It took much more time than expected, but Nebraska football picked up their first win of the Scott Frost era, trouncing Minnesota in front of the Huskers’ home crowd.
The optimism in Lincoln, NE was decimated over the first seven weeks of the 2018 season. Moral was so low the question of whether or not the Huskers would go winless this season was seriously being discussed. Frost’s early results didn’t align with the aspirations of a proud Big Red fanbase and frustration was mounting. Then the Huskers blew out Minnesota at home.
The win came against the only other Big Ten team not named Rutgers that entered the weekend winless in conference play. The Gophers were starting a true freshman at quarterback and ranked 13th in the conference in total offense. This wasn’t one of the juggernauts of the conference, but it was a win and something Nebraska can build on going forward.
A week removed from a squandered 14-point fourth quarter lead against Northwestern, Nebraska kept their foot on the gas from the word go against Minnesota. Running back Devine Ozigbo ripped off a 40-yard touchdown run on the Huskers’ first drive. The teams traded a few punts and Ozigbo ran one in from 59 yards out. The Huskers held a 28-0 lead late in the second before Minnesota put up eight points at the end of the half.
It wouldn’t be a 2018 Nebraska game without a bit of drama. The Gophers scored the first 14 points after halfime to cut the deficit to 28-22 midway through the third quarter. Rather than succumb to another second half collapse, Frost’s team responded with a few long touchdown passes from quarterback Adrian Martinez to Stanley Morgan Jr.to cap off the victory.
Next weekend Nebraska hosted Bethune Cookman, making a two-game winning streak more than plausible for a team that had to wait more than a month for their first victory. The Huskers finish the season against Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State and Iowa. If they can knock off one of those four the Huskers could prove a this wasn’t just a flash in the pan. For now, things look pretty rosy in Lincoln.