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Groin Kick Chronicles: 30-21

The Scott Frost era comes to a close, Nebraska loses by 40+ in multiple games, and a heartbreaker in Lincoln comes in surprisingly low as we reach the top 30 of the Groin Kick Chronicles.
Josh Peterson|
Georgia Southern defeats Nebraska in 2022.
Georgia Southern defeats Nebraska in 2022. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

In this story:

Nebraska CornhuskersMichigan WolverinesGeorgia Southern EaglesIowa HawkeyesOhio State BuckeyesUSC TrojansIllinois Fighting IlliniPurdue Boilermakers

Get caught up on the Groin Kick Chronicles, including how the data was put together, rankings, and more.

Prologue
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
20-11
10-6
5-1
Epilogue: August 14

2020 Northwestern
2020 Northwestern | Game On Paper/David Banks-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Northwestern 21-13 – 2020 – Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois

What happened? Nebraska blew a 13-7 halftime lead, scoring zero points over the final 31:25 of game action to lose their second straight game to begin the 2020 season. The Huskers had 28 first downs to 14 for the Wildcats, and out-yarded Northwestern 442 to 317. But the Huskers couldn’t overcome two turnovers, including one in the Northwestern endzone at the end of the third quarter.

And another inside the five-yard line late in the game.

Nebraska would have one more chance, driving all the way into the Northwestern red zone once again, unable to convert on fourth and four with five seconds left. Northwestern would escape with another close victory.

What did it mean? For the second time in Scott Frost’s three years, his Huskers were 0-2. All the talk, all the bravado from the offseason, and nothing had changed. It was one thing to start 0-1 with another loss to Ohio State. This loss, even as Northwestern made a surprising run to the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game, wasn’t much forgiven.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The Luke McCaffrey INT inside the five-yard line would stick with people for weeks.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2024 Indiana
2024 Indiana | Game On Paper/Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Indiana 56-7 – 2024 – Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

What happened? Nebraska entered Bloomington with a 5-1 record, one win away from their first bowl bid in eight years. Nebraska went 0-4 in these opportunities in 2023. Would they make it 0-5 in the Matt Rhule era?

Yes, yes they would.

It was 7-0 Hoosiers after one quarter and 14-0 early in the second before Nebraska drove 75 yards in 13 plays to cut Indiana’s lead in half. It was 14-7 and the defense needed a stop if they were going to make things interesting at the end of the first half into the second. Instead, here were Indiana’s next six drives:

  • Ten plays, 75 yards, touchdown – 21-7 Indiana
  • Four plays, 74 yards, touchdown – 28-7 Indiana
  • Four plays, 14 yards, interception – 28-7 Indiana at the half
  • Three plays, 19 yards, touchdown – 35-7 Indiana
  • Four plays, 51 yards, touchdown – 42-7 Indiana
  • Four plays, 43 yards, touchdown – 49-7 Indiana

Meanwhile, Nebraska had two three-and-outs, another two drives end on downs, and an interception; the latter coming inside the Indiana red zone on Nebraska’s first drive of the second half. Halfway through the fourth, after Dylan Raiola’s third INT of the afternoon, Indiana added one more touchdown. The game was mercifully over two drives later.

What did it mean? For many, Indiana entered the day a cute 6-0; a product of their schedule, but that was it.

60 minutes later, they were 7-0 and Nebraska was left picking up the pieces of the worst loss of the Matt Rhule era. One refrain heard after the game: Why was Indiana able to make such a big jump in the first year under a new coach, while Nebraska was still looking for their own breakthrough in year two? What happened to the defense? Where was the offense of the early part of Nebraska’s season?

What did the loss mean, you ask? The trust of the 3-0 and 5-1 starts was out the window.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The interception on Nebraska’s first drive of the second half all but ended the game.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2019 Purdue
2019 Purdue | Game On Paper/Nikos Frazier | Journal & Courier/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Purdue 31-27 – 2019 – Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

What happened? Only the most impossible loss of the season.

Seven times in the first half, Nebraska moved the ball into Purdue territory.

They trailed after 30 minutes, 14-10.

Their first two drives in the second half also moved into Purdue territory, with one ending on a field goal from the four and the other ending on downs at the 30.

Only one time in their first 10 drives did Nebraska fail to get into Purdue territory. Yet, after 10 drives, they trailed 17-13.

