, COMING TO LINCOLN, COMING TO MEMORIAL STADIUM.

BUT YEAH, TOUGH POSITION FOR THEIR PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING ANYMORE IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS WHERE ACADEMICS.

ARE TRYING TO PREVENT A TEAM FROM GOING TO A BOWL GAME.

>> YEAH.

AND I TOLD YOU GUYS SIX OF THE LAST SEVEN GAMES THEY PLAYED AGAINST POWER FOUR TEAMS, THEY'VE BEEN OUTSCORED 301 TO 39.

THAT'S NOT PRETTY AT ALL.

THEY MADE A LOT OF MONEY ON THOSE GAMES.

>> BUT HOW HAVE THEY SPENT IT.

>> HOW HAVE THEY SPENT IT EXACTLY.

WELL NOT AN ACADEMIC TUTORS.

LET'S GET TO TOP PLAYS.

NOW.

NUMBER THREE ON OUR LIST IS A HUGE ONE VINCENT SHAVERS END OF THE FIRST HALF WITH A HUGE HIT HAT RIGHT ON THE BALL.

>> PERFECT.

EXACTLY PERFECT.

RIGHT.

THAT'S TEXTBOOK STUFF.

I MEAN, TO ME THIS IS THIS WOULD BE NUMBER ONE FOR ME.

>> I'M WITH YOU AS WELL, WILLIAMS NWANERI WITH THE RECOVERY.

COULD HAVE BEEN A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.

ISAIAH HUNTER TV CATCH ON THE END ZONE.

THIS IS THE REPLAY OF NUMBER THREE.

NUMBER TWO ISAIAH HUNTER WITH THE CATCH IN THE END ZONE.

HAD TO CATCH IT TWICE AND GET THE TOE DOWN.

THIS WAS A HARD REVIEW.

>> IT WAS.

>> IT WAS A REALLY HARD REVIEW.

>> THAT LEFT TOE OR THAT RIGHT TOE WAS JUST IN BEFORE THAT RIGHT KNEE.

I MEAN IT WAS A SPLIT SECOND, A SPLIT SECOND.

BUT MAN, THANK GOD HE.

>> KEPT POSSESSION OF THE BALL.

>> THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

BODY CONTROL, INCREDIBLE BODY CONTROL.

AND HE LANDED A NICE DANCE AFTER THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE MALCOLM HARTZOG INTERCEPTION TO PUT THE GAME AWAY.

>> YEAH OKAY MAYBE THIS IS DESERVED NUMBER ONE.

BUT I JUST THAT TIME GETTING POINTS BEFORE HALF THERE.

BUT YEAH THIS WAS BIG I MEAN LIKE I SAID WE BROKE THIS PLAY DOWN.

GREAT EXECUTION BY THE SECONDARY HARTZOG GIVING UP THE FOURTH DOWN PLAY.

THEN A COUPLE PLAYS LATER THE PENALTY WAS A GREAT WAY TO FINISH THAT GAME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN HERE.

OH DO YOU THINK EMMITT SMITH THIS GOES TO YOU SEAN.

DO YOU THINK EMMITT SMITH CAN GET TO 1000 EMMITT SMITH, EMMETT JOHNSON CAN GET TO 1000 YARDS RUSHING.

>> THEY ADDED EMMITT SMITH WHAT THE HELL MAN.

>> SMITH LIKE 55.

HE'S NOT GETTING 1000 YARDS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT EMMETT JOHNSON?

>> YOU KNOW I WANT TO SEE HIM AGAINST OTHER POWER FOUR TEAMS.

I WANT TO SEE HOW HE SUSTAINS.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME WHERE I THOUGHT ANTHONY GRANT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD 1000 YARD BACK, AND THE WEAR AND TEAR OF THIS CONFERENCE WORE HIM DOWN.

YOU GO BACK TO THAT STRETCH AGAINST RUTGERS AND INDIANA, WHERE HE WENT LIKE BACK TO BACK 55, 60 ISH SNAP GAMES.

AND HE WASN'T THE SAME THE REST OF THE YEAR.

SO LET'S SEE HOW EMMETT RESPONDS.

BUT YEAH, THESE TWO GAMES ARE GOING TO BE BIG IN LIKE THE SCHEME OF HIS FINAL OUTPUT BECAUSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO STEAL SOME CHEAP STATS.

DEFINITELY.

AND WHERE HE CAN COME OUT OF THESE GAMES WITH MAYBE A 250.

BUT WILL THEY LET HIM?

I MEAN, THAT'S THE QUESTION.

I THINK MATT RHULE IS GOING TO WANT TO PLAY OTHER GUYS.

>> YEAH.

BRAD JOHNSON ON FACEBOOK, NOT THE QUARTERBACK, SAYS AFTER SEEING THE FIRST GAME, DID YOU CHANGE YOUR PREDICTION FOR NEBRASKA'S RECORD?

>> NO, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN PRETTY STURDY ON 8-4 ALL YEAR.

