Nebraska-Iowa final score: 3 things we learned from the Cornhuskers’ 37-34 OT win

The Big Ten’s first gift to Rivalry Week was a good one. West Division also-rans Nebraska and Iowa went down to the wire Friday afternoon, with the Cornhuskers emerging victorious with the 37-34 overtime win.

The first half was pretty much a disaster for both teams. We saw six turnovers in the first two quarters, with four of them from Iowa. The Hawkeyes still managed to take a 10-7 lead into halftime, returning an interception for a touchdown and holding the Cornhuskers scoreless until Iowa’s last turnover of the half.

Iowa started the second half on a more positive note, as Jake Rudock found Tevaun Smith for the 37-yard score. Ameer Abdullah started to get going after a slow first half, and it looked like Nebraska might get back into this, but then their special teams struck. The Cornhuskers punted the ball off a lineman’s helmet, resulting in an Iowa touchdown.

Nebraska was able to pull back with 21 straight points. Tommie Armstrong threw two touchdown passes, and after a defensive stop, De’Mornay Pierson-El took an Iowa punt 80 yards right up the middle for the lead-taking touchdown.

Iowa was able to drive down the field late in the fourth, making it to the goal-line on effective power running from Mark Weisman. Rudock found Jordan Canzeri in the flat for a five-yard score, taking the late lead. Nebraska was able to drive down the field and kick a short field goal before the end of regulation, forcing overtime.

After Iowa kicked a field goal in their first overtime possession, Armstrong found Bell in the end zone for the win.

via ABC

1. Bo Pelini may finally break that four-loss rut this year. This was supposed to be the year, right? After six straight four-loss seasons (including bowl game results), it looked like Nebraska would finally break that rut under Pelini when they started the season 8-1. Consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Minnesota changed that tune, but the Cornhuskers were able to win a much-needed game Friday.

Or Nebraska will lose their bowl game and keep the streak alive. Nobody can predict this squad.

2. Ameer Abdullah can not be stopped, he can only be temporarily contained. The record-breaking running back was held to 18 yards on five carries in the first half before exploding after halftime. We saw one hint of it before the break, when Abdullah caught a crucial touchdown pass at the end of the first half, but second half Abdullah was nearly unrecognizable from the first. Nebraska used him regularly and allowed him to pound the defense, gaining a bulk of his yardage after first contact and finishing with 106 yards on 13 carries.

3. Iowa was close to a very different kind of season. Four of the Hawkeyes’ five losses were by a touchdown or less, with three by a field goal or less (Nebraska, Iowa State, Wisconsin). Iowa should not really be losing to Iowa State at this point and the Minnesota blowout was embarrassing, but the Hawkeyes were still this close against two of the division’s elite.