Putting Down the Bulldogs

     The day was a weird one. It started out with an earthquake. A real earthquake. While it wasn't Charlton Heston in collapsing Los Angeles level earthquake, it was as unusual as a construction worker ordering his own pumpkin spice latte.
     The weather was weird, too. Very cool for early September, a little rain, then, just as the stadium was filling in, the skies went sploosh. It was like a freaking monsoon for about 20 minutes, then tapered off, and cleared up just in time for kickoff.
     As far as the game, it almost...almost felt old school. There was a sense of inevitability from the get-go. A feeling that Nebraska was going to pound Fresno State into submission, just how long would it take was the question.
     As I sat in my office, puffing on a cigar, Nebraska Clean Air Act be damned, taking the occasional pull from the desk bottle, I watched the crowd disperse from the stadium to the various sports bars, gin joints flesh bazaars like a cloud of virulent spores. All right, not virulent, we won, so the rage factor was minimized. I can be a little harsh, it's my line of work. I know that they appear outwardly good, but experience has taught me that there are layers that can be peeled back, for a price.
     I reflected on the game, I didn't get into a drive-by-drive breakdown, like Lloyd does. I couldn't even tell you what o-line package was on the field when x play was run for y result, that's like calculus, baby, and I'm not wired, that way.  I look for the key moments, the impressions, the schwerpunkts that happen along the way.
     Nebraska's opening drive, was a bit disappointing, or was it? Super conservative, three running plays and then they ran the missing man punt formation for a delay of game penalty to Honor Sam Foltz, the punter who was killed in a car wreck, this year. Brilliantly handled, coaches. Get it out of the way early in the game. The kids can have their cathartic moment early on, and get back to normal emotional level for the rest of the game.

     Fresno was super classy about the moment, too. You could tell that they honored the moment, as well.
     The Bulldogs came to play. They moved the ball well, early. Not surprising, since Nebraska had nothing to prepare with, since FSU had new coordinators. The defense solidified in time to force a missed field goal. Energy was good, speed looked good, no-one was out of position, Fresno made some good plays. The out route to the tight end was working for them.
     Then, the pounding began. Over the next two possessions, Nebraska ran 17 plays, 1 pass, and scored two touchdowns. It was almost like watching game films from the 80's. The defense was stepping up, too. They forced two 3-and-outs and were controlling the line of scrimmage. The d-line was particularly impressive, as they stoned the FSU o-line and let the backers roam around cleaning stuff up.
     Then, it got sloppy for a while. A Demornay Pierson-El fumble on a jet sweep, set up a long yards to make situation, and two good defensive plays by the Bulldogs forced a punt, which was blocked.
     Fresno State had the drive of the night, only 32 yards, but converted on third down twice. Both times, FSU made good plays. The touchdown, their only touchdown of the night, was a good play design and took advantage of a size mis-match. Gotta give them a 'well done'.
     Sloppiness continued as a dumb penalty for illegal formation negated a first down. Iffy playcalling on a third and 7. Going deep to Westerkamp, ummmm, ok. Another punt, and Fresno is still in business.
     On a third and long, scramble play, Luke Gifford gets a flag for helmet to helmet, giving FSU a first down. Luckily for Nebraska, piss-poor clock management in the final minute, made the Bulldogs settle for a field goal. Personally, I don't think Gifford should have been flagged. He's taller than Virgil, he had his head up, and he approached with his arms up to deflect the pass attempt. Yes, his helmet made contact with Virgil's, so by the letter of the law, the flag comes out. What was more disappointing was how disorganized the defense became after that. They gave up chunks of yards on the drive. Short memories, lad, like politician level short memories.
     The opening of the second half was almost scripted, perfectly. Fresno goes 3&O, Nebraska pounds it right down the Bulldogs' throat. 21-10, breathing room and you can just tell that the o-line is beginning to dominate.
     The rest of the 3rd quarter is a snooze fest. The Blackshirts allowed just 33 yards in the quarter and forced an interception. Except for the first drive, the offense sputtered on their other two drives, amassing four yards and getting knocked for 30 yards in penalties.
     At the end of the 3rd, the impression was one of underperformance. The game should have been in hand, the running game was working, the passing game was ok, special teams was not great and the defense was exceeding my expectations. Put them away, already.
     In the 4th, that's just what they did. Tommy opened the nuclear football and dialed up a launch code to Alonzo Moore. Great strike, score is 28-10, and FSU crumbled.
     The rest of the fourth quarter was old-school. The backups came in and pounded the ball all over the field. Tre Bryant and Mikael Wilbon showed their stuff. Ryker Fife even completed a pass. The most interesting play in the fourth quarter came on an extra point attempt. The Huskers have a new pre-snap alignment for extra point attempts. the snapper, holder and kicker liner up in an I alignment, with 4 o-linemen spread out on each side of the line of scrimmage. Prior to the snap, the linemen assume their usual positions, the holder and kicker line up and kick the PAT. On this play, the snapper snapped the ball to Zac Darlington, the holder, who swept right, then cut back to the inside and powered into the end zone for two. He spun the ball on the turf, getting a penalty (rightly so), but the commenters didn't get into this kid's back story.
    In 2013, his senior year of high school, Zac was playing quarterback in the season's first game. He was a Nebraska prospect, we had even offered him a scholarship. He took a massive hit, and had to be dusted off by helicopter from the field. He had such a severe concussion, he was told that he probably shouldn't play football, anymore. Nebraska stood by him. Former coach, Bo *%$#*, told him that the scholarship offer stood, and he was still welcome here, even if he never played a down. I can understand his exuberance on that play, which we will probably never run, again.
         The only point of interest toward the end of the game was covering Cowboy Steve's betting line, 29 points. Chris Jones prevented lots of money from changing hands with his interception in the end zone. Two plays prior, we got another stupid penalty. The refs made the right call in picking up the flag for targeting, but were right in dropping one for unsportsmanlike conduct. Great breakup by Aaron Williams, but the celebration was over the top. Save that shit for when your getting paid to do it, and the other guy is getting paid to take the risk. Just my 2 cents, which I cant really afford.
     Up next are the Cowboys from Wyoming, and a bit of a reunion with former DC Craig Bohl.
     I went back to watching the crowd. Trying to not let the unpleasantness of porn and blackmail intrude on my enjoyment of the post-game festivities. It would be a losing effort.