Purdue 42 Nebraska 28: Recap and Postgame Reaction Thread

If you remember last week’s recap (and no offense taken if you don’t), one of my major problems was that I didn’t have the fridge stocked and ended up having to drink warm beer during that terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad game.

Today’s beer temperature status check. Cold.

I got my crap together, will the Huskers?

Pregame

Mick Stoltenburg will not play due to injury. If there is one place the Huskers can handle losing a starter, it is the defensive line. Regardless, get well soon Mick!

Boe Wilson was announced as starter on the offensive line in place of Tanner Farmer. If Wilson did take over at guard, I sort of expected Farmer to get moved to starting center, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The Huskers won the toss and elected to receive the ball.

First Quarter

Jaron Woodyard was back to receive the kick instead of JD Spielman. Spielman hasn’t looked confident or comfortable out there this season, so the staff is shaking things up a bit. In another position group that has needed someone else to step up, we saw Kade Warner get the starting nod at wideout. The Huskers went with a great deal of tempo early in the drive. Spielman may not have been the kickoff man, but he was featured early and often on this first drive.

Devine Ozigbo finds pay dirt!! Touchdown Nebraska!!! This was confirmed on replay.

It was so nice to see the Huskers finish a first quarter drive with points instead of a turnover.

Nebraska 7 Purdue 0

You didn’t ask but I’m going to put this here anyway. The SDSU Jackrabbits lead the NDSU Bison 7-0 in the Dakota Marker game (5 min left in the first quarter).

The Purdue drive started out near the 30 yard line. They accrued a couple of penalties, but worked their way down the field in short order and DJ Knox found the end zone leaving a lot of whiffed Husker tackles in his wake. Touchdown Purdue.

I think we all expected a high-scoring game and early on it is looking like that will be the case.

Nebraska 7 Purdue 7

Purdue seems prepared for Adrian Martinez in the run game and has kept him contained fairly well to this point. The Boilermaker defense is doing a good job overall in coverage and getting through blocks to make tackles after they got gashed on Nebraska’s opening drive. The Huskers failed to convert a fourth and one on the Purdue 40 yard line and the Boilers take over on downs.

The Boilermakers immediately went for the home run ball after a receiver got behind Lamar Jackson. It it hadn’t been underthrown, that would have gone all the way. They set up at the 11 yard line. Antonio Reed nearly picked off a ball (and would have had an easy pick six), but the ball instead caromed into the receiver’s hands. It was still a loss on the play and the Blackshirts held the Boilers to a field goal.

Purdue 10 Nebraska 7

Woodyard made a bad decision after he bobbled the ball in the end zone and brought it out anyway. He made it to the 15 yard line. Devine Ozigbo gave the Huskers some room with a first down. A home run ball to Stanley Morgan fell incomplete when his arm was held (not called). Martinez scampered for a first down on third and ten to keep the drive rolling. The Huskers approached midfield, but Jerald Foster was called for unnecessary roughness and backed Nebraska up. They couldn’t dig out of the hole and brought out Caleb Lightbourn for a punt.

Husker nation held their collective breath after giving up a punt return TD in two of the previous three games. It was a poor punt, but at least there was no return. The Boilermakers took over on their own 29 yard line.

In the Jackrabbit-Bison tilt, NDSU has evened up the score early in the second quarter and the game is tied 7-7.

The Blackshirts had a chance to get off the field on a third and seven, but the completion was made in front of Tre Neal. End of the first quarter.

Second Quarter

The Huskers had another chance to get off the field with another third and seven, but Blough scrambled past midfield.

The NDSU Bison missed a field goal and the Jackrabbits get the ball with 5 ¹⁄₂ minutes left in the half with the score still tied at 7-7.

The Boilermakers quickly moved into the red zone and set up first and goal at the one yard line. David Blough took the ball in on a quarterback sneak. Touchdown Purdue. The Nebraska defense saw both Antonio Reed and Will Honas go down with injuries on this drive.

Purdue 17 Nebraska 7

Bison also score a touchdown and lead the Jackrabbits 14-7 with just under four minutes left in the half.

Nebraska goes three and out. Sigh.

Lightbourn’s line drive punt was fielded cleanly but the coverage got in place fairly quickly and Purdue starts around their own 30 yard line.

The Blackshirts forced their own three-and-out. J.D. Spielman had a nice return, but it was negated by a block in the back. The Husker offense set up shop deep in their own territory (8 yard line). Martinez was sacked at the at the 2 yard line for a third and long. Martinez overthrew Woodyard and Caleb Lightbourn had to punt from the back of his own end zone.

Rondale Moore was back to receive the punt. He fair caught the ball near midfield.

