Nebraska Football: Future is bright despite loss to Iowa in finale

Despite losing the season finale to rival Iowa, Nebraska football has proven that its future is bright, ending the season with four wins in six games.

Just one week after recording that signature win Scott Frost needed to get off his feet at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers went on the road and took rival Iowa down to the wire, ultimately losing 31-28 on a last-second 41-yard field goal by the Hawkeyes.

Despite this loss, though, the Cornhuskers look like future contenders in the Big Ten West.

After an 0-6 start to the season, Frost looked to be headed toward disaster in his first campaign with the Cornhuskers. Then, he got his guys to believe in his system. They finished the year with four wins in their final six games, including wins over Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan State and near-victories over Ohio State and Iowa.

The Cornhuskers, who were the laughing stock of the Big Ten for the first half of the season, were just eight points away from bowl eligibility.

It didn’t hurt that freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez broke out as one of the conference’s best dual-threats and a rising star in college football. He helped lead the Cornhuskers back from a 28-13 fourth-quarter deficit to tie it up with a beautifully-executed two-point conversion completion in the back of the end zone.

The Big Ten should be aware of the budding monster that is Nebraska.

Mike Riley left the Cornhuskers in shambles heading into the 2018 season and Frost was there to pick up the pieces, finish the 2018 recruiting class off on a high note and retain most of the key players who would help them win games.

Fast forward to the season finale and the Cornhuskers have to feel better about the future.

They have an improving defense, contended with a Big Ten West power (Iowa) and an East contender (Ohio State) while taking down another (Michigan State) and have a strong backfield duo of Martinez and Maurice Washington.

Nebraska is only going to get better from here.