As the Nebraska-Michigan State game headed toward the two-minute mark of the third quarter, a four-win October was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
That’s because the Rhule third-year narrative was on the ropes, backed into a corner after Michigan State hit the Cornhuskers in the mouth with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns and took a 21-14 lead. In fact, the whole Matt Rhule era was wilting, and the Huskers were fading in the oppressive early October heat with a 30-mph wind in their face and only 77 total yards to the their name after blowing a 14-point lead. Sitting quietly in Memorial Stadium, Husker fans had a familiar sick feeling as they watched opportunity slip through their team’s fingers and they turned up the urgency, raining down some boos on their team as they watched Rhule’s career record in Lincoln slide dangerously near the .500 mark.
Dana Holgorsen’s offense was baffled and ineffective, squandering great field position right and left, giving away pretty much every advantage provided by Mike Ekeler’s special teams and two interceptions by DeShon Singleton. Dylan Raiola’s passing game was out of sync and the sophomore quarterback was under the gun, harassed into a crippling interception that set up the Spartans for a go-ahead touchdown midway through the quarter. At that very moment, Raiola, angered by the boos from the home crowd, was 6-for-10 with one interception and just 38 yards…