Nebraska was so eager to move past its regular season in 2015 that it turned the page before an appearance in the Foster Farms Bowl.
The decision worked well, helping the Cornhuskers to a 37-29 victory over UCLA on the day after Christmas. It capped a 6-7 debut season for coach Mike Riley that began with four losses in the first six weeks, all decided in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime.
The Huskers struggled to run the ball consistently. They never found a long-term answer for problems in the secondary. And their turnover margin, 117th nationally at minus-12, remained a huge source of frustration.