Why are the Matt Rhule Huskers so Bad in the Fourth Quarter?

On this week's I-80 LIVE, Josh Peterson and Jack Mitchell discussed the fourth quarters for Matt Rhule's Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2023 and 2024. What's gone wrong and how do they fix it?

Below is a lightly edited transcript of their conversation.

Jack: Did Nebraska play good in the fourth quarter in any game this year? Did they ever solidly win the fourth quarter?

Josh: Alright, here are the scores for Nebraska in the fourth quarter in 2024: 3-0 versus UTEP. They lost 7-0 versus Colorado. They beat Northern Iowa 7-0 in the fourth quarter. 7-7 versus Illinois. Okay, here's the answer. They beat Purdue 21-7 in the fourth quarter.

Jack: They beat Purdue at the end. They kind of poured it on didn't they at the end?

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates his touchdown with Trey Wedig (75). — Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates his touchdown with Trey Wedig (75) during the Indiana versus Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Josh: Didn't they have a pick six or something? Rutgers, 7-0. Indiana 14-0. Indiana outscored Nebraska 14-0. Nebraska outscored Ohio State 8-7 in the fourth quarter.

Jack: There’s the other one. They needed one more play but they definitely played well in the fourth quarter.

Josh: Here’s a depressing game, Jack. Nebraska outscored UCLA 6-0 in the fourth quarter.

Jack: I forgot that game. I’ve tried to put that game out of my mind. That was one of my [least] favorite football games in a decade in terrible football games.

Josh: Hey, sneaky worst game of last year is UCLA. I know the final score is not as bad as Indiana but UCLA was horrible. That was a miserable experience. They were down 27-7.

Jack: I say it was one of the least enjoyable football games I've ever watched and that's kind of not true because obviously super painful ones, but at least those give you some kind of memory. There's just nothing exciting or enjoyable about it at any at any point at all.

Josh: USC, 7-0, they beat Nebraska in the fourth quarter.

Jack: Nebraska gave up the fourth down, remember that?

Josh: I do. Very much do. Nebraska beat Wisconsin 10-8 in the fourth quarter. Hey, kids, you wanna get really depressed? Iowa 10, Nebraska 0 in the fourth quarter. And finally, Boston College 13, Nebraska 0 in the fourth quarter of the bowl game. Wow, that is bad.

Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal against Nebraska. — Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win 13-10 Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jack: I knew it was bad. But when you go through it like that one by one, it's time to have an intervention. This is officially a problem, right? It's been called many things, right? “They play to their competition” or “they don't have the killer instinct” or “they are losing close games.” But you could say it in a little bit more concise way to some degree; they're no good in the fourth quarter.

Josh: Does Nebraska have a fourth quarter problem?

Watch the entire clip below.

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