Nebraska walked off the field Saturday with the same sick feeling it had a week ago: close, then not close enough.
This time it was Oregon delivering the final blow in a 17-14 loss, another late-game collapse that left the Huskers searching for answers after a game that was there for the taking. Luke Lindenmeyer didn’t hide how hard it hit.
"I'm angry, mad. I want to get back out there and finish the job," Husker tight end Luke Lindenmeyer said after the 17-14 loss to Oregon.
The game had the feel of a street fight for much of the afternoon, and Nebraska was a play away from what likely would have been the biggest win of Matt Rhule’s time in Lincoln. Instead, the finish belonged to Oregon, and the fourth-quarter storyline looked painfully familiar to Nebraska fans.
"I don't know why this keeps happening, but it's terrible," Lindenmeyer said. "Just sitting there on the sideline watching the other team win in the fourth quarter when all offseason that's what we trained for to win in the fourth quarter.
That's what we practiced to win in the fourth quarter. The result doesn't go our way, it's hard."
The fourth quarter told the story in hard numbers. Oregon outgained Nebraska 151-32 in the period and controlled the ball for 12:45.
The Ducks put together 36 offensive plays. Nebraska ran eight.
One Oregon march took 17 plays and ended with a field goal. Another covered 20 plays before finishing with a touchdown pass from the quarterback who threw Lindenmeyer his first college touchdown.
For Lindenmeyer, the frustration wasn’t just about the result. It was about Nebraska not being able to capitalize once it needed it most.
"I had full faith in our defense. Our defense played amazing," Lindenmeyer said.
"But I just wanted to get the offense ready, no matter what situation we were going to be in. Whether it was four minutes to run down the clock to win the game, or two minutes to go win the game."
Instead, the Huskers had only 28 seconds after Dylan Raiola’s 4-yard touchdown pass, which gave Nebraska its last score before Oregon grabbed its first lead of the game.
Rhule said afterward he believed the defense wore down, and Nebraska’s offensive issues didn’t help the cause. Lindenmeyer didn’t sugarcoat that side of it either.
"Not good enough," Lindenmeyer said of the offense. "Got to score more than 14 points.
Struggled against some of their pressures. Got to be better at making plays, making people miss.
I got to be better in pass protection. They had really good defensive ends.
No. 44 and 10 are great players. It was good to go against them.
But they got me on some plays, I got them on some plays. That's just how football goes.
But just got to win more."
Nebraska also had to deal with injuries. Gunnar Gottula, Jamal Rule and Isaiah Mozee all left the game, while Brendan Black played through a broken hand.
With Washington next, Lindenmeyer said the Huskers have to reset, get healthy and keep working.
"Just keep getting better each week, but it does suck."
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Sends Clear Message After Nebraskas Painful Oregon Finish
Nebraska came up just short against Oregon, falling 17-14 in a game that turned late when junior quarterback Dylan Raiola entered in the fourth quarter and hit tight end Jamari Johnson for the winning touchdown. Afterward, Matt Rhule made it clear he was not interested in turning the loss into a referendum on his quarterback or his program, instead framing it as the kind of game that can teach a team where it still needs to grow.
Rhule pointed to fatigue and Oregons effective run game as part of the reason the Cornhuskers were unable to close it out, while also brushing aside any notion that the late kickoff was an excuse. For Nebraska, the bigger takeaway may be the standard these matchups provide, since Rhule emphasized the value of lining up against strong programs even when the result stings. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Gets A Clear Opening As Nebraska Brings Real Concerns
Nebraskas latest loss was another frustrating one in a season that keeps slipping at the edges, with the Cornhuskers falling 17-14 to Oregon after letting a fourth-quarter lead get away for the second straight game. The timing only adds to the concern, because the issues have started to look familiar: special teams havent been steady, the rushing attack has faded in recent weeks, and the injury list has made it harder to patch things together.
A bye week now gives Nebraska a little breathing room before Washington comes to Lincoln, but it also leaves a clear set of problems to sort through. The Huskies will see a team that has been competitive late into games and still found a way to lose them, which makes the next stretch feel especially important for a group trying to stop the slide and reset before the home matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Defense Did Enough But One Problem Still Cost Them
Nebraska had every chance to turn a solid defensive effort into one of its biggest wins of the season, but the offense never quite matched what the defense gave it. The Cornhuskers led entering the fourth quarter and kept Oregon within reach for most of the afternoon, yet the Ducks were able to survive a tight, physical game and leave with a 17-14 victory.
The issue for Nebraska was up front, where the offensive line struggled to consistently hold up and let the game slip away despite the way the defense kept battling. Oregon got late help from Dylan Raiola, who came off the bench and sparked the comeback, leaving Nebraska to wonder how different things might have looked with even a little more protection and consistency on offense. [Read more 🡒]