Vince R.

Maybe Nebraska wins the game but I am more or less saying that I hear all the time how Penn State and Michigan should have beat the Buckeyes by x amount of points. They haven't been able to turn those "should have" games into actual wins all that much in the last few years. 

I guess my point is tied to the fact that Nebraska outplayed tOSU for a significant chunk of that game, and lost by less than a score. If you re-watch, so many unforced errors is what gave tOSU the chances in that game. If Nebraska were to just play a normal football game on their part, they win. 

@Vince R. I went back and watched the 40 minute game footage which you referenced.  Here are the big mistakes which Ohio State had which helped enable NU stay in the game, while Ohio State had 2 score leads for a good chunk of the game and only trailed for a total of 15 minutes of game time.

1) Failed to score any points after the whiffed onside kick gave OSU the ball at NU's 35 yard line (although being stopped deep in NU territory, set up 2 points after the blocked punt).

2)  Missed block on Domann's strip sack on a 2nd and 6 play deep in NU's territory.  OSU was up 16-7 and driving to extend the lead, and that missed block turned around the entire game.

3)  OSU fumble after a big pass play sets NU up at Ohio State 45 yard line with a few minutes left in the 1st half.  It was a good hit/tackle by the NU defender, but Ohio State WR was carrying the ball loosely in open field.  NU was able to score on the short field and take the halftime lead.

4) Haskins terrible throw into double coverage for an INT in the end zone on Ohio State's first drive in the 2nd half.

5) A couple of dropped passes which would have extended drives for Ohio State.  The dropped passes were much like Ozigbo's drop(s) you mention.

6)  Ohio State has the ball early in the 4th quarter up by 2 scores, and they try 3 straight passes, leading to 3 straight incomplete passes.  If Ohio State runs the ball 3 times there it takes 2 minutes off the clock before giving the ball back to NU.

You can play the "what if" game all you want, but the NU-Ohio State game was a relatively sloppy game with a number of mistakes by both teams.  IMO, while NU looked good at times, they also looked overmatched a lot of the game against Ohio State.  I do expect a close match-up this year though.