Nebraska vs Iowa was a big game for many reasons. By beating the Hawkeyes on Friday, the Cornhuskers could’ve snapped their three-game losing streak against Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz. And they could’ve gone to their first bowl game under head coach Matt Rhule’s leadership. This would bring much-needed momentum to the program in the offseason. Instead, the team lost 13-10 in the Heroes Game in an all too familiar fashion. Let’s look at the key moments inside this matchup at Memorial Stadium.
A True Receiving Threat
For three straight games for the Cornhuskers, wideout Jaylen Lloyd has turned into a big play threat for Marcus Satterfield’s offense. This was demonstrated early in the season against Purdue when he caught a 73-yard touchdown pass to put Nebraska up 14-0. Against the Spartans, he wasn’t as successful, as he was limited to only one catch for 25 yards. But then the true freshman made his presence known in a big way in the final stretch. Against the Wisconsin Badgers, he caught a 55-yard touchdown. And Nebraska vs Iowa was no different. Late in the second quarter, he scored his third touchdown of the season against the Hawkeyes with a 66-yard catch. Out of all of Nebraska’s receivers this year, Lloyd has shown a consistent ability to get open and make plays. Can another year of development under wide receivers coach Garrett McGuire make him that much better? Only time will tell, however, his production this season shows that it is possible.
Turnovers Strike Again
Throughout most of Nebraska vs Iowa, Cornhusker sophomore quarterback Chubba Purdy looked in control. He had no trouble picking apart Phil Parker’s defense, which led the Big Red to go eight-for-13 on third-down conversions. Iowa’s defense folded again when the signal caller connected with Lloyd on the 66-yard touchdown pass. But this sudden surge didn’t matter. In fact, the Cornhuskers’ fortunes changed drastically with turnover issues. It all started in the second quarter when Purdy tried to pitch the ball on a shovel pass. Then, with no one around in the third quarter, the Purdy forgot the football on his way to a first down. However, the play that was most damaging to NU’s momentum was the final one. This happened in the fourth quarter when the signal caller threw a direct interception to junior Hawkeye defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett. This allowed Iowa to finish out the matchup with a game-ending field goal by backup senior placekicker Marshall Meeder. After this performance, fixing the turnover troubles will be a main goal this offseason.
Iowa’s Denied Kicks
It was a great day for the Cornhusker special teams. The unit had several blocks on the day under special teams coordinator Ed Foley. After a fumbled punt by freshman returner Ethan Nation, the Blackshirts stopped Iowa sophomore quarterback Deacon Hill on a third and goal try at the seven yard line. And on the next play, the Hawkeyes’ offense committed a delay of game penalty moving them back to the 25-yard line. Because of this, junior defensive lineman Ty Robinson was able to block a 30-yard field goal by Iowa sophomore placekicker Drew Stevens. However, Iowa gained momentum right back in the second quarter. Hill found senior tight-end Steven Stilianos on a 32-yard pass. This led to Hill scoring in the final minutes of the half from the one-yard line. But the Blackshirts came up big once again in the second half, as Nash Hutmacher blocked another one of Stephen’s field goals from reaching the uprights.
Husker Kicker Has Ups and Downs
As just an 18-year-old freshman placekicker for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Tristan Alvano has had a rollercoaster season. Against Purdue, he hit a career-long field goal to solidify the win. He also hit a 47-yard field goal early in the season against the Northwestern Wildcats. But then, he experienced some crushing blows to his confidence late in the year. Against Wisconsin, he missed a field goal to take the lead late in the game. Instead, he had to settle for a 30-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. And then Nebraska vs Iowa followed the same script from a distance. Can Alvano flip the script next year by making these long tries? He certainly has the leg to be effective in these situations, but he needs to work on his accuracy.
