Rutgers football showed late life, but it turned out to be too little, too late.

The Scarlet Knights struggled offensively for much of the game and failed to capitalize on some key chances in what became a 14-7 loss to Nebraska on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The loss dropped Rutgers to 4-1 for the season.

The Scarlet Knights’ lone touchdown came with just more than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter as quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis hit true freshman wide receiver Benjamin Black for an 11-yard touchdown pass.

Rutgers got the ball back at its own 11 with two minutes remaining, but the drive stalled out at its own 26 as Kaliakmanis was sacked on fourth down for a turnover on downs.

That was the game.

Here are some takeaways from the loss:

Rutgers football struggles to find its footing offensively vs Nebraska

The Scarlet Knights’ offense had been solid through the team’s first four games, but they didn’t bring that consistency out to Lincoln against a solid Nebraska defense.

Rutgers struggled to sustain anything from the very beginning. It got into Nebraska territory on each of its four first-half possessions, yet came away with no points. That included a failed fake-field goal attempt and a missed 52-yard field goal by Jai Patel that hit the right upright.

The fake-field goal attempt gave the Cornhuskers the ball at their own 25 and the drive resulted in their first touchdown of the game, a one-yard run by Dante Dowdell.

Kaliakmanis, who finished 15-of-37 for 186 yards, also threw two interceptions before halftime – the second of which, he threw behind receiver Chris Long and it was picked off by Marques Buford Jr. at the Cornhuskers 24.

Nebraska finished off its ensuing drive with its second touchdown.

Rutgers also got away from the run in the first half. Kyle Monangai had eight rushes for 64 yards in the first quarter, but then just two carries for one yard in the second.

He finished with 78 yards on 19 carries.

All told, Rutgers got into Nebraska territory nine times but came away with just seven points.

The Scarlet Knights finished with 264 total yards of offense, actually three more than the Cornhuskers.

Rutgers blocks a punt, but can’t capitalize on big opportunity

It looked the momentum-shifting play Rutgers badly needed.

Nebraska had fourth-and-10 at its own 28 and punted. But Jamier Wright-Collins flew in and blocked it. Shaquan Loyal recovered the ball and returned it to the Cornhuskers 2-yard line.

Perfect chance for the Scarlet Knights, right?

Well, it didn’t work out that way.

Rutgers couldn’t get into the end zone.

After a holding penalty by Nebraska on second down, Rutgers had first-and-goal from the 2. Didn’t matter.

Monangai tried to punch it in but was ruled down inside the 1, though it appeared he crossed the goal line. Schiano told reporters after the game the officials said it wasn't a touchdown "so I wasn't going to waste a timeout in the second half if they tell me it's not a touchdown."

Rutgers couldn’t score.

On fourth-and-goal from the 2, the Scarlet Knights threw. Kaliakmanis nearly got intercepted.

Instead of a touchdown, it was a turnover on downs.

Rutgers nearly found the end zone, but another blown chance

The Scarlet Knights had third-and-13 from their own 2 when Kaliakmanis delivered a beautiful pass down the left sideline that Black caught for a 43-yard reception to get down to the Rutgers 45.

On second-and-5 from the 40, Kaliakmanis aired it out again – again down the left sideline, again to Black.

But Black this time couldn’t make the catch. The ball bounced off his hands for an incomplete pass. Inside the 5 and without a defender anywhere near him, Black would’ve had an easy touchdown.

Instead it was another missed opportunity.

Give credit to the Rutgers defense

The Scarlet Knights' defense did their job.

It wasn't perfect, but it shut the Cornhuskers out in the second half (forcing six consecutive punts) and did more than enough to give Rutgers a chance to win this game.

"Second half, that's the defensive football team I know," Schiano said. "They were suffocating."

Nebraska true freshman Dylan Raiola was just 13-of-27 for 134 yards, his worst game of the season. And the Cornhuskers as a team rushed for 97 yards − Rutgers coming into the game was giving up 172.8 yards per game.

The Scarlet Knights' offense just couldn't respond.

Third-down struggles

Against Washington in the previous game, Rutgers went 7-of-15 on third down. That was a key difference-maker that helped vault the Scarlet Knights to the win.

Against Nebraska?

Rutgers went 2-of-14.

That, too, was a key difference-maker that helped vault the Scarlet Knights to a loss.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football: Takeaways from loss to Nebraska