Nebraska soccer is an unnatural catastrophe. An oil spill, a bridge collapse, an industrial explosion, that outdated black-and-white video of two trains colliding — that is what has come to symbolize what was as soon as one of many proudest packages within the Bowl Subdivision.
Whereas this system’s irrelevance predates coach Scott Frost, the decline has escalated wildly below the Cornhuskers’ former quarterback.
After shedding 31-28 to Northwestern within the season opener, Frost’s report at Nebraska now stands at 15-30. Of these losses, 21 have come by a one-score distinction. His feedback final week about offensive linemen throwing up “15 to twenty” occasions throughout follow needed to have been met with shrugged shoulders by a disheartened fan base, which should really feel the urge to upchuck at the very least that many occasions each fall Saturday.
The loss to Northwestern, like so many others throughout Frost’s tenure, hit all the identical beats as a horror movie.
The joyful, sun-is-shining begin. Nebraska led 14-3 early within the second quarter after placing collectively two landing drives below new quarterback Casey Thompson, who was very sharp within the first half.
The “one thing appears off” second. Northwestern responded with two scores, the second capping an 82-yard drive with 25 seconds left within the first half to place the Wildcats forward 17-14 after two quarters.
The “name is coming from inside the home” twist. The Cornhuskers would reply with a pair of landing runs from junior-college switch Anthony Grant, together with a pinballing 46-yard run to place Nebraska up 28-17 with 9 minutes to go within the third quarter. Nebraska would then try an onside kick, which was recovered by Northwestern. The Wildcats would rating a landing off that brief area; the Cornhuskers would not rating once more.
The bloody and inevitable conclusion. With 6:10 left within the fourth quarter, Northwestern took over at its 6-yard line and drove 53 yards on 9 operating performs, utilizing up 4:18 of sport clock earlier than punting. Pinned at its 4-yard line, Nebraska ran three performs earlier than a Thompson cross try clanged off his meant receiver and was intercepted by Northwestern.
And like all horror film, prepare wreck or multiple-car pileup, it is unimaginable to look away. The Cornhuskers and Northwestern lead the listing of winners and losers from an abbreviated Week 0 slate kicking off the 2022 season:
WINNERS
Northwestern
Picked to complete final within the Huge Ten West after successful simply 3 times final 12 months, Northwestern took an amazing first step towards what has change into a Pat Fitzgerald-era custom: the bounce-back season. With video games forward in opposition to Duke, Southern Illinois and Miami (Ohio) earlier than returning to Huge Ten play, the Wildcats are in place to succeed in bowl eligibility for what can be the fifth time within the 12 months following this system’s six shedding seasons below Fitzgerald. In one other development amongst Huge Ten groups in Nebraska’s weight class, Fitzgerald managed the sport to make the most of the Cornhuskers’ inevitable implosion.
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Western Kentucky
A collection of offseason personnel and training adjustments lingered into the Hilltoppers’ season opener, a 38-27 win in opposition to Austin Peay of the Championship Subdivision. Behind quarterback Bailey Zappe, huge receiver Jerreth Sterns and offensive coordinator Zach Kittley — now taking part in for the Patriots, taking part in for the Packers and training in the identical place at Texas Tech — final 12 months’s offense ranked first nationally in passing, second in whole offense and second in scoring. However WKU put up 387 yards in opposition to Austin Peay, approach beneath final season’s common, whereas former West Florida switch Austin Reed threw for 279 yards and 4 touchdowns with one interception.
Illinois
Bret Bielema’s second season at Illinois stepped off properly with a 38-6 win in opposition to Wyoming, a projected bowl workforce out of the Mountain West. The Illini gained 5 video games in Bielema’s debut, together with a report nine-overtime victory in opposition to Penn State, however fell wanting bowl eligibility partially attributable to a non-conference loss to Texas-San Antonio. Will this win in opposition to the Cowboys make the distinction between 5 wins and a postseason berth? Illinois has another predictable win (Chattanooga) however will in any other case play 10 Energy 5 opponents through the common season.
Florida State
On the very least, a 47-7 romp in opposition to overmatched Duquesne will get FSU to 1-0 for the primary time since 2016. If not a win that tells an excessive amount of concerning the Seminoles’ probabilities of competing within the ACC Atlantic, merely getting out to a great begin bucks some current historical past: FSU went 5-12 in August and September video games throughout the previous 5 seasons, together with an 0-4 mark a season in the past.
LOSERS
Scott Frost
The already slim odds on his return in 2023 basically drop to zero. Even when now not answerable for the offense — he handed these reins over to new coordinator Mark Whipple, who could replace his résumé on the flight dwelling — Frost nonetheless managed to upset the Cornhuskers’ timing with the mindboggling onside kick; on the lookout for the knockout punch, he as a substitute delivered a probably deadly blow to his safety. With a non-conference sport in opposition to Oklahoma on Sept. 17 and a brutal November forward, Nebraska goes to battle to win sufficient video games to avoid wasting Frost’s job.
Comply with schools reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
