Has Nebraska had a complete game in the Riley Era?

[HuskermanMike]

I have thought of this for a long while and wondered if anyone else wondered the same thing. The only complete game that comes to mind is the South Alabama game last year. The MSU game was not a complete game at all, but we still got the win. Outside of that the UCLA game might have been close to a complete game and this year the Fresno game was the only complete game we played this year.

 

What is a complete game?

Offense moving the ball not turning it over, gaining lots of yards

Defense getting timely stops and not allowing big plays. Holding the opponent under their average and not not allowing big points to be scored.

Special Teams- great punting, kicking and returning by this group. Does not have to score a td but the return teams need to gain yards and when we punt/kickoff we need to prevent them getting past the 25 and force a few turnovers.

 

We need to look prepared and ready to go, beating lowly teams by a mere touchdown or less is not a complete game in my opinion. We need more of these games against the big boys in the conference. Beating an osu or penn state by two could result in a complete game if we do all of the things listed above. I would say mistakes can happen(turnovers,missed fg) but we also would need to force turnovers too.

 

This has just got me thinking for a while so if you have anything to add to my list feel free to do so. What is your definition of a complete game?

 

 

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

UCLA

[teachercd]

Well… The other team is trying too

[PaulCrewe]

Minnesota two years ago.

[swmohusker]

Nope. Not as long as Bruce reed has been in charge of special teams

[lo country]

UCLA

Closest for sure. Maybe Wisky this year.

 

This is what's plagued the Huskers for years. Maybe since 2001. The inability to put together a solid 4 quarters of play in all facets of the game. If we could find a way to not implode, we'd be amazed at how good we are/could be.....

[Moiraine]

Yes. Just not against good teams.

[Landlord]

There is really no such thing.

[Nebfanatic]

There is really no such thing.

I was thinking this same thing. In my opinion a win is a complete game. I mean take the Super Bowl for example.

[HuskermanMike]

 

There is really no such thing.

I was thinking this same thing. In my opinion a win is a complete game. I mean take the Super Bowl for example.

 

Maybe I should have clarified a little bit but why can't we blow out ranked teams? Many of them get beat but for Nebraska we just can't blow a ranked team out. It happens more so in basketball for blowouts, but lots of blowouts happen to top 25 teams in football. A complete game could be winning by 25 and giving up 30 if we play a high octane offense. Basically the UCLA game I would consider a complete game also Minny in 2015 as someone else brought up.

[HuskermanMike]

Well… The other team is trying too

Yes that is true teach, golly man after that ESPN article came out I wonder if Mike can now finally put up 70 on Purdue...

Of course other teams are trying but we got beat by 59 points and we were trying against OSU. The same NW team we beat lost to OSU by 4 in the same venue.

Today's cfb is tough but I do not know a team of Nebraska's caliber that struggles this much against formidable or ranked opponents.

[Mavric]

I think there is a difference between a "complete" game and a "perfect" game. Never going to be a perfect game. But a complete game - for me - is when you play as well as can reasonably be expected for most of the game. Doesn't mean there still won't be some down spots but no big lulls in effort or execution.

 

I would say Wisconsin this year was a pretty complete game. Obviously we didn't even win it but I though we played about as well as could be expected. Probably UCLA last year.

 

That would be pretty much it for me.

[Landlord]

I think there is a difference between a "complete" game and a "perfect" game. Never going to be a perfect game. But a complete game - for me - is when you play as well as can reasonably be expected for most of the game. Doesn't mean there still won't be some down spots but no big lulls in effort or execution.

 

I would say Wisconsin this year was a pretty complete game. Obviously we didn't even win it but I though we played about as well as could be expected. Probably UCLA last year.

 

That would be pretty much it for me.

 

 

By that metric, which I agree with, I'd put the 2015 MSU game in that category, as well as the 2015 Minnesota game and last year's Oregon game.

[knapplc]

The most "complete" game I can think of in recent memory would be the 2009 bowl game against Arizona. 33-0, and aside from a few drives scattered throughout the game, we dominated that team start to finish.

[Mavric]

 

I think there is a difference between a "complete" game and a "perfect" game. Never going to be a perfect game. But a complete game - for me - is when you play as well as can reasonably be expected for most of the game. Doesn't mean there still won't be some down spots but no big lulls in effort or execution.

 

I would say Wisconsin this year was a pretty complete game. Obviously we didn't even win it but I though we played about as well as could be expected. Probably UCLA last year.

 

That would be pretty much it for me.

 

 

By that metric, which I agree with, I'd put the 2015 MSU game in that category, as well as the 2015 Minnesota game and last year's Oregon game.

 

I wouldn't include Oregon as much of the first half was a mess. Second half was really good.

 

MSU would be in the ballpark but having two turnovers and giving up nearly 500 yards doesn't really cut it for me.

 

I could probably put the 2015 Minnesota game in there.