It was a hot and sunny day in Lincoln...Husker fans were thrilled it was not a dark and stormy night. Unfortunately, the reality of the rebuild facing Husker football became all too clear. Sure Adrian Martinez was hurt, and sure, there were a few bright spots, but the mistakes were too common and a winning mentality isn’t established yet. Frost insisted on a seven year contract, and now we see why. Most Husker fans are tired of being patient, and today didn’t give much reason for hope of a turnaround anytime this season. Remember, community guidelines still apply - you may be angry, but don’t take it out on each other. No name-calling or trolling. Pregame All eyes were on #2, freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez. He went through warm-ups but most fans were expecting the nod to go to Andrew Bunch. The Huskers won the toss and deferred, so we have to wait a series to see who the starting QB is. First Quarter The Blackshirts forced a three and out, thanks to a successful challenge by Coach Frost. Then Troy’s punter uncorked a 70+ yarder that went out the back of the end zone. Andrew Bunch trotted out on the field as most of us expected. The Huskers managed one first down, but Coach Frost made it clear what his game plan was when he called for a run up the middle on a third and long (the result of a sack of Bunch). The Blackshirts recorded a sack early in Troy’s next drive, but then gave up a long pass play from Kaleb Barker to Damion Willis. The Husker defense didn’t allow much more ground and forced a field goal. Troy 3 Nebraska 0 Nebraska’s next offensive series ended much like their early possessions a week earlier vs Colorado when Jack Stoll fumbled after making a nice catch (a dangerous throw in traffic by Bunch). Nebraska’s defense rose to the occasion as Lamar Jackson picked off a Barker pass to Willis. Jackson was beat on the route but made a good adjustment to the ball and fighting for the TO. The offense had one good run by Maurice Washington to get out of the shadow of the Husker’s own end zone, unfortunately they couldn’t get much going as the Troy defense was in the Husker backfield regularly. This game has as much flow as me on a dance floor. — Brian Christopherson (@Husker247BC) September 15, 2018 It really looked like Washington fumbled the ball but a review kept the ball with the Huskers to try and convert a third and 22. Then Troy’s head coach gifted Nebraska a first down by getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It is hard to blame him, I think Troy got the short end on that call. It didn’t last long as Andrew Bunch made a bad decision to throw the ball into traffic (again) and it was picked off. The Huskers seem to think turnovers are gold coins that are burning holes in their pocket - gotta spend ‘em all. The first quarter ends with Husker fans sweating bullets and passing around a hat to buy Adrian Martinez a bionic knee. Huskers 0 Troy 3 Second Quarter The quarter opened with Troy in possession of the ball at midfield. The Blackshirts forced a punt that pinned Nebraska inside the 10. Frost and Co. called all run plays, even on third and eight (and who can blame them). A one dimensional offense is allowing Troy to tee off on the run game and the offensive line is feeling the heat. Troy returned the punt for a touchdown. The whiffed tackles on special teams were something [terrible] to behold. I blame the shiny helmets. — Erin Sorensen (@erinsorensen) September 15, 2018 Troy 10 Nebraska 0 The Husker game found some rhythm in the run game and outside of one YOLO throw by Bunch that was nearly picked off in the end zone, the offense looked a little more like we expected. However, the drive stalled and Barrett Pickering trotted out for a 28, make that a 33 yard field goal after a delay of game penalty. The kick was no good. Pickering is now 0-2 on the season and special teams continues to be a bugaboo for the Huskers. We are all Coach Frost right now... #Huskers pic.twitter.com/NSCT3evETe — Nick Gregath (@Husker_Nick) September 15, 2018 Troy 10 Nebraska 0 Sawyer Smith came out at QB for the Trojans and rambled 57 yards through the middle of the Blackshirt defense, putting Troy near the red zone. Mohammed Barry was called for a personal foul that was reviewed for targeting. The call was upheld and Barry was ejected. That was followed by a personal foul on Will Honas (Berry’s replacement), putting Troy into a first and goal situation. B.J. Smith rumbled into the end zone and the PAT was good. Troy 17 Nebraska 0 Husker Nation is in full panic mode. Nebraska went to the passing game and Bunch connected with a wide open Stanley Morgan for a long completion. That was followed by a nice run by Washington to get Nebraska to the Troy 