I THINK THE LOSSES ARE MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, PENN STATE, USC.

THAT'S JUST WHAT I'VE THAT'S WHAT I'VE DEALT WITH ALL YEAR.

I HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH.

SO I STILL FEEL COMFORTABLE ON THAT.

NEBRASKA WILL GET THERE'LL BE THINGS THAT THEY'LL GET CLEANED UP THAT COULD CHANGE.

I MEAN, I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT MARYLAND GAME LOOKS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT, I THINK, TO ME, BUT I STILL FEEL RATHER COMFORTABLE ON 8-4 AND I'M NOT READY TO COME OFF THAT AFTER ONE GAME.

NO, NO DRASTIC OVERREACTION BY ME HERE.

>> VICKY ON FACEBOOK.

DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE MORE OF HAARBERG NOW THAT BONNER WENT DOWN?

>> OH.

>> HE PLAYED A LOT MORE IN THE SECOND HALF.

>> YEAH, I THINK HAARBERG DID A LOT OF BLOCKING.

HE WAS DOING A.

>> LOT OF GOOD.

>> TOO, AND HE WAS GRADED OUT WELL ENOUGH WITH HIS BLOCKING GRADE.

BUT YEAH, I THINK HIS ROLE IN CARTER NELSON, THEY'RE BOTH GOING TO KEEP GROWING, BUT IT'S CLEAR LUKE LINDENMEYER IS THE GUY THERE.

I MEAN, LUKE LINDENMEYER IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY DO AT TIGHT END.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN YOU DEVELOP FOR HEINRICH THAT MAKES SENSE?

CAN YOU GET HIM THE BALL?

I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM, YOU KNOW, DO DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THE BALL.

WE KNOW HOW EXPLOSIVE HE IS.

>> AND MARTIN ASKED HIM.

WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION NOW.

WHY NO NEBRASKA BAN IN KANSAS CITY?

WAS IT A BUDGET OR A SCHEDULE ISSUE?

THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE SEATS, THE TICKETS AND ALSO TO GET DOWN THERE.

AND ALSO CINCINNATI'S BAN WAS THERE.

>> NOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY GOT IT WORKED OUT WHERE THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

>> OH REALLY THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO.

>> BUT I MEAN, THEY WERE THEY WERE GOING TO GET IT WORKED OUT IN THE END.

BUT IT WAS KIND OF TOO LATE.

>> I MEAN, OKAY.

>> A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.

BUT YEAH, IT WAS DISAPPOINTING.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE SAT.

THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN SEATS.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE 74,000.

IN THAT SETTING, THE NEBRASKA BAN WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CHERRY ON TOP.

JUST TO HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL ATMOSPHERE THEY WOULD HAVE BROUGHT TO THE STADIUM.

>> YEAH, THAT'D BE REALLY COOL.

AND CINCINNATI'S BAND DID A GOOD JOB.

I MEAN, THEY REPRESENTED WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER.

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AN ANNUAL GAME IN KANSAS CITY AT ARROWHEAD?

>> I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN, TO ME IT'S A NO BRAINER.

I THINK IF YOU SET UP, I WOULD LOVE TO BRING IT.

IT'S AN OLD BIG EIGHT MATCHUP.

IT'D BE GREAT.

THAT'D BE FANTASTIC.

I MEAN, EVERY SCHOOL IS SO LOCALLY, YOU KNOW, SO CLOSE TO KANSAS CITY.

I MEAN WHETHER IT'S KANSAS, KANSAS STATE, IOWA STATE, MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA STATE, OKLAHOMA, IT'D BE IT JUST SEEMS LIKE >> IT'D BE EASY.

>>IT'D BE SO EASY TO BRING A BIG EIGHT CLASSIC EVERY YEAR.

IT OPENS UP LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL WOULD SIGN UP FOR THAT.

I WOULD THINK IT'S JUST WORKING OUT THE >> BUDGET.

>> THE BUDGET.

BUT IT'S ALSO JUST WITH NOW HOW IMPORTANT THE PLAYOFF IS GOING FORWARD.

THESE TEAMS SCHEDULING THESE MAJOR CONFERENCE GAMES EARLY ON.

SOME TEAMS AREN'T GOING TO WANT TO DO THAT.

SOME PROGRAMS DON'T WANT TO PLAY A POWER FOUR CONFERENCE.

>> MAYBE NOW.

IT'LL CHANGE THOUGH, BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE NEW FACTORING SYSTEM.

JIM IN MINNESOTA FAMOUS TWITTER USER.

YOU THINK WE'LL SEE MORE OF DONOVAN JONES AFTER WHAT YOU SAW AGAINST CINCINNATI?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE FINDING WAYS TO JUST GET HIM ON THE FIELD.

AS YOU HEARD JOHN BUTLER SAY ON TUESDAY, HE'S TOO GOOD NOT TO HAVE OUT THERE.

