LINCOLN, Neb. — The thing about overtime in college football is that stuff doesn’t even out over time. It’s not like a coin toss.
In fact, let’s look at the coin flips from Nebraska ’s eight overtime contests since it beat Iowa in OT 10 years ago. Nebraska won four of those eight flips — including the coin toss at the start of overtime Friday night before Illinois dominated the extra period to beat the Huskers 31-24 in the Big Ten opener for both programs. Advertisement In trying to explain Nebraska’s recent misery in close games, some fans and pundits have reasoned that good fortune evens out over time.
The Huskers appeared especially unlucky at times in losing 22 of 27 games decided by eight points or fewer under former coach Scott Frost. Frost said the Huskers felt “snakebit” after a painful loss at Illinois to open the 2021 season. All of the stressors and key factors present in the second half of a close game increase in importance during overtime.
OT is like a super-charged fourth quarter. Mistakes are magnified. One error often determines the outcome.
The reality that Nebraska has played so poorly in overtime speaks to the larger problems that plague the Huskers in close games. Second-year coach Matt Rhule, 8-8 at Nebraska, is now 1-6 in one-score decisions. He’s 0-2 in OT.
For all that Rhule has fixed in Lincoln, the Huskers’ struggles to succeed in the high-stakes spots of a close game still exist. GO DEEPER Nebraska might not be a 'bad football.