Nebraska Football Tees Off on Michigan State

Michigan State players were dropping like flies. Nebraska pass rushers were teeing off on MSU quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who somehow finished the game. Husker fans were taking over Spartan Stadium.

A decisive 31-13 road victory that won’t earn Nebraska too much respect is, in retrospect, probably just what the Cornhuskers needed. Let respect come slowly, because it will be sweeter when it finally arrives. For now, NU proved it is clearly better than Michigan State, which is enough for this day.

Over the past decade, I’ve learned not to take things for granted when it comes to Husker football. One of those things is a conference win on the road, especially in a Big Ten opener. Nebraska checked a couple of big boxes Saturday, winning the conference opener for the first time since 2019, and doing it in East Lansing, where had hadn’t won since 2012.

The main reason was a six-sack, three-takeaway performance by the Blackshirts, who held a Spartan offense which has never been accused of being potent, to just 39 yards on the ground. Defensive end Williams Nwaneri had two sacks and blocked a field goal attempt, with Jahsear Whittington, Donovan Jones, Jamir Conn and Dawson Merritt credited with one sack apiece. It helped that Milivojevic lacks mobility, but the defensive line looks good enough to move the 4-0 Huskers into the Big Ten’s ample midsection of contenders.

Nebraska defensive back Andrew Marshall intercepts a pass intended for Michigan State wide receiver Samson Gash during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The disruptive performance by the Husker defense was welcome, and much needed, because the offense — despite a fine performance by quarterback Anthony Colandrea — had its share of ups and downs.

Colandrea was the source of most of the positives for the NU offense. He threw for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns, which moves him to 10 for the season against only one interception. He also led the Huskers in rushing with 66 yards. Several times, he moved the first-down marker with his feet when nothing much was working. He continues to gain momentum, as does Kwazi Gilmer, who had four receptions for 101 yards, which included a diving 44-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Tight end Luke Lindenmeyer also had four catches and was a big reason for the win.

The downs centered around what I previously considered the strength of the team — the offensive line, which committed four pre-snap penalties (two were declined) and had a ton of problems, even though it was blocking a Spartan defense that lost seemingly half its starters, including all-conference candidate linebacker Jordan Hall, to injury. It reached its nadir in a scoreless third quarter, when the Huskers went three-and-out, three-and-out and four-and-out to start the second half.

Luckily for the o-line, the Huskers had Vince Genatone. Take a bow, North Platte, Nebraska. For the first time since Bob Devaney roamed the sidelines more than half a century ago, a player from Flatrock scored a touchdown for the Big Red.

The North Platte High School graduate, a 6-foot, 225-pound fifth-year senior who is known mainly for his special teams work, filled in at running back after an injury to Jamal Rule, turning in his best performance as a collegian. Genatone made the game’s single biggest play with the clock winding down just before halftime, grabbing a short pass from Colandrea and racing into the corner of the end zone to complete a 13-yard play with two seconds remaining. That score ended a 14-play drive, stretched Nebraska’s lead to 24-10 and the Spartans never seriously threatened to get back into the game.

Genatone added one more touchdown for the Big Red on a 1-yard TD run with 10:05 remaining in the game. They were the first touchdowns scored for the Huskers by a North Platte athlete since Jim McFarland caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Ernie Sigler in the final minute to beat Oklahoma State 21-20 in Stillwater on Oct. 26, 1968, and the first touchdown run by a North Platte native since fullback Pete Tatman scored the game-winner in the final minute to beat Colorado 21-19 in Boulder on Oct. 22, 1966.

Nebraska fans didn’t have to sweat out a one-score road win this time. They got to move down toward the field as Spartan fans left the stadium and they filled the air with “Husker Power” chants.

Coaches Matt Rhule and Pat Fitzgerald shake hands after the game. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was a much-needed victory for Rhule, who improved to 5-9 in Big Ten road games, having won in Champaign, West Lafayette, College Park, Pasadena and now, East Lansing. Any eight-win scenario had to include a win at Michigan State, in its first year with Pat Fitzgerald at the helm. How does this victory stack up?

On one hand, Michigan State lost a boatload of players (including its best running back and best defender) to injury, so the 18-point victory margin could be considered a bit suspect. On the other, Nebraska had a wider victory margin in East Lansing than did Notre Dame’s 27-10 win over the Spartans in South Bend the previous week. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

One of the biggest wins of the day came in the kicking game, which played the Michigan State special teams even. Former Husker Kenneth Williams didn’t hurt Nebraska with his kickoff returns (he had four for 63 yards). Archie Wilson had his best game of the season, averaging 43.7 yards on three punts with one going out of bounds inside the 20, and allowing no punt return yardage. Kyle Cunanan made a 32-yard field goal.

Nebraska players celebrate with Husker fans after the 31-17 win at Spartan Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The o-line needs a bounceback performance against Maryland next week, although it recovered somewhat down the stretch as the Huskers held the ball for 10:32 of the fourth quarter and rushed 16 times for 61 yards in the fourth.

If the Huskers are satisfied with seven or eight wins this fall, a 167-yard rushing performance likely will be adequate in most games. To break the nine-win barrier, more will be required from this offensive line.

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