It was a valiant effort by the Blackshirts but two missed field goals, a shanked punt and lackluster offense has assured yet another losing season

One of Ohio State’s starting widouts (Wilson) is out. I don’t think it will matter much, their receiver room is probably the best in the country. They will have another player ready to go.

You probably read my prediction, so you know I’m not feeling great about this one. Hopefully the team is more optimistic than me.

Freshman tight end Thomas Fidone was spotted warming up with one of the top groups and freshman linebacker Mikai Gbayor was in a uniform for the first time (knee injury end of senior year in high school). Ethan Piper and Sevion Morrison were not seen during warmups. Safety Myles Farmer (playing in place of the injured Deontai Williams) earned a Blackshirt this week. Offensive lineman Nouredin Nouili was put on scholarship this week. The starting left guard has stabilized what was a problem position earlier in the season.

One player on his official visit didn’t waste time pulling the trigger.

Military Appreciation Day

First Quarter

Nebraska won the toss and deferred. Brendan Franke hit the touchback.

It is easy to see why this Ohio State offense is one of the best in the country in yards/play. They spread the field and block well. Add in their high caliber athletes, and well...

The Blackshirts forced a third and four near midfield and Stroud was pressured by Stille but made the play to move the chains. In between that and another third down Stroud fortunately missed a wide open receiver (would have been a TD). On third and two Caleb Tannor!!! forced the fourth down.

LUKE REIMER!!! (He was beat but was smart enough to focus on that ball and rip it out for the incompletion).

ADRIAN TO SAMORI gets Nebraska to the Buckeye 33 in one play!

After two positive Rahmir Johnson runs, he lost yardage on third down. Fourth and four. Chase Contreraz missed the 45 yard field goal juuuust left.

Nebraska 0 Ohio State 0

JoJo had a shot at an interception but it fell incomplete. That was followed by a good gain to Chris Olave near midfield.

CAM TAYLOR-BRITT IN-COMP-LETE! (The Buckeyes converted the third and seven to Smith after that). Smith caught another one to get Ohio State near the red zone.

JOJO INTERCEPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Husker ball on the nine. Rahmir for seven, Travis Vokolek for four, first down. Rahmir had another first down but it was called back for holding (Falck). That proved to be the drive killer as it was followed by a short gain, incomplete, short run by Adrian. Fourth down. Punt by William Przystup and a great shoestring tackle by John Bullock! The Buckeye returner would have been running for a while if he didn’t make that play.

THREE AND OUT!! JoJo forced the incomplete throw with pressure on Stroud. The Blackshirts are playing a valiant game so far. The offense needs to reward them and let them rest for a while.

Buckeye fans have to check the roster to see who their punter is. Oliver Martin fair catch.

Aaaand, the Huskers open the series with a sack. That is followed by a Johnson run up the middle (one yard) and then another sack. Adrian did everything he could on third down, but no one was open and he wisely ate the ball rather than playing hero.

Punt. Buckeye ball at the 34.

The Buckeyes faced a third and seven as the quarter ended.

Nebraska 0 Ohio State 0

Second Quarter

Everyone had defensive rock fight on their bingo card right? Well, you probably only had that down for one team.

The Buckeyes converted the third and seven and Stroud is starting to pick apart with the zone with little to no pressure. A weak pass interference call on Myles Farmer gave the Bucks a free 15 yards. Ohio State had an ineligible man downfield to get some of that back.

Red zone.

The pass game has been paying dividends for the Buckeyes, but they turn to Henderson in the red zone. Stroud took a big hit on a second down pass from Caleb Tannor (incomplete) and wasn’t feeling great after that.

BLACKSHIRTS!! JOJO!!! (Nick Henrich was closing fast too). Fourth and seven field goal attempt. The 26 yarder is good.

Ohio State 3 Nebraska 0

Adrian Martinez ran the ball - first down! (The next one loses a yard). Jaq Yant is the back on the field now. Third and 12. Incomplete to Omar Manning. Punt.

Shanked 13 yard punt. #SpecialTeams. In the Scott Frost era, Nebraska can usually play with the Buckeyes for a quarter and a half. /checks game clock. Yep.

Buckeye ball at midfield.

At the 40.

At the 30.

At the 15.

At the 10.

At the five.

First and goal.

Touchdown Olave.

Ohio State 10 Nebraska 0

An Adrian run (he is limping after that) was followed by a big play to BIG AUSTIN ALLEN!! to midfield.

Adrian to Omar!!!! Adrian is limping worse. Husker ball at the 25.

Third and seven at the 22.

Baffling playcall for an Adrian keeper for one. Why run a limping QB?

The Contreraz field goal is good. Points are points and the Huskers needed some in a bad way.

Ohio State 10 Nebraska 3

With 3:46 left in the half, will Ohio State RUNTHEDANGBALL and try to eat up time? The Huskers get the ball to start the third quarter.

Nope. One pass play. One touchdown.

Ohio State 17 Nebraska 3

The Husker offense has three and a half minutes to work with.

THE HUSKERS ANSWER!!!! It took two plays - TOUCHDOWN SAMORI TOURE!!!

Ohio State 17 Nebraska 10

The Buckeyes have just under three minutes to work with.

THREE AND OUT BLACKSHIRTS!!!! Casey Rodgers and Caleb Tannor made the third down stop.

The Huskers have 1:49 to work with.

Oliver Martin is allowed to run after catching a punt? Who knew?

Sack inside the 10. Sigh. Timeout Buckeyes.

Completion to Omar for five. Timeout. Third and sixteen. 1:24 left on the clock.

The Huskers run Rahmir to keep the clock moving. Fourth and 14 punt incoming.