SO WHEN WE HAVE CEYAIR AND ANDREW MARSHALL AT THE TWO CORNERS, WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM OUT THERE IN DIFFERENT ROLES.

AND HE IMPACTED THE GAME THERE'S NO DOUBT.

AND I YOU KNOW I THINK THE PINSTRIPE BOWL YOU STARTED TO SEE RIGHT AWAY LIKE WOW HE'S PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE BEFORE THE PINSTRIPE BOWL YOU DIDN'T REALLY OBVIOUSLY SEE HIM.

AND NOW THE GROWTH HE'S MADE I THINK IS REALLY ENCOURAGING.

REX GUTHRIE ANOTHER GUY THAT GOT SOME HIGH QUALITY SNAPS IN THAT GAME ON THURSDAY NIGHT.

>> DONOVAN JONES IN THAT SATURDAY NIGHT PRACTICE WAS EVERYWHERE AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS.

>> REALLY GOOD AGAINST THE RUN.

HE HAD SOME GOOD PLAYS, SOME PBUS, BUT HE WAS REALLY GOOD ON SOME OF THOSE JET SWEEP OUTSIDE MOTION PLAYS BY CINCINNATI COMING UP AND MAKING A PLAY THAT WAS HE WAS A HE PLAYED HIS BALL WELL.

>> HE'S DISCIPLINED.

THAT'S OMAHA NORTH.

KID COACH.

COACH KNOWS THAT DISCIPLINE.

LAST ONE.

DO YOU THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN TOO MUCH HATE ONLINE ABOUT DYLAN?

CALEB SAYS ON TWITTER HE'S SEEING A LOT OF IT.

IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG?

WHY DO PEOPLE NOT LIKE HIM.

>> I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE MAHOMES THING OR WHAT.

>> I THINK IT'S THE MAHOMES THING AND IT'S NOT HIS FAULT.

I MEAN, HE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE.

>> MAHOMES 15.

>> HE HAD THE HAIRCUT FIRST.

>> HE DRAWS A LOT OF ATTENTION.

I MEAN, WHEN HE WALKS IN A ROOM, HE KIND OF COMMANDS THE ROOM.

BUT COMPLETED HIS THE LAST 11 CONSECUTIVE PASSES TO CLOSE THE GAME.

HE WAS 33 OF 42.

RIGHT.

IT'S HARD TO BE CRITICAL OF THE GAME HE PUT TOGETHER ON THURSDAY NIGHT.

>> LIKE COACH, HE ONLY REALLY HAD 2 OR 3 TOP PLAYS THAT HE HAD TO BRING.

HE'D WANT BACK.

THAT WAS IT.

PROBABLY TO THROW OVER TO EMMETT, GETTING SACKED, NOT COVERING UP THE BALL.

AND I MEAN PROBABLY ONE OF THE THROW THAT'S ABOUT IT.

>> FOURTH DOWN PLAY.

>> FOURTH DOWN PLAY.

YEAH EXACTLY.

>> WIDE OPEN ON.

BUT YEAH I MEAN I LISTEN HE'S GOING TO BE GOOD AND GOOD PLAYERS GET THE HATE.

>> THEY HATE GET THE HATE.

EXACTLY.

>> SO HE HAS TO DEAL WITH IT.

>> BURNING QUESTION.

>> SEAN BURNING QUESTION.

CAN NEBRASKA FIND THE BIG PLAY.

CAN GUYS MAKE PEOPLE MISS AND CREATE BIGGER PLAYS TO KIND OF IGNITE THIS OFFENSE?

>> YEAH.

BACKUP RUNNING BACK SITUATION.

THIS IS A GOOD THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE FANTASTIC FOR THIS OFFENSE.

TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT GUY IS GOING TO BE EMMETT JOHNSON CANNOT CARRY THE LOAD IS GOING TO BE MOZEE, QUINN IVES, MEKHI NELSON.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM GUYS TO GET A TON OF REPS. >> I'M LIKE A BROKEN RECORD.

FINISHING DRIVE RATE NEBRASKA HAD SIX OF NINE SUCCESSFUL DRIVES, BUT ONLY SCORED 20 POINTS.

WHEN THEY GET ACROSS THE 40 YARD LINE, THEY'VE GOT TO GET POINTS.

WHEN THEY GET INSIDE THE 20, THEY'VE GOT TO GET TOUCHDOWNS.

FOR OUR PICKS.

THIS WEEK'S GAME, CHECK OUT FACEBOOK OR X OR THE BIG RAP BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGE.

YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THE AKRON GAME.

AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN SEE THAT GAME SATURDAY NIGHT AT 6:30 CENTRAL ON BTN AND NEXT TUESDAY RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE'LL RECAP THE AKRON GAME, AND OUR GUEST WILL BE FOR THAT 7 P.M. GAME FORMER BLACKSHIRT GRANT WISTROM CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

YOU CAN ALSO TUNE IN ON FACEBOOK LIVE, YOUTUBE LIVE, AND OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG OUR THANKS TO ROBIN WASHUT FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC)