Nebraska Cornhuskers blinded by the spotlight in loss at Wisconsin

The college football polls were released Sunday, and Nebraska didn’t fall out of the top 25.

But the idea of the Cornhuskers as a national player took a major hit on Saturday in a 59-24 loss at Wisconsin.

Badgers running back Melvin Gordon was the headline with his NCAA-record 408 rushing yards. The incredible performance might land Gordon the Heisman Trophy, and he now stands with the likes of Alan Ameche, Ron Dayne and Montee Ball on a long list of great Wisconsin backs.

That the monster game occurred against a proud program that has been gashed far too often when playing under a spotlight leaves a fan base bewildered and wondering if coach Bo Pelini has the ability to get Nebraska to a conference championship level.

Losses like Saturday proves the Cornhuskers aren’t close.

They weren’t in 2012, when Nebraska lost the Big Ten championship game to Wisconsin, surrendering 70 points and 539 rushing yards, a record against the Cornhuskers.

That mark stood until Saturday, when the Badgers went for 581 on the ground.

There have been good moments for Nebraska in the Big Ten, victories over Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin. But no flag-planting occurrence. No conference title, no major bowl game and plenty of heartache in high-profile moments.

What’s more, in the big games Nebraska tends to fall apart after grabbing an early lead. The Huskers led 17-3 in the second quarter on Saturday and surrendered 56 straight points.

Nebraska seems to have settled into about the same level it occupied in its final Big 12 years; good enough to regularly beat Iowa State and Illinois but unable to break through when it counts the most.

Pelini didn’t want to bite on a deep-meaning question after the romp.

“You know what? I don’t get into all these big-picture talks,” Pelini said. “That’s one football game. This program has won a lot of football games.”

But not the big ones, those that define a championship program like the ones Nebraska produced in the 1990s. The latest disappointment occurred in Pelini’s seventh season, long after these types of losses should have ceased.

RISING

Leon Allen, Western Kentucky and Tevin Coleman, Indiana

With Wisconsin’s Gordon going for an NCAA-record 408 rushing yards, Allen and Coleman got lost in the shuffle, and all they did was run wild. Allen set a Conference USA record with 345 rushing yards in a 52-24 victory over Army.

Coleman went for 307, the second best output in Hoosiers’ history, but Indiana fell to Rutgers 45-23.

Missouri

The 34-27 victory at Texas A&M was the Tigers’ ninth straight on the road, and seven have come in Southeastern Conference play. Mizzou improved to 12-2 in SEC regular-season games in the last two years.

SEC

When the next College Football Playoff rankings are announced, the league probably will have two teams projected. Alabama’s 25-20 victory over top-ranked Mississippi State will vault the Crimson Tide and probably not drop the Bulldogs far. Florida State and Oregon should join Alabama and Mississippi State in the top four rankings.

FALLING

Todd Gurley

Terrible break for the Georgia running back star. In the fourth quarter of the Bulldogs’ 34-7 victory of Auburn, Gurley suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. The season-ending injury occurred in Gurley’s first action after serving a four-game suspension for taking $3,000 for autographed memorabilia.

Will Muschamp

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley waited until the Gators were eliminated from the division chase to announce Muschamp was fired, effective at the season’s end. Saturday’s 23-20 overtime loss at home to South Carolina left Muschamp with a 27-20 record in his fourth season. Muschamp replaced Urban Meyer, who won two national titles with the Gators, and although he posted an 11-2 record two years ago, Muschamp couldn’t win enough at Florida.

Arizona State

The Sun Devils were in a position to control the Pac-12 South with a victory at Oregon State. Instead, the Beavers scored the game’s final 14 points and pulled off the 35-27 triumph. Southern California, Arizona State, Arizona and UCLA each have two league losses. Those four plus Utah are alive for the division title and chance to meet Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game.

COMMITTEE OF ONE

PROJECTING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF:

▪ SUGAR BOWL: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 Mississippi State

▪ ROSE BOWL: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Oregon

▪ Knocking on the door: Baylor, TCU, Ohio State

This story was originally published November 16, 2014 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Nebraska Cornhuskers blinded by the spotlight in loss at Wisconsin."