Lincoln, not just the stadium itself during the game, will be dead or certainly eerily quiet and subdued after a disheartening loss. In this case, it was not just the NW game that was lost but really the bulk of the remaining hopes for the season sailed away as well. Frankly, this loss was the roughest and worst of the year in my view. Any unrealistic hopes or wishes for something to be salvaged for 2015 were gone. The team played poorly once again for at least half the game. We just can't put together 4 quarters. I really can't remember the last time the Huskers played well and up to par for an entire game, start to finish. I'd think it might be in the 2000 bowl game against Tennessee. We played really well that night as I recall.
That is a bunch of games ago!! By the time you have gone through 15 seasons and all those long spells between January 1 and Sept. 1, you kind of lose the ability to get fired up and stay focused for a long Saturday pregame to post game party. Losing has always taken the wind out of the downtown party atmosphere. I was not there but I can imagine the bars were not even three quarters filled after the game either. It would have been pretty much a downer but not the usual kind of 'shock and dismay' but more the grumbling disgust feeling as the product on the field contiunes to suck. Let's face it: the Huskers are just not very good and are not playing very well. It is the fault of many things combining together - way too many years of subpar coaching, recruiting, over hyping, under performing, failing to strive for excellence, etc, etc etc. Whatever can go wrong, does! It will take the combined efforts of literally 120,000 people from the fans to the players and their friends and families, and the students and faculty and the merchants downtown , etc. Nebraska football was a phenomenom really. It is gone! It won't come back easily without a mammoth effort. It won't happen overnight or within a year or two. It is a complete rebuilding process. Many have written on this board and in the papers, etc that Nebrasks doesn't need rebuilt, it needs a good tune up! I say BS to that. We are facing a complete rebuilding from the foundation up. Many have contributed to its collapse and many will be required to remake it.
