Dave Feit's Nebraska-Penn State Recap: Flush It and Move On

Before every season, the good folks at the Go Big Redcast put out a series of Twitter polls asking fans to predict who will win each game on the schedule. As you might expect, these polls - which get hundreds of responses - skew towards Kool-Aid levels of positivity. Collectively, the fans predicted an 11-1 season for 2025. Ninety percent of respondents believe Nebraska will beat Iowa on Black Friday.

I tell you that to tell you this: The outlier was Penn State. A whopping 80.7% picked Nebraska to lose. No other opponent received more than 48% of the votes. I can't imagine what the preseason confidence would have been if we had known Nebraska would be without Dylan Raiola and two starting offensive linemen.

But there's a big, big difference between predicting a loss in early August and suffering through it in late November.

I'm well aware that Penn State's preseason hopes spiraled out of control following the Oregon loss. Their shocking losses to Northwestern and UCLA cost James Franklin his job (and likely helped Matt Rhule get an extension). But they are still a program that lost a CFP semifinal by three points less than one year ago. This year's NFL draft will undoubtedly feature more Nitany Lions than Cornhuskers. Interim coach Terry Smith has pulled the plane out of their tailspin, and they're playing some of their best football in November.

I'm not going to attempt to excuse away the gigantic turd that Nebraska dropped in primetime. It was a frustrating, maddening death by a thousand paper cuts game. There is a lot to be upset about, many reasons for concern, and I know many people who have very strong opinions about the state of the program.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule reacts from the sideline during the first quarter against Penn State. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

There are serious conversations to be had about the program. What is the future employment status of some underwhelming assistant coaches? I'd love to have a clear vision statement of what Nebraska wants to be offensively and defensively before they start working the transfer portal. Identifying which of the current players need to be a priority, (and which ones will have the door held open for them) needs to happen as well.

But now is not the time for that.

The reality is Nebraska has a very short turnaround before their Black Friday rivalry showdown against Iowa. As we learned back in July, the Iowa game has evolved into the most important game of the year for Husker fans - one that fans cannot bear to lose. It is all hands on deck time.

This Nebraska team is far from perfect. Their flaws are common knowledge. You don't need to be a hall of fame head coach to know how to attack - and defeat - Nebraska. Can the Huskers find enough duct tape and bailing wire to shore up their deficiencies for 60 minutes?

As for the Penn State debacle, it is okay to be disappointed and mad about a bad loss and still retain hope that these disasters will be fewer and farther between as this ridiculously young roster grows and matures. Let's perform a quick autopsy, and then move forward as quickly as possible.

Things I believe

An elite pass defense doesn't matter if you can't stop the run.

Nebraska's pass defense has been an undisputed strength of the team all season long. Nebraska entered the Penn State game with the third best pass defense in the country (134.6 yards per game and just five receiving touchdowns allowed).

There's just one problem. Nebraska's run defense is not good. NU entered the game ranked 90th in the nation, a ranking that will drop after allowing 231 yards.*

*Of the teams ranked 90-99 in rush defense, only three (Nebraska, Georgia Tech, and Boise State) have winning records. NU's other rush defense peers (Liberty, UTEP, Oklahoma State, Syracuse, Purdue, Wyoming, and Kansas) are a combined 21-56.

Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer maneuvers in the pocket during the second quarter. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

On Saturday, Penn State threw just 12 passes. And when Penn State did throw, it was shockingly easy. How many times was a Penn State receiver so wide open that nobody else was in the TV shot? Ethan Grunkemeyer was 11-12 passing for 181 yards. He likely could have more, but there was no reason for the Nitany Lions to put the ball in the air.

They - like several of Nebraska's other opponents - could do whatever they wanted on the ground. And that is a big problem for the once proud Blackshirts.

Nebraska cannot be an elite - or even above average - team when they get dominated at the line of scrimmage.

As noted above, Nebraska's defensive line got shoved around by Penn State. It was shockingly easy for them to seal the edge and get to the outside. Or, they'd gash the Huskers by running it directly at them.

When Penn State threw the ball, Nebraska did not generate any sort of pass rush. Their lone sack came on a safety blitz.

On the other side of the ball, the offensive line had its struggles. Emmett Johnson rushed for 103 yards, but 52 of those came on one carry during Nebraska's opening possession. After that long run, EJ did not have a lot to work with. He gained 49 yards on 17 carries (2.9 yards per carry).

TJ Lateef was sacked three times. His mobility likely saved at least three more sacks. But without time to throw, Nebraska was unable to stretch the field.

Long story short - Nebraska was dominated at the line of scrimmage. And the lost by 27 points. There is definitely a connection that can - and should - be drawn.

We can debate on if that is more on the talent or the coaching (I lean towards "all of the above"), but fixing it needs to be priority one in the offseason.

TJ Lateef looked like a true freshman in his first game against good competition.

With no disrespect to Akron, Houston Christian, or UCLA, TJ Lateef finally got to face a legitimate defense in a game he expected to play in.*

*I don't really count the USC game in this discussion, as I don't think Lateef - or the coaches - expected him to play. His stats from that game (25 total yards) certainly reflect that.

In his first true hostile environment, Lateef did not appear to be rattled by the crowd (generously listed at 105,308), but Penn State's defensive speed was a different story. He was sacked three times, and avoided a couple more with his feet.

When given time to throw, Lateef was 21 of 37 (57%) for 187 yards. The majority of his throws were short - within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. I don't know if the staff didn't trust him to throw the ball down the field - his longest reception was a 30-yard pass to Barney in the fourth quarter - or if they didn't trust the line to protect him. His first true deep throw - an incompletion - came with 42 seconds left in the game.

