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Tag: Nebraska

  • Nebraska Signee spotlight: Malcolm Simpson

    Nebraska Signee spotlight: Malcolm Simpson

    The “Signee Spotlight” provides all the information you need on the Huskers’ 2025 class, including rankings, evaluations and a look at how they landed at Nebraska.

    Malcolm Simpson

    Hitchcock (Texas) • 6-3, 255 • Defensive lineman

    247Sports composite: 4 stars

    Other key offers: Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M

    How he got here

    Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton deserves the credit for getting Simpson to Lincoln. NU’s lead recruiter in the Houston area, Knighton quickly identified Simpson as one of the team’s top 2025 targets after offering him in May.

    People are also reading…

    A summer official visit sealed the deal for Simpson, though renewed late interest from home-state school Texas followed this fall.

    Simpson stayed true to the Huskers, though, eventually landing as the team’s second highest-ranked recruit in the class.

    Our take

    Few defensive linemen in the Class of 2025 have as much upside as Simpson, an impactful defensive athlete who shows potential as a pass rusher.

    Also a talented basketball player, Simpson played all over the field during his high school career.

    A long-term future on the interior of the defensive line is possible should Simpson bulk up, with his ability to move opposing linemen and plug gaps already showing up at the high school level.

    Wherever Knighton and the Husker coaching staff choose to play Simpson, he has all the makings of defensive game-changer.

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  • Nebraska football position grades vs Iowa | Sports

    Nebraska football position grades vs Iowa | Sports

    The DN’s football coverage is presented by Celerion

    Quarterback: B-

    The offense only put up 10 points, and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola was a big reason.

    Raiola finished the game with 190 passing yards and a 69% completion percentage. Against a good Iowa defense, these aren’t bad stats. However, what the stats won’t show are all the missed opportunities by Raiola. He missed some key throws in the game and also fumbled the ball three times, losing one of them which lost Nebraska the game.

    Still, Raiola once again looked comfortable in Holgorsen’s offense. He was slinging the ball around and making plays with a run game struggling to break off runs. However, Raiola needs to be more careful with the ball.

    Running Backs: B

    After a breakout game last week, sophomore Emmett Johnson was held in check by the Hawkeye defense.

    Johnson was the workhorse, tallying 18 carries for 71 yards. He broke off a 19-yard carry at one point in the game, but he wasn’t able to make any big-time plays for a Husker offense that desperately needed it. Johnson was also active in the passing game, but only turned his six catches into 25 yards. He couldn’t break off any of the swing passes for big gains.

    Dowdell was effective in short yardage, turning 13 carries into 50 and a touchdown. They weren’t ineffective, but the lack of big plays in the running game put a lot of pressure on Raiola and the passing game.

    Receivers: B+

    Iowa is a zone defense team and the wide receivers took advantage of it.

    Senior Jahmal Banks was finding open space in the coverage at critical times in the game, recording 4 catches for 41 yards. Freshman Jacory Barney Jr. was held in check by Iowa, hauling in only three catches for 29 yards, although he did turn one catch into a 23-yard gain.

    The stats could have been even better for the receivers if not for a couple of missed throws by Raiola. Senior Isaiah Neyor had a forgettable game, recording only two catches for seven yards while also dropping a key pass in the fourth quarter down the middle of the field.

    There has been a lot of criticism of the wide receivers this year, but they were far from the issue in this tough loss for Nebraska.

    Offensive Line: B-

    The offensive line didn’t hold up great in pass protections on Friday night against the Hawkeyes.

    The line gave up four sacks in the game, with three of them allowing a defender to get behind Raiola and force a fumble. The line was getting a decent push at the line of scrimmage in the run game, but the pass protection was surprisingly lackluster. This group played a fairly clean game penalty-wise, however, as they had only two false starts in the game.

    More was expected out of this group in pass protection, leading to an average grade.

    Defensive Line: A

    Nebraska’s defensive line came to play knowing Iowa would try to run the ball all game.

    Iowa junior running back Kaleb Johnson averaged only 2.6 yards a carry in the game, recording 17 carries for 45 yards. He did break off a swing pass for a 72-yard touchdown, but that wasn’t on the defensive line. Senior Ty Robinson once again was very active in the game, recording three tackles and a TFL, and freshman James Williams recorded the Huskers’ lone sack.