David Blough has had all day to throw the ball. The Blackshirts have been unable to generate a pass rush. Marquel Dismuke interceped a third down pass, but a penalty flag (Lamar Jackson) negated the turnover and gave the Boilers a first down. Blough is picking apart the secondary. Mohamed Barry made a great stop in the backfield to force a third and long. Lamar Jackson has been taken off the field by Scott Frost. I’m not sure we will see him again today. A Ben Stille sack brought up fourth down.

Spielman fair caught the ball at the 11 yard line.

Halftime in the Dakota Marker game. NDSU’s lead remains 14-7 over SDSU.

Devine Ozigbo has been the most effective weapon for the Huskers so far. He took his first down carry out near midfield to give Nebraska some breathing room. The Husker center Cole Conrad went down with an injury. Tanner Farmer entered the game. Apparently he had been sick during the week, which is the reason Boe Wilson started at guard in his place. Conrad walked off.

The Huskers went no further and punted to Purdue with 5 ¹⁄₂ minutes left in the half. The touchback gave Purdue the ball on the 20 yard line.

Eric Lee, Jr. is on the field in place of Lamar Jackson. Tre Neal was trying for an INT but broke up a pass to force a third and 14. David Blough scrambled for the first down. Sigh. Marquel Dismuke racked up a late hit out of bounds to move the Boiler drive forward. Double sigh. A pass interference penalty on Bootle set up the Boilermakers in the red zone. Triple sigh. This is the Nebraska team we’ve grown accustomed to watching this season.

The Husker defense kept Purdue out of the end zone and the Boilermakers settled for the field goal.

Purdue 20 Nebraska 7 with 30 seconds left in the half.

Jack Stoll fielded the short kickoff and Nebraska started at the 34. After a couple of completions to Kade Warner (the first of his Husker career) and one to J.D. Spielman the Huskers had one second for a 54 yard Barret Pickering field goal attempt. It was nowhere close. I’m not sure why Coach Frost didn’t call for the Hail Mary. Regardless, Nebraska has a big hole (again) to dig out of and Purdue gets the ball to start the second half.

Halftime

The defensive backfield has been close to getting their hands on a couple of INTs. Will they break through and snag one in the second half?

Will Adrian Martinez find some running room? If he can break a couple of runs or connect with one of his receivers deep, it would help open up the field for the offense.

Can Erik Chinander scheme his way to a pass rush? Blough has had too much time. Nebraska needs some heat on the quarterback or he will keep picking them apart.

Jackrabbit field goal. Score is 14-10, Bison lead, late in the third quarter in the Dakota Marker game.

Third Quarter

Purdue starts on their own 20 after the kickoff touchback. They managed one first down, but the Blackshirts stopped them short of midfield. Coach Brohm initially looked like he would go for it on fourth and one but brought out the punter late in the play clock. Rather than take a delay of game, they opted for a surprising timeout.

J.D. Spielman fair caught the ball at the 10 yard line. We finally get a Stanley Morgan Jr. sighting as he earned a first down. Cole Conrad is not on the field. He is without a helmet, but still in his uniform on the sideline. They would get no further and had to punt to a waiting Rondale Moore.

Lightbourn slipped on the rugby punt, but was fortunate that the ball rolled out to the 50 yard line. Good effing grief. What else can the special teams possibly do that is any more “special”? (Perhaps I shouldn’t be tempting fate by asking.)

Dakota Marker game update - at the start of the fourth quarter, the Jackrabbits lead 17-14 but NDSU is threatening.

We need to make “Husker 2018” bingo cards. If there was one, you could check off the “stupid penalty” box (again) when Khalil Davis roughed the passer. Purdue quickly moves into the red zone. Carlos Davis sacked Blough on first and goal but on second down Brycen Hopkins walked into the end zone for a Purdue touchdown.

Purdue 27 Nebraska 7

The Bison have taken the lead back in Fargo. They are up 21-17 on the Jackrabbits early in the fourth quarter.

Wyatt Mazour fielded the kickoff, made a decent return, and a Purdue penalty set up Nebraska around the 45 yard line. Devine Ozigbo went over 100 yards rushing on the first down carry he toted for nine. Holding penalty. J.D. Spielman juke-and-jive for seven yards, Jack Stoll catch for eight yards, Martinez keeper for the first down. WIDE OPEN JD SPIELMAN!! HUSKER TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Purdue 27 Nebraska 14

The Jackrabbits Chase Vinatieri (yes, his uncle is THAT Vinatieri) missed a field goal, NDSU has the ball and the 21-17 lead with nine minutes left in the Dakota Marker game.

Lightbourn’s kickoff is brought out of the endzone by Rondale Moore in a terrible decision as he was tackled by Marquel Dismuke at the 10. The Husker crowd was awake and making noise! They quieted real fast when Brycen Hopkins magically appeared with no Husker defender in the same zip code and Blough found him for the 51 yard catch-and-run.

