Nebraska head coach Scott Frost was complimentary of Ohio State all week leading up to Saturday night's game, and he had a similar gracious tune following the Buckeyes' 48-7 lopsided win over the Huskers.
Frost acknowledged Ohio State's recent dominance and suggested that this season's team is "a lot better" than the 2018 squad which beat Nebraska by just five points in Ohio Stadium last season.
"I give a ton of credit to them and their coaching staff because they’re a lot better football team than they were a year ago," Frost said. "Both teams are two of the blue blood, great programs in the history of college football, but those guys have been on top lately, and that’s where we’re trying to get and where we’re going to get.
"We’re just not there right now, and we have a lot of work to do to make sure that happens."
Though he knew Ohio State dominated every aspect of the game, Frost saw turnovers as a primary reason for the lopsided loss.
“They’re a lot better football team than they were a year ago.”– Scott Frost
"We keep preaching turnovers and we can’t turn it over three times in the first half, again, especially against a team like that," Frost said. "I think their DB made a great play on the one, we made a bad throw on one, and then one landed on top of them, but you can’t do that against a good team."
The turnovers and lack offensive production was due first and foremost to Ohio State's pass rush and the talent the Buckeyes have in the secondary, Frost explained.
“We have to protect the quarterback so he can throw, we have to make better throws, we have to get open, all those things," Frost said. "I thought (Offensive Coordinator) Troy (Walters) and the rest of the staff did a really good job putting a plan together. Above all else, they had really good pass rushers and we didn’t have a lot of time. I thought their defensive backs were really good, and we have to be better.”
Ohio State finished the game with four total sacks, including a strip sack from Chase Young, his third in two games.
Ultimately, Frost acknowledged a simple point that was fairly obvious to everyone watching.
"They’re a better football team than we are," Frost said. "We are going to get more shots at teams like that down the road."