    The Hawkeyes couldn’t get anything going in the traditional running game, and that all starts with the big guys up front.

    Linebackers: B+

    Outside of one play, this grade could have easily been an A as well for the linebackers. However, Iowa’s lone touchdown brings this grade down.

    Senior John Bullock along with multiple other Husker defenders failed to bring down Johnson on his 72-yard touchdown, allowing Iowa to tie the game 10-10. This was a momentum-shifting play that put the Hawkeyes right back in the game.

    Outside of that one play, however, the linebackers were very active in filling the gaps in the run game. Still, that one play will hunt the Blackshirt defense for a long time.

    Secondary: A-

    Iowa didn’t pass downfield much, so the secondary wasn’t tested.

    This isn’t surprising, given the Hawkeyes were starting their fifth-string quarterback. 72 of sophomore quarterback Jackson Stratton’s 115 passing yards were off of one play. He was rattled by the play of Nebraska’s defensive line. Senior Issac Gifford made a key stop at the goal line in the third quarter to hold Iowa to a field goal, highlighting an impressive day for the defense.

    While they weren’t tested too often, you have to give credit to the secondary for not giving Iowa a big passing play downfield.

    Special Teams: D-

    This is the group that fans will say lost Nebraska this game.

    A muffed punt, a shanked punt and a missed field goal will do that for you. The missed field goal wasn’t on freshman kicker John Hohl, as the snap and hold were not executed well. Senior punter Brian Buschini also didn’t have a great game, averaging only 34.9 yards on seven punts.

    The key play in the game, however, was the debacle on the one punt return. Senior Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda acted like he was going to fair catch the punt, but he ducked away from it at the last second. Freshman Vincent Shavers Jr., not knowing this, tried to dive on the ball, but he didn’t come up with it, and Iowa got the ball at Nebraska’s four-yard line.

    Iowa’s game plan was just to wait for the Huskers to mess up, and they messed up multiple times in the game, specifically on special teams.

    sports@dailynebraskan.com

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  • Indiana football makes statement win in front of sold-out crowd, downs Nebraska by 49 points

    Indiana football makes statement win in front of sold-out crowd, downs Nebraska by 49 points

    Indiana football’s defense was on its heels. Nebraska was 14 plays into its opening drive of the second half and, trailing 28-7, kept its offense on the field to go for it on fourth-and-8. 

    Senior defensive back Shawn Asbury II stood at the Hoosiers’ 1-yard line, watching Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola clap his hands together to snap the ball. Asbury took one step to his left, then darted to his right as Raiola turned his head to assess the left side of the field and threw the ball. 

    Asbury propelled himself just in front of junior tight end Thomas Fidone II, intercepting the pass and beelining for the north endzone. Asbury said he didn’t think he was going to be caught from behind. Instead, he thought he was going to give the Hoosiers a 35-7 lead. 

    Nebraska senior running back Rahmir Johnson caught Asbury, however, bringing him down at the Cornhuskers’ 19-yard line. Even without securing the six points, Asbury changed the game. 

    “Shawn Asbury’s play was probably the big play in the game,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said postgame. “There was a lot of big plays in that game, but that was a real momentum-turning play.” 

    Cignetti wasn’t the only Hoosier who thought the play shifted momentum. Sophomore defensive back D’Angelo Ponds said it “definitely shifted momentum,” and later described it as a “clutch” pick. 

    Just three plays later, Indiana redshirt sophomore quarterback Tayven Jackson tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Miles Cross. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 35-7, effectively sealing the game with just over six minutes left in the third quarter. 

    While sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke didn’t take the field in the second half due to a thumb injury, Jackson guided the Hoosiers through the final two quarters. Cignetti explained postgame that he and the team had confidence in Jackson. 

    And not only did Indiana seal the game with a whole quarter left to play thanks to Cross’ touchdown, but it never let off. 

    “Coach Cignetti said once we put the foot on the gas, they’re going to start getting rattled and frustrated,” senior linebacker Jailin Walker said. “So, we knew once we got them in that element, it was time put the foot really on the gas.” 

    And put the foot on the gas pedal they did. 

    The Hoosiers outscored the Cornhuskers 28-0 over the final two frames, despite the visitors holding a 171-152 advantage in second-half yardage. But the deficit in total yards didn’t matter. The Cream and Crimson outgained Nebraska 343-133 in the first half, although the Cornhuskers allowed just 272 yards per contest entering Saturday. 

