Game Rewind: No "almost" this time for Huskers

Nebraska’s season of “almost” ended with an exclamation point.

The Huskers almost kicked off the Mike Riley era with a win over BYU, but a Hail Mary robbed them on the final play.

They almost completed an epic comeback against Miami, only to have Tommy Armstrong throw a pick in overtime.

Nebraska almost beat Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa, but was sabotaged by late-game defensive breakdowns and head-scratching turnovers in critical moments.

The Foster Farms Bowl nearly became another “almost” for Nebraska, which thoroughly dominated the third quarter and took a 37-21 lead early in the fourth. But nothing is easy for this team, and UCLA drove down to the Huskers’ 38-yard line with a chance to tie the game with just over three minutes left.

But this time Nebraska held. The defense harried Josh Rosen into three straight incompletions, then swarmed him on fourth down. The freshman was forced to heave a prayer to the end zone, where a waiting Chris Jones picked it off.

The Huskers still needed to run out the clock, and they did so by nabbing 50 yards on five runs, allowing Armstrong to kneel out the final seconds for the 37-29 victory.

In a season when Nebraska lost seven games by a combined 25 points, it finally made the plays it needed to down the stretch, sending the most frustrating year in recent memory to pasture on a high note.

And all the fans favorite whipping boys get to share in the glory. Armstrong submitted his finest game of the season – he played in control and avoided the crazy plays, throwing for 174 yards and running for another 76.

Oft-criticized offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf endeared himself to Husker nation by running the ball on 59 of 78 plays (not including kneel-downs), allowing Nebraska to rush for a season-high 326 yards and hoard the ball for more than 38 minutes.

And Mark Banker’s defense was far from perfect, but it held when it needed to. Rosen threw for 319 yards, but he turned the ball over twice and the Bruins totaled just 67 yards on the ground.

Then there is Riley, who was showered with questions and doubt after finishing his first regular season in Lincoln 5-7. Even if it’s just for one night, Riley will be able to sleep easily.

Beating a fairly average and very beat up UCLA team in a bowl game doesn’t erase the bitter taste of a losing season, but it covers up a few bruises. The Huskers finally have some positive momentum to try and build on, and the coaches will need it to finish out the 2016 recruiting class in strong fashion.

But the recruiting can wait until tomorrow. Word has it that Langsdorf has an affinity for Crown Royal. Tonight maybe the coaching staff can raise a glass to a program hopefully headed for bigger things.

On with the rest of the Rewind...

Carter ices the game: Facing third and two late in the fourth quarter, Nebraska needed just one more first down to ice away the game. Langsdorf called for an end around to Cethan Carter, and the tight end burst around the left side for a 16-yard game, sending the Huskers to 2016 on a winning note.

Armstrong drives in the nail: Early in the fourth quarter Nebraska faced a third-and-goal situation from the three-yard line leading 30-21. After kicking a field goal the last time they drove inside UCLA’s 10-yard line, the Huskers needed to establish its will by punching it in. They did so by running a zone-read with Andy Janovich, who was pursued by the defensive end. Armstrong pulled the ball back and ran into the end zone untouched to give Neb. 30 consecutive points.

Gerry ejected again: Nate Gerry was ejected for targeting on a questionable targeting call in the first half of the Iowa game, but that penalty was downright cut-and-dry compared to this dubious call. With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Gerry wrapped up Paul Perkins for a two-yard loss. But the officials incorrectly called the junior for targeting, then compounded their error by confirming it through replay and sending Gerry to the locker room early. The targeting rule absolutely must be reexamined in the offseason so plays like this can be remedied.

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong: I’ve always said it – if you’re going to be critical of a player when he fails, you’d better be ready to praise him if he plays well. It’s only fair. And Armstrong certainly deserves some praise after a nearly-mistake-free performance. His only miscue was a lost fumble, and even that should have been negated thanks to a facemask that went uncalled. Armstrong otherwise played near flawless football and gave himself a major leg up in the quarterback competition heading into next season.

Running backs Imani Cross and Devine Ozigbo: The present and the future combined of Nebraska’s running game were critical to the victory. Playing his final contest, Cross ran for 55 yards and a score, while Ozigbo turned a career-high 21 carries into 87 yards. Their combined efforts helped Nebraska establish a massive edge in time of possession.

7-2: Riley’s career record in bowl games.

918: Receiving yards for Jordan Westerkamp this season, leaving him 24 short of Johnny Rodgers school record. He had just two catches for 44 yards against the Bruins.

1: Yard gained by UCLA in the third quarter. Nebraska racked up 196 yards by holding the ball for more than 12 minutes in the period.

31: First downs for Nebraska, tying a season high (South Alabama).

The stats don’t pop off the page, but I’d argue this was maybe the best game of Armstrong’s career. He had just one turnover (which probably shouldn’t have counted) and didn’t throw a single pick. His decision-making was excellent and his decisiveness and cutting ability allowed him to have a great game on the ground. The quarterback asked Langsdorf to “treat me like a freshman” and get on him for his mistakes. If Langsdorf can iron out Armstrong’s wild tendencies, the Huskers could be dangerous offensively in 2016. A one-game sample size is too small to make any sweeping judgments, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.