As is often the case with true freshmen quarterbacks, there were flashes of brilliance (his 11-yard rushing touchdown scramble was impressive) and struggle (several passes were well off-target).

It will be interesting to see how Lateef can bounce back for this first career start at Memorial Stadium on a short week.

Things I don't know

Why can't the Blackshirts create defensive chaos?

There are a lot of reasons why Nebraska allowed a season-high 37 points to Penn State. Porous rushing defense, allowing long drives, and on and on.

But one of the biggest reasons the defense is struggling is that they cannot generate any disruption. Look at these extremely pedestrian numbers from the Blackshirts through eight conference games:

Sacks: 14 (1.8 per game)
Tackles for loss: 39 (4.9 per game)
Forced fumbles: 1 (occurred against Michigan two months ago)
Fumbles recovered: 2 (none since the Michigan State game)
Interceptions: 5 (none on the road)

For the fourth time in eight conference games, Nebraska did not generate a takeaway. That's a big reason why Nebraska allowed scoring drives of 98, 82, 75, 75, and 75 yards.

Nebraska has players capable of making splash plays on defense. And I've seen John Butler scheme up some blitzes and coverages that should generate chaos. But for some reason, these things are not lining up to create the disruption necessary to help the defense get off the field.

Should we be concerned about how Rhule's teams perform after an idle week?

With the loss Saturday, Nebraska is now 2-3 under Rhule coming off of an idle week. That's not great. Former Husker coaches Bill Callahan (4-2) and Mike Riley (2-1) had winning records. Scott Frost (0-5 after a bye) did not.

Rhule's two wins - Northwestern in 2023 and Michigan State in 2025 - were both at home. The Michigan State win isn't very impressive, but Northwestern win was one of the best of Rhule's first season.

And then there are the three post-idle week losses. 56-7 to Indiana. 28-20 to Southern Cal. 37-10 to Penn State. All on the road. Those are all talented teams, but in theory the extra week should allow more prep time to build and practice the game plan. That has not shown itself so far.

At this point, we do not know the dates of Nebraska's conference games in 2026. Hopefully it will either be a home game, or against one of the weaker road opponents (Michigan State or Rutgers). Regardless, the Huskers need to be better coming off of extra rest.

Should Nebraska have taken the points on the opening drive?

After Johnson's 52-yard run gave the Huskers first-and-ten just outside the 10-yard line, three more runs gained a total of nine yards. With fourth-and-one at the 2, Rhule had an immediate decision: take the points or go for it.

The Huskers went for it, but Johnson's run - the fifth straight up the middle - was stuffed for no gain.

I liked the decision to go for it. You're an underdog on the road, and I'm guessing the staff had their concerns about being able to stop Penn State's offense. Try to get seven to set the tone.

What I did not like was the play call. It felt predictable. I would have liked to see NU spread the formation with five receivers and run a draw with Lateef. Maybe a play action pass to Luke Lindenmeyer.

Huskerigami Update

A “Huskerigami” is a final score combination (win or lose) that has never happened in the 130+ year history of Nebraska football.

Final score: 37-10

Is that a Huskerigami?

YES! This is the 582nd unique score combination in Nebraska history.

5 Things I loved

DeShon Singleton. In ugly losses, it was natural for fans to wonder if players are giving max effort or going through the motions. But there was no questioning Singleton. He played his tail off for four quarters, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles, including two for loss and a sack.
Emmett Johnson. Another game, another 27 touches for 151 yards. Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love likely clinched the Doak Walker Award and a Heisman invite with 171 yards and three TD (on eight carries!) against lowly Syracuse, but take nothing away from what EJ has accomplished this year. Give him a standing ovation in what will likely be his final game in a Husker uniform.
Jacory Barney, Jr. With regular kickoff return specialist Kenneth Williams unable to go, Barney stepped in and had 111 yards on four returns. He also had five catches for 55 yards, in one of his most productive games in weeks.
Dane Key. The senior captain probably hasn't the statistical season he (or Husker fans) envisioned, but he had a strong performance with 48 yards on four receptions.
TJ Lateef. If - as many fans suspect - Lateef will be the starter in 2026, games like this will be an important part in his growth. He'll learn more from struggling against Penn State than launching bombs against Houston Christian. His composure was impressive.

Honorable mention: Nebraska volleyball, Nebrasketball (men and women), Jacob Bower, Vincent Shavers Jr., Ceyair Wright, Justin Evans's blocking, Archie Wilson's punting, and longtime equipment manager Jay Terry's 300th game.

5 Areas for improvement

Defense. That was third most points allowed in the Matt Rhule era, trailing 2024 Indiana (56) and 2023 Michigan (45). It was a disappointing effort in all facets.
Dana Holgorsen. It doesn't really matter how many point the defense gives up if the offense only scores 10 points. Nebraska's offense was predictable, inefficient, and struggled to stay ahead of the sticks. I believe Holgorsen is better than what he has shown in NU's losses.
Offensive Line. TJ Lateef may be more mobile than Raiola, but he would need Olympic sprinter speed to avoid some of the pressures that were allowed. The line was exposed by a strong defensive front.
Special teams. I hoped Mike Ekeler's group could make it the entire season without ending up on this list, but the fake punt, Archie Wilson's out of bounds tackle, and Mekhi Nelson's ill-advised kickoff return were too much to ignore.
Justin Evans. I've seen a lot of strange things on the football field, but I've never seen a center snap the ball into the backside of the referee pausing play while subs run off the field. Maybe it was a commentary on the officials’ performance.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.