Already leading 19-0 against Purdue in the fourth quarter, Northwestern had five chances to put the game firmly out of reach. Instead, the hosts left the door open for the Boilermakers with two three-and-outs, two turnovers and a missed field goal to close out the game.
With some time to reflect, coach David Braun opened Nebraska week frustrated with last week’s performance despite the shutout pitched by he and defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle’s unit.
“You have a group of guys on this team — on special teams, on the offensive side of the ball — that, honestly, left the game with a bitter taste in their mouth, knowing that we did not finish in the fourth quarter the way that we expect to,” Braun said during his weekly press conference Monday. “Plenty of things this morning to address, clean up, be objective with our evaluation and know that there is needed improvement as we approach this evening’s practice.”
As the Wildcats (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) prepare to face the Cornhuskers (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) Saturday, Braun and his staff understand that their team will have to claw its way to victory, particularly with how difficult it is to play at Memorial Stadium.
NU’s brief road schedule to this point has been anything but forgiving — a season-opener down in the swampy, summer heat of New Orleans and a full house in Happy Valley. So, naturally, the ’Cats third test is also in one of the most hostile environments in the country against a team hungry for a win.
Nebraska has sold out its past 407 games in Lincoln, a FBS-record streak dating back to 1962 in which the Huskers have won over 80% of their games.
“We’re going on the road in arguably the best environment, the most hostile environment in all of college football,” Braun said. “So, incredible challenge in front of us.”
The ’Cats have stolen three wins at Memorial Stadium, but never ended regulation with a lead larger than a field goal. Facing a Cornhuskers team that limps into this game after a 24-6 shellacking by Minnesota, Braun’s squad has a chance to grab number four.
NU enters the game riding a wave of momentum, extending its win-streak to four by blanking the Boilermakers. But, according to Braun, that won’t be enough for the ’Cats to walk into The Sea of Red and come out unscathed.
“Momentum is real, but it’s something that you can’t take for granted,” Braun said. “If we can focus on daily improvement, we’re gonna give ourselves a chance. But just because we’ve won a few games in a row doesn’t mean that we’re positioned to win this next game.”
Beside noting the hostile environment, Braun also made a point of mentioning the Cornhuskers’ special teams unit as a potential difference-maker ahead of Saturday’s skirmish.
The NCAA tracks nine major special teams statistics on its website. Nebraska ranks inside the top-10 in over half and outside the top-20 in just one.
On the other hand, NU’s special teams unit has had an up-and-down season so far. Last week’s fake punt attempt and missed field goal are still fresh, and gaffes against UCLA and Penn State nearly cost the ’Cats dearly in one-possession games.
With the two teams relatively evenly matched at 5-2, NU’s ability to overcome the home-field advantage and execution mistakes that come with it will be crucial. After playing in Lincoln during his first year at the helm, Braun has a taste for what it takes to play there.
“You’ve got to do a great job of just really handling your pre-snap process. Specifically on offense,” Braun said. “You’ve got to do a great job of responding as momentum shifts in a football game. In this league, it’s going to take four quarters. We’ve got to be at our best in the fourth quarter.”
Both teams sit one win away from securing a bowl game and the final moments of this game could go a long way towards deciding NU’s postseason plans.
However, Braun emphasized that wasn’t one of the team’s focuses this week and that making a bowl game is not in its list of goals for this season. Instead, Braun has told his players to continue to focus on the task at hand and take a moment to acknowledge how short the college football season is.
“It’s crazy to think that we’re already past the midway point of the regular season,” Braun said. “… Continue to enjoy one another. Have fun doing something that this entire group has dreamt of doing.”
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