With Nebraska holding a 17-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Cornhuskers’ offense and the Gophers’ student section began dancing.
With music blaring during the TV timeout, both groups started their Saturday night pre-parties.
About 50 yards away, however, the Gophers’ defense was sullen.
The Gophers gave up season highs for total yards and points in a 48-25 loss to Nebraska before 54,062 fans Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium that puts Minnesota’s hopes for a fourth straight bowl game in jeopardy.
After next week’s bye, the Gophers (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) will play three ranked opponents and have a much steeper uphill climb to reach six wins and gain bowl eligibility.
“It’s frustrating, looking at the goals we set earlier in the season and looking at where we are now, but it’s part of the game,” Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner said. “Things like this happen, and you have to be able to keep fighting back.”
The Gophers will face No. 12 Michigan on Oct. 31 and then play at No. 1 Ohio State and at No. 17 Iowa.
“I knew we were going to have a tough schedule,” Gophers coach Jerry Kill said. “But the year is not over. We get some pieces of the puzzle back and we will go back to work. College football is a strange game.”
The Gophers came into Saturday with the 21st-best defense in total yards, allowing an average of 306.2 yards per game, including 142.8 on the ground.
The Huskers (3-4, 1-2) had 464 total yards, including 203 yards rushing, in ending a two-game losing streak to the Gophers. Nebraska had lost four games in the last 10 seconds but bounced back to give first-year coach Mike Riley his first Big Ten win.
On the third offensive play of the game, Nebraska running back Terrell Newby ran untouched on a 69-yard touchdown.
It was the longest rush the Gophers have given up since a 78-yard run by Missouri’s Russell Hansbrough in the Citrus Bowl last year. It was by far the longest play Minnesota has given up, run or pass, this season. A 49-yard pass against Colorado State was the previous longest.
On Newby’s big play, he ran toward the right side, where cornerback Jalen Myrick was blitzing to the outside and linebacker Jack Lynn was blocked in.
The Newby run looked like a great play call into a blitz — until the rest of the game transpired.
Afterward, however, Kill called it a busted alignment on defense.
“They had some explosive plays and then they controlled the ball,” Kill said.
The Gophers were without linebacker Cody Poock, their leading tackler who was out with an unspecified injury, and linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who played sparingly.
“One of those things where you need your best players out there, but the kids that went, played as hard as they could,” Kill said. “I love them all.”
Late in the third quarter, Nebraska added a 99-yard touchdown drive. The Huskers had plays of 20, 13, 18, 25 and 11 yards, and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Armstrong to Cethan Carter capped it.
The Gophers coaching staff was concerned about the varying looks they would see from the Huskers under Riley.
“All year they’ve kinda been doing different stuff each game because they’re still finding their identity with the new coach and all,” said Minnesota safety Antonio Johnson. “We were ready for a lot of different scenarios, but I don’t think they outschemed us, they just made more plays.”
The Cornhuskers led 24-14 at the half and totaled 257 total yards, including 131 rushing.
The Gophers hoped to run the ball like they had in their previous two wins against Nebraska but were limited to 65 yards rushing.
“There just wasn’t anywhere to go, running the football,” Kill said. “It was just hard sledding in there. They made it very tough.”
The Gophers rushed for 281 yards in last year’s 28-24 comeback win over the Huskers in Lincoln. They had 271 rushing yards in a 34-23 win over Nebraska in 2013.
Leidner threw for a career-high 301 yards Saturday but threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown with two minutes left.
Leidner threw another interception to Nate Gerry on the next drive. Gerry went to the fan section wearing Husker red and waved for them to stand.
That’s when Huskers’ party began in full force, and a “Go Big Red!” chant broke out.
Follow Andy Greder at twitter.com/andygreder.