LINCOLN — Flash back to last month, when Michigan State's repeated downfield tests against Nebraska's secondary — even in double coverage — seemed a bit puzzling during the Oct. 29 loss to the Huskers.

Why would the Spartans stubbornly — almost foolishly, given their ineffectiveness — launch long passes in hopes that their receivers could win jump balls against the NU defensive backs?

Michigan provided the answer Saturday.

Tap a raw egg on the kitchen counter enough times and eventually it'll crack. That is, apparently, the strategy opposing offenses are taking as they craft the passing portions of their game plans.

The Wolverines didn't need to do much tapping in a 45-17 win against the Huskers Saturday.

Nebraska's secondary gave up 11 completions — for an average of 16.4 yards per catch. It certainly wasn't the deciding factor on a day full of miscues, but the Huskers' inability to keep UM one-dimensional was costly.

"Things just snowballed on us," senior safety Austin Cassidy said. "We couldn't make the play when we were in position. And other times, we weren't even in the vicinity to make the play."

That was most detrimental on third downs, when Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson connected on 5 of 8 passes. On only two of those occasions did Michigan need fewer than 6 yards for a first down. At times, it seemed, Nebraska had a good idea of what was coming.

"We had a game plan and we were confident in the game plan," Cassidy said. "It just came down to execution."

And lately — ever since that spectacular effort against the Spartans — Nebraska's secondary has struggled to carry its practice habits to the game.

Penn State's Matt McGloin wasn't afraid to test the Husker defensive backs. His third throw was a high-arching heave downfield that landed just beyond a diving receiver. Two NU players trailed on that play. McGloin connected on a deep ball late.

Northwestern's shots seemed a little more calculated, though the Wildcats never hesitated to throw it. They spread out and isolated the Nebraska secondary, then repeatedly picked on the matchups they liked. Seventeen of their 24 attempts were thrown to receivers covered by two Huskers.

It's almost as if Nebraska's past three opponents never watched the Michigan State game film.

The Huskers held MSU's Kirk Cousins to career lows in completion percentage (.407) and passing yardage (86). Cousins tried several deep lob passes — all failed. The game's longest completion (20 yards) came on a trick play.

NU defensive backs were well-prepared for that game, they all said. They were confident, their ego boosted a bit by improved practice performance after the coaches used the bye week to re-teach many of the system's basic principles.

Even after that effort, Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan all tried to exploit Nebraska's secondary through the air — even if receivers weren't running wide open and despite the fact that NU schemes are designed to protect against the big play.

The Huskers haven't responded well.

"We've just got to make the plays when it's called upon us to make plays," defensive backs coach Corey Raymond said. "We've got to be play-makers in the backfield. What else can you do? When you're in position to make plays, you've got to do it."

Senior cornerback Alfonzo Dennard had a chance in the first quarter, but he stumbled — perhaps with the help of a shove — and gave up a 46-yard catch to Roy Roundtree. Safety Daimion Stafford and cornerback Andrew Green each seemed in position to prevent a 38-yard, fourth-quarter catch in the back of the end zone by Martavious Odoms.

There were more miscues. Even some of the incompletions could have been turned into interceptions. That's what is most frustrating to Dennard.

"We just have to go out there and execute," Dennard said. "We've got to compete more. Like Coach said, if we go out there and compete, things go our way."

Contact the writer:

402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com

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