Twice in the fourth quarter, Nebraska was finally able to punch it in on consecutive drives, going up 20-17 and 27-24 in the process, only for Purdue to answer with a touchdown of their own.

The last Boilermaker score of the afternoon came with 68 seconds left on a nine-yard reverse by David Bell.

Nebraska would go four-and-out on their last drive of the game before Purdue took a knee. It was the third straight loss, and Nebraska was suddenly looking at a bowl-less season if they couldn’t go 2-1 in their final three games.

What did it mean? [throws up hands] What do you want me to say here?! Where pretty much every loss in 2021 had the hallmarks we saw against Purdue in 2019, this game still stands alone as one of the more dumbfounding Husker defeats of my entire life. Nine of their first 10 possessions finished in Purdue territory! One drive began at the Purdue two, moved back to the seven, before Nebraska picked up six ahead of a fourth-and-goal from the one, only to get a delay of game before a field goal.

Got all that?

In a season filled with dumb losses, this one might have been the worst. Nothing was working for Nebraska.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The entire extended goal-line sequence at the end of the first quarter will never leave you.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2018 Michigan
2018 Michigan | Game On Paper/Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Michigan 56-10 – 2018 – Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

What happened? It’s probably best we don’t spend too much time on this one. 20-0 after one, 39-0 after two, and 46-0 after a Donovan Peoples-Jones punt return for a touchdown.

Adrian Martinez returned, passing for 22 yards on 15 attempts and rushing seven times for -12 yards. It was easily his worst day as a Husker. Meanwhile, the defense gave up almost 500 yards to Michigan and allowed them to hold the ball for more than 35 minutes.

Like I said, we should probably just move on.

What did it mean? Nebraska had hit rock bottom, at least according to its head coach. Scott Frost’s players agreed with him, with Jerald Foster saying, “This is the bottom of the pool. When you finally touch your feet on the ground, and when you’re at that point, you’re finally able to push off.” Mohamed Barry agreed. “It’s not a question if it will be or not. It has to be.”

You tell me if you think that was the case.

Nebraska was 0-3, a first for the program since 1945.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Yes, the safety Adrian Martinez took near the end of the first half.

Thank God we can move on.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2017 Iowa
2017 Iowa | Game On Paper/Reese Strickland-Imagn Images/I80 Club illustration

The game: Iowa 56-14 – 2017 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? On a day with temperatures north of 70 degrees in Lincoln, the sunny vibes played out in the first half. It looked like the end of the Mike Riley era might deliver us a game, tied at 14 at the end of 30 minutes following a Noah Fant touchdown.

No one really thought Mike Riley would be back, so the no-strings-attached approach to rooting for the coach in his last game was had by all. Why not send him out a winner?

Iowa, however, didn’t get the memo.

The Hawkeyes scored four touchdowns in the third quarter before adding two more in the fourth, on their way towards 49-unanswered points.  

What did it mean? Well… it dropped Nebraska to a previously unheard-of record of 4-8, the program’s worst since 1961. It was Mike Riley’s second losing season in three seasons, easily the worst run of a coach since the Bill Jennings era, which ended in, you guessed it, 1961. It was Nebraska’s third straight loss to Iowa. We could go on and on. It was bad.

Oh, it was also Riley’s last game as Nebraska’s coach. He was fired the next day.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Noah Fant, the former Omaha South product, finished the day with two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder late in the third quarter.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2016 Ohio State
2016 Ohio State | Game On Paper/Greg Bartram-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Ohio State 62-3 – 2016 – Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

What happened? Oh God. Do we have to?

It was 14-3 after one, 31-3 at the half, 55-3 after three, and finished 62-3.

Oh, you want more?

Ok. Tommy Armstrong was concussed so badly that he was taken to the hospital, only to return to the stadium and run onto the field. Yeah, that was weird.

Ohio State had 590 yards to 204. 34 first downs to nine. Nebraska did outgain Ohio State on kickoff returns, at least?

Let’s just move on, shall we?

What did it mean? The goodwill gained from the 7-0 start and hard-fought loss to Wisconsin evaporated over the course of 60 minutes. Absolutely gone. Not only was it obvious Nebraska wasn’t ready for primetime, but this was a continuation of the beginning of the end for that regime. The 7-0 start would turn into a 2-4 finish. With the 4-8 record in 2017, Mike Riley would finish his career winning just six of his final 18 games.

