Big Red Ain't Back - But This Could Be The Start of Something Big!

That is the way defensive end Adam Carriker put it after Nebraska’s latest heartbreaking, last-minute loss to Texas, a 22-20 defeat at Memorial Stadium.

”It’s a funny ball, you know,” said NU Coach Bill Callahan. “It bounces funny.” Some days it bounces your way … but this was not one of those days.

A late-in-the-fourth quarter Nebraska fumble, a Texas recovery. An unhappy ending for a hoped-for storybook finish for the Huskers.

The why and the how and the what now? poured from the keyboards of Big 12 sportswriters, filled the radio and television airwaves.

The most obvious subject: Nebraska (6-2 and 3-1 Big 12) is still the favorite to win the Big 12 North, and Texas (7-1 and 4-0) the Big 12 South. The potential for a rematch, an even more meaningful classic, is on the horizon.

On Saturday, however, the script was remindful of the NU loss to Texas in 2002 a 27-24 classic that the Longhorns put away with an interception on their goal line. There were just 10 seconds left on the clock. Nebraska had been threatening from the Texas 16 yard line. That one didn’t just break hearts, it shattered them.

In the 2006 contest, the roar of some 85,000 Big Red fans washed over Tom Osborne field time and again as the Huskers faltered and came back, and faltered and came back, and finally faltered for the last time.

Let it be noted that, whether bad or beautiful, Nebraska had the roaring, screaming, handclapping, foot-stomping support of those present – and intensity only seemed to grow as snow and wind began to whirl. There was something among Husker fans, reflecting a palpable thought: “Let them Texans get a touch of Nebraska weather on them, about the time they get touched by some rib-rattling tackles. That’ll shake ’em up.” It didn’t. Not enough, anyway.

It is also important to acknowledge that, for every momentus defeat, there is a momentus victory on the other side. A Texas walk-on sophomore who had never before attempted a field goal in a college game kept his cool and his eye on the prize – and earned it with only 23 seconds on the clock. Ryan Bailey was the last, best hope for Texas, whose regular kicker had failed three times to put points on the board. Give Bailey his propers. He gave Texas the last-minute victory.

For all the ebb and flow and the final crushing of Nebraska’s dream to defeat the No. 5 defending national champs, it can fairly be said that, in the wake of the loss, a bright side is visible.

And it is not unreasonable to look on the bright side.

It is not unreasonable to say, in the words of a once-celebrated Broadway show tune, “This could be the start of something big!”

Truly.

It wasn’t just good breaks that kept Nebraska in the game, and brought NU to within a few seconds of victory. There was solid play, despite a running game that Texas easily stifled, and a special-teams goof that allowed a long run on the opening kickoff, leading to a field goal. Still, it was a sold defensive effort that denied the Texans a TD.

Nebraska didn’t look like some confused, anxiety ridden outfit. The Huskers believed they would win, from start to almost-finish. The win did not, however, signal that “Nebraska is back” as a national power. It signaled, instead, continuing improvement, even with a defensive secondary decimated by early season injuries.

The loss dropped NU from No. 16/17 in the national polls to No. 20. Not unfair, especially when you consider Nebraska has not beaten a team with a winning record this year.

Now, however, there is the trip to Oklahoma State, a 4-3 Big 12 opponent that also lost a heartbreaker Saturday. A blocked PAT in overtime left the Cowboys on the losing end of a 34-33 contest with No. 23 Texas A&M.

Oklahoma State loves to throw, at least as much as Nebraska. The Cowboys also have some big, big receivers to challenge NU’s pass defense. The Huskers will need a consistent rush from the defensive line.

The particularly good news is that, on offense, it appears that Nebraska has the stuff to out-muscle the Oklahoma State defenders in the trenches, and give Zack Taylor time to stand and deliver, or at least scramble and deliver, to his receivers.

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