    It wasn’t just another victory on Homecoming weekend — it was a dominant one. With upwards of 80 recruits on hand for the contest, it’s a victory that backs up what Cignetti preached when he first arrived in Bloomington. 

    During his introductory press conference Dec. 1, 2023, Cignetti explained he’s never had a losing season as head coach. Later in December he said, “I win, Google me.” 

    That’s all the Hoosiers have done under the 63-year-old head coach. Indiana’s victory Saturday secures yet another winning season for Cignetti –– his 14th. He’s yet to have a losing one as a head coach. 

    But some Hoosiers, like Ponds, Asbury and Cross, don’t view Saturday’s drubbing as a statement win. Instead, it’s the expectation. 

    “I feel like outside looking in, it’s a statement win, but the guys in here know what we are supposed to do,” Ponds said. “We are not surprised at all.” 

    Asbury and Cross explained the Hoosiers take the season just one game at a time. 

    But fifth-year senior running back Justice Ellison views it in a different way. For him, it was a statement game. 

    “It was a wonderful day in the office,” Ellison said. “It was pretty much a statement game. Going into the game, we knew we had a chip on our shoulder, and it was great to be with the guys and come in and get that kind of outcome.” 

    The Hoosiers now sit at 7-0 for the first time since 1967. They continue to climb up The Associated Press’ poll with their unblemished 4-0 record in conference play. 

    Indiana welcomes Washington to Memorial Stadium at noon Oct. 26, looking to continue its undefeated season. At this point last season, the Hoosiers were 2-5 and fighting to keep fans in the bleachers. 

    That’s not the case anymore. Hoosier fans sold out Saturday’s contest and have done the same for Indiana’s Nov. 9 matchup with Michigan. 

    No matter how the rest of Indiana’s season ends up, the Hoosiers have generated a newfound buzz in Bloomington –– something athletic director Scott Dolson was searching for when he decided to fire former head coach Tom Allen. 

    Cignetti noticed it and so did the players. 

    “I’ve never played with an atmosphere like this,” Walker said. “Shoutout to the crowd. They came in loud, and it motivated us to play fast. It was amazing.” 



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  • Indiana vs Nebraska live scores, highlights

    Indiana football faces its toughest test today against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium.

    IU is 6-0 and ranked No. 18 in the nation. Nebraska sits at 5-1 and ranked 25th. Will the Hoosiers topple the Cornhuskers and remain undefeated?

    Follow along for live updates.

    Indiana football vs Nebraska time today

    • Date: Saturday, Oct. 19
    • Time: 12 p.m. ET
    • Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington

    What channel is Indiana vs Nebraska game on today?

    Indiana vs Nebraska will broadcast nationally on FOX in Week 8 of the 2024 college football season. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will call the game from the booth at Memorial Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers and Sling TV.

    IU football vs Nebraska history

    • Series record: Indiana leads, 10-9-3
    • Indiana’s last win: 10-26-19 (38-31)
    • Nebraska’s last win: 10-1-22 (35-21)

    Indiana vs Nebraska predictions

    Indiana 31, Nebraska 21: “A good day at the office for Nebraska’s defense would be holding IU to less than 40 points and 500 yards of offense, but that still leaves room for the Hoosiers to win the game pretty convincingly. 

    The Cornhuskers offense just isn’t built to survive in any kind of shootout with a freshman quarterback and a fairly pedestrian group of skill players.

    If Indiana gets to 30 points, it will leave Memorial Stadium with a 7-0 record on Saturday afternoon.” – IU reporter Michael Niziolek

    Indiana vs Nebraska betting odds

    Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:

    • Spread: Indiana by 6.5
    • Over/under: 49.5
    • Moneyline: Indiana -225, Nebraska +185

    Indiana football schedule 2024

    Buy IU football tickets this season with StubHub

    Nebraska football schedule 2024

    • Aug. 31: UTEP (W, 40-7)
    • Sept. 7: Colorado (W, 28-10)
    • Sept. 14: Northern Iowa (W, 34-3)
    • Sept. 20: Illinois (L, 31-24 OT)
    • Sept. 28: at Purdue (W, 28-10)
    • Oct. 5: Rutgers (W, 14-7)
    • Oct. 19: at Indiana
    • Oct. 26: at Ohio State
    • Nov. 2: UCLA
    • Nov. 16: at USC
    • Nov. 23: Wisconsin
    • Nov. 29: at Iowa
    • Record: 5-1

    Indiana football news

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  • Everything you need to know about Indiana football facing Nebraska

    BLOOMINGTON — Nebraska coach Matt Rhule set the stage for this weekend’s showdown against Indiana football during his weekly press conference.

