The Nebraska Cornhuskers have dropped to 5-5 after losing to the USC Trojans in a very winnable game for the away team in Los Angeles.
The Cornhuskers entered the 2024 season with plenty of hope and this idea of installing small changes that can turn the team around. A season ago, Nebraska lost the majority of their games in heartbreaking fashion with just one score separating the two teams. However, with quarterback Dylan Raiola and a new defense the Cornhuskers fans thought that the team might be able to change their previous fortunes.
Unfortunately, the 2024 season has been eerily similar to the 2023 season for the Nebraska Cornhuskers with the team fighting for bowl eligibility. Last season, the Cornhuskers were just one win away from securing bowl eligibility but could not do so. The ending to the 2023 season is a blemish for coach Matt Rhule, and also something the team cannot to repeat this year.
However, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are in position to do so after losing four-straight games ahead of Wisconsin and Iowa. The final two Big Ten Conference games proved to be some of the hardest games for the Cornhuskers last season.
Against the USC Trojans, the Nebraska Cornhuskers struggled to do much of anything on offense, but the game was really remembered by a controversial no-call.
At the end of the game, Raiola threw up what should have been a touchdown for the Cornhuskers, but would not become so after a defender arguably tackled the receiver. The Trojans would go onto win the game, 28-20, with many Nebraska fans blaming the loss on the no-call. However, there was much more that went wrong for the team that ultimately led to the loss including different struggles on offense.
Starting with the play-calling, Nebraska looked timid against USC and when the ball was thrown it was never anything too aggressive. Whenever Raiola really tried to challenge the defense, it was often out of necessity and that bit the quarterback in the end after two interceptions were thrown. The rest of the day for Raiola was a serious of screen passes and check down slants, which were not quite enough against the strong Trojans defense.
Outside of the play-calling and play of Raiola, the run game has continued to look lost for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska has hit a brick wall in the backfield after previously displaying a promising run game early in the season. Without a run game the team can rely on for short yardage gains, the Nebraska offense looks flat and one dimensional.