Was there an (un)memorable play? No. And it’s probably for the best.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2021 Michigan
2021 Michigan | Game On Paper/Dylan Widger-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Michigan 32-29 – 2021 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? 5-0 and ninth-ranked Michigan entered Lincoln as a much-improved program in year seven under Jim Harbaugh. Nebraska, fresh off a 49-point ass whooping of Northwestern, hoped to prove they had moved on from the horrible loss suffered two weeks prior to Michigan State. They were 3-3 through six games, with two of the three losses coming to Oklahoma and Michigan State teams that would finish a combined 22-4. A primetime atmosphere awaited. A win would put Nebraska at 4-3.

It was not meant to be.

With the game tied at 0-0 entering the second quarter, Michigan started exerting their will, kicking a couple of field goals before scoring the first touchdown of the night. It was 13-0 at the end of the half, and it seemed like the game could get away from Nebraska.

Instead, we saw one of the best quarters of the Scott Frost era.

Austin Allen made it 13-7 Michigan.

After a Michigan score made it 19-7, Rahmir Johnson answered back, and Nebraska was suddenly down by five.

And with under a minute to go in the third, Nebraska was suddenly up on the top 10 Wolverines.

The stadium came unglued.

Michigan and Nebraska would trade the lead at the start of the fourth quarter, before the Wolverines tied it up with three minutes left. Nebraska would get the ball back, a chance to win, move to 4-3, and pick up the long-awaited win over a top 10 team.

As I said, it was not meant to be.

Martinez, fighting for extra yards, never got the whistle by the refs before he fumbled the ball and gave it back to the Wolverines. Michigan kicked the game-winning field goal with 84 seconds left.

Nebraska would move to the 50-yard line, before the drive ended on downs. In Nebraska’s four losses that season, they’d lost by a combined 21 points.

What did it mean? Of all the losses of the Scott Frost era, there’s something about this one where you wonder if it really could have been the win the program had been searching for. Blue Blood program. Top 10 team. Memorial Stadium at night. It had all the hallmarks of a cathartic release for the fanbase. I remember receiving a text from someone inside the stadium, telling me they’d never seen anything like it. It could have been the game where the atmosphere was spoken about in hushed tones in the decades to follow; this generation’s 78 Oklahoma or 92 Colorado.

Instead… they lost.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Not only did Adrian Martinez fumble, many will still tell you the whistle should have been blown.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2024 USC
2024 USC | Game On Paper/CFB on Fox/I-80 Club illustration

The game: USC 28-20 – 2024 – LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

What happened? The Trojans entered the matchup 2-5 in their last seven games and 4-5 on the season. With games against improved UCLA, not to mention Notre Dame coming up, this was a must-win for USC if they were going to reach a bowl game.

Five minutes into the game, Nebraska was up 7-0.

It was a dream start for Nebraska, as they looked for their sixth win of the season. With Dana Holgorsen calling plays, the offense looked better, though the results weren’t really showing it a whole lot. USC outgained Nebraska 441-310 and picked off two Dylan Raiola passes, including one late in the first half when Nebraska had the ball with a chance to take the lead.

A USC fumble towards the end of the third quarter gave the ball to Nebraska inside the Trojans' red zone, but Nebraska was only able to kick a field goal, dropping the USC lead to 21-20. USC would kick a field goal of their own on the next drive, but Nebraska blocked it, giving the ball back to the offense, again with a chance to take the lead. After a quick first down, Nebraska gained seven yards, leading to a fourth and three from their own 40.

Nebraska lined up to punt, then called their first timeout of the half.

Dylan Raiola and the offense came back onto the field, but the play clock ticked all the way down to zero, leading to this reaction from an incredulous Brock Huard.

Nebraska would punt, giving the ball to the Trojans at their own 16. A stop here, and not only would Nebraska have the ball, they’d have great field position too. Instead, USC chewed up eight minutes and made it 28-20.

Holgorsen’s offense actually moved into the USC red zone. Nebraska had one more chance to score, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie it.

It was that kind of day. I feel like I’m having déjà vu.

What did it mean? With two games left, Nebraska moved to 5-5 on the season. The Matt Rhule era had now reached a point where the program was 0-8 with a chance to become bowl-eligible.

