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For Nebraska fans who stayed awake until the early hours of Sunday morning, the familiar sting of another close loss was all too real. The Huskers fell to Oregon 17-14 after surrendering a fourth-quarter lead, leaving a doubly painful Sunday for a fan base that had hoped for a different outcome.
Back in August, most Nebraska supporters would have expected a 5-2 record at this point, so the team's overall mark isn't the primary source of frustration. The real pain stems from the fact that Nebraska played well enough for the first 50 minutes in each of the last two games to be undefeated at 7-0.
While optimism remains high among the fan base, there's a growing sense of futility. That frustration has led to irrational pessimism—the same kind that previously pushed Nebraska to replace coaches who weren't winning enough with disastrous hires like Bill Callahan and Mike Riley. It's hard to deny that a similar mental funk might exist within the program itself.
This isn't the first time Nebraska has let a fourth-quarter lead slip away, and if you watched any other college football action, you'd know that late-game collapses are becoming a national trend. Making matters worse, the quarterback many hoped would help Nebraska break this pattern—Dylan Raiola—played a key role in Oregon's comeback.
Raiola's fourth-quarter stats were quintessentially Dylan: 11 of 19 passes for just 59 yards. Nebraska's defense knew Raiola wouldn't challenge them vertically; his game is all about horizontal passes. The Huskers saw a green-clad version of their own 2024 and 2025 offense, yet inexplicably never pressured Raiola, unlike every other Big Ten team. Instead, they allowed him to pick up four to six yards per throw with ease.
Fans who stayed up until 2 a.m. to watch that have every right to be upset, but overreacting would be a mistake. If you had set the odds for the last two games in August, most would have predicted a combined margin of victory for Indiana and Oregon around 30 points—definitely not six.
Position Grades
QB: Anthony Colandrea's performance was a mixed bag. He was a major reason Nebraska stayed in the game, making plays out of nothing against Oregon's defense. However, he missed too many opportunities and made too many mistakes. He earns a B- because he might have done more with more time at the end.
I-Back: Mekhi Nelson's numbers don't reflect the 30 yards he likely gained after contact, as running room was scarce. Colandrea could have checked down to backs in the flat more often; those plays were big earlier in the season and were available Sunday morning. Isaiah Mozee's third-quarter run was crucial in giving Nebraska a 14-6 lead. Jamal Rule may have reaggravated an injury, so the upcoming bye week comes at a good time. Grade: C+
WR: The Fox broadcast made it hard to see the full picture, and the commentary was confusing. When Devin Gardner insisted no one was open, replays suggested otherwise. With the pressure Oregon was bringing, there were plays to be made in the passing game. Grade: C+
OL: Oregon's defensive line dominated this matchup, and Nebraska never found a comfortable rhythm. Grade: D+
DL: Nebraska's defensive line controlled Oregon's offensive line, with Jahsear Whittington, Cam Lenhardt, and Williams Nwaneri making impactful plays. The Ducks' only success came on horizontal passes away from the line. Grade: A
LB: Owen Chambliss (15 tackles) and Vincent Shavers (9 tackles) had huge games. Grade: A
Secondary: Caleb Benning filled in admirably for Jamir Conn with 12 tackles, and Dwayne McDouble added a big interception and 13 tackles. However, the secondary was picked apart by Raiola's dink-and-dunk approach in the fourth quarter—death by a thousand paper cuts. Grade: B
Special Teams: Archie Wilson's 60-yard punt midway through the fourth quarter was a highlight, but a low snap forced him to drop to a knee. Matt Rhule's aversion to fair-catching kickoffs cost Nebraska 14 yards, though it worked out on the second-half opening kickoff. On the final drive, one wonders how far downfield Colandrea needed to get for a game-tying field goal attempt—likely around the 20-yard line. Grade: C+
Overall: B-
Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Didn't. That's the bottom line. On a day when upsets were the norm, Nebraska couldn't escape its own shadow.
Originally reported by yahoo.