    “Truly, playing against good teams allows you to show what you can do,” Rhule said. “You can’t show what you can do when you play bad teams, you do that when you play good teams.”

    Indiana and Nebraska have played their fair share of bad teams this season. 

    The No. 18 Hoosiers (6-0; 3-0 Big Ten) set all sorts of single-game records in a blowout victory over Western Illinois — a FCS team that came to Bloomington on a 25-game losing streak — while the Cornhuskers have played an FCS opponent (Northern Iowa) and a one of the last FBS teams to get a win (UTEP). 



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  • Nebraska soccer falls to Rutgers 3-2 | Sports

    Nebraska soccer falls to Rutgers 3-2 | Sports

    Nebraska fell to 4-8-1 on the season after its 3-2 loss to Rutgers on Thursday night.

    The Huskers about got on the board two minutes in, but an offsides call on junior midfielder Sadie Waite negated the goal. Rutgers followed this by driving down the field, with Scarlet Knights sophomore forward Ashley Baran putting them up 1-0.

    Nebraska immediately answered, however, as senior forward Sarah Weber scored her eighth goal of the season to lock it up at 1-1 with 40 minutes left in the first half. Weber came to play in Piscataway. It wasn’t five minutes after her first goal that she scored another to put the Huskers up 2-1. 

    Senior midfielder Belzile Florence nearly added another goal halfway through the first half but had her shot blocked. The Huskers kept the pressure on the Scarlet Knights. 

    With under 15 minutes left in the half, Weber passed it over her head to Waite, but she was off target. Senior goalie Sami Hauk made a fantastic save to stop Rutgers’ freshman midfielder Shaela Bradley from tying the contest. Nebraska’s defensive formations kept the Scarlet Knights on edge for the remainder of the first half. 

    The Huskers’ aggressiveness was key in its two early goals. They finished the half with eight shots, two saves, 11 fouls and two corner kicks. Rutgers at the half had three shots, two saves, eight fouls and one corner kick. 

    Nebraska head coach John Walker was pleased with how his team responded after allowing an early goal.

    “Good mentality to bounce back, we pressed well,” Walker said at halftime. “Overall, it was a good half.”

    The Huskers continued to stay in Rutgers’ territory at the start of the second half with Waite having another near miss two minutes in. The Scarlet Knights locked the game back up five minutes in when Baran scored an incredible goal to make it 2-2, with 39 minutes left. 

    Baran was on fire. With 36:20 left in the contest, she scored her third goal giving Rutgers a 3-2 lead, while also giving her first career hat trick. She had only one goal entering the game but was the most valuable player tonight. 

    With 25 minutes left, Baran about scored a fourth goal but was too high in her shot. Nebraska’s defense kept letting her slip through. At the 23-minute mark, freshman defender Reese Snowden was called for a yellow card, after pushing down a Scarlet Knight. 

    Belzile came up injured with just 10 minutes left as it appeared she dinged up her right quad, after bumping into a Rutgers defender. However, It was just a stinger since she immediately substituted back in. 

    Nebraska nearly tied the game up with 4:20 left, but Belzile’s kick went off the crossbar. The Huskers could not find a way to put the ball in the goal during the second half. After a promising first half, Nebraska went stagnant in the second.  

    Nebraska finished with 15 shots, three saves, 14 fouls and five corner kicks. Rutgers had nine shots, two saves, 14 fouls and just one corner kick. 

    The kryptonite for the Huskers this season has been their lack of offense. Other than Weber, they have significantly struggled to score. This was a tale of two halves. The aggressiveness did not show up in the second half. It will be interesting to see how Nebraska responds in its final four regular season games.

    Nebraska will return to action on Sunday, where it will take on Maryland in College Park.

    sports@dailynebraskan.com 

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  • Rhule and Nebraska football committed to culture ahead of second half of season | Sports

    Rhule and Nebraska football committed to culture ahead of second half of season | Sports

    The DN’s football coverage is presented by Celerion.

