Nebraska Football Ultimately Wins Big, but What Did We Actually Learn?

Nebraska football is back, and the Huskers are 1-0.

It was far from perfect, and much of Husker Nation was sweating a 14-13 halftime lead. But by the time the dust settled, the Big Red had pulled away for a 49-21 win, the offense had shown some firepower, and Nebraska had given fans at least a few reasons to be excited about what this team could become.

The Common Fans break down the win, the good and the bad, and what we actually learned from the first game of the season.

Anthony Colandrea Makes His Husker Debut

Welcome to Nebraska, Tony C.

Anthony Colandrea brought exactly the kind of mobility, energy and swagger Husker fans hoped to see from their new quarterback. He finished with 275 yards and three touchdowns through the air, while also repeatedly using his legs to escape pressure and keep plays alive.

The completion percentage wasn't spectacular, but several drops didn't help. More importantly, Colandrea looked comfortable running the offense and distributing the ball to a Nebraska offense that suddenly appears to have a lot of weapons.

And speaking of weapons...

Jamal Rule Announces His Arrival

True freshman Jamal Rule might have been the biggest story of the day.

Rule ran 15 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns, added a receiving touchdown, and showed an impressive combination of size, speed and explosiveness. He wasn't the only Nebraska running back who looked good, either, as Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee helped the Huskers pile up more than 200 yards on the ground.

The Common Fans try not to get too carried away after one game (emphasis on try), but it's hard not to be excited about what Nebraska may have found in Rule.

A Second-Half Offense Husker Fans Can Get Behind

The Huskers eventually did what good teams are supposed to do against an overmatched opponent: they took control.

One drive in particular stood out. Nebraska marched 73 yards on 11 plays, running the ball 10 times, including a fourth-and-one conversion that featured defensive players lining up as fullbacks and Rule bulldozing his way for 13 yards. It was exactly the kind of physical, downhill football Nebraska fans love to see.

And once the Huskers finally got rolling, they didn't stop. Nebraska scored 35 second-half points and turned a one-point halftime lead into a comfortable four-touchdown win.

Still Plenty of Questions

The final score looks great. The first half raised some legitimate concerns. Nebraska committed nine penalties for 65 yards, had some shaky moments on special teams, and didn't consistently generate the kind of pressure from the defensive front that the Common Fans hoped to see. The offensive line also wasn't quite as dominant early as expected. Those things need to be cleaned up before Big Ten play.

The encouraging part was that Nebraska got better as the game went along. The defense settled in, the offense took over, the Huskers didn't turn the ball over, and they ultimately handled their business. That's enough to keep the optimism alive.

Nebraska didn't show enough Saturday to prove this season will finally be different. But the Huskers showed enough to make us believe there’s still a chance it could be. And for Week 1, we'll take it.

Check out the episode on YouTube, listen on the Common Fan website, or find it on any audio platform where you get your podcasts.

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