Before the dusty Husker offense and the shiny Blackshirt defense defeated Rutgers, 14-7, this past Saturday, I took a cross country trip with my dogs to the Box Butte Reservoir.
I was listening to the four-hour radio pre-game show while enjoying a beautiful autumn morning and early afternoon.
However, my 65-mile round trip was dominated by dust.
I feel bad for area farmers and our local road superintendent and her employees.
Dust, dust, and more dust.
Some of the rock, gravel and dirt roads have simply turned to powder.
Since August 7, my Alliance backyard rain gauge has recorded a total of 1.45 inches of rain.
Since April 1, the total is only 7.25 inches.
Many rural areas have received less.
As the heavy harvest season is upon us, (beans, corn, and beets) the fields are only going to get dustier, and the unpaved roads will certainly get dirtier and rougher.
Unless it rains.
One area farmer told me that he would gladly put his harvest on hold if we can get some substantial rain.
Cooler daytime temperatures would assist the beet harvest folks.
While daytime highs in the 50s and 60s would be appreciated, this week’s forecast is for more 80s.
Back to our dusty Huskers.
This type of dust I can handle.
For the first time during the Matt Ruhle era and for the first time since Nov. 25, 2022, NU won a football game by seven points or less
Maybe, just maybe, this team is slowly learning how to claim victory in close games.
Against Rutgers, NU’s offense produced only 261 yards – 30 of those yards coming on a fourth down pass play from punter Brian Buschini to Jaylen Lord.
But the Blackshirts, who answered the bell several times, allowed only seven points and did not collapse late in the game as has happened in recent years.
Of course, my forte is NU football history, not analysis.
Since 2015, Nebraska has lost 35 football games by seven points or less.
Enjoy this coming’s weekend which will be absent of Nebraska football. We are at the halfway mark and things are looking good.
Up next is an October 19 trip to undefeated and nationally ranked Indiana.
Maybe between now and then, western Nebraska and Box Butte County will receive some much-needed rain.
And the overabundance of dust will settle.