    Nebraska enters a bye week already matching last season’s win total. At 5-1, the Huskers are on the cusp of their first bowl bid since 2016. However, head coach Matt Rhule isn’t ready to celebrate just yet.

    Rhule spoke to the media on Monday at the halfway point of Nebraska’s season. While it hasn’t been perfect, he is thrilled with how the team has handled it all.

    “I’m proud of our players,” Rhule said. “That’s the important message. I’m proud of their work. I’m proud of the lack of distractions. I’m proud of the selflessness. I’m proud of the growth.”

    The team has shared this same commitment, even with some seeing the field less than others. While players deciding to redshirt after four games to improve their stock in the transfer portal is a hot topic in college football, Rhule hasn’t had to deal with any situations.

    “I believe in that journey, I believe in the old school process,” Rhule said. “It takes parents who trust you, takes players who trust you, and at the same time if a player says to me ‘Coach, this isn’t right for me I want to transfer.’ I’m not gonna throw them off the team.”

    Rhule believes in development and not wasting a year of eligibility by playing just a few snaps a game with defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel is a catalyst for this thinking. The sophomore saw his most extensive playing time of the year against the Scarlet Knights, but can only appear in one more regular season contest to preserve his redshirt.

    Van Poppel follows suit to defensive lineman James Williams, who redshirted last season despite recording two sacks in four games. The sophomore has already doubled his production in just the past two weeks alone.

    “James Williams is out there, has a big game statistically,” Rhule said. “We made the decision, a hard decision, but the right decision last year to redshirt him down the stretch and now you see a much more developed player in my mind.”

    Others up for a redshirt are defensive backs Blye Hill, Amare Sanders and Larry Tarver Jr. Hill looked to be in the running for the starting spot at cornerback in the spring before an injury in the spring game kept him sidelined. With the likes of junior Ceyair Wright and redshirt freshman Jeremiah Charles stepping up, Hill gets more time to evolve.

    The Huskers who are seeing the field are playing clean football with the Blackshirts forcing turnovers on one end and the offense keeping the ball out of harm’s way on the other. One of the biggest improvements from last year is Nebraska’s plus-six turnover margin, up from a minus-17 mark in 2023. 

    “It’s a good example of putting your mind to something and getting it done,” Rhule said. “It’s been months and months of work and it’s also something we were working on last year.”

    As for the other two key areas of physicality and discipline, Rhule calls it “a work in progress.” He points out the Illinois game being an occasion where the Huskers lost the toughness battle by being too worried about winning. 

    Penalties haven’t cost the Huskers too much so far, but that is because their opponents are generating them at the same rate. Through six games, Nebraska has committed 47 total penalties with the other sideline also having 47. 

    “It’s not like we’re just getting destroyed like we have 11 [penalties] and they have three, but that’s something I’d like to see us approve,” Rhule said.

    The Huskers enter their first bye week of the season at a win total fans are used to seeing in November. While Rhule still has nightmares of the overtime loss to the Fighting Illini, he remains focused on getting better every week.

    And so is his team. Morale is at an all-time high as Nebraska is bought in on having a successful second half of the year.

    “After Illinois, I could just feel our team and our coaching staff wanting to win this game,” Rhule said. “I enjoy this game better where the guys just go and play.”

    Anthony Rubek is an Assistant Sports Editor at The Daily Nebraskan. Follow him on X at @AnthonyRubek.

    sports@dailynebraskan.com



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  • Nebraska football position grades vs. Rutgers | Sports

    Nebraska football position grades vs. Rutgers | Sports

    The DN’s football coverage is presented by Celerion

    Quarterback: C

    Freshman Dylan Raiola looked like a freshman for the first time this season.

    Raiola missed some wide-open throws in the game, finishing with only 134 yards while completing just 48% of his passes. On a few plays, he held the ball too long, resulting in four sacks. He also threw his first interception of the season that was entirely his fault, as he didn’t see senior cornerback Flip Dixon underneath on a slant route.

    Raiola made a couple of great throws in the game, including a 31-yard NFL-level pass to senior wide receiver Jahmal Banks. However, this was a rough game for the freshman.

    Running Backs: B+

    The running game led the way for Nebraska in the win, as both of its touchdowns came on the ground.

