LINCOLN — Following another soul-crushing fourth-quarter collapse, Nebraska football finds itself trapped in a recurring nightmare. The recent 17-10 defeat to Washington at a blacked-out Memorial Stadium mirrored the heartbreaking loss to Oregon just two weeks prior, leaving fans and analysts questioning how a team with so much control through three quarters continues to fall apart down the stretch.
The Spooky Similarity Between the Oregon and Washington Late-Game Collapses
The parallels between Nebraska’s recent setbacks are as uncanny as they are painful for Husker Nation. In both contests, the Blackshirts delivered three quarters of dominant defensive play, only for the offense to stall and the opposition to rally behind backup quarter-backs in the fourth quarter.
- Oregon (17-14 Loss): Nebraska took a 14-6 lead into the final 15 minutes before Dylan Raiola stepped in for the Ducks, driving 17 and 20 plays on back-to-back scoring possessions while converting critical third and fourth downs.
- Washington (17-10 Loss): Holding a slim edge through 45 minutes, Nebraska allowed Demond Williams Jr. to engineer the game-winning drive, highlighted by a dramatic 4th-and-18 conversion, followed by a pick-six that sealed the outcome.
- Offensive Stagnation: Late-game penalty chains—such as a blindside block and a delay of game pushing first-and-goal back—culminated in missed field goals and turnovers rather than putting opponents away.
Play-Calling Questions surrounding Dana Holgorsen and Matt Rhule’s Path Forward
As the frustration reaches a boiling point, attention naturally shifts toward the coaching staff. While head coach Matt Rhule isn’t going anywhere, questions persist regarding whether offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen should remain the primary play-caller heading into the Friday night clash at Illinois.
Rhule has demonstrated a willingness to make midseason coaching adjustments in the past, and Nebraska’s chronic inability to build on leads has put immense pressure on the unit.
Despite the groundhog-day nature of these fourth-quarter losses, the Huskers still hold their destiny in their hands as the regular season reaches its stretch run.
Do you believe Matt Rhule should make an immediate change in play-calling to break Nebraska football out of its late-game curse?