Inside the Box Score: Key stats from Nebraska’s loss to Minnesota
After getting out to a 10-0 lead at halftime, the Nebraska Cornhuskers dropped their third game in a row, as the Minnesota Golden Gophers stormed back to defeat the Cornhuskers 20-13.
Following the loss, Nebraska now has a 3-6 overall record and 2-4 conference record. They are now in sixth place in the Big Ten West, ahead of only Northwestern. It will be difficult to gain significant ground in the division down the stretch, as their final three opponents are Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The health of quarterback Casey Thompson is another looming question mark.
Let’s take a look at two key stats from Saturday’s loss.
Nebraska: 14 total yards in the 3rd quarter
The Cornhuskers got off to a solid start, as they led at the half 10-0. Unfortunately, they could not hold onto that lead, and it started with the offense. In the third quarter, they struggled to move the football; they recorded 14 yards of total offense and failed to put any points on the board.
The third quarter performance was reminiscent of Nebraska’s offensive struggles last week against Illinois, when the Cornhuskers only posted 29 yards of total offense in the second half.
Following Saturday’s loss, one thing is clear. Nebraska needs Casey Thompson to be healthy, in order to be competitive down the stretch.
Minnesota: 4.6 yards per play
Yes, Nebraska’s offense did struggle on Saturday, but on the bright side, their defense was impressive. The Golden Gophers only mustered 4.6 yards per play, which was their second-lowest mark of the season. Nebraska’s run defense led the way allowing only 2.8 yards per carry.
Minnesota’s 20 points represented their lowest point total in a victory this season. After a rough start, Nebraska’s defense is starting to improve. If their offense can return to form, they have the potential to pull off an upset or two.
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