    It was a near-even split between sophomores Dante Dowdell and Emmett Johnson, as they both tallied 14 carries in the game. Dowdell was more efficient with his carries, recording 57 yards for an average of 4.1 yards a carry compared to Johnson’s 33 for an average of 2.4 yards. Dowdell also punched in the first sscore of the game from one yard out.

    Senior Rahmir Johnson put in the best performance on the day, however. He made two great plays in the game on an 18-yard run and a 36-yard catch, the longest run and reception of the game for the Huskers.

    It’s looking like this will continue to be a committee backfield, and head coach Matt Rhule is going to ride the hot hand heading into the second half of the season.

    Receivers: B

    The receivers’ stats took a hit with Raiola not playing up to his standards, but they still had a solid day.

    The receivers made three big plays in the game, as freshman Jacory Barney Jr., sophomore Jaylen Lloyd and Banks had receptions of 28, 30 and 31 yards. Other than that, however, Raiola struggled to connect with the receivers downfield.

    Banks was held to just the one catch while senior receiver Isaiah Neyor didn’t record a single reception. Junior tight end Thomas Fidone II brought in three catches, but they only went for 15 yards. There were a few times Raiola missed open receivers, so the passing game as a whole will look to bounce back out of the bye week.

    Offensive Line: B+

    The offensive line had its best game run blocking so far this season, as they were opening up holes for the running backs in the first half to help give Nebraska a 14-0 lead. The run game did slow down in the second half, but they helped set the tone early in the game.

    The pass blocking wasn’t great on the day. Raiola was sacked four times, but it’s hard to pin that all on the offensive line when he was holding the ball a little too long on occasion. The biggest takeaway, however, was the offensive line only being flagged one time on a false start.

    Overall, it was a solid day for the guys up front and they will look to keep building on this performance.

    Defensive Line: A+

    The defensive line continued its dominant performance from last week, having its best performance of the season since the Colorado game.

    The Husker front completely shut down the inside run game. They held senior running back Kyle Monangai to just 78 yards on the ground for an average of just 4.1 yards a carry. He came into the game averaging 6.1 yards.

    The defensive line also had constant pressure on senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, recording four sacks on the day. Sophomore James Williams is starting to carve out a role on the defensive line, tallying two sacks for the second game in a row.

    The defensive line has been a little inconsistent this season, but they have started conference play out strong.

    Linebackers: A

    The linebackers have been the most consistent position group so far this year, and they kept that going on Saturday.

    The stats won’t jump out at you. Seniors John Bullock and MJ Sherman along with junior Mikai Gbayor all had four tackles in the game with no tackles for loss. However, they were constantly filling the holes in the run game and rallying to the football. They also didn’t have a lot of missed tackles, which is an improvement from last week.

    The linebackers showed up and did their job. The defense has stepped up since the Illinois game, and this position group is a big reason for that.

    Secondary: B+

    The secondary made some big plays on the day, most notably picking off Kaliakmanis two times. However, this grade could have been a lot different.

    Kaliakmanis struggled in the game, completing only 41% of his passes for 186 yards. While the secondary deserves credit for this, that was more indicative of the pressure the front seven was putting on Kaliakmanis.

    It would have looked worse if freshman receiver Ben Black had reeled in what would have been a 40-yard touchdown reception that hit him right in the hands. Junior cornerback Marques Buford Jr. fell over while covering Black, leaving him wide open. That catch makes it a one-sscore game with 10 minutes left in the game. The secondary also struggled with some perimeter tackling in the first quarter, but they cleaned that up as the game went on.

    The secondary still has work to do to step up to the level of the front seven, but they still played well despite senior cornerback Tommi Hill being hurt.

    Special Teams: C-

    Special teams once again were rough for Nebraska.

    There were ups and downs for this unit, as they did stop Rutgers’ fake field goal attempt at the beginning of the game. Senior punter Brian Buschini also threw one of the better passes in the game on a fake punt in the third quarter. Buschini added two punts over 60 yards.

    However, the two blocked punts hurt this grade. One of them gave the Scarlet Knights the ball at the two-yard line. While the defense didn’t allow Rutgers to score despite the amazing field position, those kinds of mistakes will cost the Huskers games at some point this season.

    sports@dailynebraskan.com 

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  • Nebraska soccer snaps four-game losing streak with win over Illinois | Sports

    Nebraska soccer snaps four-game losing streak with win over Illinois | Sports

    Nebraska got back in the winning column after a 1-0 victory over Illinois on Thursday night.