Was there an (un)memorable play? Oddly enough, what people talked about most after this game, besides the no-call PI on the final play, was Nebraska’s “will they, won’t they” timeout, fake punt, delay of game kerfuffle in the fourth quarter. Matt Rhule was not beating the allegations that he couldn’t manage a game well.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2024 Illinois
2024 Illinois | Game On Paper/Dylan Widger-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Illinois 31-24 (OT) – 2024 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? On a Friday night at Memorial Stadium, Nebraska aimed to move to 4-0 for the first time since 2016. Matt Rhule looked for his first win against a ranked team as head coach of Nebraska. After a rough start for the Blackshirts, Nebraska led 10-7 at the end of one and 17-10 at the end of two. In his first conference game, Dylan Raiola impressed the partisan crowd, layering throws over the top of the defense and throwing three touchdowns in the first three quarters, including an absolute dime towards the end of the first half.

Even on turnovers, blame was placed on the wide receiver.

“Why didn’t you fight more?”

After Raiola’s third touchdown pass put Nebraska up 24-17, the wheels came off, as Nebraska had a three-play, -13-yard drive, where Raiola fumbled it twice. Thankfully for Nebraska, they recovered both before taking the ball away from Illinois two plays into their next drive.

Raiola would bounce back, leading Nebraska on a 5+ minute drive late in the game. Deep in Illinois territory, he had a wide-open Luke Lindenmeyer. A touchdown would have given Nebraska the lead with a few minutes left.

It wasn’t meant to be. John Hohl missed a field goal on the next snap, but like so often in the previous season, Nebraska’s defense made plays, stopping Illinois at midfield and forcing a punt. The game would go to overtime.

It… was forgettable. Illinois scored on their second play to go up by seven.

After a penalty on their first play, Dylan Raiola was sacked on first down.

And second down.

On an impossible third and 42, Nebraska actually picked up 13 yards, setting up a much more “manageable” fourth and 29. And then…

Three sacks in four plays and Nebraska was suddenly 3-1.

What did it mean? To date, this is the most recent overtime game Nebraska has played. Since their 2014 OT win over Iowa, Nebraska has gone 0-8 in OT games. In that time, they’ve run 28 plays for a combined -26 yards. They have yet to achieve a first down, and drives have ended on downs three times, interceptions four times, and a missed field goal once.

So, that’s what it meant in the big picture. In the moment? The vibes were terrible. Two games into the season, it felt like Nebraska was arriving. Two games later, this loss showed that progress wasn’t going to be linear. Illinois came into Memorial Stadium the night of the 400th sellout and walked out victorious.

Was there an (un)memorable play? While the missed touchdown pass wouldn’t have won the game outright, Nebraska would have been up seven points late. It’s either that or one of the sacks in OT. We’ll go with the missed pass.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

2022 Georgia Southern
2022 Georgia Southern | Game On Paper/Dylan Widger-Imagn Images/I-80 Club illustration

The game: Georgia Southern 45-42 – 2022 – Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

What happened? The Scott Frost era came to an end.

In what would turn out to be the final game as head coach, Georgia Southern put up points in every quarter, including 14 in the first, 14 in the second, and 10 in the fourth. In the midst of a back-and-forth affair for 60 minutes, Nebraska never felt in control, with their largest lead of seven points only lasting a single drive.

After a 98-yard drive gave Nebraska a 42-38 lead, Georgia Southern answered with a 75-yard drive of their own, capped off by Kyle Vantrease’s eight-yard run into the endzone. Nebraska would respond by moving to the Georgia Southern 34-yard line, setting up a 52-yarder to tie the game and force OT.

You know what happened.

What did it mean? Barely 12 hours later, Scott Frost was fired.

Did any of this have to happen? Could Nebraska have parted ways after 2021, avoiding the headache and wasting away 2022? Fans and media would ask that question throughout the final nine weeks of the 2022 regular season.

Was there an (un)memorable play? The game-winner by Vantrease.

Obligatory Jack Mitchell tweet:

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Josh Peterson
JOSH PETERSON

Josh Peterson has been covering Husker athletics for over a decade. He currently hosts Unsportsmanlike Conduct with John Bishop on 1620 The Zone and is a co-founder of the I-80 Club with Jack Mitchell. When he's not watching sports, Josh is usually going for a run or reading a book next to his wife or dog. If you have a comment for Josh, send him an email: joshpeterson.huskermax@gmail.com.

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