Joshua Fleeks saves Nebraska football from historic shutout

The Nebraska football team was losing 45-0 with just a few minutes to go when Joshua Fleeks finally showed some spark and saved the Huskers. It’s safe to say that he’ll be lauded as a hero for a little while.

If you were like me, you didn’t really expect Nebraska football to look very good against the Michigan Wolverines. I predicted the final score would be 35-14, because I thought the defense would be better.

But when it was 45-0, Wolverines late in the fourth quarter, the worries about an embarrassing loss were overshadowed by worries about being shut out for the first time since 1996 and the first time at home since 1968.

1996 and 1968. At least 343 games since the last time the Huskers were shutout.

There’s a lot of bad records that have been broken and set over the last decade of Nebraska football. It was nice that one didn’t fall today. Even if it means we’re all happy the final score was 45-7.

They avoided getting shut out on Saturday evening thanks to a 74-yard run right up the middle by Fleeks, who until this week was viewed only as a wide receiver. To Matt Rhule’s credit, he made it clear the Nebraska football coaches were considering giving Fleeks more carries.

He only needed one.

Nebraska football avoids the shutout

Just how impressive was that run? Well, the Huskers weren’t close to 74 yards rushing as a team before that carry. The longest run of the day for NU before that carry was 16 yards by Heinrich Haarberg.

It’s also the kind of run, especially at that point in the game, where the Nebraska football team got to close out the day with a positive performance. There was at least something to build on. Something to say “well we did that right.”

As the Huskers gear up for a clash with a Illinois next Friday night, it’s going to be important to bounce back. Hopefully, that was a light moment they can seize on.