JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

Nebraska players Barry Turner (99) and Eric Hagg (28) dejectedly walk off the field after Saturday's loss to Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium.

KYLE GREEN The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor has a pass knocked down by Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh during Saturday's game. Suh totaled eight tackles and a half-sack.

BLACKSBURG -- Anyone from Nebraska who might have been looking for a comforting hug or few nice words following the Cornhuskers' 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday had better not been looking in the direction of head coach Bo Pelini.

That goes for coaches, players ... probably anyone wearing red.

"I don't measure much on how well you play," Pelini said during his brief, and rather testy post-game news conference. "You've got to win the football game, and we didn't win the football game. ...

"End of story."

After Virginia Tech flanker Dyrell Roberts' crowd-pleasing 11-yard pass reception from quarterback Tyrod Taylor -- on a play that Taylor scrambled around the field for 12 seconds -- everything that Nebraska had seemingly accomplished was suddenly up for re-evaluation.

At least that's how Pelini saw it. And that's the play that will be sticking with him for at least a while

"You've got to make the sack there," Pelini said. "You've got to go get him there.

"The guy was scrambling and trying to find someone open, and when that's happening, you've got to finish the job."

No pat on the back there.

There are coaches out there who do believe it's protocol to remember what went well no matter how a game ends. And Pelini had plenty of accolades to hand out if he had wanted.

Perhaps the fact that the Cornhuskers' defense had allowed just two Virginia Tech first downs in the second half prior to the start of the Hokies' 88-yard game-winning drive with 1:44 to play.

Or there was the play of tailback Roy Helu Jr., who rushed for 169 yards and averaged six yards per carry against Virginia Tech's stout defense.

And don't forget kicker/punter Alex Henery, who was perfect on five field-goal attempts, while also averaging 41.5 yards per punt. That included two kicks that pinned the Hokies inside their own 20 and a 76-yarder in the first half that provided the Huskers relief from some early field-position problems.

Maybe that pat on the back will come later. Saturday night, he limited his praise to four- and five-word sentences.

"We played well. Did some good things," Pelini said. "We didn't finish it. Each and every guy that walked on that field had a hand in us not winning that football game. ... They made the plays, we didn't."

Instead, Pelini and his team will be left dwelling on what didn't happen.

While their coach left town mad, the Husker players left the locker room appearing more stunned about how the final minutes of the game went.

"Your heart drops," said safety Larry Asante, an Alexandria, Va., native who made six tackles, but was on the sidelines when the Hokies frantically drove down the field for the winning score. "... I don't think I've felt like this. This one is really getting to me."

It's not like the Huskers were caught off guard by Taylor's finish. Many of those on the field were around last season when Tech's quarterback passed for 171 yards and rushed for another 87 in the Hokies' 35-30 win at Nebraska.

"We knew it could happen on any play," NU cornerback Anthony West said. "It's hard when your defending a quarterback who has that kind of ability and get out of the pocket and run around. We've just got to stick with him when he does that."

And they weren't offering excuses for allowing a repeat performance -- no matter how late it came.

"I told the guys [before Roberts' winning TD] that all we had to do was hold them ... and we win the game," said senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the All-Big 12 performer who led Nebraska's defense with eight tackles and a half-sack. "We didn't get the job done. ...

"Maybe we can take some good things out from the film, but all we can do now is look forward. This game's over with."