A couple plays later D.J. Knox found the end zone for the touchdown and also for the two point conversion.

Purdue 35 Nebraska 14

Time of possession at this point favors Purdue 26 minutes to 15 for Nebraska. Yikes.

J.D. Spielman brings the kickoff out to the 30 yard line. Adrian Martinez found Morgan for for 25 yards. Morgan drew the pass interference penalty on the next play and then Devine Ozigbo took a screen down to set up a first and goal. A penalty flag on the offense (Tyjon Lindsey) brought it back. It looked like a BS call on replay unless they showed the wrong person. It didn’t matter as Martinez used some nice touch on a pass to find Spielman in the corner of the end zone. Touchdown Nebraska!!!!!

Purdue 35 Nebraska 21 with 2 ¹⁄₂ minutes left in the third quarter.

The Blackshirts need to stop this Purdue offense and give the ball back to a hot Husker offense. Either that, or finally get that interception they’ve been so close to and score one themselves. I can hope, can’t I?

Or, they could let Rondale Moore run around and make the defense look silly for a large gain. Blough let one fly for the end zone, but DiCaprio Bootle broke it up with offensive pass interference not being called. Aaron Williams was hurt in this series, sending Dismuke onto the field. Blough missed a wide open Issac Zico, setting up third and 20. The pass was incomplete but a roughing the passer penalty (TOTAL BS - WHAT IN THE ACTUAL HELL?!?) on Freedom Akinmoladun gave them a new set of downs. The Husker crowd was in full throat booing the refs. That was followed by a facemask penalty on Eric Lee, Jr. (on the opposite side of the field from the play) and the crowd was letting the refs hear it. Purdue was in the red zone.

The Dakota Marker game goes final with the Bison taking back the rock 21-17 over the Jackrabbits.

Fourth Quarter - Can we replace officials mid-game?

Scott Frost looks like he’s ready to tear someone’s head off while “conversing” with the referee during the quarter break. I can’t blame Coach for that feeling. I rarely get worked up over officiating, but this has turned into a shitshow that could cost Nebraska a chance at the comeback.

D.J. Jones touchdown.

Purdue 42 Nebraska 21

OK. Time to move on and score some points.

Spielman took a screen for a first down, but Stanley Morgan was called for holding. Martinez has some really nice touch on his passes right now and he found Jack Stoll in the middle of the field for first down across midfield. Frost then broke out the option and Spielman took the pitch for seven. A Martinez sack and Spielman injury brought up a media timeout. Martinez kept the ball for a first down. It was a nice read and delay to fool the defenders which cleared out the middle of the field.

Devine Ozigbo gets LOOOOOOOOOOSE! The big fella found the end zone. Touchdown Nebraska. The crappy officiating on the previous drive looms large as this should have probably been a 7 point deficit rather than 14.

Purdue 42 Nebraska 28 with 13:04 left in the game.

The Husker crowd sarcastically cheers a flag on Purdue’s kick coverage team and Purdue starts at their own 25-ish yard line.

Rondale Moore has some moves. Husker defenders are pursuing well and he is still getting yards. Luke Gifford whiffs a tackle (high) on DJ Knox but Deontre Thomas cleans it up to force a third and seven that is dropped by the Purdue tight end.

JD Spielman gets blasted inside the Husker ten yard line on the ensuing punt. After a bad snap (low) that is still taken by Ozigbo for a chunk play, another bad snap (high) is run out of bounds by Martinez when he should have thrown it away. No matter, Martinez got loose for a long run. The Huskers approached midfield after a Stoll catch but then the turnover bug reared its ugly head and a bad throw by Martinez (got his feet crossed up and overthrew Spielman) is picked off by Simeon Smiley.

Purdue takes over around their 40 yard line but the Blackshirts force a three-and-out. There is 7:57 left on the clock.

The Husker offense set up shop at their 22 yard line. Adrian Martinez run, Woodyard catch at midfield, Spielman screen first down, fast tempo, two incompletions, Purdue offsides, incompletion, fourth and five. Incomplete. Purdue takes over on downs. The Huskers are one for six on the year on fourth down attempts.

Purdue goes three and out. There have been a lot of dropped Purdue passes in this half.

Offsetting unsportsmanlike penalties and Nebraska’s offense starts at their 24 yard line with 4:28 left in the game.

Martinez looks jittery in the pocket. His poise and touch from the third quarter seem to have disappeared. Nebraska is moving the ball but the clock is ticking, ticking, ticking.

Martinez is sacked on fourth and two and that is probably the ball game folks.

Well, that sucked. It was a winnable game for the Huskers, but they dug too big a hole in the first half and couldn’t get out of their own way.

Final Purdue 42 Nebraska 28