NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Oklahoma 62, Nebraska 28

THE GOOD ...
- THE LAST THREE QUARTERS: Once the nightmare of the first fifteen minutes in Norman ended, Nebraska basically traded punches with one of the top teams in the nation. Sure, it was garbage time by the third quarter, but if you're looking for positives, Nebraska's bounce back was one of them.
- THE RUNNING BACK OF THE FUTURE: Amazingly enough, he's also the running back of the present. As has been argued by a certain Re-Viewer since the New Mexico State game, Roy Helu is Nebraska's best weapon at running back. Given the amount of work he got in Norman, it may be that the coaching staff has started to come to that conclusion. Marlon Lucky has probably earned a starter's role, but Helu should have the majority of carries by the end of the game.
-

THE BAD ...
- THE FIRST QUARTER: Wha hoppen? My popcorn wasn't finished before NU was down 14-0. Nebraska lost its' composure after the quick fourteen points, and the Sooners pounced and buried Nebraska's chances to win, or even to make the game competitive. More evidence that NU has a rookie head coach and a team psyche still fragile from last year's adventure.
- OUTCOACHED: It was one play, but it really was a backbreaker. On Nebraska's first play from scrimmage, it was painfully obvious that OU's defense was waiting for quarterback Joe Ganz to throw a bubble screen. That pick six, which had to have been prepared for all week, is something that simply should not happen in the early stages of the game. On that play, Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson got his lunch eaten by OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
- UNDISCIPLINED: It's a running theme, most easily seen in the continued penalties that give aid and comfort to the opponents. But the problems on the kickoff coverage are also a discipline issue, specifically the discipline of staying in your lane to prevent seams from opening. NU still has huge lapses in that category.

... AND THE TAKEAWAY.
When you spot a team like Oklahoma 35 points in Norman, things aren't going to go well. That disastrous first quarter almost makes the rest of the game meaningless, as there was no digging out of the hole NU had dug. Iowa State and Baylor were good wins, and Texas Tech was a solid performance, but the Sooners showed that Nebraska is still a long way from being ready for prime time. More disturbingly, this game showed that Nebraska is still only a couple of bad plays away from looking disturbingly like the 2007 'Huskers.

THE BIG PICTURE
It would be very easy to read too much into the result of this game. Let us not forget, Bo Pelini is a rookie, and was playing a whole lot of walkons on defense. While it is disturbing to see NU throw up such a clunker, the fact of the matter is that NU does not have the talent level or confidence level to be able to compete on an elite stage. For NU to play well against the big boys, they have to play a perfect game and hope for a mistake from their opponents (see Tech, Texas). Giving away points - particularly 35 of them - is too much to ask this group of 'Huskers to overcome.

THE NEXT GAME
Kansas (-2.5) at Nebraska. The Jayhawks come to Lincoln confident after a pasting of in-state rival Kansas State, a pasting bad enough to cost K-State coach Ron Prince his job. That pounding, however, might be a little misleading, as it looks more and more like the Purples have quit on their coach. KU's defense struggles, and they do not have the athletic talent of a team like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, or even Missouri. They win by out-executing their opponents, something that Nebraska has a spotty record of doing. NU has not been a great home team this year, but there's enough players from last year's squad who remember the 76 the Jayhawks hung on NU. When the talent level is even, Pelini's track record is good at having it team ready. Take the points and take Nebraska to get well and bowl eligible against the Fighting Manginos.

GBR, baby.