Nebraska Player’s Controller Died On The Very First Play Of The Season [VIDEO]
Ohio entered Saturday’s game as a 13.5-point underdog on the road.
Nebraska opened its 2026 campaign Saturday against a 23-point underdog. The Cornhuskers found themselves trailing before most fans had even settled into their seats.
Ohio needed just one play to make a statement in Lincoln. Quarterback Nick Poulos found receiver Riley Neer deep down the field, and Neer raced 68 yards on the opening snap of the game.
FOX College Football captured the play and shared it on social media, noting the moment’s shock.
Ohio wastes NO time 😳 Nick Poulos finds Riley Neer for 68 yards on the first play of the game@wendys pic.twitter.com/3MzLjd2RLX
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 5, 2026
What happened on the back end of that coverage is what caught fans’ attention.
Fans Noticed A Nebraska Cornhuskers Defender Giving Up On The Play
Nebraska defender slacking off on play (Photo via FS1)
Barstool Sports shared a clip of the play, zeroing in on a Nebraska defender who appeared to stop pursuing Neer entirely, allowing him to run free down the sideline.
The caption read, “This dude’s controller died mid play.”
The defender is seen standing in coverage as Neer sprints past him untouched, with no attempt to stop him.
This dude’s controller died mid play pic.twitter.com/495IicPDYZ
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 5, 2026
“He was legit guarding that little 2-foot zone with his life,” one user wrote in the comments.
“Gotta love that zone defense,” another added sarcastically.
A third fan summed up the frustration: “One day, my team will not be an embarrassment.”
The Slow Start Nearly Cost Nebraska Big
LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 20: The helmet of a player from the Nebraska Cornhuskers (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
Nebraska trailed twice in the first half before eventually taking a 14-13 lead heading into the break, a far tighter margin than expected against a Mid-American Conference opponent picked to lose by more than two touchdowns.
True freshman Jamal Rule scored twice for the Cornhuskers to help erase the early deficit, once on the ground and once through the air.
Poulos, a graduate transfer with limited career starts before Saturday, finished the day completing 10 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Neer capped his big afternoon with 93 yards and a score on five catches.
Nebraska ultimately steadied itself as the game progressed, leading 35-21 at the time of writing. However, the shaky opening snap gave fans plenty to point to as new head coach John Hauser’s Bobcats made an early statement on the road.
