Last year's game was hard to watch for Husker fans. It was an embarrassment for a proud program. Same goes for the 2016 contest. The combined score: 118-17. You wondered just how far into the abyss Mike Riley would drag the program. It became almost disturbing.
Not now. Not this time. This was no embarrassment. The growth in Nebraska's program in Scott Frost's first season as head coach has become glaringly apparent. It's been an intriguingly gradual turn for the better since a 56-10 loss Sept. 22 at Michigan. A few Husker players since have bolted to other places.