Nebraska Football: Two Consecutive Late-Game Collapses Against Top-Tier Opponents
The Huskers allowed Washington to steal a 17-10 victory on Halloween night, repeating a painful pattern from their loss to Oregon two weeks prior.
By Neha Kapoor ·
Nebraska football fans faced a familiar and painful reality on Halloween night when the Huskers lost a 17-10 decision to Washington at Memorial Stadium. The loss marked the second consecutive week that Nebraska held a lead in the fourth quarter against a top-five preseason team only to falter in the closing minutes. The team allowed Washington to score twice in the final period, erasing a 10-3 deficit that had been in Nebraska's favor earlier in the contest.
The pattern closely mirrored the Huskers' loss to Oregon two weeks earlier. In both games, Nebraska established a lead before surrendering points late. Against Oregon, the Huskers turned a 14-6 advantage into a 17-14 defeat. The similarities extended to the personnel changes on the opposing sidelines, as both Washington and Oregon turned to backup quarterbacks in the fourth quarter to shift momentum.
Nebraska's defensive performance in the first three quarters was statistically strong against Washington. The Blackshirts limited the Huskies to 146 total yards and held them to two completions on ten third-down attempts before the 45-minute mark. Washington's offense was slow, with no individual play exceeding 13 yards in the first three quarters. Despite this, the defense could not maintain the lead through the final 15 minutes.
Washington quarterback Elijah Brown struggled early in the game, but backup Demond Williams Jr. took over in the fourth quarter. Williams completed a 17-yard scramble on third-and-15 and later threw a 18-yard back-shoulder pass on fourth-and-18 to keep the game alive. That drive set up a touchdown that gave Washington the lead. Two plays later, Washington safety picked off Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea, returning the interception to the end zone for the winning score.
Nebraska's offense struggled to convert field position into points during critical stretches. The team recorded only three three-and-outs in the game, but these occurred during drives where they had opportunities to extend their lead. One such drive featured a catch-and-run play by Nyziah Hunter that was nullified by a penalty on Kwazi Gilmer. Another drive saw Jacory Barney take a pass to the five-yard line, only to be pushed back five yards by a delay of game penalty.
The drive that ended the game's decisive momentum featured an ill-fated 36-yard field goal attempt by Kyle Cunanan. The kick missed wide right, ending the Huskers' best chance to secure a victory. Prior to that miss, the offense had recorded a sack, adding to the frustration of a team that had dominated the early stages of the game.
Head coach Matt Rhule remains in his position following the loss, despite the team's recent struggles. The loss to Washington is projected to be the worst result of the 2026 season for Nebraska. The team now prepares for a trip to Champaign to face Illinois on Friday night. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is currently calling plays, though Rhule has made midseason changes to that role in the past.
The loss extends a streak of late-game failures for the program. In the 2025 season, Nebraska suffered a similar late collapse against Minnesota. Fans and analysts note that the team has consistently failed to close out games against highly ranked opponents in the final minutes. The next opportunity to break this trend comes in five days against Illinois.
