Cincinnati = Clemson

[RedMyMind2.0]

Rewatched the game and it harkened back the 2008 Gator Bowl against Clemson.

Stingy, physical defense with a big bodied QB making a last ditch attempt to close out the game but thwarted by Nebraska D.

 

[HuskerO58]

Rewatched the game and it harkened back the 2008 Gator Bowl against Clemson.

Stingy, physical defense with a big bodied QB making a last ditch attempt to close out the game but thwarted by Nebraska D.

That 2008 bowl game was a ton of fun to watch.

 

[RedMyMind2.0]

That 2008 bowl game was a ton of fun to watch.

so much hope in those early years

 

[anon1765477286]

Cincinnati was a good team, not a team that you are going to roll. It doesn't seem like anyone on this board gives them any credit at all. I don't think we played our best game but even if we had, we likely wouldn't of won by more than two scores (10-14pts)

 

[broken record]

Rewatched the game and it harkened back the 2008 Gator Bowl against Clemson.

Stingy, physical defense with a big bodied QB making a last ditch attempt to close out the game but thwarted by Nebraska D.

I was concerned going into the game that it was one we could lose. They are better than last year's record and second half slide. Their lines are above average and Sorsby is as good a runner as a running back. Plus we had the mental aspects of history still hanging over us from close game losses.
This was a critical win and one to build off at the start of the year. The D has to improve but now has the advantage of some weaker opponents to clean things up, get some of the backups playing time, and the starters will be fresher going into the Michigan win.
The college football landscape is just much more competitive than in decades past. A win is a win. The Big 10 is incredibly deep and winning that non conf schedule is paramount. Game one mission accomplished.

 

[TruHusker]

A “win is a win” is a nice cliche’ but there is a bigger picture here that is concerning.

Cincinnati had a new D coordinator and they were more than able to stick with us their game plan of cover three safety play. UCLA did the same thing to us last year.

Our D did not adjust. The QB continually got yards to the outside, no contain on the edges. I don’t expect a play to be made in every snap but I do expect guys to be coached well enough to be in the right position to make the play.

This is a Cincinnati team that last their last five games and their coach has been under fire. You can look at their final drive two different ways - we let them drive the ball down the field with little resistance only to have Hartzog make spectacular play or we played well enough to win and stepped up when we had to too.

Winning a close game is nice, Boston College was a close win. Is our new standard? To make it worse I am not sure how much we learn the next two games against these opponents.

 

[Walleye 1]

A “win is a win” is a nice cliche’ but there is a bigger picture here that is concerning.

Cincinnati had a new D coordinator and they were more than able to stick with us their game plan of cover three safety play. UCLA did the same thing to us last year.

Our D did not adjust. The QB continually got yards to the outside, no contain on the edges. I don’t expect a play to be made in every snap but I do expect guys to be coached well enough to be in the right position to make the play.

This is a Cincinnati team that last their last five games and their coach has been under fire. You can look at their final drive two different ways - we let them drive the ball down the field with little resistance only to have Hartzog make spectacular play or we played well enough to win and stepped up when we had to too.

Winning a close game is nice, Boston College was a close win. Is our new standard? To make it worse I am not sure how much we learn the next two games against these opponents.

Next 2 games isn’t about the fans learning anything. Now there is a game on tape and the next 2 weeks is working on rotations and shoring up some short comings. Will they get it together? Time will tell. These games allow for the offense to work on rhythm and defensive rotations. Especially the front 7.

 

[GeorgeFlippin]

Cincy has plenty of good athletes, the scraps they get from Ohio State still is pretty darn good.

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

A “win is a win” is a nice cliche’ but there is a bigger picture here that is concerning.

Cincinnati had a new D coordinator and they were more than able to stick with us their game plan of cover three safety play. UCLA did the same thing to us last year.

Our D did not adjust. The QB continually got yards to the outside, no contain on the edges. I don’t expect a play to be made in every snap but I do expect guys to be coached well enough to be in the right position to make the play.

This is a Cincinnati team that last their last five games and their coach has been under fire. You can look at their final drive two different ways - we let them drive the ball down the field with little resistance only to have Hartzog make spectacular play or we played well enough to win and stepped up when we had to too.

Winning a close game is nice, Boston College was a close win. Is our new standard? To make it worse I am not sure how much we learn the next two games against these opponents.

This may be unpopular to some, but “YES” winning close games is the new standard for the 2025 season. Coming off 5+ years of losing close games, getting to a mentality of winning would be a good accomplishment. There are probably 2 games where we likely lose (Mich / PSU), although NU could pull an upset. There are 2 games we should win somewhat easily (Akron / HCU). That means there are 8 games that are essentially a toss-up and probably going to be a close game. If Nebraska goes 8-0 in all those games, winning by at least 1 score, then that results in a 10-2 regular season record and likely a playoff berth. If it is 4-4 in the toss-up games, then a slide backward. Right now, we are 1-0 in those 8 more crucial games. We probably need to be 6-2 in these games to feel like sufficient progress has been made in 2025. If that occurs, the standard changes in 2026.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Chiefs won what felt like 10 one score games last year...and went to the SB. Survive and advance baby!!!

 

[inWV]

Rhule didn't sell Cincy short in the couple of weeks leading up to the game. They had NU's attention. The team and coaches were not happy with how things turned out. Rhule wanted more run for the younger RBs, but the way the game played out, that wasn't possible. I'd rather be complaining about a close win than bummed about a close loss.
They need another RB to be able to produce. Maybe Mozee, Nelson and even Ives are capable and we just didn't get a chance to see it. But EJ isn't going to be able to shoulder that amount of reps in the run game.

 

[RBigredMax1]

Winning a close game is nice, Boston College was a close win. Is our new standard? To make it worse I am not sure how much we learn the next two games against these opponents.

if this is the new standard it certainly will be a change from the standard we have seen play out for years.

it’s not like the trajectory goes from losing every close game imaginable to blowing everyone out. Winning close games would be the next step in evolution.

 

[Kakdawg]

A “win is a win” is a nice cliche’ but there is a bigger picture here that is concerning.

Cincinnati had a new D coordinator and they were more than able to stick with us their game plan of cover three safety play. UCLA did the same thing to us last year.

Our D did not adjust. The QB continually got yards to the outside, no contain on the edges. I don’t expect a play to be made in every snap but I do expect guys to be coached well enough to be in the right position to make the play.

This is a Cincinnati team that last their last five games and their coach has been under fire. You can look at their final drive two different ways - we let them drive the ball down the field with little resistance only to have Hartzog make spectacular play or we played well enough to win and stepped up when we had to too.

Winning a close game is nice, Boston College was a close win. Is our new standard? To make it worse I am not sure how much we learn the next two games against these opponents.

I think it's all relative to the team we are rooting for. At this point in time ANY win is a good win. We are a program still learning how to win. So yes I'll take a close win every day over a close loss like we have been seeing for about 6 years now.

This is two one score wins in a row. It takes doing that a time or two to start expecting to win in those situations. Am I thrilled with how we looked? Of course not but it's still a step in the right direction no matter how small it is.



Holla