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Walk-On Transfer Safety Kicks Game Winning Field Goal for Nebraska

and The Morning After

NCAA Football: Northwestern at Nebraska Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

“Of course it would happen that way. I mean, it’s making me old before my time, some of these things and not having a healthy scholarship kicker certainly hasn’t been ideal for us.”

That was Nebraska Coach Scott Frost. Nebraska football fans agree. In a game in which Nebraska wins on a walk-off field goal Husker football fans can exhale. At least for one week.

This is the team we have folks. A team that appears at this point to have trouble getting receivers open. Running between the tackles isn’t much easier. The high snaps haven’t changed.

This is who Nebraska is going to be for the time being. Probably for the rest of the season.

If we accept this, then maybe we won’t have to age several years during games for the remaining seven games of the season.

It looks like starting quarterback Adrian Martinez might be injured. For how long it remains to be seen. Some fans, in my opinion wrongfully, have been calling to see Noah Vedral get some time.

Well it looks like his opportunity might be coming next week as Martinez was helped off the field after the game. It will be a night game next week in Minneapolis against an undefeated Minnesota team.

At this point it will be easier to expect what should be expected. A team that will rely on big plays to score and not long-sustaining drives.

Perhaps if you want to think outside of the box a bit then you could venture into a world in which a native Nebraskan from Norfolk who is a walk-on safety transfer from Air Force hits a game winning field goal.

Again.


My Two Cents About the Officiating

It was not good. They are doing their best but it was not good. Northwestern got the benefit of multiple penalties that I would consider flopping by Northwestern. There was the block in the back on the punt return and a pass inference. Those were two huge calls. I was yelling at the television.

However. On the interception by Lamar Jackson the officials missed a HUGE call that went against Northwestern as Will Honas destroyed the receiver.

Maybe it evens out. I don’t know.

The Morning After...

I think it is appropriate to start with this.

Unlikely Husker hero isn't new to being clutch, teammates say
It was a beautiful October Saturday, too much so to not plan a race with a friend even as the icing was occurring.

Nebraska's kicker Lane McCallum and his holder Isaac Armstrong had decided that is what would happen after this football traveled through the uprights. Northwestern's coach Pat Fitzgerald was calling a timeout, and then he called another one, and then another one.

Report Card: A win is a win
Nebraska hung in and pulled out a tough win over Northwestern on Saturday afternoon.

It wasn't pretty but the Huskers found a way to close it out. How'd the individual units look? Let's grade them.

Notable quotes from Nebraska's win over Northwestern
Here's a quick rundown of quotes from after the game.

Halfway Through 2019, Huskers Will Need a Year 1-Like Rise in Year 2 | Hail Varsity ($)
Maybe, with the benefit of hindsight a month from now, we’ll look at this game as the moment when the Huskers, having won the most Big Ten-y of Big Ten games, saved their season. It’s possible.

Three Thoughts from Nebraska's 13-10 Win Over Northwestern | Hail Varsity
That was the most Big Ten game of all Big Ten games to ever Big Ten, which is impressive, considering it came immediately on the heels of Michigan and Iowa Big Tenning their way to a Big Tensy 10-3 final score.

Low kick? No problem, as walk-on McCallum sends Huskers past Northwestern with walk-off winner | Football | journalstar.com
Lane McCallum lined up with 3 seconds showing on the Memorial Stadium game clock straight ahead of him and just to the left of the white uprights he was taking aim at. Behind the glowing numbers and the goal post, a sea of South Stadium Nebraska fans waited nervously. To McCallum’s left, on the home sideline, some of his teammates couldn’t bear to watch. Some prayed. Some even laughed.

After overcoming deficit, Northwestern's mistakes, McCallum's field goal disappoint Cats | Football | journalstar.com
Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald was understandably disappointed after his Wildcats lost to Nebraska on a field goal as time expired.

Steven M. Sipple: Spare me the 'It's just Northwestern' talk; this win felt special for Nebraska | Football | journalstar.com
Well, that was easy.

No, no, no, no, no. There actually was nothing easy about Nebraska's 13-10 triumph against Northwestern. But it was a joy to watch. To be sure, human struggle can be awfully intriguing and somehow entertaining as long as you're not heavily involved in it, right?

Stock up, stock down from Northwestern football’s 13-10 Week 6 loss to Nebraska - Inside NU
Northwestern suffered a gut-wrenching loss in Lincoln as the team fell 13-10 thanks to a Nebraska field goal as time expired. After falling down 10-0 in the first half, the Wildcats attempted to mount a comeback that fell just short due to a lack of execution as well as a terrible missed call on what proved to be the game’s decisive turnover.

To Be Honest. This. Is. Awesome. Embrace.

The Scene: Broadcaster brings passion to Spanish-language radio broadcast of Nebraska football game | Football | journalstar.com
As a boy growing up in Juarez, Mexico, Enrique “Kike” Morales dreamed of being a sports broadcaster. When he would play soccer in his yard, he’d score the winning goal,