COLUMBUS, Ohio – Beaten again but not defeated, the Nebraska football players left the locker room at Ohio Stadium on Saturday heading into November in the same position they were a year ago, 5-3, but decided to do something different this time.

Something that last happened fifteen years ago. The Huskers plan to end the regular season with a string of wins and carry momentum into a bowl game.

They didn’t back down against No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday. In front of a crowd of 104,830 who in the final minutes resorted to throwing water bottles, alcohol containers and at least one cheese cup onto the field in protest of a penalty against the Buckeyes, Nebraska played better than Ohio State. 17 defeat.

Do you trust the Huskers? That is the question now. Because if you do, there’s reason to believe they can win any or all of their last four games. A year after Nebraska limped to the finish line with four straight losses, this team has a chance to make a statement about their progress after 20 games under coach Matt Rhule.

And yes, the Huskers believe that. Rhule saw it before kickoff in Columbus.

“I didn’t have to be a cheerleader,” he said. “They said, ‘Get out of the way.'”

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Rhule has seen moments of such determination in Nebraska. But never for four quarters. For the first time on his watch, he said, Nebraska played with a championship mentality.

“I couldn’t be more proud of where we’re going,” freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola said.

A look into the eyes of defensive end Ty Robinson told a story unexplained by back-to-back road losses, as different as it was painful. In his six years at Nebraska, Robinson said, he was never prouder than on Saturday when he put the Huskers’ leadership on display.

“That’s the real team out there,” Robinson said.

If that was the real Nebraska — and the 56-7 weekly loss to Indiana figures an anomaly — then buckle up for a fun ride over the next five weeks.

Nebraska can qualify for bowling, a major hurdle, with a home win against UCLA in six days. Trips to USC, undefeated in its history against Nebraska, and Iowa follow. In between, Wisconsin, undefeated against the Huskers in the past twelve years, visits Memorial Stadium.

So yes, Nebraska can exorcise a long list of demons before the calendar shifts to December.

And why not? One score, one stop and one failed opportunity in the red zone resulted in this program earning the biggest win on Saturday since 2001 against Oklahoma.

“Keep chipping away at that tree,” said linebacker MJ Sherman. “One day it will fall.”

Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (7) of Nebraska intercepted Ohio State QB Will Howard in the third quarter of the Huskers’ eventual loss. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today via Imagn Images)

Rhule said he left The Horseshoe not satisfied or satisfied, but “fulfilled.”

“We expected to come here and win the football game,” he said. “We expected to win. We are not here to lose. We are the University of Nebraska.”

It started ominously when Kwinten Ives dropped the opening kick. Nebraska started at the 9-yard line and Raiola made his first touch on the ground as he tried to hand the ball off to Dante Dowdell. Two plays later, Raiola picked up a sack and Brian Buschini drained a punt. Ohio State started at the Nebraska 36.

But Nebraska’s defense, maligned last week, managed a fourth-down stop when Sherman, the vocal transfer from Georgia, met TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield for a takedown. If Sherman didn’t send a message, Jimari Butler certainly did with his manipulation of the Ohio State left tackle.

In fact, the Blackshirts often had their way with Ohio State’s high-powered offense. Nebraska produced five three-and-out series and held the Buckeyes to 1-of-10 on third downs. Ohio State gained 2.1 yards per rush. First-half scoring throws from Will Howard to Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith accounted for 100 of the Buckeyes’ 285 yards.

The big plays saved Ohio State.

Still, Nebraska was more consistent. Raiola got loose on the ground and scrambled 38 yards to set up the first of three John Hohl field goals. Hohl, who had not scored a field goal since September 20, hit from 39, 54 and 47 yards.

The Huskers gained confidence and dominated the third quarter. However, Raiola missed Jahmal Banks wide open for a touchdown on a drive that ended in a punt. And Dowdell couldn’t jump the pile on a fourth-down dive from the 1-yard line.

Dowdell reached the end zone to cap a 74-yard drive four minutes into the fourth quarter. Nate Boerkircher took a kick pass from Raiola for the two-point conversion. Nebraska led 17-14. The stadium fell silent.

As championship-level teams do, Ohio State responded. And at the end, Nebraska took possession with 3:43 left and the chance for a monumental victory. Raiola, injured during the previous stage, came out of the injury tent. He wanted it, Rhule said.

Debris came out of the seats after a targeted call against Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese on Banks.

The scene went wild.

But Raiola couldn’t reach midfield. Guard Justin Evans had a false start. Two passes to running back Emmett Johnson lost yardage. Jordan Hancock intercepted Raiola on third-and-9 with 76 seconds left.

Oh, so close.

“We have two options to get out of this loss,” Sherman said. “We can sit here and sulk, or we can grow from it. I feel like we’re on our way to growing from that.”

Rhule’s post-match media session felt like an oral dissertation. He spoke for 19 minutes, rejecting the idea of ​​a quick exit from the stage as school officials looked on and the Huskers’ charter flight from Ohio waited.

The Huskers grew up Saturday, he said. Rhule made a series of statements about his method of program building.

“We’re trying to build something sustainable,” Rhule said. ‘Maybe it will work. Maybe not.”

Fans and media members have seen other coaches come and go, Rhule said.

“It didn’t work. That’s why I try it in a different way.”

This game seemed to represent something important.

“For those of us who believe in the long road,” Rhule said, “the hard way, for those of us who haven’t had things handed to us yet, for those of us who believe in building, I hope that as they disappointed, they are proud of what they saw.”

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule with freshman DB Amare Sanders as they leave the field after this 21-17 loss to No. 4 Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/2HGqiDsgdB

— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) October 26, 2024

Rhule said he challenged the Huskers in a loss to pick up where they left off against UCLA on Saturday.

“If we go there next week and we’re in the lead again,” he said, “it’ll all be for nothing. This is a step. It has to be where we are now: that we play this way every week.”

Several Huskers said they expect the finale to define these Huskers.

“I expect us to be the team we are today in November,” Sherman said, “but even better.”

They are still chopping the tree. One day, maybe one day next month, it will fall.

(Top photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today via Imagn Images)