    Near goals were the story of the first half for the Huskers. 

    Within the first minute of the game, junior midfielder Sadie Waite drove down and barely missed a goal. The Huskers came out aggressive. After an out of bounds kick, sophomore midfielder Ella Guyott nearly scored on a header. This soccer team didn’t look like a team that had already lost four straight early on.

    “That was kind of what the game plan was, I think just making sure we played a complete 90 minutes,” senior midfielder Sarah Weber said postgame. “I think in the last four games, we had really good moments, but we weren’t consistent throughout the whole game.”

    Nebraska kept getting good shots on the goal early. With 36 minutes left in the first half, senior defender Jordan Zade had another near goal. Even though the Huskers weren’t getting the ball in the goal early, they kept pushing in the Fighting Illini’s territory. 

    It was only a matter of time until Weber let her presence be known. With 27 minutes left in the first half Weber nearly missed the first goal of the contest. At the 22-minute mark, Nebraska had two corner kicks from junior defender Lauryn Anglim, the first was nearly put in by Waite, but neither resulted in a score. 

    With 13:38 in the first half, the Huskers caught a break when Illinois junior midfielder Mia Howard nearly put the Fighting Illini on the scoreboard, but it went wide right. 

    At the 10-minute mark in the first half, Nebraska sophomore defender Reese Borer made a great defensive stop at midfield. If she would’ve missed, it would have been nothing but green grass for Illinois. 

    At the half, the game was still deadlocked at zero, but the reigning Big Ten champions seemed to have the momentum going into the locker room. Nebraska finished the first half with 12 shots, zero saves, one foul, four corner kicks and zero offsides. Illinois at the half had three shots, three saves, five fouls, zero corner kicks and four offsides. 

    The second half started off with another corner kick by the Huskers, but still didn’t get one in. With 38 minutes left, Weber passed the ball to senior forward Abbey Schwarz but they missed a golden opportunity to get on the board. 

    The Huskers finally got on the scoreboard with a little over 32 minutes remaining with Weber heading the ball in off of a corner kick assisted by Anglim, making it 1-0. These two stars practice this nearly every day.

    “A lot of reps,” Anglim said postgame. “We practice it almost every day. We have specific days that we are just set play and to get a set play goal, It’s good because we do practice it a ton.” 

    Nearly 20 minutes into the second half Schwarz and Weber appeared to be shaken up simultaneously, but stayed on the field until true freshman defender Reese Snowden substituted in for Schwarz. Weber remained in the contest. 

    Schwarz came back in after a few minutes, a good sign for a team that has battled injuries so far this season.

    Corner kick specialist Anglim nearly had another assist, but the Fighting Illini sophomore goalie Izzy Lee stopped it this time with 13:37 left in the contest.

    With 9:30 left in the game, Illinois freshman defender Mia Gildea was shaken up. Weber received a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct after the injury. The crowd was not a fan of the foul.  

    The Huskers came out with fire. Even though they only scored one, the aggressiveness from the team stood out. 

    “It was definitely crucial to get back on the board, just to gain some momentum,” Weber said postgame.  

    The final stats for Nebraska consisted of 26 shots, 11 corner kicks, 12 fouls and two saves. Illinois finished with eight shots, zero corner kicks, 10 fouls and nine saves. The Huskers’ ability to get this many shots off was the difference in the game.  

    Nebraska’s offensive power came through tonight, keeping the ball in Illinois territory. The reigning Big Ten champions now have some much-needed momentum.

    “I think showing ourselves that we are capable of what we ultimately know, but to prove it was big for us,” Anglim said postgame.

    Injuries have affected the Huskers this season. Nebraska has had to figure out how to fill the void in the wake of adversity. 

    “Injuries is just an opportunity for other people to step up and make an impact,” Anglim said. It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing you can do about it, and we have enough depth on the team where they can make an impact.”

    The Huskers will return to action Sunday, where they will take on Penn State in Lincoln.

    sports@dailynebraskan.com 

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  • Three takeaways and a question from Nebraska football’s season-opening win vs UTEP | Sports

    Three takeaways and a question from Nebraska football’s season-opening win vs UTEP | Sports

    The DN’s football coverage is presented by Celerion

    For the first time in a long time, Nebraska is 1-0 to start the new year.

