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Published Aug 31, 2023
Snap Judgments: Instant analysis of Nebraska's deflating loss to Minnesota
Zack Carpenter and Steve Marik
Inside Nebraska staff

MINNEAPOLIS – Well, that looked familiar. Nebraska football looked like it had a game in almost complete control late and were on the way to a win. Then, boom, another deflating loss. This time, it came at the hands of Big Ten West foe Minnesota and head coach PJ Fleck in the season opener, 13-10, as Matt Rhule dropped his Husker coaching debut.

Nebraska led 10-3 following a 13-play, 80-yard, 7-minute and 37-second drive. Then, the Huskers had the ball and were dictating the pace and control of the game when Anthony Grant took a first-down handoff nine yards but fumbled near midfield with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Gophers then came up with two fourth-down conversions on the ensuing drive, including an absolutely sensational toe-tap touchdown on the left side of the end zone by Daniel Jackson.

Jeff Sims then threw an absolutely backbreaking interception – his third pick of the game – with under a minute left to set up a game-winning field goal by Dragan Kesich at the buzzer.

"Obviously that was disappointing," Rhule said as part of his opening statement to the media in his postgame press conference.

That's putting it lightly.

Let's get to some Snap Judgments for our instant analysis and reactions:

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