Three Things Nebraska Learned From Its 17-10 Loss to Washington
Defense could not secure victory
Nebraska’s defense held Washington to three points for 58½ minutes, limited the Huskies to 32 rushing yards and kept them to 5-of-15 on third down. Still, the Huskers lost 17-10 after their offense and special teams failed to make the defensive effort count.
The writer argues the defense should not be blamed for Washington’s touchdown drive, saying a team that allows 10 offensive points should usually have enough to win. Nebraska has now lost three straight after once holding a 17-6 lead against the defending national champions with roughly 12 minutes left.
Offense faces sharp criticism
The writer says Nebraska has too much talent to score only seven points and criticizes the offense’s recent performances. The piece also questions Dana Holgorsen’s future, arguing that his work compares poorly with the progress defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has made in his first eight games.
The writer says players share responsibility for the offensive struggles, but believes a coordinator change is difficult to rule out before 2027. Nebraska’s season-long averages are better than a year ago, yet the writer prefers the offense led by TJ Lateef during the final stretch of 2025 to what Nebraska showed against Washington.
Kicking change came late
Kyle Cunanan made 16 of 19 field goals in 2025, including a career-long 52-yarder in his first game with Nebraska. In 2026, he has made four of eight attempts, and missed a 40-yard kick against Indiana in a three-point loss.
Cunanan missed from 36 yards against Washington, a kick that could have extended Nebraska’s lead to two scores. The Huskers later turned to John Hohl, who made a 42-yard field goal to bring the team within one score. The writer says the outcome cannot be attributed to the missed kick alone, but argues the change should have come sooner.
Key points
- Nebraska lost 17-10 to Washington, falling to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten.
- The defense held Washington to three points for 58½ minutes and only 32 rushing yards.
- The writer questions whether Dana Holgorsen should continue leading Nebraska’s offense.
- After Kyle Cunanan missed a 36-yard field goal, John Hohl made a 42-yarder.