The thing I still don't get...

[Toe]

How the hell do you manage to lose six games, all by eight points or fewer? Like how is that even possible? How can you be so close, yet so far away, so consistently?

 

Like... I've heard of 'playing down to your opponent's level'. Is there such a thing as 'playing at exactly your opponent's level, minus approximately four points'?

 

This would feel a lot different to me if we were losing games by like 17 points or something. But our average margin of defeat this season has been just 5.5 points. Riley's last team lost by an average of 21 points! This team obviously has its problems, but come on: this team is nowhere near as bad as that 2017 team was.

 

Honestly, when I look at this team... I think overall they're really not too bad. But somehow they keep finding ways to lose...

[ColoradoHusk]

One of my reasons for optimism this year was the thought that Frost should have seen an improvement in one-score games.  My thought was around simple "regression to the mean" and his team's had such a poor record in the past, that he should see improvement even if my dumb luck.  Unfortunately, the team has continued to self-combust in important times or find new ways to lose these close games this year, and hasn't won any of them.

 

My most frustrating loss this season has been Michigan State.  NU dominated them for half of the game, and I know the offense made mistakes, but did enough in the 2nd half to get the 7 point lead.  Once that lead was established, I thought it was ballgame.  Then the punt return happened, and I thoughts turned to WTF, Frost will never get it done at NU.

[Jason Sitoke]

I think in reality, there isn't much difference in our opponents.  UM and MSU are pretty much even.  OU is clearly overrated.  Minny is solid, and we played them on the road.  Purdue smacked a good Iowa team on the road.  Illinois beat PSU.

 

The difference in the 'bad' losses is that in each of those games, it felt like Nebraska was taking control of the game at some point, and yet couldn't separate themselves on the scoreboard. 

Illinois-up 9-2 and intercepted the ball deep in their territory.  Negated by penalty and the wheels pretty much came off after that.  Minnesota - Multiple stalled drives deep in their territory, and the defense was absolutely stonewalling them in the 2nd half.  Still can't get over losing that one. 

Purdue - up 7-0 and moving the ball at will, AMart throws a pick 6.  Chance to extend the lead before half and he overthrows a sure TD.  Offense goes nowhere in the 2nd half.

 

Win these games, by one point each, and we're all in a different mindset as fans.  

[TGHusker]

Culture.  A mindset that hasn't changed from defeatism to optimism - that we can and will win.  Playing tight. With all of these one score games, the players, esp AM, may be paralyzed by fear that they'll make a mistake and blow the game - so they end up doing just that.  

[BigRedBuster]

1 hour ago, Toe said:

How the hell do you manage to lose six games, all by eight points or fewer? Like how is that even possible? How can you be so close, yet so far away, so consistently?

 

Like... I've heard of 'playing down to your opponent's level'. Is there such a thing as 'playing at exactly your opponent's level, minus approximately four points'?

 

This would feel a lot different to me if we were losing games by like 17 points or something. But our average margin of defeat this season has been just 5.5 points. Riley's last team lost by an average of 21 points! This team obviously has its problems, but come on: this team is nowhere near as bad as that 2017 team was.

 

Honestly, when I look at this team... I think overall they're really not too bad. But somehow they keep finding ways to lose...

I could have written this exact post as my own thoughts.  The entire season is so mind boggling that it's incomprehendable.  

 

There is absolutely nothing statistically rational about this season.

 

The most frustrating thing is that we look worse against Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue than we did against OU, Michigan and MSU.  Explain that one to me.

[ColoradoHusk]

1 minute ago, BigRedBuster said:

I could have written this exact post as my own thoughts.  The entire season is so mind boggling that it's incomprehendable.  

 

There is absolutely nothing statistically rational about this season.

 

The most frustrating thing is that we look worse against Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue than we did against OU, Michigan and MSU.  Explain that one to me.

I think those are due to motivation from the coaches or internal motivation from the players.  For whatever reason, the team was not ready to play against the lesser named teams vs. the highly ranked teams on the schedule.  That's on the coaches to get them ready.

[Guy Chamberlin]

What's the new stat making the rounds?  Scott Frost teams have gotten the ball with 4 minutes or less and the chance to tie or take the lead 15 times, and 14 times they came away with zero points. 

 

That's a hard one to get your head around, too.

[TGHusker]

4 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

What's the new stat making the rounds?  Scott Frost teams have gotten the ball with 4 minutes or less and the chance to tie or take the lead 15 times, and 14 times they came away with zero points. 

 

That's a hard one to get your head around, too.

 A awful lot of data points that point to the coaching problem we have at Nebraska.  Can't spin it any other way. 

[Jason Sitoke]

11 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

What's the new stat making the rounds?  Scott Frost teams have gotten the ball with 4 minutes or less and the chance to tie or take the lead 15 times, and 14 times they came away with zero points. 

 

That's a hard one to get your head around, too.

And many of those drives have ended catastrophically.  Consecutive sacks, fumbles, interceptions, penalties.

[lo country]

16 minutes ago, Jason Sitoke said:

And many of those drives have ended catastrophically.  Consecutive sacks, fumbles, interceptions, penalties.

Enough we are 5-18 in one score games.....4 OT's and no first downs or points........And it's not just one year.  We have crapped the bed all 4 years in close games.  We appear to shut down when the pressure is on or we have to go to a 2 minute drill.....The wheels just fall off.  I do not even know statistically how hard would it be to flip a coin 23 times and get heads 5 and tails 18.....

 

Just did it on google-  The results a .401% chance......Winning at least 11 is a 66% chance.....And here we are. Riley was Mr .500   Frost isn't even that in one score games...

[Guy Chamberlin]

I think we've actually lost yardage in overtime, but I don't have the heart to look it up.

[BigRedBuster]

9 minutes ago, lo country said:

Enough we are 5-18 in one score games.....4 OT's and no first downs or points........And it's not just one year.  We have crapped the bed all 4 years in close games.  We appear to shut down when the pressure is on or we have to go to a 2 minute drill.....The wheels just fall off.  I do not even know statistically how hard would it be to flip a coin 23 times and get heads 5 and tails 18.....

 

Just did it on google-  The results a .401% chance......Winning at least 11 is a 66% chance.....And here we are. Riley was Mr .500   Frost isn't even that in one score games...

The weird thing is that there have been games this year where we have mounted drives in the 4th quarter to take the lead. Some against some good teams. Then, when they actually do that, something stupid on ST or defense happens to give them back the lead. We get the ball back with 3 minutes left and fall apart. 

[BigRedBuster]

 

[CyHawk]

It is simply the fact that Scott Frost is evidently happy with moral victories. 

[Stone Cold]

23 minutes ago, CyHawk said:

It is simply the fact that Scott Frost is evidently happy with moral victories. 

Bruh, youve got your own problems