Here are our takeaways from a long night in Lincoln for the Wildcats.
Northwestern defense was abysmal
The Wildcat defense was a sieve against Nebraska, allowing 56 points on 664 yards, the most ever allowed by a Pat Fitzgerald defense.
The scoring bonanza began with Nebraska's opening drive which was three plays for 75 yards and a touchdown in just 50 seconds. Northwestern has given up TDs on the first possession of each game against a Power Five opponent this year.
Seven of Nebraska's first eight drives were touchdowns, and each one covered 57 or more yards and lasted longer than four minutes. The Cornhuskers' previous high score against a Power Five team was 22 against Illinois in Week 1; they had 35 at halftime against the Cats. Defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil needs to go back to the drawing board or this season could get out of hand fast.
Fitzgerald shouldered the responsibility for the rough performance and still expressed faith when asked about O'Neil and the defense.
"Ultimately, I'm the guy who's responsible for the way we play," Fitzgerald said. "I've got great confidence in our defensive staff and our defensive players."
Nebraska dominated the line of scrimmage, made big plays
434-37: That is the comparison of Nebraska's rushing yards to Northwestern's. The Cornhuskers controlled this game from the start, and that stemmed from their offensive and defensive lines. Their defense lived in the backfield, forcing a fumble on the goal line and sacking Ryan Hilinski four times.
Offensively, the Nebraska line had their way with the Northwestern defense. Running back Jaquez Yant gashed the Wildcats on 13 carries for 127 yards and wide receiver Zavier Betts chipped in an 83-yard touchdown run.
Coach Fitzgerald called quarterback Adrian Martinez a "human highlight reel" earlier this week and he lived up to the billing, rushing for 57 yards and three touchdowns.
Martinez also had time to sit in the pocket and pick apart the defense. He was never seriously pressured, throwing several long passes, including a 70-yard completion on the first play of the game and a 38-yard touchdown in the third quarter for Nebraska's seventh touchdown, both to Samari Toure. After 202 yards through the air, Martinez took a seat halfway through the third quarter as the Huskers extended the blowout.
Hilinski established himself as the quarterback
The Wildcats were blown out in Lincoln, plain and simple. But Hilinski showed improvement from his performance as a game manager against Ohio and made some plays in the passing game.
The South Carolina transfer, making just his second start as a Wildcat, took care of the ball, made smart throws and occasionally stretched the field. He finished 25 for 39 for 256 yards and a touchdown passing.
With a large deficit, his numbers were inflated and his efficiency dropped as the Wildcats tried to get back in the game through the air. Hilinski continued to push the offense even as the Cornhusker lead ballooned.
He said after the game that this team is at a crossroads.
"We owe it to coach Fitz, we owe it to our coaches and we owe to our families, we owe it to each other," Hilinski said. "And that's just something that's not in our repertoire, to quit. And that's just not what we're going to do. So I know the guys will respond."
If the defense can keep games from getting out of hand and let this offense find a rhythm, Hilinski showed he can deliver numbers at quarterback that have gotten Northwestern to wins in the past.
Robinson shines despite the score
One of the bright spots in an otherwise pitch-black night was the play of Northwestern wide receiver Stephon Robinson Jr.
Robinson Jr. had several big plays on the Cornhusker defense, tallying eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. He had three catches for 69 yards on the Wildcats’ lone TD drive, in the first quarter.
Malik Washington also had a strong game with three catches for 64 yards, including a 43-yarder, and seems to be building a good rapport with Hilinski.
Hilinski raved about Robinson Jr.
"The dude is a baller," Hilinski said. "I mean, he just gets open, he makes plays for you. You want to get the ball in his hands."
Before the game got completely out of hand, Hilinski and Robinson Jr. connected on a pretty 28-yard pass that found Robinson Jr. in the corner of the end zone. If Northwestern's defense can keep the team in games, the Hilinski-Robinson Jr. connection could open up the offense.
The bye week is much needed
This team needs to take a deep breath and reset, especially on defense. When the matchup with Nebraska goes from a 21-13 win in 2020 to a 56-7 beatdown in the span of a season, stock needs to be taken from top to bottom.
Northwestern has yet to post a win over a Power Five opponent and face nothing but Big Ten teams the rest of the way, including matchups with Top 15 Iowa and Michigan. O'Neil and Fitzgerald need to get into the lab to reshape this defense into a unit that can get stops if this season can even be remotely salvaged.
Fitzgerald made it clear that the team won't dwell on this game and will put in the time to come out of this bye week better.
"You don't stop, you don't pout, you don't point fingers, you just stick together" Fitzgerald said. "You work your tail off together, you come back fighting and you find a way to go 1-0 in your next opportunity."
After a bye, Northwestern hosts 3-2 Rutgers, which has played better than expected and challenged Michigan before getting routed by Ohio State on Saturday. The Wildcats desperately need to get back on track, and two weeks of prep for Rutgers who travels to Evanston after hosting Michigan State, could be just what the doctor ordered.
If the Wildcats can't get a win over Rutgers on Homecoming, the four-game stretch of Michigan-Minnesota-Iowa-Wisconsin could be grisly for a program that promised to never repeat the 3-9 mark from 2019.
