Alright football fans, it's time for my Week 5 reflection. Husker fans, we're going to rip this off like a band-aid and get through the pain quick. Nebraska was completely dominated by Ohio State on Saturday and there's nothing good you can say about that performance. As for elsewhere around College Football, most everyone else took care of business like they were supposed to, but Clemson did have a scare from Mac Brown and North Carolina. This post will break down all the news from Week 5 of College Football, enjoy!
Originally, I was extremely upset with my cousin Henry for putting his wedding on the same day as the Ohio State game, but it actually turned out to be a good thing. While still brutal, I was lucky enough to suffer the pain of Nebraska's 48-7 beat down loss from afar rather than in person. The Buckeyes absolutely demolished the Huskers in every phase of the game, After putting up 38 in the first half, the Buckeyes let off the gas in the second, but all hope was lost for the Huskers at that point. This post could honestly just be all BAD categories, but I did find some GOOD and EXPECTED chunks in there as well. Enjoy as much as you can...
GOOD- Husker fans' unrealistic expectations are quelled. I think one of the few good take-away points from this game would be the pressure that is no longer on this team. The crazy notion that this team would challenge Ohio State for four quarters and even square off against them again in the BIG 10 Championship was plaguing this team. Don't get me wrong, I believe in the Huskers through everything, and I want them to dominate every team in their path, but we all have to be realistic at some point. This is a young team, with a new coaching staff and a lot of growing to do. The BIG 10 is a loaded conference and while the schedule does favor the Huskers, this team just doesn't have enough to tip that scale yet. However, I do believe a loss like this will take some pressure off. It will let these kids play more free and work to get better week by week. There's still a lot out there for this team, and I expect them to improve tremendously by the end of the season. But this is still year two of a new coach with sophomore QB and a lot of young and inexperienced talent. Give this team time to grow, then these blowouts won't happen so much. Culture and success take years to build.
EXPECTED- Justin Fields being amazing. Honestly, I expected the entire Ohio State football team to be amazing, and they lived up to it. This is one of the best teams in the nation, and I picked them for the CFB Playoffs for a reason. This beat down was not pretty, but at the end of the year, I think Nebraska will just be one of many to be destroyed by the Buckeyes. Look for this team to challenge for the title this year, they're a force to be reckoned with.
BAD- Basically everything the Huskers did on Saturday, but especially Adrian Martinez. I don't want to go too far down this rabbit hole, but Martinez played easily the worst game of his career against Ohio State, and the rest of the team followed suit. The Buckeyes are clearly a more talented team, but when I saw Martinez overthrow a four yard screen, I lost it. Now I do think he's a fine athlete and a great football player, but he's going to struggle for a while longer. He's young, and this team is young. The overthrown passes are a big issue, but will be addressed and fixed down the road. As of right now, I think the ground game is the best option for Nebraska.
This game is over, this reflection is over, let's move on for the Huskers' sake... and our own.
Other highlights from around College Football:
- Clemson survives a scare from Mac Brown and the Tar Heels, winning 21-20 after stopping a two-point conversion. The Tigers have not looked to be in top form yet this year, but their schedule gives plenty of leeway to practice.
- Purdue's struggles continue as starting QB Elijah Sindelar will be out 6-8 weeks after breaking his clavicle.
- Penn State absolutely demolished Maryland and will definitely be a challenger in the BIG 10 East.
- Texas A&M and Arkansas yet again proves to be one of the toughest fought rivalries in CFB.
- Watch out for Wake Forrest and SMU. Two high powered offensive attacks have helped these teams remain unbeaten in the early part of the season.
Thank you for reading my Week 5 Reflection post and be sure to watch for my Week 6 Predictions coming up next! GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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