SAN ANTONIO — Nebraska’s regular season began with a measly pop (a 25-7 win against NCAA Division I-AA Maine) and ended with a bazooka blast (a 30-3 triumph over Colorado) that still reverberates today.

In between, the Huskers experienced thrilling highs (a 27-20 double-overtime victory over Iowa State) and debilitating lows (a 40-15 defeat to Kansas).

Throughout Nebraska’s autumnal journey, Husker fans searched for signs of a program headed “in the right direction,” however that’s defined. Looking back, one could build sturdy arguments either way — that Bill Callahan’s Big Red reclamation project remains a shaky proposition or that the head coach’s grand plan for success is proceeding nicely.

Whatever the case, Nebraska’s final argument for the 2005 season occurs today with a 7 p.m. Alamo Bowl meeting against Michigan.

After tonight’s game, Nebraska fans might have a better idea whether the most accurate picture of the program was portrayed during a month-long stretch in October and November when the team dropped four of five games or during back-to-back victories to end the regular season.

Nebraska coaches and players, of course, emphasize the importance of consecutive wins against Kansas State and Colorado.

“The Colorado game was big for us because we took a lot of momentum into the bowl from that game,” Husker safety Daniel Bullocks said. “We were looking for one game where we put everything together — offense, defense, special teams. In that game, we did it.”

The fact Nebraska (7-4) didn’t play its best game until late November can be viewed either positively or negatively. On one hand, a coach wants his team to be playing its best football late in the season. On the other hand, well, what took the Huskers so long?

The up-and-down nature of Nebraska’s season, and the fact it came on strong late, can be explained in part by the existence of 25 freshmen and sophomores on the two-deep position-by-position chart for the Alamo Bowl, said Husker offensive coordinator Jay Norvell.

Fourteen of those underclassmen are on offense, not including quarterback Zac Taylor, a junior-college transfer in his first season as Nebraska’s starter.

“Offensively, we’ve had a lot of young players come into this system and learn as they go,” Norvell said. “We’ve learned an awful lot. We’re a completely different team than we were three or four months ago. We’re excited about the improvements we’ve been able to make.”

In film study of Nebraska, Michigan defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann said he noticed consistent offensive progress.

“I think their team as a whole is still learning that offense,” Herrmann said. “I think it’s a group of young individuals who’ve gotten better and better, which is really what you want.“

Taylor “stabilized” the offense with his maturity and leadership, Norvell said.

Said Herrmann: “The thing that I’ve seen is Zac’s matured from game to game to game.”

Taylor easily broke the school’s 33-year-old single-season passing record by throwing for 2,486 yards. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Oklahoma native was at his best in Big 12 play. After completing 42 percent of his pass attempts in nonconference action, he connected on 59.4 percent in league play.

“I think Zac’s improvement over the course of the year has been phenomenal,” Norvell said.

It should be noted that Taylor threw to an inexperienced group of wide receivers and was protected late in the season by three young tackles — true freshman Matt Slauson, redshirt freshman Lydon Murtha and sophomore Chris Patrick.

It also should be noted that Nebraska ranks just 95th nationally in total offense and 110th in rushing offense at 91.0 yards per contest. Last season the Huskers averaged 176.3 rushing yards per game.

Nebraska’s average passing yardage has risen from 186.9 per game last year to 229.6.

The Huskers’ decrease in ground production isn’t for lack of emphasis, Norvell said.

“I mean, we want to run the ball — we’ve always said that,” he said. “We’ve had different mixes in our starting lineup (on offense). The biggest thing is having continuity and consistency up front. When guys practice together, you get that. I think this last month (of bowl practices) has helped us with that.”

Like the offense, Nebraska’s defense experienced ups and downs in 2005.

“I thought, for the most part, we played very well,” NU defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. “We stubbed our toe a couple times on the road. But we were very consistent at home, and we played two outstanding games on the road.”

In a Nov. 5 road loss, Nebraska surrendered 428 total yards to a Kansas squad that at the time ranked 106th nationally in total offense. Two weeks earlier in Columbia, Mo., the Huskers allowed Missouri quarterback Brad Smith to pile up 480 yards of total offense.

In finishing with a 5-2 home record, Nebraska allowed an average of 310.1 total yards compared with 354.2 in four road games. The Huskers gave up only 253 yards in an Oct.15 triumph at Baylor and held Colorado to 212 total yards in the regular-season finale.

Nebraska leads the nation with 46 sacks and 115 tackles for loss. The Huskers’ sack production dipped late in the season as teams adjusted to their pressure with three-step drops by quarterbacks.

“We’ve made tremendous strides this year,” Cosgrove said. “Our kids really played hard, even when we were behind in certain games. They stayed together, they stayed close. They were able to make adjustments quickly. It was certainly a fun group to be around. I look forward to continued fun in the future.“

Michigan’s balanced offense will test Nebraska’s defense, Cosgrove said.

“People think of the Big Ten as being three yards and a cloud of dust,” he said. “But Michigan has always been ahead of the game offensively.”

In other words, Michigan’s balanced attack necessitates that Nebraska “will have to be very sound” in its defensive approach, Cosgrove said.

“They’re going to look for kinks in your armor,” he said. “If they see a weakness with a shift, they’re going to attack it. It seems like they’re shifting more than they ever have.”

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.