    After playing and losing to Big Ten opponents to open each of the last four seasons, the Huskers finally were given a Group of Five opponent in their first game in the UTEP Miners. Unlike the previous few openers, Nebraska found success and rolled to a 40-7 win. After a few long seasons, it seems like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Husker fans.

    Here are three takeaways and a question from Nebraska’s resounding win over UTEP:

    The passing offense is completely revamped

    In the 2023-24 season, the Huskers had an abysmal time passing the rock. Nebraska ranked 126th out of 134 teams in passing offense and passing efficiency, throwing for a measly 10 touchdowns on the year. 

    In the offseason, the Huskers looked to completely revamp the passing game, adding blue-chip freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola and a plethora of targets for him to throw to. After today’s game, it’s safe to say that the revamp was successful.

    Against the Miners, Raiola had a strong debut, going 19-of-27 in the air for 238 yards and 2 scores. Last season, the most yards Nebraska threw for as a team was 199 yards vs Michigan.

    Raiola’s arm talent is something that the Huskers have not had in a while. It also helps that the weapons Nebraska added in the offseason were dynamic.

    The star receiver for the Huskers today was senior newcomer Isaiah Neyor, who caught six passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. The highlight for Neyor was a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter where he was able to beat the defensive back and keep his balance to reach the endzone.

     Other newcomers such as senior Jahmal Banks, freshman Carter Nelson and freshman Jacory Barney Jr. also contributed to the passing game. Overall, Nebraska had a total of 11 players catch a pass, giving the Huskers a lot more options in the passing attack than last season.

    After a historically bad passing attack in 2023-24, it is a breath of fresh air to see Nebraska attacking through the air. 

    Defense is good as advertised

    Unlike the offense, Nebraska’s defense in 2023-24 was exceptional. The Blackshirts ranked 8th in rushing and 40th in passing defense during the campaign and were a bright spot on a disappointing team. 

    After returning most of their production from last season, the Husker defense had high expectations coming into the opener and they were able to deliver on those.

    Nebraska’s front seven was a nightmare for the Miners. The veteran defensive line duo of seniors Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson was as formidable as ever making their way into the backfield often. Overall the unit produced nine tackles for loss and only allowed a total of 56 yards on the ground. They also forced a safety early in the second quarter, marking the Husker’s first defensive one since 2009. 

    The passing defense also looked strong. The defense only allowed 149 passing yards on the day. Outside of a 38-yard touchdown by Miner back Kam Thomas, the unit limited the big plays through the air. They also were able to force UTEP to throw two interceptions, which helped the Huskers win the turnover battle.

    Many expected Nebraska’s defense to improve and today they were able to prove that.

    Huskers look poised for a big year

    After many long and arduous seasons, it finally looks like the Huskers may be able to put it together. 

    It has been a while since Nebraska has had a collection of talent like this on both sides of the ball. There have been years where one side of the ball excels, but recently there has not been any where both sides are as polished as this year. 

    The Huskers also looked very disciplined today. Besides a few early penalties, Nebraska played a clean game of football. Many teams in recent years have sabotaged games by committing boneheaded penalties, but this team feels a lot more level-headed.

    With Raiola’s incredible arm, the monstrous front seven and a softer schedule than usual, the Huskers may be able to reach heights they’ve only been able to gaze at in recent years. 

    Who will emerge out of the running back room?

    One of the biggest questions coming into the game was the situation at running back. On the initial depth chart, Nebraska listed four starters at the position. Senior running back Rahmir Johnson was the back who got the first carry, however, sophomore running back Dante Dowdell quickly emerged as the go-to guy, getting the bulk of the following carries.

    When it seemed like Dowdell was going to cement himself as the starter, a costly fumble on the Miners’ three-yard line was the last time he saw the ball.

    The other backs, sophomore Emmett Johnson and junior Gabe Ervin Jr. emerged as the game progressed. Johnson finished as the leading rusher with 71 yards and Ervin punched in two scores. 

    Many expected an answer at the position today, but it seems that only more questions emerged. 

    Ben Beecham is an assistant sports editor at The Daily Nebraskan. Follow him on X @BeechamBen  

    sports@dailynebraskan.com

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