NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Nebraska 32, Baylor 20

THE GOOD ...
- THE COMEBACK: I did not realize until reading the post-game analysis that Nebraska never had a second-half comeback during Bill Callahan's tenure at the helm. Not once. Not even by accident. And it wasn't like Nebraska always had the lead going into the half. NU's third quarter woes had been troubling this season, so to see them come out in the second half and be so successful is another sign of growth.
- HIT 'EM DEEP: For a number of games, NU has made a living with passes 10 yards or shorter. Having such a profile was crying out for attempts to stretch the field. Finally, NU put the deep ball into its' arsenal, being successful once to a wide-open Nate Swift. For Nebraska to continue its' offensive success, the threat of the deep ball has to be present to keep defenses from stacking the short zones and plugging up the bread-and-butter of NU's offense.
- DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS: It's a bit of a corollary to the first point, but it is worth making. Baylor's speed at quarterback and wideout caused Nebraska huge problems at the start of the game. But the we-can't-call-them-Blackshirts-yet (Bo, please, in God's name, just hand the stupid things out already) figured out what they were doing, stayed in their lanes, and made Robert Griffin one-dimensional. Once that happened, Nebraska was able to handle Baylor's attack relatively easily.

THE BAD ...
- COUNTING TO ELEVEN: Particularly in the first half, the NU defense had a terrible time having the right personnel on the field. Some of that was caused by Baylor playing games with 12 and 13 players on the field, but some of that was NU being unprepared. Particularly going into next week, breakdowns like that will result in quick points for the bad guys.
- YELLOW TROUBLE: NU cannot get away from catastrophic penalties. Nebraska helped Baylor keep drives alive with 15-yard infractions, most egregiously on a roughing the punter penalty that extended a Baylor drive. This problem isn't new and, while some of the calls may be borderline, it's consistent enough to be a huge problem.
- TURNOVER DROUGHT: Once again, Nebraska did not force a turnover. Some of that was expected, as Griffin had not thrown an interception all year. But Nebraska got good pressure and, especially in the second half, penetration from the front four against the running game. While being -3 in the turnover ratio and winning by 12 is impressive by itself, it also makes the game that much more difficult to win.

... AND THE SOONERS.
Well, now we get the test. The crimson and cream await Nebraska in Norman after hanging 55 points in the first half (!) on Prince's Purples. Nebraska struggled to contain two freshman playmakers against Baylor at home, so it will be very interesting to see how they handle the slew of All-Americans Oklahoma will roll onto the field on Saturday. On the other hand, Oklahoma's defense has been suspect all year, and Nebraska has played better on the road than at home. A victory over Oklahoma is probably unlikely, but a good showing goes a long way in this rebuilding year for the Big Red.

THE BIG PICTURE
There's no question now that Nebraska has an identity on offense, and a clear idea of what they want to do. Nebraska's defense has demonstrated shocking lapses, but also an ability to bear down (particularly in the red zone) and get stops when they need to. This team also has the senior leadership that was critically missing from last year's club. Apparently at halftime of the Baylor game, it was the seniors that led the way to get the team's attention focused in the right place and pave the way for a comeback. It's a credit to those seniors for taking that role, and a credit to the coaching staff to create a culture for that to happen.

THE NEXT GAME
Nebraska @ Oklahoma. The Sooners have become the Red Raiders, in the sense that their defensive strategy is to outscore their opponent. This doesn't necessarily play well into Nebraska's strengths, particularly if Oklahoma focuses on taking Nebraska's short passing game away. This game will likely be the clearest demonstration of a talent gap between the two clubs, which by itself should be enough for a comfortable Oklahoma victory.

GBR, baby.