Overreactions, Grades and Game Balls from Nebraska’s win over Michigan State

Nebraska football put together another impressive performance on Saturday, one that stood out from the previous three wins.

Not only was it the Big Ten opener, but it was also on the road. Michigan State played Notre Dame tough. Many people thought the Spartans could give the Huskers a game.

It was a competitive but Nebraska was able to salt the game away fairly early. Anthony Colandrea accounted for 278 total yards. The offense only scored seven points in the second half, but it’s hard to complain about 31 points.

Nebraska rushed for 157 yards. Michigan State 39. The Huskers notched six sacks, while allowing zero, and recorded three takeaways. Was it the most artful 31-13 win? No.

But who cares? When was the last time Nebraska went on the road and controlled a game against a Big Ten team like this in the second half?

It was another step in the right direction. Here are the biggest overreactions, grades, and game balls from the win over Michigan State.

Overreactions

It’s really interesting because among Nebraska fans, there are some who are overreacting in a positive way and others who are overreacting in a negative way.

The truth is, both are overreacting. There wasn’t anything to be alarmed about in this loss. The offense was stagnant in the second half, but it still moved the ball. The defense allowed just three points in the second half.

Nebraska is a good team. Some will need to accept it, while others might be looking at this team as a playoff contender, which also feels like an overreaction.

Saturday’s win was impressive, but there is still work to do, and still plenty to prove. We still don’t know how good this team is. We will find out in the next two weeks.

Nebraska football grades vs. Michigan State

Offense B+

The Huskers scored 31 points. They managed 369 yards of total offense and converted 6-of-13 third downs. They were 4/5 in the red zone and 0/2 on fourth down. Even though Nebraska only scored seven in the fourth quarter, it possessed the ball for 10 minutes in the final frame. That’s winning football.

Defense: A

Michigan State isn’t a great offensive team. Cam Edwards was their best player, and he got knocked out in the first quarter. The Blackshirts did their jobs well, though. Six sacks and three takeaways. Michigan State was 3-for-8 on third-down conversions. The running backs averaged just over three yards per rushing attempt, so all in all, it was a solid day at the office.

Special teams A-

It’s hard to penalize the special teams for a blocked punt that was called back because of a penalty. Still, that penalty had nothing to do with it being blocked. There was a protection issue, and the Huskers were fortunate to get the ball, scoring a touchdown later after a free first down. Outside of that one play, the special teams were outstanding. Kenneth Williams did nothing in the kick return game, with a long of 23. He averaged 15 yards per return, about 10 yards under the season average for MSU. The Huskers negated the edge on special teams, aside from one mistake.

Coaching: A

No complaints about Matt Rhule and his staff. They lost Jamal Rule and Jacory Barney to injury. The offense still scored 31 points. Vincent Genatone stepped up in a major way. That’s how you win games on the road. Aurich has now held a team to three points or less in a half in three straight games.

Game Balls: Anthony Colandrea and Williams Nwaneri 

Colandrea accounted for 278 yards, two touchdown passes, and zero interceptions. What’s crazy is that Colandrea made it feel like a ho-hum day when he had nearly 300 yards of total offense. The touchdown pass to Kwazi Gilmer was a game-changer. How many times have we seen that pass overthrown over the years?

On defense, Williams Nwaneri is starting to look like a five-star prospect on the field. He had two sacks and three pressures in the win. The 6-foot-7 defender has been Nebraska’s best pass rusher. He’s got two sacks and two tackles for loss in four games, and gets our game ball for his effort against the Spartans.

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