2 weeks Ago
The Nebraska Cornhuskers may be playing hard against the UCLA Bruins but they’re not having much success. The Bruins dominated the first 30 minutes, and Nebraska is fortunate to only be down 13-7 at halftime Follow us on Facebook Offensively, the Huskers haven’t been able to do much of anything. The unit went three-and-out on three of its four first-half possessions (before running out the clock on the final possession), mustering just 67 total yards.
The one drive Nebraska scored on would’ve also been a three-and-out if not for a UCLA unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that extended the drive. Fortunately, the Big Red was able to go 60 yards over the six plays following that penalty to get on the scoreboard. However, that’s been it.
UCLA, on the other hand, has had a lot of success moving the ball. The Bruins went three-and-out just once in the first half and scored on each of its first three drives. If the Blackshirts wouldn’t have managed to hold the Bruins to a pair of field goals on those drives, this game could be way out of hand.
Both defenses have been able to generate pressure on the opposing quarterback but while Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has been forced to throw away most of his passes under pressure, Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers has scrambled and made plays with both his arms and legs. Garbers completed 15-of-19 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown in the first half and added five carries for 64 yards, most of that coming on a 57-yard scramble on a third down. Raiola was just 3-of-10 for 47 yards.
Defensively, the Huskers have to tighten the screws on defense and get home when they pressure Garbers. Offensively, they have to change things up and get some quick options over the middle of the field for Raiola because the running game isn’t doing much and Raiola doesn’t have the time to sit back there all day. Nebraska was resilient last week at Ohio State and they need to show that again against the Bruins because they’re still very miuch in this game despite how the first 30 minutes went.
Dylan Widger-Imagn Images.
