Missouri hands Huskers second loss of season

One thing was evident during Saturday night's game between Nebraska and No. 4 Missouri - the Tiger offense showed up to play.

The Tigers outrushed, outpassed and outscored the Cornhuskers as MU blasted the Big Red 52-17.

One thing was not evident during Saturday night's game - Nebraska's offensive power. In fact, the Huskers only looked like they were on the offensive during their first drive of the game.

"Missouri was better than us (Saturday night)," NU Coach Bo Pelini said. "I apologized to the team. We got out-coached tonight. We weren't well-enough prepared. We got beat and we got beat soundly."

Pelini came to Nebraska as a coach highly touted for a stout defense he would be able to boast against tough Big 12 Conference opponents.

So far, Pelini is 0-1 in conference play. Chase Daniel, Missouri's senior quarterback and a likely Heisman finalist, assaulted the NU defense through the air while Missouri's Derrick Washington took care of the work on the ground.

Washington found the endzone twice on the ground while Daniel threw for three touchdowns of his own.

Nebraska scored just two touchdowns. One of them came at the end of the contest against Missouri's backups. The frustration of the weekend's contest wasn't always present, however.

Missouri scored in a mere three plays to start the game on a 63-yard scoring drive capped off by a 58-yard TD pass from Daniel to teammate Jeremy Maclin, but Nebraska answered.

NU senior quarterback Joe Ganz orchestrated a seven-play drive that covered 60 yards and ended with a 20-yard TD pass from Ganz to senior receiver Nate Swift. The score was 7-7, and signs of a shootout were looming.

That changed quickly.

Missouri added another touchdown just eight plays later, and Nebraska got the ball right back. In the blink of an eye, NU went from its own 25-yard-line to MU's side of the 50, but then the NU attack slowed.

Ganz faced a second down and got sacked. The next play - sacked again.

NU punted, and the face of the game changed for the last time. Missouri ran off 38 unanswered points before NU's final touchdown and Husker fans left a half-vacant Memorial Stadium.

"We made mistakes you can't make against a good opponent," NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.

"Give Missouri all the credit in the world. You can't shoot yourselves in the foot. You can't do that against a good opponent. We just need to get better at blocking movement, and that's one of the big things. We just need to keep grinding and working."

Saturday night's loss to Missouri marked the fourth time in five games that Nebraska could not run the football.

They totaled just 79 yards on 35 carries while the Tigers were able to run all over NU and total 201 yards off 34 carries (one less than NU). Ganz said even if the Huskers can't get things going on the ground, they should be able to get things going through the air.

To a point, NU did that. Nebraska actually outgained Missouri through the air as Ganz threw for 290 yards compared to Daniel's 253.

Ganz said unless something changes quickly, 2007 might be revisiting the Huskers.

"We better rebound fast, otherwise we're gonna get killed again next week," Ganz said. "We need to rebound faster than we ever have before. We need to get this ship righted. I don't want to feel like this again."

Something will indeed have to change or Ganz is going to feel the same way next week.

The Huskers will face another potent offense in No. 7 Texas Tech. The Red Raiders will be the second top-10 ranked team Nebraska will have to face in as many weeks.

Texas Tech showed they have quite the punch in the Big 12 on Saturday night as well. They blasted Kansas State 58-28 in a game that saw TTU quarterback Graham Harrell throw for five touchdowns in the first half.

Pelini knows his team will have to have a short memory as they prepare for the high-octane offense of TTU, and Pelini didn't come short at all of expressing his feelings after the tough loss.

"Damn right, yes, I am embarrassed," Pelini said. "I apologize to the team, I apologize to the state of Nebraska, I apologize to everybody associated with the University of Nebraska football, and it's my responsibility. I was hired to do a job, and I didn't do that job tonight."