Pretty much illustrates the past 12 months, doesn’t it? The Huskers dropped to 4-5 and they did so with the same kind of sloppy, lackadaisical performance we’ve seen just about every game since the 62-3 loss at Ohio State.

Afterward, there was little anger or drama, aside from a defensive coordinator speaking gridiron gibberish. Just a silent recognition from 90,000 fans — and perhaps Riley, too — that the season can’t be saved. Just when Nebraska gets a little bit of momentum, disaster lies just around the corner.

“That’s football,” Lee said of the critical interception. “Plays like that happen. … It is what it is.”

The Blackshirts couldn’t stop Northwestern’s run game — 5.2 yards per carry. The offense, incapable of beating the Wildcats at the line of scrimmage, flirted with disaster every third or fourth snap. The Huskers played like they always do. It is what it is.

Which is why Bill Moos — barring a miracle fourth quarter of the season — must make a coaching change. Days like Saturday have become the new normal. Fans show up and expect bad football. It’s not too much to ask for more.