Alright, so I wanted to dive deep into some classic college football magic today. Been itching to revisit what made Taylor Martinez such a firecracker for Nebraska. Specifically, zeroed in on those three games everybody always talks about. You know, the ones that shot him straight into Husker legend status.
First thing I did was dig out my dusty box of old game DVDs. Seriously, felt like an archaeologist unearthing treasure. Found the gems I wanted: that Oklahoma State showdown, the crazy comeback against Ohio State, and the Missouri game that had everyone’s jaws on the floor.
Setting Up the Tape (Sort Of)
Dragged my beat-up laptop into the living room, popped the Oklahoma State disc in. My ancient DVD drive made this awful grinding noise – thought it was gonna give up the ghost right there. Fired up VLC player (thank god for old reliable). Needed to see that Martinez breakout everyone raved about, not just read box scores.
Watched that first quarter… wow. Kid looked raw, no lie. Threw a pick early that made me groan out loud. Like, “Come on, freshman!” But then… oh man. That quarterback draw.
- Took the snap, looked like he was just gonna hand it off.
- Defensive end crashed inside hard.
- Martinez kept it. Pure instinct.
- One cut, just slid past two linebackers like they weren’t moving.
- Hit the edge. You could see the DBs realizing too late.
- GONE. 67 yards straight to the house. The sound of that Memorial Stadium crowd! Goosebumps, even on replay.
His speed wasn’t hype. It was legit terrifying. Oklahoma State had no answer once he got rolling. He just sliced them apart, kept running right past ’em.
Game Two: That Ohio State Heart Attack
Okay, swapped discs fast for this one. Had to see the comeback. Nebraska got rocked early. Martinez threw picks, looked totally lost. My notes just said “Ugh.” at that point.
But then, third quarter started. Different dude out there. Like he flipped a switch.
- Saw him take charge in the huddle – body language changed completely.
- Started hitting short throws. Quick slants, little dumps over the middle.
- Found a rhythm. Confidence came back.
- Then BOOM! Scrambled right, looked bottled up, somehow spun loose.
- Flat out refused to go down. Carried two defenders for 8 extra yards on one gut-punch first down.
- The TD pass! Rolled left, threw across his body back to the right sideline – perfect touch, just floated it over the DB.
Witnessing that grit live back then was nuts, but rewatching it? Man. He absolutely willed them back into that game. Stadium went absolutely bonkers. Textbook definition of clutch.
Game Three: The Missouri Masterclass
Saved the best for last. Popped in the Missouri disc. This one’s famous for a reason. Martinez just… exploded.
- First drive: Methodical. Used his arm surprisingly well.
- Second drive: Broke one tackle in the backfield, turned what should’ve been a loss into a 15-yard scamper.
- The Signature Run: Late in the 3rd. Looked like a designed QB sweep.
- Got touched at the line. Legit thought he was tackled.
- Somehow bounced out. Like greased lightning.
- Cut straight upfield. Left two defenders grabbing air.
- Hit the jets. Nobody was catching him. 80 yards. Pure, unadulterated speed. Crowd noise peaked.
The whole fourth quarter felt like a victory lap. Missouri defenders looked gassed and totally demoralized. Martinez was untouchable that day. Stats were silly – rushing yards through the roof, passing efficient. Showed the complete package.
Sitting back after finishing that last replay… just shook my head. Three damn games. Shows how college football works sometimes. A few electric performances in the right spotlight, and boom. Legend status. Rewatching confirmed it wasn’t just nostalgia. Taylor Martinez was a different kind of athlete at his peak – pure, raw, uncoachable speed and that clutch gene when the lights got bright. Huskers haven’t had anything quite like him since.
