When it was 28-0 at halftime of the Nebraska football game on Saturday, I looked at my wife and said, "This game is healing so much pain." And it should. Nebraska football did what Nebraska football has failed to do for the last 7+ seasons.
Far too many times, on national television, in prime time, Nebraska has soiled its shorts. Wasn't it great to see the opposition do that this time? It was incredibly cathartic.
Still, questions remain. Some exciting ones and some nerve-racking ones. Here are five questions facing Nebraska football as they turn the page on Colorado and look ahead to the next few games.
Which Nebraska football o-line will show up against Northern Iowa?
The Pipeline had their way with Colorado's defensive line in the first half. On the first drive, Dante Dowdell set the tone with two powerful runs covering the final 25 yards and a touchdown.
But the second half was another story. Nebraska struggled to get into a rhythm and the Buffaloes were in the backfield more often. Several penalties spoiled drives (not all were legit and that's another conversation). Pass protection overall was good (zero sacks allowed), but the pocket collapsed a bit quicker when Colorado blitzed.
Colorado's defensive line is athletic and aggressive. But they aren't world-beaters. The competition will get stiffer in Big Ten play. Can Nebraska find a recipe for offensive line success? My gut says Donovan Raiola will make the right adjustments and have this unit ready to play.
How much will Nebraska football feature Dante Dowdell in Big Ten play?
Speaking of Dowdell, he's got that "it" factor, doesn't he? He has great vision and runs hard. Second-level defenders will struggle to tackle him all year.
Dante Dowdell is just a problem out there for @HuskerFootball 😤 pic.twitter.com/hEQEI1GVdN
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 8, 2024
Having a running back like Dowdell is a sight for sore Husker fan eyes. How much will Satterfield feature Dowdell as Nebraska gets into Big Ten play? When it's cold and windy in Lincoln--or Iowa City--can Dowdell pound the rock 25 times for 150 yards? The Huskers want to stretch the field with their big target wide receivers. But when you have Bellcow Dowdell, sometimes it's easier to keep things simple.
Another question: when will Dowdell break a long run? He has deceptive straight-line speed. I'd look for him to pop a few long ones this week against Northern Iowa.
Who will kick field goals for Nebraska football?
It's time to have a conversation about Tristan Alvano after he missed a 32-yard chip shot on Saturday. Yes, Alvano had a great high school career that ended with a game-winner in Memorial Stadium. Since then, he's struggled. Alvano is 10-17 on field goals in his career at Nebraska.
The Big Ten is not the conference to get cute with kicking (and punting for that matter). With so many one-score games that Matt Rhule anticipates, he needs to figure out the kicking situation this week. If I'm Rhule (thankfully I'm not!), I give John Hohl a shot.
Where will this Blackshirts unit rank all-time for Nebraska?
Are we looking at a historic Blackshirt unit in 2024? Through two games, the Nebraska defense is giving up 8.5 points and 232.5 yards per game. They've held opponents to 29% on third down conversions. They've also scored 9 points on a safety and pick six (plus the extra point) and produced four turnovers.
For context, let's compare this to the 2009 defense, regarded as one of the best in recent memory. They gave up an average of 6 points and 321 yards per game through the first two games. They held opponents to 32% on third downs and produced four turnovers. But they didn't score any points in those first two games.
Two games is a small sample size, but it shows a trend and progress. DC Tony White's crew has taken the next step after last year: they get off the field after third down, take the ball away, and score points. All marks of a great defense.
If they keep it up, we'll be taking about this unit for decades to come.
How will Nebraska football handle the early season success?
Nebraska hasn't been 2-0 since 2016, the last year the Huskers went to a bowl game. It's what I call "reverse adversity." It's a great thing to be 2-0 (four wins to a bowl game!). But the pressure builds. Now everyone expects you to win. You no longer have a target. You are the target.
Matt Rhule knows this. After the Colorado game, he talked about things to improve, learning how to play with the lead, and how to put the game away. It's hard to do if you've never done it before. And it's the next phase in Rhule's building process.
It starts this Saturday with an FCS team coming to Lincoln.
Can Nebraska football figure out how to thrive when they have success? It's a problem Husker fans can probably get used to. It sure beats the alternative.