Northwestern would score 15 unanswered points in the second quarter to tie with Nebraska, but the Huskers would clinch bowl eligibility with a Javin Wright interception and an Emmett Johnson touchdown with 2:49 to go to win 28-21. The win clinches bowl eligibility for Nebraska, who is now 6-2 on the season with a month left on the regular season.
“We didn’t even talk about being bowl eligible, we just talked about the way they handled the process of doing what we’re doing,” Head Coach Matt Rhule said. “We’re not perfect, but we are 6-2. We have a nationally televised game this week. I don’t remember something this big happening at this time of the year.”
After the Huskers forced Northwestern to punt on their opening drive, the Huskers would hit paydirt nine plays later with Johnson scoring from nine yards out. Northwestern quickly scored on the next drive, as the Wildcat drive stalled just outside the red zone, and Jack Olsen would nail a 40-yd field goal with three minutes to go in the quarter. The Huskers would try to respond with a field goal of their own, but a 44-yd attempt from Cunanan would sail wide right. Another Northwestern field goal would cut down the lead to 7-6 heading into the locker room. Nebraska had the chance to respond, but a fumble from Dylan Raiola on 4th down would stall any momentum.
The Huskers would start the second half with a bang, as Kenneth Williams would take the second half kickoff return to the house, which was the first kickoff return touchdown at Memorial Stadium since 2017. Both teams would trade punts on the ensuing drives, and the Huskers would add another touchdown to their lead when Raiola would connect with Nyziah Hunter from 12 yards out on a toe tapping sideline grab.
Then Northwestern would start their comeback. Aided by a questionable fourth down call two plays earlier, Caleb Komolafe punched in Northwestern’s first touchdown of the day, and would deliver the game tying touchdown less than 5 minutes later when he broke away for a 56 yard rush. Northwestern would tie the game with a two point pass from Preston Stone to Hayden Eligon II.
Nebraska’s next drive ended in disaster after one play, as Raiola’s pass intended for Dane Key was intercepted at the Husker 39 yard line. Three plays later, Javin Wright would step in front of a pass at the Husker 22 yard line to end the deep threat from Northwestern.
At that point, Nebraska would engineer the drive to suck the life out of any game, taking six and a half minutes off the clock on thirteen plays. The plays weren’t your eye-popping big plays, but rather the typical B1G West running, with the occasional pass play sprinkled in. When Raiola threw the ball, he found big opportunities to Hunter, Jacory Barney Jr., and Hunter, setting up the game winning touchdown on a Johnson rush from 4 yards out.
On Northwestern’s ensuing possession, the Wildcats found big pass plays to Griffin Wilde and Hunter Welcing that would place the Wildcats at the Husker 35, but two incomplete passes (with hurries from Williams Nwaneri and Javin Wright) would clinch the game for the Huskers.
Northwestern would end up with more yardage than the Huskers, 331-296, but when the Huskers arrived in the red zone, Nebraska would find a way to punch in the touchdowns, scoring on all three of their red zone trips. Dylan Raiola was 16-22 passing for 141 yards and the touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter, who led the Husker receiving corps with six catches for 70 yards. Emmett Johnson had 22 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Rex Guthrie led the Blackshirts with eight tackles (five solo), and Donovan Jones had seven tackles with an interception.
Next up for Nebraska is the bright light of national television, as the Huskers open November with USC. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on NBC, alongside KGFW (pregame at 2:30) and Hits 106 (pregame at 5:45).