10 yard line. Bunch followed that with a bullet to Morgan in the back of the end zone and the red balloons finally got to fly. Troy 17 Nebraska 7 The Blackshirts stood tall and forced a three-and-out. Deontre Thomas had a nice tackle to force the punt. The Husker offense answered with their own three-and-out and Troy got the ball back with 1:20 left in the half. Troy fumbled a snap, but was able to recover. Halftime Troy 17 Nebraska 7 HALFTIME STATS : Total Yards➡ Troy: 119 Neb: 197 Passing➡ Troy:52 Neb:92 Rushing➡ Troy: 67 Neb: 105 1st downs➡ Troy: 4 Neb: 12 Penalties➡ Troy: 3-25 Neb: 5-34 Turnovers➡ Troy: 1 Neb: 2 TOP➡ Troy: 13:03 Neb: 16:57#Huskers trail 17-7.https://t.co/50KkPShLgs — 1011Sports (@1011Sports) September 15, 2018 Third Quarter Nebraska received the second half kickoff. The Huskers put a couple good plays on the field but had to punt.<doc-sep>The first half was a difficult one for Husker fans as they watched their offense turn the ball over and sputter. They found some tempo and momentum in the second quarter. Can they build on that? Has Andrew Bunch worked out the kinks? Let’s hope so! Go Big Red! !<doc-sep>Behind enemy lines What those in the opposing locker room said: Coach Neal Brown: “I’m proud of our guys. I thought we showed tremendous grit and determination. We didn’t play great football as we went through the game, but I thought our kids played at a high level special teams-wise. Our defense bent but they didn’t break. I thought we flew to the ball and tackled better than we had at any point this season. Offensively, we just found some ways to make some key plays. Punt returner Cedarius Rookard on his touchdown: "Once I had caught the ball a dude missed a tackle, so I run around to the left side towards their sideline, then I cut it back towards our sideline, it’s like a middle return, so I just try and get back to the middle and then do the rest of it." B.J. Smith on his second rushing touchdown: “The O-line was determined. They got a real push to open holes. Once again, they got us to the second level. It’s our job to get the ball in the end zone.” Scanning the wires What other media outlets are saying:<doc-sep>Nebraska is in trouble in the second game of the Scott Frost era. The Huskers, who fell in the season opener to Colorado, are struggling in a major way against Troy this afternoon. Troy is leading, 17-7, at halftime. The Huskers have been without freshman starting quarterback Adrian Martinez. Nebraska’s offense has had major issues both securing the football and moving it down the field. Can the Huskers pull off a second half comeback? ESPN’s Football Power Index has made its prediction. The FPI is confident that Troy will be able to hold on in the second half. It gives the Trojans a better than 50 percent of doing so. ESPN’s FPI gives Troy a 62.0 percent chance to win the game. Nebraska and Troy are playing on BTN. The second half should be starting momentarily. Can the Huskers pull off the comeback?<doc-sep>
Nebraska will look to rebound Saturday morning against the Troy Trojans. The Huskers enter the contest with an 0-1 mark following a 33-28 loss to Colorado last Saturday in the season opener in Lincoln. Nebraska showed promising signs on both sides of the ball, rolling up 565 yards of total offense and registering seven sacks. However, three turnovers and a late Colorado score were the difference in the contest. Troy comes to Lincoln with a 1-1 record, following a 59-7 victory over Florida A&M on Saturday evening. The Trojans opened the year with a home setback against Boise State, but rebounded by rolling up 477 yards of offense and forcing four turnovers in the victory. Troy is coming off an outstanding season in 2017, posting an 11-2 record and capturing the Sun Belt Conference crown. Saturday's matchup will be the fifth all-time meeting between the schools. The Huskers defeated Troy four times in six seasons between 2001 and 2006, with each of the games at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said this week that Troy will test his team in a variety of ways. “They’re a good team,” Frost said. “They had a rough game, Boise had a lot of big plays against them, otherwise it looked like a really evenly matched game. They’re well-coached, they wouldn’t have had the year they had last year without that. I think they’re a little like us playing a bunch of new players and they are young. They are very multiple on defense, you’re never quite sure what they’re going to be in and where they’re going to be. I think they’re kind of similar to us on offense they try to go fast and do some creative things, so it’s going to be a challenge for us. Our team has to rally around each other and rally around whoever is playing quarterback.”