Timeout Nebraska with 38 seconds left.

JoJo breaks up the pass. #JoJoForHeisman

Eight yard catch and the receiver gets out of bounds.

Another catch and run out of bounds.

First and 10 at the 46 with 22 seconds.

Thankfully incomplete in the end zone. Stroud just overthrew Olave who had a step on Farmer.

Second and ten. Incomplete.

Third and ten with 12 seconds left.

Tackle inbounds by Quinton Newsome. End of half.

Halftime

Third Quarter

Zavier Betts picks up a first down for the Huskers.

Did you know Nebraska’s tight ends are tall? Drink.

Frost couldn’t help himself and had to call a long-developing pass play deep in Husker territory that results in a sack. Fortunately, Adrian recovered his own fumble. Nebraska’s tackles simply cannot hold their own vs the Buckeyes, so I have to wonder what makes any coach think they should make that playcall.

Third and fifteen - another sack.

The Buckeyes moved the ball across midfield but then faced a third and 14. Garrett Nelson was offsides. Third and nine. They pick up the first down but were called for holding.

Third and nineteen. The pass was completed for 14. Treyveon Henderson was injured on the play. Will Day go for it or kick the field goal?

The 46 yard field goal is good.

Ohio State 20 Nebraska 10

The Huskers approached midfield with some short passes and run plays but stalled on a fourth and four. The Huskers were flagged for kick catch interference (Alante Brown) which looked like a really ticky tacky call. (OK, it was a total BS call)

The crowd is pretty worked up over that call and is LOUD right now. The Boo’s are raining down on the officials from everywhere.

After an ineligible downfield penalty by OSU, Ty Robinson chased Stroud and nearly forced an interception. A holding call was too obvious for even the refs to ignore (Cam Taylor-Britt drew the flag).

Second and 21 picked up 12.

Third and nine. Incomplete.

Flag. Offensive holding. Declined.

The Huskers are pinned inside the five yard line.

The drive went backwards and Przystup punted from his own end zone. A block in the back by the Buckeyes moved them back to their side of the field.

A fourteen yard pass play was caught (no holding call this time even though Domann was nearly decapitated).

They finally face a third down in the red zone. Incomplete.

On fourth and two, Day decided to kick the 35 yard field goal.

Ohio State 23 Nebraska 10

Nebraska moved the ball in short chunks. A desperation throw to Rahmir Johnson (incomplete) was bailed out because the Buckeyes tackled him before the ball got there.

SAMORI TOURE WOULD NOT BE TACKLED!!!! First and goal Nebraska.

TOUCHDOWN ADRIAN MARTINEZ!!!

Ohio State 23 Nebraska 17

The Buckeyes opened the series with a delay of game followed by an incompletion. No matter, they got the first down on the next throw.

Fourth Quarter

As Thunderstruck blares on the stadium speakers fans are wondering, “Do the Huskers have a fourth quarter comeback in them?”

MYLES FARMER INTERCEPTION!!! Ohio State made a bad situation worse by hitting him late out of bounds. The Huskers were also called for a block in the back, so the field position wasn’t as good as it could have been, but I’ll take it.

Rahmir Johnson picked up one first down and Adrian picked up another at midfield.

Whatever was ailing Adrian’s run game previously has left the building (my assumption is that the Buckeye defense decided to not worry about him and he now has some lanes).

One third and three at the Buckeye 23 - ADRIAN PICKS IT UP! Red zone. The Husker fans wanted a horse collar tackle but didn’t get the call.

Scott Frost is committed to the run on this series.

The Huskers face another third down (and four) at the 13 yard line. Incomplete (overthrew Falck).

Fourth and four. Contreraz time. No good. The playcalling and execution was very good on that series, but the Huskers come up empty.

Ohio State 23 Nebraska 17

Ohio State converted a couple of third downs and then hauled in a big chunk play to get past midfield.

Intentional grounding!! Caleb Tannor kept contain to force the big error.

One the second and 19, the Buckeye receiver made a sideline catch that was ruled incomplete and reviewed (upheld).

Third and 19.

On fourth and 11, OSU was in no-man’s land (long field goal or short punt). Day chose the punt.

Fair catch at the 10 by Oliver Martin. There is 6:11 left in the game.

Markese Stepp is now in the backfield bt Adrian runs for 20. He had Betts open but was a hair late on the throw and the Buckeye DB made the hit and dislodged the ball.

Another incompletion brought up third and 10. Betts ran a poor route and was hit as the ball got there.

Omar Manning was tripped on the third down play but no flag was forthcoming.

Fourth and 10. Punt.

Buckeye ball on their 13. There is a little over five minutes left in the game.

A first down and then a Luke Reimer offsides gave the Buckeyes opportunities to chew clock. Tick Tock. Under four minutes.

Henderson powers OSU past midfield. Tick Tock. It will be three minutes when the Buckeyes snap again. Frost is going to have to start using timeouts soon if the Blackshirts can get a short gain or negative play.

2:20. Second and one. First down. Frost is not using his timeouts.

GARRETT NELSON STRIPS THE BALL. The fumble is recovered by the Buckeyes. Timeout Nebraska with 1:39 left.

On third and sixteen, the Buckeyes are within seven yards-ish of field goal range. Will they throw the ball or run and keep the clock moving?

Henderson gains 11. Timeout Nebraska. There is 1:30 left.

The 46 yard field goal is good.

Ohio State 26 Nebraska 17

With no timeouts, the Husker offense made an effort but an interception by Adrian near midfield (a tipped ball) with 56 seconds left sealed the game for the Buckeyes.

Final. The Huskers have secured yet another losing season. There are two games left, but it is time to begin building for the future rather than trying to salvage a lost year.