Husker Heartache: Babcock On Nebraska Football’s Blowout Loss in Bloomington

How concerning the title of the Charley Satisfaction track “Heartaches by the Quantity”?

The numbers that mattered have been 56-7, the ultimate rating of Nebraska’s loss at Indiana Saturday. In the event you didn’t watch not less than a few of it, you is perhaps scratching your head proper now.

Severely, 56-7? Nebraska soccer hadn’t allowed 56 factors since Scott Frost’s first season, 2018. The Huskers misplaced at No. 19 Michigan 56-10 then. The final time Nebraska misplaced by 50 or extra factors was 2020, the COVID-19 season, when the Huskers misplaced at No. 5 Ohio State 52-17. Saturday was the second-largest loss since Nebraska joined the Large Ten.

Indiana was ranked No. 16 and is now 7-0. Nebraska is 5-2, and nonetheless not bowl eligible.

“It sucks, however we’ve simply obtained to be taught from it and transfer on,” stated Husker Dylan Raiola, who, like his teammates, had a tough day. The true freshman quarterback went 28-of-44 for 234 yards however threw three interceptions, not all of which have been on him, Coach Matt Rhule stated.

Nebraska additionally misplaced two fumbles, ending minus-four in turnovers. Indiana scored half its factors on turnovers. The Huskers had turned over the ball solely 4 occasions within the first six video games.

Indiana’s beginning quarterback, Kurtis Rourke, went 17-of-21 for 189 yards and a landing, with one interception, a Hail Mary on the ultimate play of the primary half.

Rourke watched the second half due to a bleeding proper thumb harm. Tayven Jackson, his alternative, was 7-of-8 for 91 yards and two touchdowns. With 1:33 remaining, Indiana took over on the Nebraska 40-yard line and Jackson knelt down 3 times, operating out the clock.

Would you might have envisioned that, three kneel downs by Indiana? Apparently, if not for the kneel downs, the Hoosiers would’ve had over 500 yards of offense.

The official stats say 495. The kneel downs point out 9 yards in losses.

Nebraska ran 75 performs to Indiana’s 63 — once more, the final three kneel downs together with. The Huskers completed with a 32:08-to-27:52 benefit in time of possession. Even so, the 49-point loss.

Indiana rushed for 215 yards and 5 touchdowns in opposition to a Nebraska protection that ranked seventh nationally in opposition to the run and had not allowed a speeding landing. The Huskers ranked seventh nationally in scoring protection, permitting 11.3 factors per sport.

Indiana had 14 factors two and a half minutes into the second quarter, and 28 at half.

Nebraska completed with 304 yards of offense, 39 fewer than the Hoosiers had by halftime.

Getting weary of numbers? How a couple of couple extra? Indiana ranked second nationally in scoring, averaging 47.5 factors. The one sport through which the Hoosiers scored extra was 77-3 in opposition to Western Illinois.

Rhule apologized for the loss throughout his post-game media availability. He wasn’t “embarrassed of our guys,” he stated. “However I’m embarrassed by what I did.”

The gamers gave it their all, he stated, whatever the rating.

“I simply suppose our guys will bounce again,” Rhule stated.

They’ll have to. Ohio State in Columbus is up subsequent. The No. 3 Buckeyes have an off-week to organize.

“To be sincere, I didn’t see this coming,” Rhule stated.

It’s secure to say nobody in Nebraska noticed it coming.

“It’s what it’s proper now,” Raiola stated.

No extra numbers are wanted, proper? The ultimate rating was sufficient for heartache.

We might have left it at that.